MR. JOHN HAYTER, who was for 32 years Coxswain of the Life-boat at Brooke, Isle of Wight, died on 17th July, at the age of 91. He was appointed Coxswain when the Station I was opened in 1860 and retired in 1892. He was four times awarded the Institution's Silver Medal. The first occasion was in 1886, when he received it for good services extending over twenty-six years. Two years later he won the Second Seivice Clasp when the Sirenia, of Glasgow, stranded on the reef of rocks known as the Atherfield Ledge in a thick fog, her crew being rescued by the Brighstone Grange Life-boat.

The Brooke Life-boat was also launched, and was struck by a very heavy breaker when close to the vessel. Three of the Crew were washed out of her, one of them, the Second Coxswain, losing his life. In attempting to rescue him the Life-boat was carried away from the j wreck, bat her Drew continued their I efforts to get back to her until a number of their oars had been, broken by the waves and they themselves were ex- ! hausted. Four years later, in February, 1892, Coxswain Hayter received the Third Service Clasp when the Life-boats at Brooke, Atheifield, and Brighstone Grange went out to the help of the S.S.

Eider, of Bremen, bound for Southampton, and Bremen from New York.

She, like the Sirenia, had stranded on the Atherfield Ledge in a thick fog.

The weather was stormy and a very rough" sea vras running. Between them the three Life-boats made forty-one journeys to the Eider and brought ashore 379 persons, mails and specie.

The three Coxswains, besides receiving the Institution's Silver Medal, were each presented with a Gold Watch by the German Emperor. In November of the same year Coxswain Hayter retired and was awarded a fourth Clasp to his Silver Medal and a gratuity.

In the thirty-two years during which he had been Coxswain the Brooke Lifeboat had rescued from shipwreck 222 lives..