Ex-lifeboat A photograph appeared in the spring 1984 issue of THE LIFEBOAT of Hartlepool lifeboat towing in three fishing boats, one of which was Sea Spell. I believe Sea Spell, formerly known as Ladybird, to be an ex-RNLI lifeboat.

Before the early 1980s I often saw Ladybird in the dock at Hartlepool, where she has been a resident since about 1950. She appears to have been a single-screw self-righter, c 1925, about 38ft long. Over the past 12 years I have made numerous lengthy searches to try to find the identity of this boat, but have drawn a blank. I should be most grateful to hear from anyone who has knowledge of Sea Spell or Ladybird.—TIM KIRTON, Lifeboat Enthusiasts' Society member No. 426, Stepping Stone, 20 Hall Royd Walk, Silkstone Common, Nr Barnsley, South Yorkshire S75 4QA.

Teamwork Having been a West Ham United supporter for over 20 years I was intrigued and pleased to find that there is a special link between my favourite football team and my favourite charity, the RNLI! Between 1878 and 1938, the Institution's national storeyard for its reserve fleet of lifeboat spares and supplies was situated beside Limehouse Cut, at 27 Broomfield Street, Poplar. Besides this link between the lifeboat service and East London, for more than 12 years, from 1899, the Thames Ironworks Shipbuilding and Engineering Company of Canning Town supplied most of the lifeboats required by the service. By 1909, Thames Ironworks had built (or were building) between 160 and 170 boats, sometimes 20 at a time. By 1912 the programme of mechanization of the lifeboat fleet (hitherto powered by sail and oar) was well under way. However, the bad news for the RNLI was that from December 31 of that year the Thames Ironworks yard was to close so that it would have to look elsewhere for a builder for its lifeboats. As Oliver Warner wrote in his history of the RNLI, The Lifeboat Service, 'This was a serious setback, for the Thames workpeople had answered every call made upon them with skill and enthusiasm but the firm had over-extended itself in big ship construction with resulting heavy loss.' The connection between the RNLI and West Ham United is, of course, the fact that before adopting its present name, West Ham United was known as Thames Ironworks FC. Who knows, some of the original players may have actually had a hand in the construction of our lifeboats!—ROBIN SHARP, area organiser (North London).Captain Richard Toutcher We are compiling information in order to write a biography of the Norwegian-born merchant seaman Captain Richard Toutcher (1758-1841), the author of 'Considerations on the Necessity and Importance of an Asylum Port in the Bay of Dublin'.

Dunleary, Co Dublin, was selected by Captain Toutcher for its 'depth of water and firm sandy bottom' as the proper site for the erection of a port of refuge for all mariners in distress trading to and from the Port of Dublin, following Ireland's major shipping disaster when, on November 19,1807, HMS Rochdale, the packet Princess of Wales and other ships were wrecked in Dublin Bay resulting in the great loss of life of several hundred men, women and children.

We have discovered that relatives of Captain Toutcher were living in Earl Street, Liverpool, in 1849. They were Charles and Richard Toutcher, only sons and heirs of the late Daniel Toutcher, proprietor of the Liverpool Arms Hotel and Tavern, 19 George's Quay, Dublin, Ireland.

In addition to being supported by the Irish and American merchant navies, Captain Toutcher was also actively involved with and supported by the shipowners and shipmasters of the following British ports: Holyhead, Liverpool, Bristol, London and the Cumberland trade. Captain Toutcher organised and paid out of his own pocket for the printing of 1,000 letters to the shipowners and shipmasters in the Cumberland trade to Dublin, of whom he said: 'The merchants, shipowners and shipmasters of Whitehaven, Workington, Maryport, Harrington and Parton are also preparing a petition to be presented to His Grace The Duke of Richmond, praying his aid and support for the erection of this much-wanted pier at Dunleary. This I am not astonished at, when I reflect how many of their relatives have been lost on the coast of our bay, the numbers of widows and fatherless children that are left, to bemoan that this pier had not long since been built, which would have saved to them what was in this life most valuable.' Captain Toutcher organised petitions to Parliament from 1808 to 1815 which were signed by the shipowners and shipmasters trading to and from the Port of Dublin, which resulted in the passing of the necessary Act of Parliament for the construction of Dunleary Asylum Harbour. He died a declared bankrupt in Dublin on April 14, 1841, at the home of Mrs Zumach.

We wish to appeal to all people interested in maritime history and genealogical research for help in our quest to trace the records concerning Captain Toutcher, the Father of Dunleary Asylum Harbour, and the descendants of this Norwegian 'gentleman of great nautical skill and experience' who sacrificed everything he possessed to save the lives of his fellow seamen.— GEORGE A. KELLY and RICHARD J.

MITCHELL, 49 Lower George's Street, Dun Laoghaire, Co Dublin, Ireland.

Gift of long life I am sending you a donation as I try to help every worthy cause in turn. I have given up my television set; I was not interested in the programmes shown and felt the money could be better spent. So I put money by each week when I get my pension. I am 92, and shall continue to do this as long as the Dear Lord spares me. Please accept the enclosed with my grateful thanks for such a long life.—Letter received by Mr J. Willson ofBrixham guild from Mrs F.

M. Washer.

Sir, is this a record? Reading the letter published in the spring issue of THE .LIFEBOAT about amounts of money collected in lifeboat boxes and asking 'Is this a record?', I should like to tell you of our collections from the box we keep in Anstruther lifeboathouse.

From May 16 to August 29, 1983, I, as honorary treasurer of Anstruther ladies' guild, took out £989.48. I empty the box every three or four days during the time we have the house open for the sale of souvenirs. The highest amount of £84.05 was from July 22 to July 25.

I emptied our box today, June 13, and collected £85.23. That amount has been put in from May 18, 1984.—RENIE DOIG, Mrs, Anstruther, Fife.

At a recent weekend event, Molesey branch had two pedestal boxes. One was unmanned and raised £14, while the other, which was manned, contained £167; it needed two people to lift it into the car.—GEOFFREY GARRICK, regional organiser (South London)..