Coxswain Eric Ward of St Ives joined the All-weather lifeboat crew in 1973, and has been a crew member of the inshore lifeboat since 1966. He served as second coxswain from 1988 until his appointment as coxswain in 1989.

Eric was awarded a bronze medal in 1982 in recognition of the courage and skill displayed by him as helmsman when the D class inshore lifeboat rescued the four crew of a sailing dinghy which had capsized on the Hayle Bar in a strong northerly wind and a rough sea.

In the same year Eric was awarded a bronze secondservice clasp in recognition of the courage, tenacity and seamanship he displayed when the D class lifeboat carried out a search close inshore amongst rocks for the sole occupant of the yacht Ladybird, which was aground just west of Wicker Point in breaking surf.

Eric is a family man with two sons and although by day he is the port's harbourmaster in his spare time he is an accomplished artist.

Although he has been painting for only a few years an exhibition of his work was held at a London gallery in May 1989, and by way of a contrast with our usual Today's Lifeboatmen' photographs he is pictured at that exhibition with one of his canvases..