THE portrait on the cover is of Coxswain Thomas Dawson of North Sunderland, who has been coxswain since September 1955. Before that he served as bowman for twelve years and second coxswain for more than four years. He first became a regular member of the North Sunderland crew in 1927. Since his appointment as bowman North Sunderland life-boats have been launched on service 68 times and have rescued 38 lives. The photograph is reproduced by courtesy of Kenneth Graham of Alnwick..