Presentation of Vellums signed by the Prince of Wales.

NINE presentations of Centenary Vel- lums to Stations have taken place during the past summer at Howth, Courtmacsherry, Arklow, Dun Laoghaire (Kingstown), Holy Island, Hoylake, Exmouth, Blakeney, Dunbar and Robin Hood's Bay. The total of such Vellums presented is now forty-two.

Each Vellum is signed by the Prince of Wales and bears a record expressing the Institution's appreciation of the voluntary work of the Officers and Committee and of the devotion and courage of the Life-boat Crew.

The number of lives rescued and of medals awarded (as given in the follow- ing reports) is up to the date of the Ceremony, but it is not in every case possible to give the total of lives from the date of the establishment of the Station, as the early records are not always complete. The medals are in each case all medals awarded to Life- boatmen and others from the foundation of the Institution in 1824.

Howth (Co. Dublin).

The date of the establishment of this Station is unknown, but it appears in a list, published in the first Annual Report of the Institution in 1825, of places at which Life-boats had been stationed independently of the Institution. The Institution took over the Station in 1862. It has had six Life-boats, and since 1862 they have rescued 96 lives.

The Institution has awarded six Silver and two Bronze Medals to Life-boatmen and others. The Vellum was presented at the Annual Meeting of the Branch on 23rd May, by Mr. H. G. Solomon, the District Organizing Secretary, and was received by Mr. P. J. Meghen, B.Sc., Commissioner for the Urban District, who said that it would be placed in the Council Chamber.

Courtmacsherry Harbour (Co. Cork).

The Station was established by the Institution in 1825, and has had five Life-boats, including the present Motor Life-boat, which was sent there in 1929.

Since 1867 they have rescued 35 lives.

One Gold and four Silver Medals have been awarded by the Institution to Life-boatmen and others. The Vellum was presented on 30th May by Mr.

George F. Shee, M.A., Secretary of the Institution, and was received by Mr.

Frank Ruddock, the Hon. Secretary.

Arklow (Co. Wicklow).

The Station was established by the Institution in 1826, and has had altogether six Life-boats. Since 1857 they have rescued 177 lives. Five Silver Medals have been awarded by the Institution to Life-boatmen and others. The Vellum was presented on 2nd June by Mr. George F. Shee, M.A., Secretary of the Institution, and was received by the Chairman of the Urban District Council.

Dun Laoghaire (Kingstown, Co. Dublin).

The date of the establishment of this Station is unknown, but it appears in a list, published in the first Annual Report of the Institution in 1825, of places at which Life-boats had been stationed independently of the Institution. The Institution. took over the Station in 1861, and from 1890-1911 maintained two Stations. Between them they have had eight Life-boats, including the present Motor Life-boat, which was built in 1919. They have rescued 139 lives, and the Institution has awarded two Gold and seven Silver Medals to Life-boatmen and others. The Vellum was presented on 14th June by Mr.

George F. Shee, M.A., Secretary of the Institution, and was received by the Chairman of the Urban District Council.

Holy Island (Northumberland).

The Station was established in 1802, its first Life-boat being built by Henry Greathead, the builder of the Original, which was stationed at Tynemouth in 1789. Since 1867 there have been two Stations at Holy Island, and they have had altogether nine Life-boats, including the two which are now at the Stations. Two of these Life-boats were named Grace Darling. The first served from 1865-1883, with the fine record of 94 lives rescued, and the second from 1884-1909, with a record of 24 lives. The present Motor Life- boat, Milburn, built out of a legacy from the late Sir Charles Stamp Milburn, Bt., and a gift from Mr. Frederick Milburn, was sent to the No. 1 Station in 1925. The Institution has no record of the first Life-boat, which served until 1829, but since then the Holy Island Life-boats have rescued 262 lives and saved fourteen boats and vessels. One Gold, eight Silver and two Bronze Medals have been awarded by the Institution to Life-boatmen and others. The Vellum was presented on 12th June by Sir Leonard Milburn, Bt., Chairman of the Hauxley and Amble Branch, and was received by Mr. James Dawson, the Hon. Secretary.

Hoylake (Cheshire).

Hoylake's first Life-boat was built in 1803 by Henry Greathead, and the Hoylake Station was under the control of the Mersey Docks and Harbour Board until 1894, when it was taken over by the Institution. The Board also maintained the Hilbre Island Station, taken over by the Institution in the same year. According to the records of the Board the two Stations rescued 459 lives from 1840 to 1894. Since 1894 Hoylake has rescued 46 lives, and in 1902 its Coxswain and Crew were presented with a First-class Certificate of Merit from the " Imperial Russian Association for Life-saving on Waters," for their gallantry in rescuing the crew of a Riga vessel. The Vellum was presented on 26th July by Lady Stanley of Alderley, the Honorary Secretary of the Manchester and Salford Ladies' Life-boat Guild, who was intro- duced by the District Organising Secre- tary, and it was received by the Rev.

Canon W. T. Warburton, M.A.

Exmcuth (Devon).

The Exmouth Station was also established in 1803, and its first Life- boat was built by Henry Greathead. It was taken over by the Institution in 1858, and has had altogether five Life-boats. These Life-boats have rescued 26 lives. Four Silver Medals have been awarded for gallantry in saving life, but these were not for Life-boat services. The Vellum was presented on 31st July by Colonel the Master of Sempill, a member of the Committee of Management, and was received by the Chairman of the Ex- mouth Council.

Blakeney (Norfolk).

The date of the establishment of this Station is unknown, but it appears in a list, published in the first Annual Report of the Institution in 1825, of places at which Life-boats had been stationed independently of the Institu- tion. The Station was taken over by the Institution in 1861. It has had altogether six Life-boats, which, since 1863, have rescued 101 lives. The Institution's Silver Medal was awarded in 1896 to Coxswain William Hooke, on his retirement. The Vellum was presented on 6*h August by Mr. Russell J. Colman (the Lord Lieutenant of Norfolk), and was received by Coxswain George Long, who has served in the Life-boat for forty years.

Dunbar (Haddingtonshire).

The Station was established in 1808, and was taken over by the Institution in 1864. It has had altogether four Life-boats, which have rescued 145 lives.

Four Silver Medals have been awarded by the Institution to Life-boatmen and others. The Vellum was presented on 14th August bythe Countess of Hadding- ton, and was received by Mr. Frank J.

Usher, the Vice-Chairman of the Branch.

Robin Hood's Bay (Yorkshire).

The Station was established in 1830, and taken over by the Institution in 1881. It has had four Life-boats, and has rescued 91 lives. These lives have not been rescued without loss.

In 1843, just after rescuing nine men from a stranded brig, the Life-boat was struck by a heavy sea and capsized.

Four of the Crew were drowned and six of the rescued men. Five other men, when they saw the accident, put off in the old Life-boat, but she, too, capsized and her Crew were drowned.

The Vellum was presented on 16th August by Canon A. N. Cooper, M.A., Chairman of the Filey Branch, and was received by the Kev. D. Lloyd Wilson (the Hon. Secretary of the Branch), and by Mr. G. Mosley, now over eighty years old, who for the past twenty-five years has organised the Life-boat Day at Eobin Hood's Bay..