COXSWAIN THACKSTON CRAFTS, a boat- man of Southsea, was coxswain of the Southsea life-boat from 1893, seven vears after the station was opened, until it was closed in 1918, when he retired, being awarded a coxswain's certificate of service and a pension.

Since then he has saved seven lives.

In 1933, when he was seventy-seven years old, he went into the sea and rescued two people who were in difficulties, and a year later he rescued four women and a boy from drowning..