Naming and dedication Ceremonies Relief Fleet- Arun class Duke of Atholl The City Chambers at Dundee became the scene of great activity on Saturday 12 May 1990 when the Duke of Atholl's private army disembarked from buses and tuned their bagpipes before marching to the City Square.

Here they were formally inspected by His Grace and the Lord Provost of Dundee, in the presence of a curious and admiring audience, before the city enjoyed a rare spectacle as the army marched through the streets.

They were preceded by the RNLI's and the Duke's standard bearers to Victoria Dock where they were to join the 500 assembled guests, the new lifeboat which was to be named in the Duke's honour, Dundee's own lifeboat Spirit ofTayside and the RNR vessel HMS Archer.

At the appointed time the principals made their way in procession to the naming ceremony venue, preceded by one of the Duke's pipers, the Army presented arms and the Duke's standard was unfurled on the platform. With Mr Ron Bonar of the Dundee branch in the chair, Cara Hughan, the six-year-old daughter of Broughty Ferry 's Coxswain made her presentation to the Duke and Mr T.

Mitchell JP, Lord Provost of Dundee extended his and the city's welcome to the RNLI, and to the distinguished crew drawn together to man the lifeboat - who collectively had given in the region of 160 years service at their respective stations of Broughty Ferry, Aberdeen, Aith and Arbroath.

The lifeboat is the 46th, and last, Arun class to be built for the Institution and her name honours the ten years the Duke of Atholl served as Chairman of the RNLI before his retirement last year.

The lifeboat having been funded from the legacy of the late Sir David Robinson, all present were charmed when his daughter, Mrs E. Baker, related the experiences which had influenced her late parents generosity and then handed the lifeboat over to Mr.

Michael Vernon, Chairman of the Institution, who duly and fittingly accepted her into the relief fleet.

Sir Charles McGrigor, Convener of the Scottish Lifeboat Council and a deputy chairman of the RNLI, proposed his vote of thanks to all participants and the many generous supporters whose help had made the occasion possible, and the service of dedication was then conducted by the Reverend W.

B. R. Macmillan and the Reverend T. P.

Robertson.

With the Discovery and the frigate Unicorn providing a historical backdrop His Grace approached the quayside podium and named the lifeboat Duke of Atholl in the traditional manner. In the company of the platform party the Duke enjoyed a brief trip afloat before joining all the guests aboard the 19th century 46-gun frigate Unicorn.

With welcome light refreshment offsetting a cool day the magnificently decorated christening cake, donated by Sunblest Bakeries of Aberdeen, was ceremonially cut by both Mrs Baker and the Duke ofAtholl and a formal expression of appreciation extended to the city of Dundee, the Lord Provost and his officer for hosting the proceedings.

Plaques were exchanged to mark the occasion.

The RNLI in Scotland is particularly grateful to the City of Dundee, the RNR establishment HMS Camperdown, the Unicorn Preservation Society, HM Coastguard, The Dundee Port Authority, the Camperdown (Dundee) Silver Band, the Atholl Highlanders and all involved with the ceremony. Aberdeen - D class Trevor Edwin Jones The handing-over ceremony for the Aberdeen D class lifeboat was held at the station on Sunday, 5 May 1990 - a happy occasion despite unseasonably cold weather.

The proceedings were opened by Captain Brian Atkinson, chairman of the Aberdeen Station Branch who introduced Mr Norman Trewren who was to hand over the lifeboat to the RNLI.

Norman Trewren is an ex-coxswain of the Aberdeen lifeboat BP Forties and the D class had been funded from a book, 'The Lifeline', which he has written tracing the history of the station from its take-over by the RNLI in 1925 up to the diamond jubilee. Captain Atkinson described the vast amount of work required to produce the 200-page book on the station which, up till then, had lacked a written record of its work. The cost of publication was defrayed by Shell UK Exploration and Production. Accepting the lifeboat from Mr Trewren on behalf of the Institution Surgeon Rear-Admiral Ian Colley, a Vice President of the RNLI, then handed the new boat over to the Aberdeen branch for use at Aberdeen lifeboat station on whose behalf she was accepted by Captain Eric Masson, the honorary secretary.

A service of dedication was then conducted by the Reverend Eric Milton of Chapel of Garioch before the 12 year-old daughter of the author. Miss Sally Trewren, named the lifeboat Trevor Edwin Jones in memory of Mr Trewren's late father-in-law.

Sally was then taken for a short trip in the inflatable before refreshments were served by members of the Aberdeen ladies' lifeboat guild. Fleetwood Tyne class William Street A march-past by the Band of Fleetwood Sea Cadets Old Boys Band preceded the arrival of the platform party at the start of the naming ceremony of Fleetwood's new Tyne class lifeboat on Saturday 12 May 1990.

A corner of Wyre Dock Marina provided a suitable setting for the proceedings, which were opened by Mr Frank Hardman, the branch chairman, who extended a special welcome to the High Sheriff of Lancashire and other honoured guests, including the donor of the previous Fleetwood lifeboat who had remained anonymous before.

The new lifeboat takes her name from her donor the late William Street, a former Lancashire businessman, and she was handed over to the RNLI by Mr Clive Fenn-Smith, chairman of the W. O. Street Foundation. Mr David Acland, a member of the Institution's Committee of Management and Treasurer of the RNLI accepted the lifeboat on behalf of the RNLI before handing her over in turn to the care of the Fleetwood station, represented by the honorary secretary Captain Peter Woodworth.

A service of dedication followed the handing- over, conducted by the station chaplain the Reverend John Cayton and assisted by the Most Reverend Alban Cochrane and the Reverend John Carr. Mrs Acland, wife of the Treasurer, was then invited to name the lifeboat William Street before a vote of thanks was proposed by Mrs Susan Pearce, chairman of the ladies guild.

During the ceremony a number of messages of congratulation were read, including one from the Ro-Ro ferry Viking Trader, and music was provided by Marlon Mere Band.

With the formal part of the ceremony over coxswain Ian Fairclough took a party of officials on a short trip afloat as an SAR helicopter appeared trailing the RNLI flag from its winch wire in a salute to the new lifeboat.

JT/DG Lytham St Annes Tyne class Sarah Emily Harrop The naming and dedication ceremony of Fleetwood's new Tyne class lifeboat took place in Preston Docklands marina on Sunday 29 May 1990 - a rather grey day which brightened to sunshine as the official party made its appearance.

Miss Emily Ashton, the four-year-old daughter of the Coxswain presented a basket of flowers to Mrs Edna M. Sneath, a lifetime friend of the donor who was to name the lifeboat before the 600 guests were welcomed to the ceremony by the branch chairman Mr Allan Williams.

After Mr Michael Vlasto, the divisional inspector of lifeboats for the west division had described the Tyne class lifeboat and the role which she would play Mr James W.

Horner, representing the executors of the donor's trust, handed the lifeboat over to the RNLI which was represented on this occasion by Sir Charles McGrigor, a deputy chairman of the Institution.

In turn Sir Charles then passed the lifeboat into the care of the Lytham St Annes station branch represented by honorary secretary Mr John Ogden who accepted her for safe keeping at the station.

The service of dedication was conducted by the station chaplain, the Reverend John Carlisle, assisted by the Reverend W. J. Else, Minister of the United Reform Church and the Reverend Father Turner from St Joseph's Roman Catholic church.

At the invitation of Mr Allan Williams Mrs Sneath then named the lifeboat Sarah Emily Harrop to the cheers of the large crowd and music from the Freckleton Band.

The lifeboat, dressed overall for the ceremony, then showed off her paces before returning to her station at the end of an enjoyable and memorable occasion. St Heller - Tyne class Alexander Coutanche The naming ceremony for St Helier's new Tyne class lifeboat took place on 9 May 1990, a most suitable date in that it was not only the birthday of Alexander Coutanche, whose name the lifeboat carries and who was Bailiff of the States of Jersey during the German occupation of 1940-1945, but also Jersey Liberation Day.

Before the ceremony began Miss Georgina Mills, daughter of Emergency Mechanic David Mills, presented a special souvenir programme to Jurat the Honourable John Coutanche who was to name the lifeboat.

Mr John Norman, chairman of the St Helier station branch then opened the proceedings before introducing Mr Don Fileull.

chairman of the Jersey Lifeboat Appeal Committee who formally handed the lifeboat into the care of the RNLI, represented on this occasion by Mr Michael Vernon, the Institution's Chairman.

The lifeboat has been funded by the appeal and by a generous contribution from the States of Jersey.

Mr Vernon in turn handed the new Tyne class into the care of the station, on whose behalf it was accepted by Captain Roy Bullen, the St Helier honorary secretary.

A short service of dedication followed, led by the Very Reverend Canon David Mahy, Roman Catholic Dean of Jersey, assisted by the Reverend Colin Hough, Superintendent Minister of the Methodist Church in Jersey and Mr Frank Lawrence, former Second Coxswain of the lifeboat, before Sir Peter Gill, Bailiff of Jersey and Patron of the St Helier branch, invited Jurat the Honourable John Coutanche to name the lifeboat in the traditional way.

Music for the occasion was provided by the Regimental Band of the 1st Battalion the Royal Hampshire Regiment..