Two naming ceremonies in one day were carried out by H.R.H. Princess Marina, Duchess of Kent, on Thursday, 8th July, 1965.

Arriving by a helicopter of the Queen's Flight at Cromer and landing on the playing field of the Secondary Modern School to the cheers of the children.

Princess Marina was met by the Lord Lieutenant of Norfolk, Colonel Sir Edmund Bacon, and driven by car to the front.

Large crowds had gathered at the slipway, which was gaily decorated with bunting and flags. The Public Relations Officer of the Institution, Mr. Patrick Howarth, met Princess Marina at the stand and presented Dr. D. Vaughan, the president of the Cromer Branch, who welcomed Her Royal Highness to the station.

Mr. J. H. Rounce, chairman of the branch, opened the proceedings. Mr. T. H. Sutton, on behalf of the executors and members of the family of the late Miss J. G. King, donor of the 37-foot Oakley type life-boat, presented it to the R.N.L.I. and it was formally accepted by Commander H. F. P. Grenfell, D.S.C., R.N., a Vice President of the Institution and a member of the Committee of Management, who handed it into the care of the Cromer branch for use on Cromer No. 2 life-boat station.

Dr. Vaughan accepted the boat on behalf of the branch and the service of dedication followed. The Bishop of Norwich (The Rt. Rev. W. L. S. Fleming, D.D.) dedicated the life-boat, assisted by the Rev. C. W. J. Searle-Barnes, M.A., Vicar of Cromer, who conducted the service. The Rev. S. J. Miller, Minister of Cromer Baptist Church, read the lesson.

The vote of thanks was proposed by Mr. J. E. Webster, J.P., chairman of the Cromer Urban District Council. Mr. J. H. Rounce then asked Princess Marina to name the life-boat William Henry and Mary King.

Before doing so Princess Marina spoke of Cromer's famous life-boatman, Henry Blogg, saying, "His record is without equal in the history of the Institution." Cromer is the only station with two life-boats. This new No. 2 boat replaces the Harriot Dixon, which has served the station for more than thirty years.

After the naming ceremony Princess Marina left by helicopter for lunch at Holkham Hall with the Earl of Leicester, president of Wells branch, and Lady Leicester. Then Princess Marina went by Land Rover to Wells for the second naming ceremony of the day.

This was a "family affair", to quote the words used by the Eastern Daily Press.

They reported: "At Wells, for all the ceremonial and the V.I.P.s, the occasion belonged to the life-boatmen and their families. For the life-boat service at Wells, which was founded in 1869, is very much a family affair.

Princess Marina shook hands with twenty-six past and -present members of the crew and when she had tea in the boathouse after the naming ceremony she met the wives of the crew.

Hundreds of people - guests, local residents, holidaymakers and 600 schoolchildren - watched the ceremony." The new life-boat at Wells is also a 37-foot Oakley type. Named Ernest Tom Neathercoat she was presented to the Institution at the naming ceremony by Mr. R. W. V. Neathercoat, on behalf of the donor. Commander Grenfell formally accepted the life-boat on behalf of the Institution, and delivered it into the care of the branch. Dr. E. W. Hicks, M.R.C.P., L.R.C.P., L.M.S.S.A., honorary secretary of the branch, accepted the life-boat for use on the Wells station.

The Lord Bishop of Norwich (the Rt. Rev. W. L. S. Fleming, D.D.) dedicated the life-boat, assisted by the Rev. W. Alexander Stephens, Rector of Wells-next-the-Sea, who conducted the service. The Minister of the Methodist Church, the Rev. Frank Longley, read the lesson.

The vote of thanks was proposed by Mr. J. Cadamy, chairman of the branch.

The naming ceremony of the new St. Abbs life-boat, Jane Hay, took place on iyth April, 1965. Commander D. M. Marshall, O.B.E., R.N. (Retd.), vicepresident and chairman of the St. Abbs branch, was in the chair and accepted the life-boat on behalf of the Institution from His Grace the Duke of Atholl, a member of the Committee of Management. A vote of thanks was proposed by Mr. George Colven, Harbourmaster.

The dedication service was conducted by the Rev. W. Howard Purdie, M.A., Minister of the Priory Church, Coldingham, then Lady Morgan, niece of the late Jane Hay, named the boat.

St. Abbs life-boat station was established in 1911. The Jane Hay, a 37-foot Oakley type, is the fifth life-boat to be stationed at St. Abbs.

Kirkcudbright's new life-boat, Mary Pullman, was named by the Countess of Galloway, President of the Kirkcudbright Ladies' Life-boat Guild, on 5th June, 1965. The cost of this 37-foot Oakley type boat was defrayed by a gift from the late Sir Derek Wheeler, Bt., made in memory of his mother, whose maiden name was Mary Pullman.

After the presentation of a bouquet to the Countess of Galloway by Faith Davidson, daughter of the Coxswain, Mr. A. C. Brown, president of the Kirkcudbright branch, opened the proceedings and Lieut.-Commander L. A. Forbes, R.N. (Retd.), Inspector of Life-boats, Scottish district, described the boat.

The Duke of Atholl, a member of the Committee of Management of the Institution and Convener of the Scottish Life-boat Council, delivered the boat to the care of the branch for use on the Kirkcudbright life-boat station. Dr. R. N.

Rutherfurd, M.B., Ch.B., vice-president of the Kirkcudbright branch, accepted the lifeboat on behalf of the branch and a vote of thanks was proposed by Sheriff S. A. Lockhart, M.A., LL.B., a member of the committee.

The service of dedication was conducted by the Rev. Robert R. Y. Minto, M.A., St. Mary's Church, assisted by the Rev. Adam Jack, M.A., B.D., St.

Cuthbert's Church..