• John Kennedy served as honorary secretary at the Lytham lifeboat station from 1951 to 1976 and from this position he was able to observe every facet of the life of the station. He has now put pen to paper and the result is one of the most witty and lively station histories published. The Lythamers (Countryside Publications, School Lane, Brinscall, Chorley, Lanes, £2.95) is aptly subtitled The story of Lytham lifeboat and its people, as it is full of colourful anecdotes about the characters at the station.

Every lifeboat community depends on scores of people and Mr Kennedy skilfully interweaves their tales with the history of the lifeboats and theirrescues. The book also contains some fascinating photographs and has a wonderful colour portrait on the cover of Thomas Clarkson, coxswain of the Lytham lifeboat which succeeded in rescuing 12 men from the barque Mexico on the night that 27 lifeboatmen from St Annes and Southport were lost.

The book ends with a touching letter of thanks from the owner of an Italian vessel, rescued by the Lytham crew, in which he says: 'There are no words to express our gratitude! In the night of September 13th the glorious and heroic history of the English marine had in the crew of the Lytham (lifeboat) her splendid ensign bearer.'—R.J.K.

• There are still available some copies of Rule, Britannia, the official catalogue produced for last January's maritime exhibition of paintings and other collectors' items at Sotheby's. The description 'catalogue' does scant justice to so lavish a publication which contains over 200 pages of colour and black and white photographs of the exhibits, together with detailed and fascinating descriptions of each item.

As well as being a self-contained record of our maritime heritage it also containsa section of lifeboat paintings, models and other curiosities which should be of particular interest to readers of this journal. The catalogue is available from the RNLI, 202 Lambeth Road, London SE1 7JW at a specially reduced price of £5, including postage and packaging.— E.W-W.

• To appreciate fully Le Sauvetage au temps des avirons et de la voile English readers are going to have to brush up their French. For this is a book by Jean Fillet, a member of the Committee of Management of the Societe Nationale de Sauvetage en Mer, the French lifeboat service. But even for those who cannot tell their mat from their gouvernail, a thumb through the 230 pages of this book will find a wealth of photographs, many from the last century, depicting French lifeboats in the days of sail and oar.

What is most striking is the similarity between French and British lifeboat design before the arrival of motorised lifeboats and the splendid old photographs have a very familiar appearance to anyone used to seeing old RNLI photos. The book looks in detail at design, rig, launching methods and above all stories of rescues as impressive and as harrowing as our own.

Royalties from the book (price: 320 French francs) go directly to the French lifeboat society; its publishers are: Le Chasse-Maree, Abri du Marin, 29171 Douarnenez, France.—E.W-W.

• Towards the end of the eighteenth century fishermen and beachmen, at least in East Anglia, formed themselves into Beach Companies for the purpose of salvage and rescue work at sea. Later many of these were the crews manning the lifeboats first of the Norfolk Shipwreck Association, and then of the RNLI. In Caister Beach Boats and Beach Men Colin Tooke recounts the tale of the Caister Company and the lifeboats; he tells also of the Coastguards and Rocket Companies and briefly describes the present day Caister Volunteer Rescue Service which since 1973 has run an ex-RNLI Liverpool class lifeboat. The booklet, costing £1.20 plus 25p for post and packing, is published by Poppyland and can be obtained from Colin Tooke, 22 Beach Road, Caister-on-Sea, Gt Yarmouth, Norfolk.—R.R.D.

• Jeff Morris has produced three new books to add to his already impressive library of lifeboat station histories. Plymouth is the latest place to receive his scrutiny and a place where, particularly in the days of sailing ships, the tempting calm of her sheltered Sound was matched by the treachery of its rocky approaches. A lifeboat station was set up at Plymouth as early as 1803 and in The History of Plymouth Lifeboats, Jeff Morris takes us from the early days when surprisingly no record exists of either of the station's first two lifeboats ever launching in anger, through the much busier second half of the nineteenth century, the rugged days of sail and oar, and finally to motorisation, mechanisation and today's Waveney class lifeboat.

The Closed Lifeboat Stations of Anglesey traces the history and rescues of the lifeboats at Llanddwyn, Rhosneigr, Rhoscolyn, Port Rhuffydd, Cemlyn, Cemaes, Bull Bay and Penmon stations which operated rowing and sailing lifeboats from the early 1800s until the early 1900s, when the introduction of engines meant that fewer lifeboats were needed. The first lifeboat to be stationed at Anglesey was placed at Llanddwyn in 1826. In 1823 the sailing packet Alert was wrecked between Cemlyn and the Skerries with the loss of 145 lives. The Reverend James Williams, who witnessed the tragedy, set up the Anglesey Lifesaving Association which purchased a number of lifeboats for Anglesey, amalgamating with the RNLI in 1852.

Finally, an updated and amplified Story of the Aldeburgh Lifeboats has been produced following the success of the first edition which was published in 1980.

The first two of these books (Plymouth and Anglesey) are available direct from the author, 14 Medina Road, Foleshill, Coventry, CV6 5JB, price: £1.75 each (including postage and packing) or £3.30 (including p. and p.) for the pair. The Aldeburgh book is available from Mrs B. Grayburn, 12 Lee Road, Aldeburgh, Suffolk, IP15 5HG at £1.25 (including p. and p.)— E.W-W.

• Courage is not a commodity lacking in lifeboat crews and certainly not in the men who have served nor those who still serve on the lifeboats of the Romney Marsh coast. In the introduction of Edward Carpenter's book, Wrecks and Rescues of the Romney Marsh Coast, the story is told when, in November 1891, after three attempts to launch the Dungeness lifeboat had been made, it eventually capsized with the loss of two men. Fisherman Isaac Tart said: 'It's no use lads, it may be sure death to go in the Sandal Magna (the New Romney lifeboat), / dare say it is, but it shall never be said that Isaac Tart stood and watched sailors drowned without ever trying to rescue them, so I'm going— now, who will come with me?' With a crew of volunteers he put out in raging seas and rescued eight men from the rigging of their ship. As the author rightly says, such deeds should not be forgotten. And they are not; all lifeboat stations from Hythe to Rye Harbour are described from their earliest days right up to date. Severe storms and shipwrecks are recorded and there is no mistaking the pride which Mr Carpenter feels for the men who crew the lifeboats on that part of thea section of lifeboat paintings, models and other curiosities which should be of particular interest to readers of this journal. The catalogue is available from the RNLI, 202 Lambeth Road, London SE1 7JW at a specially reduced price of £5, including postage and packaging.— E.W-W.

• To appreciate fully Le Sauvetage au temps des avirons et de la voile English readers are going to have to brush up their French. For this is a book by Jean Fillet, a member of the Committee of Management of the Societe Nationale de Sauvetage en Mer, the French lifeboat service. But even for those who cannot tell their mat from their gouvernail, a thumb through the 230 pages of this book will find a wealth of photographs, many from the last century, depicting French lifeboats in the days of sail and oar.

What is most striking is the similarity between French and British lifeboat design before the arrival of motorised lifeboats and the splendid old photographs have a very familiar appearance to anyone used to seeing old RNLI photos. The book looks in detail at design, rig, launching methods and above all stories of rescues as impressive and as harrowing as our own.

Royalties from the book (price: 320 French francs) go directly to the French lifeboat society; its publishers are: Le Chasse-Maree, Abri du Marin, 29171 Douarnenez, France.—E.W-W.

• Towards the end of the eighteenth century fishermen and beachmen, at least in East Anglia, formed themselves into Beach Companies for the purpose of salvage and rescue work at sea. Later many of these were the crews manning the lifeboats first of the Norfolk Shipwreck Association, and then of the RNLI. In Caister Beach Boats and Beach Men Colin Tooke recounts the tale of the Caister Company and the lifeboats; he tells also of the Coastguards and Rocket Companies and briefly describes the present day Caister Volunteer Rescue Service which since 1973 has run an ex-RNLI Liverpool class lifeboat. The booklet, costing £1.20 plus 25p for post and packing, is published by Poppyland and can be obtained from Colin Tooke, 22 Beach Road, Caister-on-Sea, Gt Yarmouth, Norfolk.—R.R.D.

• Jeff Morris has produced three new books to add to his already impressive library of lifeboat station histories. Plymouth is the latest place to receive his scrutiny and a place where, particularly in the days of sailing ships, the tempting calm of her sheltered Sound was matched by the treachery of its rocky approaches. A lifeboat station was set up at Plymouth as early as 1803 and in The History of Plymouth Lifeboats, Jeff Morris takes us from the early days when surprisingly no record exists of either of the station's first two lifeboats ever launching in anger, through the much busier second half of the nineteenth century, the rugged days of sail and oar, and finally to motorisation, mechanisation and today's Waveney class lifeboat.

The Closed Lifeboat Stations of Anglesey traces the history and rescues of the lifeboats at Llanddwyn, Rhosneigr, Rhoscolyn, Port Rhuffydd, Cemlyn, Cemaes, Bull Bay and Penmon stations which operated rowing and sailing lifeboats from the early 1800s until the early 1900s, when the introduction of engines meant that fewer lifeboats were needed. The first lifeboat to be stationed at Anglesey was placed at Llanddwyn in 1826. In 1823 the sailing packet Alert was wrecked between Cemlyn and the Skerries with the loss of 145 lives. The Reverend James Williams, who witnessed the tragedy, set up the Anglesey Lifesaving Association which purchased a number of lifeboats for Anglesey, amalgamating with the RNLI in 1852.

Finally, an updated and amplified Story of the Aldeburgh Lifeboats has been produced following the success of the first edition which was published in 1980.

The first two of these books (Plymouth and Anglesey) are available direct from the author, 14 Medina Road, Foleshill, Coventry, CV6 5JB, price: £1.75 each (including postage and packing) or £3.30 (including p. and p.) for the pair. The Aldeburgh book is available from Mrs B. Grayburn, 12 Lee Road, Aldeburgh, Suffolk, IP15 5HG at £1.25 (including p. and p.)— E.W-W.

• Courage is not a commodity lacking in lifeboat crews and certainly not in the men who have served nor those who still serve on the lifeboats of the Romney Marsh coast. In the introduction of Edward Carpenter's book, Wrecks and Rescues of the Romney Marsh Coast, the story is told when, in November 1891, after three attempts to launch the Dungeness lifeboat had been made, it eventually capsized with the loss of two men. Fisherman Isaac Tart said: 'It's no use lads, it may be sure death to go in the Sandal Magna (the New Romney lifeboat), / dare say it is, but it shall never be said that Isaac Tart stood and watched sailors drowned without ever trying to rescue them, so I'm going— now, who will come with me?' With a crew of volunteers he put out in raging seas and rescued eight men from the rigging of their ship. As the author rightly says, such deeds should not be forgotten. And they are not; all lifeboat stations from Hythe to Rye Harbour are described from their earliest days right up to date. Severe storms and shipwrecks are recorded and there is no mistaking the pride which Mr Carpenter feels for the men who crew the lifeboats on that part of theBritish coastline. The book is amply illustrated with many black and white photographs and drawings and all in all it is a very informative and well written book. It costs £3.95 and is available, with a further 45p for post and packing, from the honorary secretary, RNLI Dungeness, 34 Coast Drive, Lydd-on- Sea, Romney Marsh, Kent TN29 9NL.—S.J.G.

• Wooden Boat Building in Britain (Nautical Books, £11.95) edited by Iain Oughtred, is a directory of boat builders, designers and material suppliers of boats built in wood. It is cheering and encouraging to find that there are so many boat builders in wood still active in Britain and it can only be hoped that they will all find enough work to keep going and, indeed, increase their numbers.

The book is made out in the form of the builder's answers to a questionnaire provided by the editor; these form the framework of the book together with numerous photographs. This work is most illuminating and worthy of study, especially, of course, by those who own or are considering owning a wooden boat.—B.A.A.

The following books have also recently been published: Living with Duck's Disease, the amusing and absorbing autobiography of a salesman, Eddie Wigmore. Available at £6 from the author, Linden Lee, High Street, Childe Okeford, Blandford, Dorset, DT11 8EH. Gross proceeds go to the RNLI.

The Quest of Simon Richardson by Dorothy Richardson (Victor Gollancz, £10.95). A mother's biography of her young sailing adventurer son who sailed with H. W. Tilman and who was lost with him on their fateful voyage in 1977.

Atlantic Disaster by Richard Garrett (Buchan and Enright, £13.95). A history of shipping disasters in the Atlantic, including the loss of the Titanic.

Nicholas Pocock 1740-1821 by David Cordingly (Conway Maritime Press, £12.95). A book in the series of Conway's Marine Artists chronicling the life and work of this much admired painter.

Weather at Sea by David Houghton (Fernhurst Books, £5.50). The weather explained for sailors.

Tides and Currents by David Arnold (Fernhurst Books, £5.50). How to find out about predicted water flow and how it will affect your sailing.

Inshore-Offshore by Michael Pocock (Nautical Books, £12.95). Cruising and racing stories, lessons learned and discussions on yacht design.

This is Catamaran Sailing by Ernst Barth and Klaus Enzmann (Nautical Books, £10.95). How to perfect trim, balance and tactics for the racing catamaran sailor.

Still Wet Behind the Ears by Lesley Black, illustrated by Mike Peyton (Fernhurst Books, £5.95). A look at the impossible and hilarious situations which can confront even the more experienced cruising sailor.

Seaworthiness: The Forgotten Factor by C. A. Marchaj (Adlard Coles, £14.95).

A critical analysis of the design and safety of racing yachts..