THE famous life-boat model made by James Beeching of Great Yarmouth, which won the prize of 100 guineas offered by the Duke of Northumber- land in 1851 for the best design of a life-boat, can be seen today in the Municipal Museum of Science and Industry in Newcastle-upon-Tyne.

Beeching's design won the prize against wide competition. There were 280 entries from the United Kingdom, United States of America, France, Germany and the Netherlands. The model has been lent to the museum by the Royal United Service Institution.

It is to be seen in the shipping room, in which there is a life-boat section.

Above the model are two diagrams of self-righting life-boats and a picture of a rescue off Tynemouth Castle.

There is also a bust of the fourth Duke of Northumberland, and several publi- cations on the Life-boat Service are displayed..