The naming of Arbroath's new Mersey class lifeboat Inchcape went ahead on 22 April 1994 despite the unfortunate accident sustained by the namer, HRH Princess Alexandra, two days before the ceremony. The Countess of Airlie cvo, wife of the Lord Lieutenant of Angus, and sister in law of HRH, graciously agreed to name the lifeboat.

Upon arrival at the site, the Earl of Airlie presented civic and RNLI dignitaries to Lady Airlie, as she made her way to the platform.

Miss Nicola McLeod, aged seven, daughter of a crew member, presented Lady Airlie with a posy, while she in return was given an inscribed bracelet as a memento of the occasion.

Four hundred invited guests attended the ceremony, while a splendid crowd watched from various vantage points around the site, many of whom were local schoolchildren. The cold and wet weather did nothing to dampen the enthusiasm of the crowd on this highly memorable and enjoyable day.

Major John Ingram, station branch chairman, opened the proceedings and welcomed everyone to the ceremony. In his capacity as appeal chairman he then made mention of the many people who had given to the appeal to fund Inchcape.

Major Ingram then handed the lifeboat over to Andrew Cubie, vice chairman of the Scottish Executive Committee, and Committee of Management member, himself deputising for the chairman, Mr Vernon, who could not attend due to a knee injury.

Mr Cubie praised the local appeal which had raised around £300,000 and congratulated the community for its magnificent efforts. He then handed the lifeboat over to Captain William Davidson, station honorary secretary, who accepted it with gratitude and reiterated Arbroath lifeboat station's commitment to saving life at sea.

A service of dedication was then conducted by the station honorary chaplain, Reverend Guy Brownlie, during which mention was made of the lifeboat disaster in 1953. Lady Airlie then named the lifeboat and delighted everyone by going for a trip in the lifeboat, despite the inclement weather.

Following the ceremony a reception was held at the community centre, during which Lady Airlie met crew wives and children, station branch and guild office bearers and other special guests.

A celebration cake was cut by Lady Airlie and Mrs Mary Gerrard, wife of the coxswain.

Lady Airlie was presented with a framed photograph of the lifeboat signed by the crew.

Finally, following the departure of the Earl and Countess of Airlie, Mr Cubie presented Jim Wallbridge, lifeboat enthusiast, with a model lifeboat and congratulated him on his attendance at this, his 150th naming ceremony.Relief - Atlantic 75 class Vera Skilton The new boat store at the Inshore Lifeboat Centre (ILC) at Cowes was the venue for the handing over and naming ceremony of the new Atlantic 75 lifeboat Vera Skilton on 19 April 1994.

Alan Tate, superintendent of the ILC opened proceedings and welcomed the guests who included family and friends of the late Vera Skilton whose bequest funded the new lifeboat.

Mrs Jean Williams, cousin of the late Mrs Skilton, handed over the lifeboat to the RNLI and it was accepted by Anthony Oliver, deputy head of fundraising and marketing for use in the relief fleet.

Colin Williams, deputy training officer (Operations) described the lifeboat and its future role before the Reverend Jenny Evans, Parish Deacon, Whippingham and East Cowes conducted the service of dedication.

Mrs Gillian Butcher, cousin of Mrs Skilton, stepped in at the last moment in place of her sister Rebecca Fletcher, Mrs Skilton's goddaughter, who was prevented from attending due to illness, to name the lifeboat Vera Skilton.

Relief - D class Maureen Samuels The naming ceremony for the D class lifeboat Maureen Samuels was held at the RNLI's Poole depot on Wednesday 18 May 1994.

The lifeboat had been funded by Mr Jim Samuels and his wife Maureen who were both present at the ceremony, accompanied by some of their friends.

Mr Samuels handed over the new D class to the RNLI and she was accepted by Anthony Oliver, deputy head of fundraising and marketing for use in the relief fleet.

Mike Pennell, staff officer operations, described the lifeboat and its future role before the Rector of Poole, the Reverend Stanley Holbrooke-Jones dedicated the lifeboat.

Mrs Maureen Samuels named the lifeboat Maureen Samuels after which it was announced that the lifeboat would take up relief duties at Shoreham Harbour as her first duty.

Mrs Maureen Samuels names the new Relief fleet D classcontinued Tobermory - dedication of new boathouse On 26 March 1994 the new crew facility at Tobermory was opened by Sir Charles McGrigor Bt DL, a vice president of the RNLI and former convener of the Scottish Lifeboat Council.

The boathouse was funded as the result of a local appeal which raised more than £61,000, far surpassing the expectations of the local lifeboat community.

Over 400 people attended the ceremony as invited guests.

The appeal was started in memory of the late Bobby MacLeod, who was one of Tobermory's lifeboat's youngest crew members, joining the crew at the age of 15 in 1941. Due to manning problems, the station was closed from 1947 until 1990 when Bobby's efforts to re-establish a lifeboat service in Tobermory came to fruition. Sadly, he died only a few days before the lifeboat Ralph and Joy Swann arrived on station.

At the boathouse opening a plaque was unveiled by Bobby's widow, Jean, while his son Robert, now station honorary secretary, chaired proceedings.

Dougie MacNeilage, station honorary treasurer, spoke of the appeal and the 411 individuals, companies and groups which had contributed to the funding of the boathouse.

A service of dedication was led by Reverend A. Taylor and Monsignor T.

Wynne, including a Gaelic blessing of the new building.

A reception funded by Argyll and Bute District Council was held in the Aros Hall following the ceremony.

A commemorative book, listing the names of all contributors to the appeal, will be on permanent display in the boathouse and a vellum telling of the extraordinary life of Bobby MacLeod will also hang in the building.

Minehead - Re-dedication of boathouse The high winds and heavy rains of the preceding weeks died away on Sunday 10 April 1994 for the re-dedication and re-opening ceremony of Minehead lifeboat station's enlarged and modernised boathouse.

More than 150 guests, among them representatives of other lifeboat stations, emergency services and members of fundraising branches from Somerset and adjacent counties, were seated in the boathouse to be welcomed by station branch chairman Bill McNab.

The history of Minehead's lifeboat station, from the building of the boathouse in 1901, was described by the station honorary secretary, Kevin Escott.

The lengthening of the boathouse now enabled the launching tractor to be left connected to the carriage of the station's Atlantic 21, allowing launching to be carried out by one man in addition to the boat's crew, thus reducing further the launch time.

Much improved crew rooms for training and for the storage of dry suits were included, and a purpose-built shop for the sale of souvenirs. Mr Escott also announced that the station had been allocated an Atlantic 75 to replace the Atlantic 21 Catherine Plumbley at the end of 1994.

After a service of re-dedication conducted by the vicar of Minehead, the Reverend G. Wrayford, the branch chairman invited the Lord Lieutenant of Somerset, Colonel Sir Walter Luttrell, KCVO, MC, to perform the re-opening ceremony.

Sir Walter, whose great grandfather had given the site for the boathouse in 1900, then presented long service awards and after a vote of thanks by Mr Durman the afternoon was rounded off by a visit from a helicopter from RAF Chivenor and the launch of the station's Atlantic 21.Relief - D class Elsie Frances I The naming ceremony for the D class lifeboat Elsie Frances I was held at the RNLI's Poole Depot on Wednesday 30 March 1994.

Stuart Underdown, accompanied by his cousin Joan Wyatt, handed over the first of two D class lifeboats which he has presented to the Institution. The lifeboat was accepted by Anthony Oliver, deputy head of fundraising and marketing, for use in the relief fleet.

Mike Pennell, staff officer operations, described the lifeboat and its future role before the Rector of Poole, Reverend Stanley Holbrooke-Jones dedicated the lifeboat.

Mr Underdown then named the lifeboat Elsie Frances 1 in memory of his mother.

Within a fortnight of the ceremony the lifeboat was carrying out relief duties at Minehead, and the second lifeboat, which will be a station lifeboat, will enter service in 1995.

Newcastle, Co Down - Mersey class Eleanor & Bryant Girling A lifeboat station was first established in Dundrum Bay at Rossglass near Killough in 1825. It was closed ten years later, but in 1856, following numerous shipwrecks along the coast and the provision of a boathouse by the Earl of Annesley, a new lifeboat was provided and stationed at Downs Road, Newcastle.

Many heroic services spanning 170 years are recorded in the history of the station with family connections being evident over all those years. The names Murphy, McClelland and Lenaghan recur with regularity.

On Saturday 30 April 1994 the new Mersey class lifeboat at the station was named Eleanor & Bryant Girling and the new Penza lifeboathouse was handed into the care of the local lifeboat station following a service of dedication.

Mr Will Wilson chaired the proceedings, assisted by the honorary secretary Bob Johnston. Mr J.R. Sargent, nephew of the donor, Mrs Eleanor Girling and members of his family also attended.

Mrs Sally Parry, Mrs Girling's great niece named the lifeboat. The Chairman, deputy chairman, the Lord Stanley of Alderley, the Director and deputy chief of operations represented the Committee of Management and RNLI headquarters.

This Mersey class lifeboat, together with the new purpose built boathouse, ensures that the Newcastle station is prepared for the saving of life at sea well into the next century, continuing a long and proud tradition..