There was an expectant buzz around the Scarborough boathouse as the crowd awaited the arrival of HRH The Duchess of Kent in the warm, late summer sunshine on 9 September 1992. In a lively and enthusiastic speech by branch president Gilbert Gray QC, the Duchess was welcomed 'back home' and thanked for dedicating her time to a special moment in Scarborough lifeboat history.

Mr Harold Andrews, last trustee of the estate of the late Frank Stubbs, who died in 1947, explained that Mr Stubbs had received an inheritance from Mrs Fanny Victoria Wilkinson which was to be used for employees of the chemicalplant which her family owned and of which Mr Stubbs had been managing director. On their deaths it was specified that the legacy should provide a lifeboat for the area.

The Duchess spoke with warmth and affection of her long-standing connection with the RNLI and her enjoyment of lifeboat naming ceremonies. She recalled many happy visits to the town as a girl and she compared those family occasions with the strong family ties which have bound the crews and shore helpers of the Scarborough station for almost 200 years.

With obvious pleasure, the Duchess named the lifeboat Fanny Victoria Wilkinson and Frank Stubbs, throwing the switch to send champagne running down the bows - to the delight of a seagull, doubtless a veteran of past ceremonies, which sprang from the vantage point held patiently throughout the proceedings to drink the sparkling liquid! The Duchess boarded the lifeboat for a trip around South Bay during which she steered the craft. Tea at the Spa, where crew and families had the opportunity to meet the special guest, rounded off an unforgettable day.Obviously only the weather had not been informed of the events of 30 September 1992, when Rhyl's Mersey class lifeboat Lil Cunningham was to be dedicated.

The well-oiled RNLI naming ceremony procedures were working well, chairs, dais and flags had all arrived and the highways department was busy clearing sand from the promenade, but the rain persisted. However, at 1130 the rain stopped, and it was all hands to the pump, or brush, to get everything in place to greet the VIP's for a pre-ceremony buffet.At 1345, with the skies now clear, Betty Cunningham, sister of the late Lil Cunningham arrived to be greeted by more than 500 guests. Following the anthems, bouquets were presented by Danielle and Kara Frost to Miss Cunningham and by Carolle Quinn to Mrs Smith.

Mr Eric Da vies, BEM, jp, chairman of the Rhyl station branch, welcomed guests and invited Mr Nicholas Smith, representing Miss Cunningham, to hand the lifeboat over to Lord Stanley of Alderley of the RNLI's committee of management.

Lord Stanley accepted the lifeboat and asked Captain John McKinlay, station honorary secretary, to accept the lifeboat on behalf of the station. There then followed an interdenominational service of dedication led by Canon Herbert Lloyd, vicar of Rhyl, assisted by Father Canon Leonard Quigley and the Reverend Dafydd Rees Roberts. Finally, Betty Cunningham named the lifeboat to loud applause and three hearty cheers.

Coxswain Ray Williams and his crew were on hand to greet Miss Cunningham when she boarded the lifeboat to take a short trip around the bay, during which time she had a spell at the wheel.

At the informal get together which followed the day's proceedings, Miss Cunningham was presented with a photograph of the lifeboat signed by the crew.Few people looking at Swanage lifeboat on the slipway before her the naming ceremony on Thursday 3 September 1992 would have known that the smartly turned out new boat had been damaged in a very difficult service a few days before - but fast team work had made her as good as new.

Early threats of rain held off and more than a thousand people, many of whom represented the generous donors to a regional appeal, enjoyed the warm breeze and bright sunshine.

The cost of the new Mersey class lifeboat was provided from a regional appeal which raised £350,000 and gifts from the J. Reginald Corah Foundation Fund, the Maud Elkington Charitable Trust, the Florence Turner Charitable Trust together with other legacies and gifts.

Following a welcome by the chairman of the branch, Dr William Tudor- Thomas, Chris Price, divisional inspector of lifeboats for the south east, described the lifeboat. The chairman of the Swanage lifeboat appeal committee, Michael O'Sullivan, gave details of how the money was raised.

The president of the Swanage lifeboat appeal committee, the Right Honourable the Earl of Normanton, handed over the lifeboat to the Institution, and the Chairman of the RNLI, Michael Vernon, accepted the lifeboat on behalfof the Institution before delivering her into the care of the Swanage branch for use at the Swanage lifeboat station. The honorary secretary of the Swanage branch, Tony Higgins, accepted the boat on behalf of the branch.

The service of dedication was then conducted by the Reverend David Callard, team rector of Swanage.

The newly extended and refurbished lifeboat house was also dedicated and blessed and at the close of the service actor Robert Brown, best known for his portrayal of 'M' in the James Bond films, named the lifeboat after his father, a former Swanage lifeboat coxswain.

Robert Charles Brown BEM was a lifeboatman at Swanage for over 50 years, following his father as coxswain and holding the position for over 24 years until his retirement in 1966.

After her naming Robert Charles Brown was launched to three rousing cheers and put through her paces.Walmer'snewlifeboat/amesBwrgesswas named and dedicated in a ceremony at the lifeboat station on 5 September 1992.

The Atlantic 21 was funded by Mr and Mrs Burgess as a memorial to their only son, James, who died in 1981 at the age of 18. During his short, active life he logged thousands of miles in his father's yacht and had always expressed interest in the work of the lifeboats. 'He was a very fine yachtsman and the lifeboat is a fitting memorial to his life', said Mr Burgess when he handed over the boat to the Institution.

Jack Lewis, chairman of Goodwin Sands and Downs branch, had opened proceedings by welcoming everyone to the ceremony and invited Major General Ian Harrison, Captain of Deal Castle to officially open the lifeboat house extension.

After cutting the tape the new lifeboat was pushed out of the lifeboat house to a Royal Marines fanfare of herald trumpeters.

Deputy divisional inspector of lifeboats for the south east, Colin Williams, described the Atlantic 21 and its role, and Mr Ashley Burgess handed her over to the Institution. Commandant Vonla McBride, a member of the committee of management, accepted the lifeboat and delivered her into the care of Walmer lifeboat station.

A service of dedication then followed, conducted by the Reverend Bruce Hawkins, vicar of St Mary's Church and the lifeboat station padre.

Mrs Victoria McKenna, elder sister of James Burgess, was invited to name the lifeboat James Burgess which then launched for a short demonstration.Sandwiched between days of torrential rain and strong winds, Friday 30 October 1992 was bright and still, if a little chilly - certainly not typical Dungeness weather. More than 500 guests were seated in a marquee adjoining the lifeboat house for the naming ceremony of Dungeness' new lifeboat Pride and Spirit, many being guests of donors Eric and Jean Cass.

Following a welcoming address by the chairman of the station branch, Dr Paul Cochrane, and a description of the lifeboat and its role by deputy divisional inspector, Colin Williams, Eric Cass handed the boat over to the RNLI. He mentioned the many voyages he and his wife had enjoyed on Seabourn Lines' ships Pride and Spirit and that they had chosen this name for the lifeboat in appreciation of the times shared with the crews, recognising that the name also reflects much that the RNLI and its crews project in their work.

Accepting the lifeboat on behalf of the Institution the Chairman, Michael Vernon, paid tribute to Mr and Mrs Cass for their generosity in funding the lifeboat and the costs of the ceremony. Mr Vernon then acknowledged the fine traditions of Dungeness lifeboat people,including the well-documented help given by the womenfolk in launching and recovering the lifeboat.

Once the lifeboat had been formally accepted by station honorary secretary, Lt Cdr Christopher Wren, the Reverend John Hewes, station chaplain and Rector of All Saints Church, Lydd conducted the service of dedication.

The actual naming of the lifeboat was carried out with great joy and happiness by Mrs Jean Cass, whose pleasure in supporting the RNLI and particularly the lifeboat people of Dungeness was obvious for all to see.

The traditional three cheers were led by Coxswain William Richardson and followed by the master of the cruise ship Seabourn Spirit Captain Erik Anderssen, who presented the coxswain and crew with an inscribed commemorative crystal.

The entire gathering followed the lifeboat as she was pushed on her carriage to the water's edge where she launched into a tranquil sea for a short demonstration, with the donors taking their turn at the wheel. The day was rounded off with tea and celebration cake in the lifeboat house.Angle- new boat house The rebuilt lifeboat house and slipway at Angle was officially opened and dedicated on 19 September 1992.

Severe deterioration in the fabric of the steel and concrete substructure, caused by weather and sea erosion over the past 65 years, had necessitated its replacement with a new boathouse. Larger than its predecessor it will accommodate the station's 47ft Tyne class lifeboat The Lady Rank, a winch for recovery after launching, fuel store, workshop, crew room and wet gear drying area.

Colonel George Jackson, chairman of Angle lifeboat station welcomed those present and Bill Anstead, managing director of the contractors Christian! and Nielsen, officially handed over the keys of the boathouse to Raymond Cory, deputy chairman of the Institution who in turn passed them into the care of John Allen-Mirehouse, honorary secretary of Angle station.

The short service of dedication which followed was led by the Right Reverend Ivor Rees, Bishop of St Davids, assisted by the Reverend Robin Webly, rector of Angle. At the close of the service Colonel Jackson invited Mrs Christine Anstead to cut the ceremonial ribbon and declare the boathouse 'open'.

West Kirby - new boathouse Severe storms during the winter of 1990 flooded and seriously damaged the exposed West Kirby lifeboat house. Since that time the work of the station has continued, in spite of the D class lifeboat, equipment and crew being homeless and the difficulties of working out of a container on the promenade.

Understandably there were celebrations when the new lifeboat house was opened on 19 August 1992.

Built at a cost of £92,000 with money raised by local appeals, the building offers vastly improved facilities. It is the third boathouse on the Wirral to be designed by Iain Maclaren who donated his professional services for this project.

The boathouse was opened by Mr R.

Graham Bell, trading director of John West Foods of Liverpool which donated £40,000 to the appeal, who is a committed supporter of the work of the lifeboat service.

West MerSCa - new boathouse When West Mersea was established in 1963, the inflatable lifeboat was housed in a converted garage, but in the 30 summers sincethen the station has become one of the busiest in the country.

A local fundraising appeal, gifts and bequests have provided West Mersea with a brand new £160,000 boathouse with greatly enhanced facilities - including direct access to the water, improving speed of response.

The Institution's president, HRH The Duke of Kent, carried out the official opening ceremony on 10 September 1992 in bright, temperate weather. In his speech he praised the bravery and dedication of lifeboat crews and declared that it was right that they should have the best lifeboats, equipment and facilities available at West Mersea they were second to none.

The Duke unveiled a commemorative plaque and, accompanied by station officials and distinguished guests, was conducted around the new boathouse, where he met the crew and shorehelpefs, before enjoying lunch at the West Mersea Yacht Club..