H.R.H. The Duke of Kent, K.G., has been pleased to assume the office of President of the Institution. He is the fifth member of the Royal Family to become President. King Edward VII.

King George V, King Edward VIIIJ and King George VI, all held this office when they were heirs to the throne.

The Duke of Kent has already for a number of years taken a personal interest in the work of the life-boat service. He has named nine motor life-boats on different parts of the English and Scottish coasts. The first occasion was in 1928, when he travelled specially to the Orkneys to name the new motor life-boats at Stromness and Longhope, at that time the farthest north on our coasts. In 1929 he named the motor life-boat Greater London, a gift of the Civil Service, at Southend-on-Sea, and in 1930 he named two other motor life- boats on the Essex coast, at Walton-on- the-Naze and Clacton-on-Sea. In 1931 he named the Newhaven, Sussex, motor life-boat, and in 1932 the motor life-boat at Aldeburgh, Suffolk. In 1933 he went to Shoreham Harbour, Sussex, to name the motor life-boat, and in 1935 to Weston-super-Mare, Somerset.

Last year the Duke of Kent spoke at the Annual General Meeting of the Institution, and presented medals for gallantry to fifteen life-boatmen from English, Scottish, Irish and Welsh stations, and awards to thirteen honorary workers for distinguished services.

The Duke assumes the office of President with a wide personal know- ledge of the work of the service and the men who man its life-boats..