A VELLUM to mark the 150th anniver- sary of the establishment of a life-boat station at Sunderland was presented on the 6th of October, 1954, by Mr.

Arthur G. Everett, a member of the Committee of Management. The vellum was received by the Mayor, Alderman Mrs. Jane Huggins, who is president of the Sunderland branch.

A life-boat station was established in Sunderland in 1800, but only recently has definite written evidence of the date of the founding of the station come to light. The station is, therefore, the oldest known life-boat station in England. The station has been placed at various times on seven different sites, and between 1873 and 1887 there were as many as four stations at Sunderland. From 1865 to the time of the presentation of the vellum Sunderland life-boats had been launched on service 154 times and had rescued 279 lives. Four silver medals have been won by Sunderland life- boatmen.

A vellum was also presented to the Whitehaveii branch to mark the establishment of a life-boat station there in 1804. The station was closed in 1925. The vellum was presented by the Secretary of the Institution, Colonel A. D. Burnett Brown, on the 19th of October, 1954, and received by the president of the branch, Lady Ponsonby.

Whitehaven life-boats were launched 25 times and rescued 25 lives..