Relief Arun, at Newhaven, September 7 A weekend of severe gales and storms was followed by a glorious sunny day on Wednesday September 7, 1983, the day on which 52-25, a new 52ft Arun relief lifeboat provided by the trustees of the late L. G. Uridge, was named at Newhaven.

Newhaven had been chosen for the ceremony because it was the nearest lifeboat station to the home at Lewes of Miss C. G. Uridge who was to name the new boat A. J. R. and L. G. Uridge in memory of her father and brother.

It was a real family occasion. The Uridge family has been associated with lifeboats for many years. Mr A. J. R.

Uridge founded Lewes branch in 1924 and acted as honorary secretary and treasurer until 1937; in recognition of his work for the Institution, he was awarded the gold badge in 1931. His son, and Miss Uridge's brother, Lionel, carried on the family tradition in Lewes, acting as branch honorary secretary and treasurer from 1948 to 1964 and in appreciation of his work he was awarded a statuette in 1954; from the time of his retirement from office in 1964 until his death he served as vicepresident of the branch.

When Miss Uridge, members of her family and their friends gathered with other lifeboat people at Newhaven on September 7, the weather was perfect.

On her arrival. Miss Uridge was presented with a bouquet by Alison Ashdown, the 8-year-oid daughter of Crew Member Brian Ashdown, and then Lt-Cdr Brian Miles, deputy director of the Institution, opened the proceedings by welcoming all the guests.

The new lifeboat, formally presented to the RNLI by Mr W. W. Ken ward for the trustees of the L. G. Uridge Estate, was gratefully accepted on behalf of the Institution by Vice-Admiral Sir Peter Compston, a deputy chairman.

The service of dedication which followed was conducted by the Reverend J. G. P. Habgood, also of Lewes and a family friend. Miss Uridge was then invited to name the lifeboat.

The vote of thanks was proposed by Mr G. W. Sargeant, chairman of Newhaven lifeboat station, who has for many years been a close friend of the Uridge family, thus forming a natural link between the two towns of Lewes and Newhaven.

After a demonstration of the manoeuvrability of RNLB A. J. R. and L. G.

Uridge within the harbour limits, with Miss Uridge occasionally taking the wheel, everyone made their way to the Marina Yacht Club for a buffet luncheon.

At the end of the day Miss Uridge said: 'In my wildest dreams little did I expect to have the honour and privilege of being able to name a lifeboat or even drive one; this day has been the most memorable in my lifetime and one I will never forget.' —S.E.G Blyth, September 17 After a week of incessant rain, the weather cleared on Saturday September 17, 1983, to give a day of overcast skies, threatening clouds, but no rain for the naming of Blyth"s new 44ft Waveney lifeboat. The Dun Cow Quay was a hive of activity as, from early morning, decorations were being put up and chairs set out ready for the guests; then at one o'clock the new Waveney, decorated overall and gleaming, as always, was eased into her berth. Nearly 1.000 people gathered to admire both the Waveney and Tynemouth's 52ft Arun lifeboat George and Olive Turner which was present for the ceremony.

At 2pm the Duke and Duchess of Northumberland and the other principal guests made their way to the platform, preceded by the choir of St Cuthbert's, Blyth; music was provided throughout by the Bedlington Salvation Army Band.

After Mr D. G. E. Kent, chairman of Blyth station branch, had welcomed everyone present, the new lifeboat was handed over to the RNLI by Mr W. L.

Hewson on behalf of all the donors and in particular his late sister. Miss Mabel Hewson; he spoke of his delight that the boat was to be named William and Jane after their parents. Mr P. Denham Christie, a vice-president of the Institution, accepted the lifeboat on behalf of the RNLI and, in turn, gave her into the care of Blyth lifeboat station; she was received by the honorary secretary, Dr R. Carr.

The service of dedication which followed was conducted by the Reverend John Stanley Monks, Chaplain of Blyth lifeboat, assisted by the Reverend Alan Williamson. Minister of Blyth United Reformed Church.

After the presentation of a bouquet by Isobel Taylor, daughter of one of the lifeboat crew, the Duchess of Northumberland presented a vellum recording the award of a bronze medal to Coxswain Charles Hatcher and medal service certificates to Second Coxswain Thomas Moss, Motor Mechanic John Scott, Assistant Mechanic Dallas Taylor, Emergency Mechanic Keith Barnard and Crew Member Ian Woodhouse; they were for the rescue of the crew of three of the fishing vessel Castle Cove on December 7. 1982. not many days after the Waveney lifeboat had arrived at the station.

In naming the lifeboat William and Jane, the Duchess asked for God's blessing on her and her crew. The Duke of Northumberland, who is the RNLI's Treasurer, and the Duchess, with the other principal guests, then boarded the lifeboat to the playing of the Northumbrian pipes by the Duke's personal piper, Richard Butler.

Throughout the ceremony, yachts of the Royal Northumberland Yacht Club had made a picturesque background, sailing back and forth. Now they, together with Tynemouth lifeboat, escorted RNLB William and Jane on a short trip to the River Blyth entrance.

On their return, everyone enjoyed a welcome cup of tea.—B.H.S.

Valentia, September 17 The morning sunshine over Valentia Island on Saturday September 17, 1983, gave hope that perhaps the blustery weather of the previous days had cleared up. However, local fishermen and lifeboatmen prophesied rain for the afternoon and sure enough, shortly before the opening of the naming ceremony of Valentia's new 52ft Arun lifeboat, the wind picked up and rain came down. The hundreds of guests and islanders huddled together behind the pier's short wall.

At precisely 2pm the platform party began to arrive. Lady Killanin, who was to name the new lifeboat, was presented with a bouquet of flowers by Rosemary Quigley, the young daughter of the deputy launching authority. Having been introduced to the youthful crew of the lifeboat, the party moved on to the platform and the proceedings were opened by Father Denis Costello, the branch chairman. Father Costello thanked all the guests who had come from far and wide for braving the elements and in particular extended a warm welcome to Lt-Cdr Brian Miles, a past divisional inspector of lifeboats in Ireland and now deputy director of the Institution.

The cost of the lifeboat was met from legacies from Mr Frank Love and Lady Frances Murphy and other gifts and bequests. The Arun was handed into the care of the station by Mr Clayton Love, a vice-president of the RNLI. Mr P. J. Gallagher, the station branch honorary secretary, proudly accepting the first Arun class lifeboat to be stationed in the Republic of Ireland, noted with some sadness the passing of RNLB Rowland Watts which had been stationed on Valentia Island since 1957.

To the accompaniment of the local choir, the Most Reverend Dr Kevin McNamara, Bishop of Kerry, and the Rector of Killarney, the Reverend Brian Lougheed, blessed and dedicated the lifeboat. Then the chairman called on Lady Killanin to name the lifeboat Margaret Frances Love. With the breaking of the bottle of champagne, and the choir singing 'Sing to the mountains, sing to the sea . . .' RNLB Margaret Frances Love slipped her moorings.

Coxswain Sean Murphy invited the platform party on board for a short demonstration run. Joining them on the lifeboat was former Valentia Coxswain Dermot Walsh, who was presented with a framed certificate marking his retirement after 32 years service by Lord Killanin, who is a vice-president of the Institution.

Representatives of ten Irish lifeboat stations had been present for the ceremony, and one member of the huge gathering who must have mused at the changing times was the 90-year-old former coxswain of Valentia lifeboat, Jeremiah O'Connell. He took charge of the lifeboat while at sea between 1946 and 1958.

With the business of the day drawn to a close and a full gale now blowing, the guests were pleased to adjourn to a hot cup of tea and a salmon buffet in a nearby hall, organised by the ladies of the Island.—j.o'c.

Relief Brede, London, October 19 Merchant seamen are among the most generous supporters of the RNLI and to mark their contributions over many years a new 33ft Brede class lifeboat was named RNLB Merchant Navy on October 19, 1983, in St Katharine Docks, London. As the lifeboat is allocated to the Relief Fleet, there were no station personnel or committee members to organise the ceremony and, as the donors were hundreds of seamen, there was no formal donor. It was, however, a very special occasion because of the presence of people from all parts of the merchant service and their maritime colleagues: seamen, officers, ship owners, Trinity House personnel, coastguards, and lifeboatmen made up the crowd on the quayside.

Mr Michael Vernon, a deputy chairman of the RNLI, welcomed the guests. Captain G. W. S Miskin, Master of the Honourable Company of Master Mariners, outlined some of the many ways in which seamen help the RNLI and said that he was particularly honoured, on their behalf, to present the lifeboat to the Institution. Rear Admiral W. J.

Graham, director RNLI, accepted the lifeboat and then described her characteristics.

The Reverend Glyn Jones, Auxiliary Ministries Secretary of The Missions to Seamen, led a service of dedication assisted by the Reverend David Harries, RN, Superintendent Chaplain and Deputy General Secretary British Sailors Society, and the Reverend Anthony Stringfellow, National Director Apostleship of the Sea. Dr Ronald Hope, Director of the Marine Society, was then invited to name the lifeboat.

He reminded the guests that serving in the Merchant Navy was a dangerous occupation, and accidents and deaths were the highest in any industry. Seamen were therefore well aware of the RNLI's pioneering role in lifesaving; they were confident that the Institution had always put lifeboats in the right place at the right time and they, for their part, had always willingly put their hands in their pockets to raise the equivalent of a lifeboat every three years. Although the British Merchant Service was in a state of sad decline, the naming of this lifeboat, Dr Hope felt, could give merchant seamen some cheer and something of which they could be proud.

After the naming Mrs Hope was invited to cut a splendid cake, decorated by the chef of the London School of Nautical Cookery with an icing model of the Brede lifeboat, complete in every detail including crew members in the wheelhouse.—R.K..