STIRLING WHORLOW, O.B.E., who retired from the post of Secretary at the end of 1969, gave a lifetime of service to the R.N.L.I. Apart from the years of the 1939/45 war, when he served with distinction in the Army, his whole working life was devoted to the Royal National Life-boat Institution.

He joined it in 1929. At that time the traditional pulling and sailing life-boats still out numbered the motor life-boats; out of an active fleet of 204 boats only 79 were motor boats. Communications at sea were still fairly primitive, wireless telegraphy having been fitted into a life-boat for the first time in 1927.

Horses were still used at some stations to haul life-boats into the water. The London headquarters of the R.N.L.I. were in Charing Cross Road. The depot had not yet been built and there was a store yard in Poplar.

In the 40 years which followed the lives of nearly 30,000 people were saved, i.e. roughly a third of the total number in the R.N.L.I.'s history. These facts give some indication of the task confronting the man who, during the last eight of his 40 years of service, was in the post of chief administrator.

One of the most rewarding aspects of full time service in the R.N.L.I. is the opportunity afforded to make friends in a wide variety of places. It has been said that working for the R.N.L.I. amounts in effect to having honorary member- ship of the best club in many of the towns and villages of Britain and Ireland.

The letters Stirling Whorlow received towards the end of his term of office give some indication of the truth of this. The honorary treasurer of a station in the Irish Republic wrote : ' You will be able, I know, to derive great personal satisfaction from a demanding job well done. Without doubt the last few years must have been the most demanding in the Institution's long and honourable history.' The honorary secretary of a branch in the Midlands of England wrote: '/ have always been aware of a deep bond of friendship. It surely has been obvious to all how fortunate we have been to have your wise and courteous guidance.' TRIBUTE FROM SWEDEN The Rye Harbour inshore rescue boat station presented Stirling Whorlow with a piece of Rye pottery showing the inshore rescue boat. It had been specially produced by one of the station's supporters. Tributes and friendly com- ments also came from overseas. The Secretary General of the Swedish Life-boat Society wrote: ' You have given a life time to the life-boat service indeed and I am sure you retire with a contented heart that you have made a wonderful job'.

The Royal North and South Holland Life-boat Society has taken an ex- ceptional step in deciding to present Stirling Whorlow with its silver medal.

The post of Secretary of the R.N.L.I. is never an easy and seldom an enviable one. Many skills are called for and the very varied nature of the task inevitably imposes its strains. During his period of office Stirling Whorlow was particu- larly grateful for the unfailing support he had from the three chairmen under whom he served as Secretary, Lord Howe, Captain Wyndham-Quin and Admiral Sir Wilfrid Woods.

Anyone who is contemplating a full time career in the life-boat service should perhaps be told that if he joins it to give rather than to get he can have a happy and successful life. If he is seeking to get rather than give he would be better employed elsewhere. Stirling Whorlow gave all he had to give over his 40-year period of service and has richly earned his retirement.—P.M..