Annual Meetings : Station Branches.

BLYTH (NORTHUMBERLAND).-—On 1st March, Alderman George E. Tynemouth, Chairman of the Branch, presiding.

The report for the year ending 30th September, 1926, showed that the Life-boat had been out on service on four occasions, and that £281 had been collected as compared with £317 in the previous year. There had been a considerable fall in contributions from ships. Now that there were more ships coming in, the Chairman hoped that the Branch would be able to meet its expenses, without drawing on the general funds of the Institution, but he would still like to see more subscribers.

Mrs. Elliott gave an account of the work of the Ladies' Life-boat Guild, which now has a membership of about 40.

CROMEB (NORFOLK).—On 2nd November, Mr. D. Davison, Chairman of the Branch, presiding. The report for the year ending 30th September, 1926, showed that the No. 1 Motor Life-boat had been out on service on two occasions, and that £465 had been collected as compared with £405 in the previous year. Of this sum £107 was raised by Life-boat Day, a record for the Day. Nearly £60 was collected at the old Life-boat House, where the Caretaker sold 2,235 Life-boat postcards and 368 Life-boat books, and the record amount of over £150 was collected in the new Life-boat House on the Pier, where 3,748 picture postcards and 16 books were sold. In moving the adoption of the report, the Chairman paid a tribute to the splendid services of the Honorary Secretary of the Station, Mr. F. H. Barclay.

ISLE OF WIGHT.— On 12th February, at Newport, Major-General the Right Hon. J. E. B. Seely, C.B., C.M.G-., D.S.O., President, in the chair. The reports from the three Life-boat Stations in the Island showed that the Brooke Life-boat hud been out on service once, the Bembridge Life-boat once, and the Yarmouth Life-boat on five occasions.

The Financial Statement presented by the Honorary Treasurer, Mr. P. W.

Day, showed that £906 had been collected as compared with £869 in the previous year. The Committee was re-elected with the addition of Admiral of the Fleet the Hon. Sir Arthur G.

Gough Calthorpe, G.C.B., G.C.M.G., C.V.O., and Captain Betts, Divisional Inspector of the Coastguard. Mr.

Aubrey Wykeham was re-elected Honorary Secretary, the Chairman paying a tribute to the work which he had done for many years.

MINEHEAD (SOMERSETSHIRE).—On 3rd February, Mr. A. F. Luttrell, President of the Branch, in the chair. The report for the year ending 30th September, 1926, showed that £116 had been collected as compared with £113 in the previous year.

NEWQUAY (CORNWALL) .—On 22nd February, Mr. A, Bond, in the chair.

The report for the year ending 30th September, 1926, showed that £232 had been collected as compared with £225 in the previous yea,r. Out of this sum all the expenses of the Station had been paid and £100 sent to the general funds of th e Institution. The Chairman congratulated the Branch on what he considered an excellent report, and said that he would like to see more ladies on the Committee and taking a part in the work of the Branch. Votes of Thanks were passed to the Honorary Treasurer, Mr. F. L. Nicholas, and Mr.

H. P. Thomas., the Honorary Secretary.

RHYL (FLINTSHIRE). •— On 16th February, Mr. Robert Lowe presiding.

Among those present were Mrs. J.

Fierce-Lewis, President of the Ladies' Life-boat Guild, and Mr. Ernest Jones, the Honorary Secretary. The report for the year ending 30th September, 1926, showed that the Life-boat iad been out on service on one occasion, and that £242 had been collected as compared with £282 in the previous year. Subscriptions amounted to only £8, but visitors to the Boathouse had contributed £116. The Officers and Committee were re-elected, and it was decided that several members of the Committee who did not attend regularly should be asked if they wished to continue to serve.

SOOTHEND-ON-SEA (ESSEX).—On 27th January, Sir John Francis, Chairman, presiding. The report for the year ending 30th September, 1926, showed that the Life-boat had been out on service once, and that £225 had been collected as compared with £496 in the previous year. Sir John Francis pointed out that the Station was to be provided with a Motor Life-boat which would be more costly to maintain, and that the least that the Branch could do was to increase the number of subscribers. He thought that they might ask for larger contributions from the Yacht Clubs.

WlCK AND ACKERGILL (CAITH5JESSSHIKE).

—On llth February, Mr. James Stevens presiding. The report for the year ending 30th September, 1926, showed that the Wick Life-boat had been out on service once, and that £178 had been collected as compared with £85 in the previous year. Reference was made to the great loss to the Branch in the death of Colonel Henderson, who had been its Chairman for 29 years.

The Provost presented the certificate won by a boy of Thrumster Public School in the Life-boat Essay Competition last year.

WORTHING (Sussex).—On 4th March, the Mayor (Councillor G. B. Cook) presiding, supported by the Lady Louisa Cecil, Chairman of the Ladies' Committee, Major Sir Maurice Cameron, K.C.M.G., a member of the Committee of Management, andLient.-Colonel A.F.

Randolph, C.M.G., D.S.O., Chairman of the Branch. The report for the year ending 30th September, 1926, showed that £624 had been collected as compared with £361 in the previous year.

This was a record sum for the Branch, and included £167 from the Triennial Sunday collections and £109 from the Life-boat Day organized by the Ladies' Life-boat Guild. In addition to this, a legacy of £250 was received from the late Major Elsdale Molson, J.P. Colonel Randolph, in moving the adoption of the report, referred to the loss to the Branch in the death of its Assistant Secretary, Mr. T. Watts, R.N. Sir Maurice Cameron gave an address on.

the work of the Institution, and said that Worthing was recognized as one of the best and most energetic of the Institution's Branches.

Annual Meetings: Financial Branches and Guilds.

BIRMINGHAM (WARWICKSHIRE).—On 24th February, S. E. Short, Esq., J.P., presiding, supported by Sir Godfrey Baring, Bt., Chairman of the Committee of Management of the Institution. The report for the year ending 30th September last showed that £1,342 had been collected, as compared with £1,045 in the previous year. In moving the adoption of the report, the Chairman said that there was just as much obligation for those who lived in the great inland cities to support the Lifeboat Service as for those who lived on the coast. This appeal was endorsed by Sir Godfrey Baring, who said that the annual subscriptions, amounting to £281, vreie hardly worthy of such a City as Birmingham, and one so wellknown for its generosity to every good cause.

BRADFORD (YORKSHIRE).-—On 25th January, the Lord Mayor (Alderman R.

Johnson), President of the Branch, in the chair. The report for the year ending 30th September last showed that £1,974 had been collected, as compared with £2,376 in the previous year. In moving the adoption of the report, the Lord Mayor said that whatever were the trade conditions, the people of Bradford would not be deterred from supporting Life-boat Service, and when prosperity returned, he believed that Bradford would again stand about the third City on the list of Life-boat supporters.

CARLISLE (CUMBERLAND).—On 28th February, the Mayor (Mr. A. Creighton) presiding. The report for the year ending 30th September last showed that £236 had been collected, as compared with. £220 in tne previous year. The report pointed out that the Branch had not been granted a Flag Day, and strenuous efforts had been made in other directions to prevent the Branch contribution from suffering in consequence.

The Ladies' Life-boat Guild organized an American Sale, Whist Drive, and collections in the neighbouring villages, producing £78, £24 and £11 11s. respectively. The Collecting Boxes in shops and private houses raised £7 more than in the previous year, while subscriptions had been increased from £70 to £80.

LANCASTER (LANCASHIRE) . — The Mayor (Alderman I. J. Curwen) presided at the Annual Meeting of the Ladies' Life-boat Guild on 8th February. .The report for the year ending 30th September, 1926, showed that £107 had been collected, as compared with £113 in the previous year.

LISBURN (Cos. DOWN AND ANTRIM).

—On 4th March, the Rev. Dr. E. W.

Hamilton presiding in the absence of the President of the Branch, Senator M. Barbou-r. Tae report for the year ending 30tL September, 1926, the Branch's first year, showed that £121 had been collected. The Chairman said that he thought the Branch had done remarkably well, and hoped it would maintain the high standard which it had set for itself.

NORTHAMPTON (NORTHANTS). — On 25th January, the Mayor (Councillor James Peach), President of the Branch, in the chair, supported by the Mayoress, and by the Right Hon. F. 0. Roberts, M.P., Honorary Secretary of the Branch, and a member of the Committee of Management. The report for the year ending 30th September last showed that £392 had been collected as compared with £33 in the previous year. Mr.

Roberts pointed out that only a tenth of the sum of £10,000 which they had hoped to raise in the county as a Centenary gift to the Institution, had been obtained, and it had been decided to ask the Institution to use this sum towards the cost of a Motor Life-boat, or, if this were impossible, to transfer it to its general funds.

OLBHAM (LANCASHIRE). — On 2nd March, tbe Mayor (Alderman H. Frith, J.P.), President of the Branch, in the chair. A vote of sympathy was passed with the relatives of the late Mr. Edwin Schofield, J.P., the oldest subscriber in Oldham, and of the late Miss Bagley, Honorary Secretary of the Ladies' Lifeboat Guild. The report for the year ending 30th September last showed that £315 had been collected, as compared with £297 in the previous year. It was announced that Mrs. Eastwood had succeeded Miss BagJey as Honorary Secretary of the Guild, and that Mrs. C.

Hardman had taken the place of Mrs.

Schofield, who had resigned the Guild Honorary Treasurership.

OXFORD (OXFORDSHIRE).—On llth February, in the Hall of Christ Church, the Rev. R. L. Ottley, D.D., Canon of Christ Church, presiding, supported by the Mayor and Mayoress, Admiral Sir William E. Goodenough.K.C.B., M.V.O., Commander-in-Chief at the Nore, Mr, C. G. Ammon, M.P., late Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty and a member of the Committee of Management, the Rev. W. D. Brownrigg, S.C., Mr. H. A. Baker, a member of the Committee of Management, and many representatives of the University and City. Misa Alice Marshall,, the Honorary Secretary, presented the report for the year ending 30th Septein- ber last, which showed that £907 had been collected as compared with £1,063 in the previous year. Life-boat Day, which, had been organized by Miss Vellacott, had raised £133. Admiral Goodenough said that the interest taken in the Institution by Oxford showed that Oxford was not forgetful of the sea, and of the great benefits which belong to all who lived in a country surrounded by the sea. Mr.

Ammon paid a tribute to Miss Marshall's work, and pointed out that there were only ten towns in Britain which had contributed more than Oxford, and that of these ten the smallest had a population twice as large. Mr. Brownrigg said that Oxford was the City of thought and intellectual progress, but it must also be a place of action, and he hoped that all who were not regular subscribers would become so at once to the greatest philanthropic cause in England.

PETERBOROUGH (NORTHAMPTONSHIRE).

—OH 3rd February, Mrs. J. J.

Bryant in the Chair, supported by the Mayoress (Mrs. Warren). The report for the year ending 30th September, 1926, showed that £170 had been raised, as compared with £94 in the previous year.

PORTSMOUTH (HAMPSHIRE).—On 27th January, the Mayor (Councillor F. J.

Privett, J.P.) presiding, supported by Major-General the Right Hon. J. E. B.

Seely, C.B., C.M.G., D.8.O., Lord Lieutenant of the County and a member of the Committee of Management of the Institution. Thereportfor the year ending 30th September, 1926, showed that £248 had been collected as compared with £258 in the previous year. Alderman Sir Harold Pink, J.P., in moving the adoption of the report, said that the sura laised was still very small for a city of such importance, and General Seely reminded the meeting that Portsmouth, the newest city in the Empire, was its most ancient port, and the first naval port in the whole world. He hoped that it would soon awake to a sense of its responsibility to the Life-boat Service. He also referred to the interest taken in Life-boat work by the present Mayor, aad by Sir Harold Pink and Sir John Timpson during their years of Mayoral office. The Mayor also spoke of the smalmess of Portsmouth's contribution.

During the meeting the Mayoress presented the prizes won by Portsmouth boys and girls in the Lifeboat Essay Competition last year.

PBESTON (LANCASHIRE).—On 24th February, the Annual Meeting of the Branch and the Guild was held in the Town Hall, the Mayor (Councillor J.

Hunt) presiding. There was a large attendance. The report for the year ending 30th September, 1926, showed that £486 had been collected, as compared with £437 in the previous year.

The Life-boat Day had raised the record sum of £336, an increase on 1925 of nearly £40. Reference was made to the splendid work of Miss Cross, the Honorary Secretary of the Guild, and her workers, and also to the loss which the Branch had suffered by the death of Mr. John Toulmin, J.P., for many years its Honorary Treasurer.

ST. ALBANS (HERTFORDSHIRE).—On 9th February, the Mayor (Sir Edgar Wigram), President of the Branch, in the Chair. The report for the year ending 30th September, 1926, showed that £197 had been collected, as compared with £116 in the previous year. Of this sum £170 was raised by the Life-boat Day, a record sum for the Branch, £17 by a garden meeting, and £4 5s.

by subscriptions. The Mayoress was elected President of the -Branch, the Countess of Verulam President of the Guild, and Lady Peake the Guild Chairman. On the same day the Annual Meeting of the Guild was held, Lady Peake presiding.

ST. ANNES (LANCASHIRE).—On. 8th.

February, Sir George Melloi, J.P., Vice-Chairman, presiding. The report for the year ending 30th September, 1926, showed that £150 had been collected, as compared with £186 in the previous year. The Life-boat Station having been closed, St. Annes is now a financial Branch, but the Boat-house with the Life-boat will be open in the summer for exhibition to visitors, and Sir George Mellor undertook to meet the expense of a caretaker.

SOUTHAMPTON (HAMPSHIRE). — On 28th January, Mr. C. J. Sharp, J.P., Chairman, presiding, supported by the Mayor (Alderman Bowyer), President of the Branch, and the Mayoress. The report for the year ending 30th September, 1926, showed that £916 had been collected, as compared with £1,119 in the previous year. The decline was due to the fact that there had been no concerts or sale of work, but some new subscribers had been obtained, and it was hoped to have two entertainments in 1927. The meeting thanked the Honorary Secretary, Mrs. Walters, Councillor and Mrs. J. E. Silveman, for their work on Life-boat Day, and Mr. L. T. Wilkins, who, by collecting on the steamers of the Southampton and Isle of Wight Steam Packet Company, had raised £258. The Mayor presented a certificate won by a Southampton girl in the Life-boat Essay Competition.

B.USELEY (STAFFORDSHIRE). — The first Annual Meeting was held on 3rd February, and the report for the year ending 30th September, 1926, showed that over £11 had been collected. The officers and a strong executive committee were elected.

New Branches and Guilds.

ASHTON-UNDEB-LYNE (LANCASHIRE).

—A Ladies' Life-boat Guild was formed at a meeting held in the Mayor's Parlour on 19th January, and the following Officers were appointed : President, the Mayoress ; Vice-Presidents, Mrs. Broadbent and Councillor Mrs. Wild; -Honorary Treasurer, Mrs. Ernest Postle ; Honorary Secretary, Mrs. H. Ashworth.

BRIERCUME (LANCASHIRE). — A Branch of the Institution was formed at a meeting held on 23rd February, Mr. and Mrs. Hartley Taylor being elected joint Presidents; Mr. and Mrs. W. Graves, Vice-Presidents; Miss L. Halstead, Honorary Treasurer, and Miss Bradshaw, Honorary Secretary.

CROSTON (LANCASHIRE).—The Reverend E. Geary presided at a meeting, at which an address was given by the District Organizing Secretary, and it was decided to form a Guild, Mrs.

Biamall being appointed President, and Miss Morris, Honorary Secretary.

HOLMES CHAPEL, GOOSTBEY, CHELFOED AND DISTRICT (CHESHIRE).— Sir Edwin Stockton, J.P., Honorary Secretary of the Manchester, Salford and District Branch, presided at a largely attended meeting on 22nd February, at which it was decided to form a Ladies' Life-boat Guild for Holmes Chapel, Goostrey, Chelford and District, Lady Stockton being elected President, Mrs. Frank Donner Vice- President, Mrs. Shepard Honorary Treasurer, and the Misses H. Stockton and Betty Armitage joint Honorary Secretaries.

LAKNE (Co. ANTRIM).—A meeting was held on 28th April, 1926, Mr. Samuel Nagill, Chairman of the Urban Council, presiding, at which, on the proposal of Brigadier-General Johnston, C.B., it was decided to form a Lame Branch, Larne having previously been part of the Belfast Lough Branch. Mr. Nagiil was elected President, Miss Lehan Narrow, Honorary Secretary, and Mr.

J. L. Joye, Honorary Treasurer.

ROCHDALE (LANCASHIRE).—On 22nd February, Sir William Milligan, a Vice- Piesident of the Institution and Chairman of the Manchester, Salford and District Branch, addressed a largely attended meeting ia the Town Hall, which had been summoned at the invitation of the Mayor, and it was decided to form a Rochdale Ladies' Life-boat Guild. The Mayor and Mayoress were elected Presidents; Mrs.

Kay-Menzies, Miss Jones and Mrs.

Dearden, Vice-Presidents; Mr. J. H.

Booth, Honorary Treasurer, and Mrs.

Buchanan-Smith and Mrs. Austin Pilling, Honorary Secretaries.

Special Meetings.

BIRMINGHAM (WARWICKSHIRE).—On 6th March, at a Sunday Evening meeting arranged by the Birmingham Temperance Society at the Elite Theatre, Bordesley Green, an address was. given by the Bight Hon. F. O.

Roberts, M.P., a member of the Committee of Management.

PINNER (MIDDLESEX). A special general appeal has been issued by Mrs.

Mathews, the new Honorary Secretary of the Branca. (The decorated car which took part in the Walton-on-the- Naze Life-boat Day Procession last August, and of which a picture appeared in the February number of The Lifeboat, was Mr. and Mrs. Mathews' car, which they had decorated as a Life-boat for the occasion.) TWICKENHAM (MIDDLESEX).—On 9tli February a special meeting was held at the house of the Mayor and Mayoress (Dr. and Mrs. Leeson). The Vicar, the Reverend W. P. Cole-Sheane, presided, supported by the Mayoress, Sir Godfrey Baring, Bt., Chairman of the Committee of Management of the Institution, and Prebendary and Mrs. Osborne. Sir Godfrey Baring gave an address on the work of the Institution, and appealed to those present to join in forming a Ladies' Life-boat Guild in Twickenham.

A number of members were enrolled after the meeting.

TORQUAY (DEVONSHIRE).—On 18th January a special meeting was held in the Torquay Pavilion, at which the Mayor (Mr. J. Marnham, J.P.) presided, and Sir Godfrey Baring, Bt., Chairman of the Committee of Management, and Mr. George F. Shee, Secretary of the Institution, spoke. The Mayor said that a pemmneat institution like the Lifeboat Service must be continually appealing for new help. Each, year it was bound to lose by death some of its old friends, and if the work was to go on others must be found to fill their places.

Sir Godfrey Baring appealed for increased help for the Motor Life-boat Scheme, and Mr. Shee paid a tribute to the generous way in which Torquay had contributed to the Service in the past. After the speeches a number of Life-boat films were shown.

Concerts, Dances, Whist Drives, etc- PORT LOGAN (WIGTOWNSHIRE) .—A dance was held on llth February, organized by Mrs. B. M'Bryde, and this members of her handicraft classes, whicfc raised £40. Mr. G. H. Love, at one time Honorary Secretary of the Station, presided, and paid a tribute to the Coxswain and his Crew of dairymen, cattlemen and postmen.

STOCKPORT (CHESHIRE).—A dance and whist drive was held on 10th February. The Mayor (Councillor J.

Greenhalgh, J.P.), President of the Branch, the Mayoress and the deputy- Mayor and other members of the Town Council, were among those present.

During the evening Mr. R. J. Bailey was presented with the Gold Pendant and Record of Thanks awarded to him by the Institution in recognition of his services for 30 years as Chairman and Honorary Treasurer of the Branch.

WALTHAMSTOW (ESSEX). — The Branch organized four concerts in each of the four corners of its area for the purpose of calling attention to its work.

One was held in December last, two in January, and one in February. Silver collections were made at each concert, and at the first the certificate won by a Walthamstow boy in the Life-boat Essay Competition was presented.

The following Branches and Guilds have held concerts in aid of Branch Funds: Bolton (Lancashire); Bridlington (Yorkshire); Driffield (Yorkshire) ; Baling (Middlesex), and Newbiggin (Northumberland). A concert was organized by the Golden Lion Shooting Club, Hanley, which has been unable to hold the Annual Shooting Competition in aid of the funds of the Institution.

The following Branches and Ladies' Life-boat Guilds have held dances and whist drives or dances in aid of the Institution : Barnes (Surrey); Blackpool (Lancashire); Bridlington (Yorkshire) ; Cowes (Isle of Wight); Carlisle (Cumberland); Crediton (Devonshire); Deal (Kent); Stoke-on-Trent (Staffordshire) ; Lancaster (Lancashire) • Middlesbrough (Yorkshire); Padiham (Lancashire); Peterborough (Northamptonshire) ; Rugby (Warwickshire) ; Rugeley (Staffordshire); Seaford (Sussex); Sennen (Cornwall); Sowerby Bridge and Stockport (Cheshire); Hackney (London).

Entertainment of Life-Boat Crews.

BEKWICK-ON-TWEED (NORTHUMBERLAND).

—The Annual Supper was given to the Life-boat Crew on 19th February.

The Mayor, Alderman A. Darling, J.P., in the chair, supported by Councillor W. J. Dixon, Chairman of the Committee, and Captain Gibsone, Honorary Secretary.

MARGATE (KENT).—The Mayor, Councillor Mrs. M. Hatfeild, J.P., entertained the members of the Crews to dinner on 21st January. Forty-one Life-boatmen were present, and the Mayor was supported by Colonel E. 0.

Skey, J.P., Chairman of the Committee, Alderman E. Coleman, and Mr. T. W.

Gomm, the Honorary Secretary.

SWAN AGE (DORSET).—Mr, and Mrs.

V. W. Pond entertained the Swanage Crew and members of the Life Saving Apparatus to dinner on 20th January.

Over 100 guests were present.

BROOKE (!SLE OF WIGHT).—Major- General the Eight Hon. J. E. B. Seely, C.B., C.M.G., D.S.O., Lord Lieutenant of Hampshire, a member of the Committee of Management and a member of the Brooke Life-boat Crew, gave his annual supper to his fellow-members of the Crew and to the Brooke Launchers on 4th February.

ST. ABBS (BERWICKSHIRE).—On 17th January the Annual Supper to the Lifeboat Crew and their wives was given by Miss Isabel Cowe, and the opportunity was taken to present her with the Gold Brooch and Eecord of Thanks awarded to her by the Institution. The presentation was made by the Inspector of Life-boats for the Northern District.

Religious Services.

MAIDSTONE (KENT). — Life-boat Sunday was celebrated at the Congregational Church on 16th January, an address being given by Captain Basil Hall, R.N., late District Inspector of Life-boats, in the absence of Sir Godfrey Baring, Bt., Chairman of the Committee of Management.

Life-Boat Matinees.

HULL AND DISTRICT (YORKSHIRE).— On 10th February a Matinee was held at the Palace Theatre, organized by the Lady Mayoress (Mrs. Watson Bayes), the programme being arranged by Mr.

J. C. Challons, the manager of the Theatre. Many artistes appearing at the local theatres gave their services.

Among those present were the Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress, the deputy Lord Mayor and the Sheriff.

LEEDS (YORKSHIRE).—On 19th January a Matinee was held, organized by the Lady Mayoress (Mrs. Hugh Lupton), a Patroness of the Ladies' Lifeboat Guild. A number of actors and music-hall artistes appearing in Leeds during the week gave their services, and presented a three hours' programme to a large audience. Over £180 was realized. During the interval, the Chairman of the Branch, Sir Charles Wilson, M.P., supported by the Lady Mayoress, made an earnest appeal for funds, and thanked Mr. Gillespie, of Moss Empires, Ltd., the owners of the theatre.

SOUTHAMPTON (HAMPSHIRE).—Performances of " The Admiral Crichton " were given by the Above Bar Amateur Operatic and Dramatic Society in aid of the Branch, and raised over £66.

Addresses to Rotary Clubs.

Life-boat addresses were given during January and February to the Eotary Clubs at the following places: Sir Godfrey Baring, Bt., Chairman of the Committee of Management, spoke at the Norwich Club on 26th January.

Major General the Eight Hon. J. E. B.

Seely, C.B., C.M.G., D.S.O., a member of the Committee of Management, spoke at the Portsmouth Club on 27th January. Captain Basil Hall, E.N., late District Inspector, spoke at the Oxted (Surrey) Club on 6th January..