Brighton lifeboat station I read with interest the reference in the summer issue of THE LIFEBOAT to the fact that Brighton lifeboat station was marking its own 160th anniversary in 1984 as well as that of the Institution.

There had, however, been concern for lifesaving on that part of the Sussex coast long before the RNLI was founded.

In 1786 a scheme was seriously put forward for cutting large gaps or passages through the cliffs between Newhaven and Brighton, as a means of giving help to shipwrecked mariners. A notice was published in the Sussex Advertiser stating: 'The numerous shipwrecks which have occurred within these past few weeks between Newhaven Piers and Chene Gap, and particularly those melancholy instances which have occurred in the past week, have induced many humane and well-disposed people to express most anxiously their hope that some measure may be taken for the preservation of the lives of those who may hereafter be shipwrecked in the same part of the coast. . .' A meeting was duly held the next Saturday at The White Hart Hotel, Lewes, at which Lord Sheffield presided and at which a committee was formed. The cutting of gaps and passages for the use of wagons and carts was, on consideration, thought to be too costly and unlikely to afford material help, but machines fitted with rope, ladders and cages were to be left in the care of responsible farmers using the cliffs. From subscriptions raised cliff cranes were provided as required.

The first recorded mention of the use of cliff cranes occurred in the year 1800, when the sloop, HMS Brazen, was driven ashore just off Chene Gap, west of Newhaven. Her master was drowned, together with 104 members of his crew; by a strange quirk of fate, the only man who survived to tell the terrible tale was a non-swimmer. The report in the Mariners Chronicle describes how two machines were dragged to the top of the cliff, in readiness to be of use when the tide made it possible. These machines were constructed like a swing crane to hang over the precipice; a rope was reeved through each, from which a cage, large enough to contain three men, was suspended.

In 1798 we learn of a property known as The Lifeboat Inn', at Portobello at Telscombe Cliffs, and from records available it would appear to have been situated slightly east of the ridge of Telscombe Tye on the north side of the South Coast Road, then known as the Dover Road. The property belonged to a William Balcombe Langridge, a notary public from Lewes, and he, with his business partner Christopher Kell, ranThe Lifeboat Inn for many years. It had been a story that Mr Langridge kept the inn a small vessel for life saving and this small lifeboat, it was said, was lowered down through a shaft in the cliff to the beach, from whence it would go to the help of shipwrecked mariners.

This unlikely tale was given some credence and we examined an early map of the area which showed a substantial shaft driven through the cliff, and this of course being long before any sewerage works or the like were undertaken.

A few years ago also, when the RNLI moved its base of operations, a model was discovered in a storeroom of small boat that was seemingly to seat three people, with a cover that could be pulled over to make the vessel watertight.

At the request of the late Grahame Farr, I examined the vessel and photographs, and identified it as the Messenger, being the vessel provided by William Balcombe Langridge, and fact his name is painted on it. So the story becomes complete, but of course it was not a very practical idea, and Langridge moved on to another scheme.

The next step forward on that part of the Sussex coast appears to have been in 1802, when a number of shipowners, masters of vessels and farmers met The Bridge Hotel, Newhaven, to consider providing a lifeboat for Newhaven.

A Greathead Original lifeboat was stationed at Newhaven in 1803 but it was transferred to Brighton early in 1807, thus establishing the town as one of the earliest with a lifeboat.—A. s. PAYNE, Peacehaven, Sussex.

Sir, is this a record? Among the letters in the autumn issue of THE LIFEBOAT I noticed one from Anstruther lifeboat station claiming record for its collecting box at the boathouse. I am pleased to say that we can beat their record: for the financial year 1983 our boathouse collecting boxes contained £2,385 and last year the amount was £2,553. We are of course fortunate that our lifeboat station is just off the town centre and open to the public during the summer months.

I am hoping somebody will be able to beat us.—ERIC w. BANCROFT, station honorary secretary, Tenby, Dyfed.

240 signatures—any offers? Knebworth and District branch has copy of Patrick Howarth's book In Danger's Hour in which has been collected the signatures of crew members and lifeboat associates and officials around the British Isles. We should like to invite offers for this book by post to raise money for the Institution. There are many interesting signatures, from HRH The Duke of Kent to a gentleman in Scotland who served 60 years with the lifeboat service as crew member, second coxswain, coxswain and, when retired from the boat, as head launcher for 12 years.

Those wishing to make an offershould write to me, Mrs H. J. Entecott, honorary secretary, Knebworth and District branch, 31 Hornbeam Spring, Knebworth, Hertfordshire SG3 6BE.

The closing date is March 3, 1985; a reserve price of £50 will go to the RNLI if there is no higher offer.

There are more than 240 signatures in the book collected between September 1982 and the present day. They will be added to whenever the opportunity occurs up to the date of dispatch. We think that this book, signed in this way, forms a unique record of the lifeboat service at this time.

Further details may be obtained by writing to me at the address given above, enclosing a stamped and addressed envelope.—HAZEL ENTECOTT, Mrs, honorary secretary, Knebworth and District branch, Hertfordshire.

Ceremonial colour My husband was one of the three lifeboatmen from Newhaven who formed the colour party which received the RNLI's new ceremonial colour from HM The Queen Mother at the Royal Festival Hall last May. I wonder if there was anyone present who took a colour photograph of the three men together with the flag who would be kind enough to let us have a print? It would be very much appreciated as a reminder of that special occasion.—P. E. JOHNS, Mrs, 6 Marine Court, Fort Road, Newhaven, E. Sussex BN9 9EN.

Weather protection We have a devoted band of ladies who are doing very well selling souvenirs but they are hampered by the fact that English summers, even the last one, are wet on occasion. We need protection for our helpers and the souvenirs, but as the stall has to be erected on all types of surface from grass to concrete most of the more obvious solutions are non-starters. We have considered tents and awnings, but these need to be pegged down. At some locations we would be unable to place a continued on page 132Letters from page 131 caravan, even if we could afford one.

We thought of trying to purchase a secondhand market stall, but these are too substantial for the job.

We wonder if any branch has solved the problem by either buying or making a temporary stall which can easily be erected and transported by ladies. We would welcome suggestions.—DAVID SPENCER, chairman, Teignmouth branch, Devon.

Long odds Each year in Sennen Cove we have a raffle for which the main prize is a gallon bottle of whisky. In 1983 all 20,000 tickets, costing just a few pence, were sold, mostly to visitors to our lifeboathouse, and £800.60 was raised.

In 1984 the price of the ticket was lifted slightly. Only 18,500 tickets were sold but once again a handsome profit was made: £1,058.36.

What are the odds on the result? In 1983 Mrs M. R. Harding of Bath won the gallon, the eighth ticket out of the barrel. Last year, the eighth ticket out of the barrel had been purchased by— guess who? Mrs M. R. Harding of Bath.

At the time I did not realise the incredible coincidence. Only the lady's telephone call brought the matter to my notice.

To make our draw night a social success, we perform the ceremony at the First and Last Inn at Sennen.

Thanks to the generosity of the landlady, Mrs Rose Sima, we had a super evening. There was a pastie competition.

Members of the crew, the shore helpers and committee (men only) baked special pasties, with a small entry fee going to the RNLI.

Lightning does strike in the same place twice, it would seem! Pity it did not strike my pastie.—JAMES SUMMERLEE, chairman, Sennen Cove branch, Cornwall..