Mr. John Prior, of Deal, who died on 14th December last at the age of eighty-four, was for twenty-five years the secretary of one of the most im- portant life-boat stations on our coasts —the famous station at North Deal.

The full title of the branch is the Goodwin Sands and Downs Branch, and it included Walmer and Kingsdown as well as Deal. Mr. Prior was secre- tary of all three stations for five years, and of two of them for fifteen years. In 1912 Walmer was closed. Then, in 1927, Kingsdown was closed. In 1932 Walmer was reopened and North Deal was closed, as it had been decided to station a motor life-boat on this part of the coast and Walmer was chosen as having better conditions for launching. In the same year Mr. Prior retired, a month before his eighty-first birthday.

During the twenty-five years of his secretaryship the North Deal, Walmer and Kingsdown life-boats were launched on service 273 times, and rescued 581 lives. All his life Mr. Prior had been associated with the sea. He was in charge of Lloyd's Station, first at The Lizard, Cornwall, and then at Deal.

Later he was the representative at Deal of Lloyds' agents. He was also secre- tary of the Shipwrecked Mariners' Society at Deal and of the Boatmen's Benevolent Fund. He was twice awarded the thanks of the Institution inscribed on vellum. The first occasion was in November, 1919, when the North Deal life-boat and the North Deal re- serve life-boat went out to the help of the schooner Toogo, of Esthonia, and the ketch Corinthian, of London, both wrecked on the Goodwin Sands, and Mr. Prior was in charge throughout the day. Then on his retirement the thanks of the Institution were again presented to him in recognition of his many services during twenty-five years..