Coxswain John Connell of Amble, Northumberland. He joined the lifeboat crew in April 1953, became bowman in February 1962, second coxswain in February 1967 and coxswain in August 1972.

He was awarded the thanks of the RNLI, inscribed on vellum, for his part in the rescue of a man from a capsized pinnace on September 29, 1969. In 1982 he received the Institution's long service badge. John Connell is a fisherman; he holds a second hand's certificate and fishes for shrimp and cod in his boat, Coquet Vale. He has one son and a daughter. His son, 'young John', is a member of both the station's D class inflatable lifeboat and the 37ft 6in Rother class, Harold Salvesen..