A happy interlude when Princess Alexandra visited Stockport in March: arriving at the Town Hall for lunch, the Princess met the local branch crew of lifeboat auxiliaries, some wearing their red stocking hats. She told them that when visiting Scotland, she had been given two of these hats for her children, but one had been lost; immediately, a crewman took off his hat, offered it to Her Royal Highness, and it was gladly accepted.

photograph by courtesy of the 'Daily Express'.