NORTH SUNDERLAND has had a life-boat station since 1827. It was taken over by the Institution in 1852. Beyond the date of its establishment, and the fact that between 1827 and 1852 it had two life-boats, the second of which was transferred from Holy Island, the Institution has no records of the early history of the station. Of these early years, however, one of the most notable events was the attempt which men of North Sunderland made to rescue the survivors of the Forfarshire, wrecked in 1838. Seven fishermen of North Sunderland put out to the wreck, " to the imminent risk of their lives," only to find that the survivors had already been rescued from the Longstone light- house by William Darling and Grace Darling. Since the Institution took over the station in 1852 it has had five life-boats; they have been out on service 119 times and have rescued 215 ljves ; three silver medals have been awarded by the Institution and a medal by the King of Norway.

The Record of the Robsons.

Three names have for many years been associated with the station— Robson, Marshall and Norris. Three of the men who went out to the Forfar- shire were Robsons—William, James and Michael. William's son, another William, was coxswain for a number of years. His date of appointment is not known, but he retired in 1867. He was succeeded by Thomas Pringle, who served as coxswain until 1887. For the next twenty years a Robson was again coxswain, Michael, nephew of Coxswain William, and when he retired in 1907 he was succeeded by his son James, the present coxswain, who, in 1908, won the Institution's silver medal, and a medal from the King of Norway, for his personal gallantry in the rescue of the crew of fourteen of the s.s. Geir, of Bergen, stranded on the Fame Islands.

In addition to this, two Robsons have served as second-coxswains, another, the father of the present second- coxswain, as bowman, and others members of the crew. Thus as Robsons have been associated with the station for at least ninety-six years, and probably well over a century, and for something like sixty out of the past eighty years a Robson has been cox- swain.

Two generations of Marshalls and three of Norrises have also been clesely associated with the station. Colonel Anthony Marshall, of Annstead, joined the committee in 1874, became honorary secretary and then chairman in 1880, and remained chairman until his death in 1929. He was succeeded by his son, the present chairman, whose wife is the president of the North Sunderland Ladies' Life-boat Guild—an unbroken family association of sixty years. The present honorary secretary, Mr. M. R.

Norris, was appointed in 1929. His father had been a member of the crew until he lost his arm at sea. His grandfather had also served in the boat, before 1865—again a family association extending over some seventy years.

Presentation of the Vellum.

A centenary vellum, signed by H.R.H. the Prince of Wales, K.G., as President of the Institution, was pre- sented to the station on 6th August by Colonel the Hon. Harold Robson, a member of the committee of manage- ment, and chairman of the Alnmouth and Boulmer branch. The vellum was received by Mr. R. W. A. Marshall, chairman of the branch. The motor life-boats from Boulmer and Holy Island came over for the ceremony, and among those present was Major H. E.

Burton, R.E., late honorary superinten- dent of the Tynemouth motor life-boat, a gold medallist of the Institution, and the holder, for life-boat work, of the medal of the Order of the British Empire. After the ceremony a fete was held which was opened by Mrs.

Harold Robson..