LAST November, for the first time since 1924, the Centenary year, a Lifeboat took part in the Lord Mayor's Show. The Boat was a Pulling and Sailing Life-boat from the Reserve Fleet at the Store-yard at Poplar. She was drawn by a Launching Motor Tractor and manned by Coxswain Albert Spurgeon of Lowestoft and eleven men of his Crew. The Lowestoft Life-boatmen were chosen for this honour as Lady Batho, the Lady Mayoress, takes a great interest in Lowestoft, where she was born; and how wellde served it was, Coxswain Spurgeon and his Crew showed less than a fortnight later by their gallant service (described elsewhere) to the ketch Lily of Devon.

The announcement that the Lowestoft Crew would take part in the Show brought a letter from a lady living in London, who wrote how pleased she was that they were coming to London, and how much they deserved this honour.

She herself was the daughter of a member of the Caister Crew who had served for forty-one years, and her father's brother was one of the nine men who lost their lives when the Beauchamp, the Caister No. 2 Life-boat, was wrecked in November, 1901.

On 19th December the Crew were entertained to dinner at Lowestoft by the Lord Mayor. Neither he nor the Lady Mayoress could be present, but their place was taken by the Mayor of Lowestoft, and after the dinner the awards for the service to the Lily of Devon were presented. Coxswain Spurgeon gave an account of the Clew's visit to London, said that they had had a most enthusiastic reception, and asked that their heartiest thanks might be sent to the Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress.** See also under " News from the Branches : Presentations to Crews.".