LIFEBOAT MAGAZINE ARCHIVE

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Lifeboat People

Birthday and New Year's Honours QBE Horace Kemball Greaves, secretary, Manchester Savings Committee. After the loss of the Mumbles lifeboat in 1947 Mr Greaves, then town treasurer of Swansea and honorary secretary of the Swansea branch, acted as honorary treasurer for the fund to help the widows of the lifeboat crew and their families.

For the past 15 years he has been a member of the lifeboat executive committee of the Manchester branch. It was Manchester which donated the money for a new lifeboat for Mumbles following the 1947 disaster: William Gammon and Manchester XXX.

MBE William Thomas Brookes-Parry, lately clerk to Aled Rural District Council, Flintshire. President of Rhyl and District branch, Mr Brookes-Parry's interest in the lifeboat service spans 37 years. He was presented with the Institution's gold badge in 1967.

Miss Margaret ('Madge') Jane Moore, for services to the community in Canvey Island. Miss Moore, a vicepresident of Canvey Island branch, started flag days for the RNLI on the Island before the branch was formed.

BEM John Gordon Cole, motor mechanic for 31| years of Buckie lifeboat. He retired last September.

Matthew Lethbridge, who has served as a boat's officer of St Mary's lifeboat since 1946 and has been coxswain for the past 18 years. Mr Lethbridge was awarded the Institution's silver medal for gallantry in 1967 and a bar to his silver medal in 1970.

Miss Pattie Price, of Simonstown, who was elected an honorary life governor of the RNLI shortly after the last war for her work as secretary of the committee which raised funds to present three new lifeboats to the Institution from South Africa and Rhodesia, has now been made an honorary life member of the National Sea Rescue Institute of South Africa; a letter she wrote to the press in May 1966 was the inspiration which led to the formation of the NSRI.

Ever since Margate station was first established in 1861 there has always been a member of the Sandwell family in the crew. The present members are Ken and his son Christopher, recently appointed a full lifeboatman. Then there was Ken's father, Harry, andUncle John Junior, his brother, Jeffro, and Grandfather John.

It is with deep regret that we announce the following deaths: December 1974: Mrs Harriot Ethel Gubbins, who gave nearly 50 years service to the RNLI and was awarded the silver badge of the Institution in 1973; Mrs Gubbins was one of the original members of Bournemouth branch.

January, 1975: A. C. Butcher, who retired in 1950 after 28 years service, first as surveyor of machinery and then as superintending engineer. He designed six types of marine engine and, in his recent history of the RNLI, Oliver Warner says, 'The success of Mr Butcher's work may be judged best by the low failure rate of every type of power unit for which he was responsible'.

Harry Murfield, who, before his retirement in 1947, had served as Whitby coxswain for 6| years and second coxswain for 4| years. He was awarded the Institution's bronze medal for gallantry in 1946.

M. Whiley, deputy launching authority of Hastings, who authorised the silver medal service reported on page 276.

February, 1975: Commander Herbert Bernard Acworth, who joined the RNLI as a districtinspector in 1955. He served in the Eastern District and Ireland, was appointed district inspector general in 1962 and assistant chief inspector in 1964. He retired in 1971.

Dr James S. Hall, QBE, known as 'the lifeboat doctor' who, in 30 years service with the Walmer lifeboat, including the waryearsof 1939-45,tended nearly 1,000 seamen injured in the Channel and North Sea.Reports keep rolling in of results achieved by Scouts up and down the country in their 'Operation Lifeboat'.

The target is £100,000 to pay the cost of an offshore lifeboat, and already £55,000 has been received. It is hoped to give a summary of the whole project in our next issue, together with details of just some of the varied ways thought up to raise the money.

An exhibition of marine paintings and watercolours by Derek G. M. Gardner RSMA is being presented by Polak Gallery, 21 King Street, St James's, London SW1, in association with Mandell's Gallery, Norwich, May 5 to May 24. At Mr Gardner's wish, half the proceeds of the sale of catalogues will be donated to the RNLI, the other half to Missions to Seamen..