GUERNSEY Colonel A. D. Burnett Brown, Secretary of the Institution, presented a certificate inscribed on vellum to mark the 150th anniversary of the founding of a life-boat station at Guernsey, to Sir Thomas Elmhirst, Lieutenant-Governor and president of the Guernsey branch. The ceremony took place on the 24th of November, 1953, at the Royal Hotel. Mr. H.

E. Marquand, chairman of the branch, was in the chair.

After describing the work of the Institution, Colonel Burnett Brown suggested that one aspect of our lives which might astonish historians two thousand years hence was the growth of voluntary institutions in Britain.

The Life-boat Institution might, he declared be considered the most remarkable of all independent national services.

The first life-boat station in Guern- sey was established at St. Sampson's in 1803. This was taken over by the Institution in 1861. In 1881 the St.

Sampson's station was closed and the present station at St. Peter Port established. There have been six life- boats in Guernsey, the first being built by Henry Greathead, the builder of the Original. These life-boats have been launched on service 100 times and have rescued 76 lives. Six silver medals have been awarded to Guernsey life-boatmen.

HOYLAKE A CERTIFICATE inscribed on vellum commemorating the one hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the founding of the Hoylake station was presented on Tuesday, the 15th of December, 1953.

The ceremony took place in the Council Chamber of the Hoylake Urban District Council. The certifi- cate was presented by Mr. Patrick Howarth, Publicity Secretary, to Mr.

M. Arnet Robinson, chairman of the Hoylake branch and a member of the Committee of Management. Mr.

Arnet Robinson handed it to Councillor F. H. Smith, chairman of the Hoylake Urban District Council, for safe keeping.

Captain H. H. Davies, honorary secretary of the Hoylake station, reviewed the station's past history.

The station was established in 1803 by the Mersey Docks and Harbour Board and was taken over by the Institution in 1894. Since 1894 up to the time of the ceremony Hoylake life-boats had been launched on service 142 times and had rescued 68 lives. Before 1894 the Institution has no record of the work of the station, but according to a list supplied by the Mersey Docks and Harbour Board life-boats from Hilbre Island and Hoylake rescued 459 lives between 1840 and 1894.

There is no record of rescues before 1840.

Councillor Smith described some of the services of the Hoylake life-boats in the past. He also recalled an occasion when one of the horses, which used to haul the life-boat down to the water, heard the maroon when it was working in the fields. It immediately answered the call and dashed down to the shore, but in its excitement it fell down dead.

PLYMOUTH A CERTIFICATE inscribed on vellum to mark the 150th anniversary of the founding of the Plymouth life-boat station was presented on the 15th of December, 1953. The ceremony took place at the Baptist Church Hall, Mutley Plain. Owing to the absence of the president of the branch, the Earl of Mount Edgcumbe, Commander R. T.

Gardiner, Queen's Harbour Master, took the chair and outlined the history of the station. Mr. A. S. Hicks, honor- ary secretary of the Plymouth branch, spoke of its more recent activities, his talk being illustrated by colour slides.

Captain Guy D. Fanshawe, R.N., a vice- president and member of the Committee of Management, spoke of the work of the Institution in general and then handed the vellum to the Lord Mayor of Plymouth, Alderman Sir Clifford Tozer. The ceremony was attended by some 300 people.

There have been ten life-boats at Plymouth in all, the first being one of the boats built by Henry Greathead.

Since 1803 Plymouth life-boats have been launched on service 134 times and have rescued 213 lives. Thirteen silver medals and one bronze medal have been won by Plymouth life- boatmen, the last award being the bronze medal to the present coxswain, W. D. Crowther..