Two life-boat stations celebrated the centenary of their foundation in 1958. One was the station at Ballycotton in County Cork ; the other was Hastings in Sussex.

The ceremony at Hastings took place on the 27th of July, 1958, when an impressive open air service was conducted by the Rev. J. L. Napier, Rector of the borough church of St. Clement and All Saints, Hastings, assisted by the Rev. C. Champneys-Burnham, Rector of All Saints, and the Rev. W. A.

Goss, Minister of the Norman Road Methodist church.

The Mayor of Hastings, Councillor R. H. Bryant, took the chair and in the absence of the Duke of Norfolk, Lord Lieutenant of the County of Sussex, who was prevented from attending by illness, he presented the certificate inscribed on vellum awarded by the Committee of Management of the Institution. Mr. J. J. Adams, honorary secretary of the Hastings and St.

Leonard's branch, accepted the vellum and handed it over to the Mayor for safe keeping. Mr. E. M. Cooper-Key, a member of the Committee of Management, proposed a vote of thanks, which was seconded by Mr. S. L. Clarke, chairman of the Hastings and St.

Leonard's branch.

After the ceremony the life-boat was launched and the launching was shown in the B.B.C. television news. It was during the preparations for the launching that the unfortunate accident to the district inspector, which is referred to on page 132, occurred.

Since the station was established Hastings life-boats have been launched on service 182 times and have rescued ninety-three lives.

Ballycotton Ceremony The ceremony in Ballycotton was held on the 31st of August, when Captain the Hon. V. M. Wyndham- Quin, Deputy Chairman of the Committee of Management, presented the vellum. Among those who also spoke were Mr. Erskine Childers, Minister for Land and Fisheries; the Lord Mayor of Cork, Mr. Sean McCarthy ; and Mr.

Robert Mahony, honorary secretary of the branch.

In connection with the ceremony mass was celebrated in the Star of the Sea church, Ballycotton, by the Rev, John Walsh, and a service was conducted in the Church of Ireland church by the Very Rev. Dean P. Bury.

Since the station was established Ballycotton life-boats have been launched on service 124 times and have rescued 179 lives. The outstanding service carried out by a Ballycotton life-boat took place in February, 1936, when the crew of the Daunt Rock lightvessel were rescued. Among other awards made was the gold medal to the coxswain, Patrick Sliney, who is now retired but who was among those present at the ceremony..