Naming and dedication Ceremonies rlOWth - Arun class Hibernia The naming ceremony of the RNLI's new relief 52ft Arun class lifeboat was held on Saturday 16 September at Howth Harbour.

Mrs Maureen Haughey named the new lifeboat Hibernia and the lifeboat was handed over to the chairman of the RNLI, Mr Michael Vernon, by An Taoiseach (Prime Minister of the Republic of Ireland) Mr Charles J.

Haughey.

The blessing and dedication ceremony was conducted by The Most Reverend Donald Caird DD, the Right Reverend Monsignor Richard Maher, Reverend Paul Kingston and Reverend Dr William O'Neill. The then newly-elected Chairman of the RNLI, Mr Michael Vernon, travelled from London to attend the event, as did the Director Lt Cdr Brian Miles.

A very large crowd attended the ceremony, including distinguished guests the Rt Hon The Lord Mayor Alderman Senator Sean Haughey, His Excellency Sir Nicholas Fenn, The Lord Killanin, Commodore Liam Brett, Director Naval Service, Brigadier General B. McMahon, Director Army Air Corps. On handing over the new relief lifeboat An Taoiseach Mr Haughey praised the work of the RNLI in Ireland and thanked the lifeboatmen for their dedication saying: 'They give selflessly of their time and are totally committed, we owe them a great debt of thanks for the most valuable work they perform'.

Mr Michael Vernon, Chairman of the RNLI, accepted the new lifeboat for the Institution and expressed his gratitude to the trustees of the Irish Sailors and Soldiers Land Trust. 'We have above all the trustees of the Irish Sailors and Soldiers Land Trust to thank,' he said, 'whose hugely generous gift has covered her cost, and substantial extra funding towards the running of the lifeboats in Ireland'.

He also thanked the Lord Killanin, a life vice president of the Institution and a member of the trustees of the Irish Sailors and Soldiers Land Trust. In thanking An Taoiseach and the Irish Government Mr Vernon added that the RNLI was: 'equally grateful to An Taoiseach and the Irish Government whose great help and support enabled the trust to benefit the RNLF.

After the moving dedication and blessing ceremony conducted by The Most Reverend Donald Caird DD, the Right Reverend Monsignor Maher, Reverend Paul Kingston and Reverend Dr William O'Neill, Mrs Maureen Haughey named the new lifeboat Hibernia to the cheers and applause of the gathering.

The vote of thanks was proposed by Mr Rupert Jeffares, honorary secretary of Howth lifeboat station. Mr Clayton Love, a vice president of the RNLI and chairman of the event, brought the proceedings to a close by inviting the guests to tea in Howth Yacht Club. Penarth - D class John Cresswell A new D class lifeboat provided by the generosity of the family and friends of Mr John Cresswell, in lieu of a present to mark his 60th birthday, was formally handed over to the RNLI by Mrs Roma Cresswell at a ceremony which took place at the lifeboat house in Penarth on 16 August 1989.

Mrs Fay Cori, a member of the RNLI's Public Relations Committee, accepted the lifeboat on behalf of the Institution and delivered it into the care of Penarth lifeboat station. Captain Graham Sommerfield, station honorary secretary, accepted the lifeboat on behalf of the station, and the service of dedication which followed was conducted by the Reverend Frederick Mudge, Vicar of All Saints Church, Penarth, assisted by local clergy representing other denominations. Relief Fleet - Mersey class Lifetime Care The first Mersey class lifeboat to enter the relief fleet was officially named and dedicated at a ceremony held at the RNLI' s Poole HQ and depot on Tuesday 21 October 1989.

The lifeboat was also the first of the FRC (fibre reinforced composite) Mersey class to enter service with the Institution.

The new lifeboat was the second to be funded by the proceeds of a two-year promotion in conjunction with Volvo Concessionaires, and a break in a spell of unsettled weather provided a bright and breezy day for the occasion - thankfully less breezy than for the naming of Volvo's previous lifeboat, Voluntary Worker.

The RNLI's director, Lt Cdr Brian Miles opened the proceedings before Mr Charles Hunter-Pease, sales and marketing director of Volvo Concessionaires addressed the guests and officially handed the new lifeboat to the Institution.

Lord Stanley of Alderley, a Vice President of the RNLI and Chairman of the Fund Raising Committee, gratefully accepted the boat on the Institution's behalf and Cdr Michael Woodroffe, assistant chief of operations, described the new lifeboat and its future role in the RNLI.

A service of dedication was conducted by the Reverend Stanley Holbrooke-Jones, Rector of St James Church Poole, assisted by the Reverend John Hainsworth, Superintendent Methodist Minister Poole, before Mrs Susan Hunter-Pease officially bestowed the lifeboat's name by releasing the champagne bottle against Lifetime Care's bow.

Volvo Concessionaires' additional gener-osity in providing the marquee, lunch and other facilities at the ceremony were appreciated by the large number of guests, and particularly by members of the RNLI staff at Poole, an unusually large number of whom had been invited to witness the ceremony. Three lifeboats from Splashdown project As the result of the Splashdown safety project organised by the Esso Petroleum Supply & Transportation Department at Fawley, £29,000 has been donated to the RNLI to fund three D class lifeboats and three sets of protective clothing for each boat.

At the beginning of 1988 the company and employees set a target of working a full year without any serious injury or major incident. If the target was met three D class lifeboats were to be funded to celebrate the notable safety achievement.

The target was attained, and two of the lifeboats are now stationed at Stranraer and Porthcawl with the third in the relief fleet.

Part of the project involved a competition to choose a name for each lifeboat, and the three winners named their respective lifeboats. Relief fleet - D class Lifeline The first lifeboat to be named was Lifeline, chosen by Christine Hunt, secretary to the pipeline manager. The ceremony took place at the Institution's depot in Poole on 18 November 1988 and Christine formally presented the boat to Mr Anthony Oliver, head of fund raising. The name was chosen because it reflects the work of the boat as a lifeline to those in distress. The Reverend McGill led the dedication of the lifeboat, after which Mr L. Elrick, a sea-going senior engineer of Esso, christened the craft from a pewter quaich filled with the national beverage which had been presented to him.

The lifeboat launched and provided practical experience for the donors' representative before light refreshments, generously provided by Sealink, were served. KT Stranraer - D class Crusader On a damp and windy 7 October 1989 representatives of the Marine and Pipeline Divisions of Esso Petroleum arrived at the Stranraer boathouse where the D class lifeboat Crusader was to be formally handed over to the RNLI and officially named.

With some 60 people in attendance the proceedings were opened by Dr R.J. Scott, chairman of Stranraer branch. Mr J. Hughes, Esso's Fleet Operations Manager, addressed the gathering and handed the lifeboat over to Mr A.

Cubic ws, vice chairman of the executive committee of the Scottish Lifeboat Council and a member of the Committee of Management.

Acknowledging the gift he delivered the boat to Mr Andrew Murray, station honorary secretary. Porthcawl - D class Tiger D Mr Robert Dukeson, a fleet marine engineer, chose the name Tiger D for the new lifeboat at Porthcawl and he was invited to name the boat at a ceremony which took place at the lifeboat station on 21 October 1989.

The proceedings were opened by Mr John Redmond, chairman of Porthcawl station branch.

Mr John Hughes, fleet operations manager of Esso Petroleum Co then handed the lifeboat over to Mr Raymond Cory, deputy chairman of the RNLI, who in turn passed it into the safe-keeping of Mr John Williams, station honorary secretary.

The service of dedication was conducted by the Right Reverend Roy Davies, Bishop of Llandaff and after the service Mr Dukeson named the lifeboat. Aldeburgh-o class Almost 200 people gathered on the balmy evening of 21 June 1989 to witness the handing over and dedication of Aldeburgh's new D class lifeboat.

The lifeboat had been funded from a local appeal, organised by the Suffolk Cider Company, and the money came from various fund raising events, in particular a 'Cider Nouveau Run' to Beaujolais in 1987 and donations and special contributions in memory of departed relatives and friends.

Vice Admiral Sir Charles Mills, chairman of the Aldeburgh branch, opened the proceedings and Mike Hall, managing director of the Suffolk Cider Company, made a short but amusing speech, in which he thanked all those who had supported the appeal, before handing over the lifeboat to the RNLI.

Robin Sharp, RNLI assistant public relations officer, accepted the lifeboat on behalf of the Institution and, in turn, passed it into the care of Ken Brown, station honorary secretary.

A service of dedication followed, conducted by the Reverend Canon David Hutchinson, vicar of Aldeburgh. To end the ceremony Mrs Caroline Hall christened the new lifeboat by pouring apple juice over her bows.

There was an air of excitement as the lifeboat was pushed to the water's edge and launched into the surf, before being taken out to sea to give a fine demonstration of speed and manoeuvrability.

Refreshments were served on the lifeboat's return, prepared by the ladies' lifeboat guild - washed down with cider and apple juice.

RS Tynemouth-o class The new D class lifeboat for Tynemouth was officially handed over and dedicated at a ceremony which took place at the Fish Quay, North Shields on Sunday 1 October 1989.

Mr P. Denham Christie, a life vice-president of the RNLI, who had screed as a crew member, coxswain and chairman at Tynemouth, received the D class lifeboat funded by the Derbyshire Association of Sub Aqua Clubs.

His successor as chairman, Mr Gordon Carr, welcomed a large contingent from Derbyshire, together with representatives of surrounding guilds. Mr Anthony Lewis told everyone of the many ways the money was raised by his association to fund the lifeboat and in receiving the lifeboat Mr Denham Christie assured Mr Lewis and his friends of the loving care the D class would receive from the crew.

Mr Ken Middlemiss, honorary secretary of the station, told of the work of the previous lifeboat as an illustration of what the new lifeboat had to cope with in its future. The local Salvation Army Band accompanied the hymn singing in the service of dedication led by Mr Geoffrey Chandler, the chaplain of the North Shields Mission to Deep Sea Fishermen, who also extended a welcome to all for tea at the Mission following the ceremony.

Mrs Shawcross, chairman of the Ladies' guild, gave a vote of thanks and the lifeboat demonstrated the various drills and exercises. Staithes and Runswick - Atlantic 21 EIHS Sinclair On Saturday 23 September the lifeboat station at Staithes was decked with flags in glorious sunshine as a large crowd of guests arrived to watch the naming and dedication of the new Atlantic 21 Ellis Sinclair.

The lifeboat was donated by Messrs Sinclair, Roche and Temperley, and was named in honour of the firm's founder. It is believed to be the first time that a lifeboat has been funded by a firm of solicitors.

Mr Arnold Storm, deputising for the chairman of the branch, Mr Neil Anderson, who was recovering from an operation, welcomed the guests and Mr John Morris, senior partner of Sinclair, Roche and Temperley, then explained that what at first appears an unlikely connection between lifeboats and the law is not so remote, as the firm specialises in maritime law. He then handed the lifeboat over to Mr Gilbert Gray QC, a member of the Institution's Committee of Management who in turn handed over the new lifeboat to Mr Clem Jones, honorary secretary of Staithes and Runswick station.

The Reverend David Dermott, chaplain of the branch, assisted by the Reverent James Flatten, then conducted a short service of dedication and Ms Olwyn Brunyee, chairwoman of the Staithes Ladies' guild, proposed a vote of thanks to all who had taken part.

Mrs Vera Norris poured champagne over the bow of the lifeboat, naming her Ellis Sinclair, before passing the remainder of the bottle to the crew.

After the ceremony the new lifeboat put to sea to show her paces and two of the donor's representatives were treated to a trip to sea in the Atlantic 21. The guests were then entertained to a traditional Staithes spread.

Music was provided by the North Skelton Teeside BSC Silver Band.

DGMcK RcllCI Fleet - Tyne class Mariners Friend COWCS Base - The Allen Centre The RNLI's Cowes Base was the setting for a double ceremony on Wednesday 20 September 1989 when Miss H. B. ('Mickie') Allen officially opened The Allen Centre, a new training centre for Atlantic 21 crews at the Base, and later named the new Tyne class lifeboat Mariners Friend which serves in the relief fleet. Miss Allen had funded both the new building at the base and the new lifeboat. A bright but very breezy day greeted the many guests who had travelled to the Isle of Wight for the occasion, some from Padstow in Cornwall where another Tyne class lifeboat provided by Miss Allen, James Burrough, is stationed.

Cdr Peter Gladwin, the superintendent of Cowes Base, opened the proceedings in the Allen Centre by expressing the RNLI's gratitude to Mickie Allen for her generosity, and outlining the use to which the new facilities would be put. Atlantic 21 crews from stations nationwide attend courses at the Base and the new centre provides vastly improved facilities for their training and comfort.

Cdr Gladwin then invited Miss Allen to unveil a brass plaque to commemorate the occasion and she was presented with a magnificent carved crest produced by Steve Simmonds, a boatbuilder at the base, as a memento.

Later in the day guests re-assembled at the waterside for the naming and dedication ceremony of Mariners Friend. Lt Cdr Brian Miles, director of the RNLI, opened the proceedings by outlining the important role of the lifeboat in the relief fleet before Miss Allen formally handed the lifeboat into the care of the Institution, rep-resented on this occasion by its chairman, Mr Michael Vernon.

The service of dedication was conducted by the Reverend Stuart Cleaver, Priest in Charge Whippingham and East Cowes, assisted by the Reverend Michael Lewis, Methodist Minister East Cowes, Father Brian Coogan, Roman Catholic Minister East Cowes and Mr Lawrence Jay, Evangelical Minister East Cowes. After the dedication Miss Allen released the traditional champagne bottle against the bows of Mariners Friend, with her wishes for her safety and that of her crews, before taking a short trip aboard the lifeboat on the waters of the River Medina.

Music for the naming and dedication ceremony was provided by the Band of Cowes High School.

MF Selsey - D class Mr Brian Murr, chairman of Selsey and District branch welcomed guests to the handing over and service of dedication of the new D class lifeboat at Selsey on 16 August 1989.

The lifeboat was presented to the Institution by Mr Denis Matkin, in memory of his brother, Geoffrey Matkin. Mr Anthony Oliver, head of fund raising, formally accepted the lifeboat on behalf of the RNLI and she was then placed into the care of the Selsey station branch committee and its honorary secretary, Clive Cockayne.

The service of dedication was conducted by the Reverend George Waddington, Chaplain of the Selsey lifeboats. South Queensferry New lifeboat house Queensferry lifeboat station's new boathouse at Hawes Pier, South Queensferry, was officially opened on Saturday 16 September 1989 by Sir Charles McGrigor BT DL, Convener of the Scottish Lifeboat Council.

The cost of the boathouse was met from the legacy of the late Miss Margaret Melrose who lived in Fife.

The proceedings were opened by Councillor W.

Hardie, chairman of Queensferry station branch.

Sir Charles McGrigor opened the new building and Mr Andrew Gibb, the solicitor who administered the late Miss Melrose's estate, unveiled a commemorative plaque in the boathouse. Captain Jack Kersley, station honorary secretary, proposed a vote of thanks.

Music was provided before the ceremony by the South Queensferry Pipe Band.

Also in attendance were Major and Mrs MacNay who had generously provided the fitting out of the boathouse and part provision of the cost of a new tractor. KT Peel-Atlantic 21 John Batstone On Saturday 5 August, at Peel in the Isle of Man, the local lifeboat station named and dedicated its brand new Atlantic 21, B575 John Batstone, which had been funded by a record-breaking boardsailor who had circumnavigated England, Wales and Scotland to raise the money to buy the boat.

Tim Batstone, the young man who performed this record-breaking feat, was in Peel to be at the service and brought his mother, Mrs F.W. Batstone, to name the boat John Batstone after his late father.

The occasion was a very friendly gathering of the Manx lifeboat family, in which the hearty singing was accompanied by the band of The Kings Own Border Regiment. The service was taken by the Island's Bishop, The Right Reverend Noel Jones, a former chaplain to the Fleet and a good friend of the RNLI, assisted by local clergy.

A former shipmate of the Bishop, Rear Admiral WJ. McClune, deputy chairman of the RNLI's Boat Committee, accepted the lifeboat on behalf of the Institution.

The whole ceremony, so well planned by the local station chairman, Mr J.C. Hall and ably assisted by the station honorary secretary Mr A.C. Corlett, was a very moving and inspiring occasion.

Appropriately the first two lives saved by the John Batstone were boardsailors. Brighton -Atlantic 21 Graham Hillier and Tony Cater Brighton's new Atlantic 21 was named and dedicated in a ceremony which took place at the Village Square, Brighton Marina on Friday 29 September 1989.

Accompanied by Mrs Jill Cater, Mrs Sylvia Hillier named the lifeboat in memory of their sons, Graham Hillier and Tony Cater, tragically drowned seven years ago. The boys' parents set up an appeal in the Chertsey, Weybridge and Woodham area of Surrey and raised £10,000 towards the lifeboat, and the East Grinstead branch collected £ 15,000 from various fund raising events.

The proceedings were opened by Mr Charles Wilson, chairman of the Brighton station branch and Mr Colin Williams, deputy inspector of lifeboats for the South East division, then described the lifeboat.

Mrs Jill Cater, on behalf of the donors, handed the lifeboat to Captain Sir Miles Wingate KCVO FNI, a member of the RNLI Committee of Management who in turn passed the lifeboat into the care of Mr Colin Maltby, honorary secretary of Brighton lifeboat station.

Following the service of dedication led by the Reverend Roger Robins, vicar of All Saints New Haw and Captain the Reverend Cuthbert Le M. Scott, Brighton lifeboat station chaplain, Mrs Hillier named the new lifeboat Graham Hillier and Tony Cater.

Commander John Watson, president of the East Grinstead branch, then unveiled a plaque recording the gift. North Sunderland - D class Saturday 30 September 1989 saw 150 guests gathered at the lifeboat house on the coldest day of the month, with threatening clouds despite bright sunshine visible to the south.

Mr John Halliday, vice-president of the Textile Services Association, (involving the laundry, dry cleaners and linen hire trade) was welcomed, together with other guests, by Mr Bill Weeks, chairman of the North Sunderland lifeboat station.

Mr Halliday then handed the D class lifeboat to the RNLI and Mr P. Denham Christie, a life vicepresident, accepted it with an interesting speech on the links between lifeboat stations on the north east coast before duly passing the lifeboat to the station.

Mr Bob Reay. honorary secretary, in receiving the lifeboat chronicled the work already undertaken since the lifeboat arrived on station. The Reverend David G. Rogerson. chaplain to the station, led the service assisted by other local clergy, with Miss Brenda Calderwood, chairman of the Ladies' guild bringing the proceedings to a close with a vote of thanks.

The lifeboat launched and demonstrated the speed and manoeuvrability of the D class, Mr Halliday and his family being suitably impressed.

BBS Weston-Super-Mare-Dciass Weston-Super-Mare's new D class lifeboat, funded by an appeal organised by the Kennet and Avon_ Canal Trust, was officially handed over and dedicated on Birnbeck Island on 14October 1989.

The main funds for the appeal were raised from sponsorship during the annual Boto-X event hosted by Avon Inflatables at Caen Hill Lock, Devizes in 1987, when teams of eight people in inflatable boats carried the boats up and down the hill to the lock and paddled across the water.

Mr Geoffrey Flint, chairman of the Weston- Super-Mare station branch, opened the proceedings and Mr John Petty, chairman of the 1987 Boto-X committee, representing the donors, the Kennet and Avon Canal Trust, handed over the lifeboat to Mr Anthony Oliver, head of fund raising. He in turn passed it into the safe-keeping of Mr John Williams, honorary secretary of the Weston-Super-Mare lifeboat station.

The service of dedication which followed was conducted by the Reverend Prebendary J.T.

Hayward, honorary chaplain to the lifeboat station. Hastings - Mersey class Sealink Endeavour It was as if perfect weather had been prearranged for the naming ceremony of Hastings' new Mersey class lifeboat Sealink Endeavour on 21 September. The sun shone brightly and warmly in a brilliant blue sky, but a gentle breeze ensured that those who crowded around the lifeboat house at the Stade did not overheat.

The happy holiday atmosphere was sustained by the spectators taking their ease for the ceremony in gaily striped deck chairs, as they waited for the Institution's President, HRH The Duke of Kent. He arrived shortly before 2.30pm to cheers, applause and the madly-waving flags of school children.

The ceremony began with a welcome from the station chairman, Joe Adams, who referred to the heroic rescues carried out since the naming of the town's previous lifeboat Faiiiight, 25 years before.

On behalf of British Sealink Ferries and the other donors, the Passenger Services Director, Mr Michael Aiken, spoke of the pleasure all at Sealink had derived from being associated with the special promotion which had provided the bulk of the funding for the new Mersey. He recommended that other businesses and companies should become involved in similar schemes, before handing the lifeboat over to Mr Michael Vernon, Chairman of the RNLI.

In turn, Mr Vernon delivered her into the safe-keeping of Mr John Heyes, Hastings' honorary secretary, who spoke of the station's pride in receiving the second lifeboat of the new class to be commissioned.

A service of dedication followed, led by the Reverend David Grant, lifeboat chaplain and rector of the Old Town parish of St Clement and All Saints, assisted by local clergy of other denominations.

Before naming the lifeboat, the Duke of Kent paid tribute to the town's ancient fishing community, out of which had grown a courageous lifeboating fraternity. 'We are all here to celebrate the fact that we have at Hastings the men and the means to save life at sea. Both are of the highest calibre', he said.

His Royal Highness then activated the bottle-breaker to send champagne gushing over the bows, before taking up the station's offer to inspect the lifeboat and go afloat.

The Duke and the crew boarded the lifeboat and were hauled to the sea by tractor, followed by an excited throng of onlookers.

At sea, Sealink Endeavour was put through her paces by Coxswain Fred White.

The Duke took the helm on the journey back to shore and was, the coxswain reported, 'Quite good at it!' After re-housing, the Duke of Kent took tea with invited guests before leaving for his next appointment, bringing to an end a memorable occasion and a perfect day. Isle Of AlTan - C class Prince ofArran With storm force winds forecast, the naming and handing over ceremony at Lamlash was successfully undertaken in the presence of a good attendance of friends and supporters from both the Isle of Arran and the mainland, who all defied the steady downpour of rain.

The proceedings were capably controlled by the branch chairman, Mr James Macgill, who introduced Mr Mike Wood, the North Shieldsbased sales manager for the Fred Olsen Lines, as representatives of both the company and the passengers of the ferry Black Prince whose generosity had funded the new C class lifeboat.

In accepting the lifeboat on behalf of the RNLI, the director, Lt Cdr Miles, expressed gratitude for the gift and most suitably endorsed the high profile value of the smaller lifeboats within the fleet, which each year contribute a tremendous service and record of saving lives.

The boat having been accepted by the honorary secretary, Mr Geoff Norris, the Reverend Fulton conducted a brief service of dedication whereafter Mrs Wood was invited to name the lifeboat Prince ofArran. She duly accepted the porringer of whisky from the senior helmsman and suitably christened the boat to resounding cheers.

With the formalities concluded, the boat was launched and Mr Wood enjoyed the experience of its capabilities in choppy seas before joining crew and guests in the neighbouring golf club for refreshments provided and served by the guild and wives of the crew..