AT the end of 1949, Mr. A. C. Butcher, M.I.Mech.E., M.I.Mar.E., the superin- tendent engineer, retired from the Institution on reaching the retiring age.

He had then been with it for over twenty-eight years. He joined its staff in 1921 as temporary deputy assistant surveyor of machinery. Motor life- boats and their engines were still in their experimental stage; the engines so far used had been designed for other purposes, had been adapted to' life- boat work and were not water tight.

Mr. Butcher had previously worked with Messrs. Tyler & Sons, and was designing the first engine expressly for life-boat work, which they were to build for the Institution, when the firm came to an end. It was to com- plete this design that Mr. Butcher temporarily joined the Institution's staff. He remained with it and was ap- pointed surveyor of machinery in 1925 and superintendent engineer in 1946.

During those years, seven different types of petrol engine were designed and built. The first was the six- cylinder 80 h.p. engine on which Mr.

Butcher was engaged when he came to the Institution. This was completed in 1922. It was followed by a four- cylinder 40 h.p. in 1927, a six-cylinder 60 h.p. in 1928, a six-cylinder 35 h.p.

in 1929, a two-cylinder 12 h.p. in 1936, and a four-cylinder 18 h.p. in 1945. For the design of these seven engines Mr. Butcher was largely re- sponsible. During the war he was in charge of the war-munitions work at the Institutions depot when its machinery shop made and assembled 100,000 light metal parts for aeroplanes.

Although Mr. Butcher has retired the Institution will continue to have the benefit of his great knowledge and experience in a consultative capacity..