THE life-boat station at Walton-on-the- Naze and Frinton, Essex, celebrated its jubilee with a dinner on 17th November. Fifty years before, almost to a day, on 18th November, 1884, the inaugural ceremony was held of the first* Walton life-boat, a gift to the Institution from the Dramatic Club of the Honourable Artillery Company.

Between eleven and twelve o'clock the same night the life-boat was called out on her first service, and spent the remainder of the night searching for a steamer reported to be in distress. Of the crew who took part in that first service two are still alive, ex-Coxswain William Hammond, who served for over thirty-four years as an officer of the boat, and in 1918 won the silver medal for gallantry, and Mr. F.

Sparrow. Ex-Coxswain Hammond was at the dinner. The station has the fine record of 395 lives rescued from shipwreck.

Over a hundred guests were present.

The chair was taken by Lieut.-Col. Sir Albert Stern, K.B.E., C.M.G., president of the branch, and the Institution was represented by Captain R. L. Hamer, R.N., deputy chief inspector of life- boats. Among others present were Sir John Pybus, Bt., C.B.E., M.P. for Harwich, Mr. J. W. Eagle, J.P., the chairman of the branch, Captain W. J.

Oxley and Mr. F. W. Calvert, the honorary secretaries, representatives of the Clacton branch and the coast- guard, the life-boat crew, old life-boat men of Walton, and Mr. Jesse L.

Salmon, now in his eighty-first year, who was coxswain of the Clacton life- boat from 1919 to 1924, and holds the silver and bronze medals for gallantry, A telegram was sent to H.R.H. the Duke of Kent, who, in 1930, named the motor life-boat now stationed at Walton and Frinton, and the minutes were read of the meeting, held on 1st June, 1884, at which, at the request of the Institu- tion, it was decided to form the branch..