interview
Island Life - April/May 2010
From dinosaurs
to pearls...
Photo: Giving pony rides with her
Dartmoor pony Thomas
public company Alexon, where she sat on the board and ran the
design rooms for all their labels, including Alexon, Eastex and
Dash which she developed.
Debbie also sourced new brands to buy in Hong Kong and
Taiwan, and developed the first sportswear brand from the Far
East to be purchased by Marks and Spencer. It was then that
she bought her house in Yarmouth, and her love of horses grew
even more. “I walked up the hill one day, and saw all the horses,
Island Gems is a newly
ornaments, bookends and
established venture within the
other products made from
grand age of 30. Red was joined by Polly and later Cady and
Isle of Wight Pearl complex.
natural stone. Of course there
Annie, which Debbie rides out with the Hunt and in dressage.
The driving force behind this
is a good display of fossils,
new outlet is the Island's own
some sourced from within
heartbreak with the loss of her younger sister, while her
Fossil Man, Martin Simpson,
two miles of the site.
husband suffered a series of strokes, and needed 24-hour care.
who has been collecting and
Although Debbie tried to continue her work in London, it proved
trading in geological items
large spirally coiled fossil
impossible, and even though Bob made a good recovery the
for over thirty years. He
shells we call ammonites,
strain on both proved too much, and they were divorced a few
previously ran the Fossil Shop
some of which grow up to
years ago.
at Blackgang Chine. "What is
the size of a car tyre. One
and that was it,” smiled this vivacious and energetic lady.
She acquired Red, the first of her four horses, who is now the
When her fashion career was at its peak there was more
Especially popular are the
nice about this site is that the
particular variety is uncoiled
for her next venture. A meeting with Claire and Glyn Locke
products compliment those
rather like a shepherd's crook
came at a time when they were setting up an Italian mail order
of the Pearl very well", he
and is particularly sought
company for ladies’ clothing just outside Yarmouth. Debbie went
explains. "There is a growing
after by collectors.
along initially to help out for a couple of weeks, but stayed
fascination about natural
five-and-a-half years, during which time the company Artigiano
gemstones, crystals, fossils
mostly collecting, but is
went from strength to strength. Then she decided it was time to
and minerals, and of course
available to man the shop in
take stock and enjoy Island life a little more.
many of them are relevant to
the busy summer months.
the Island itself.
Chilton Chine is now the
A dinner party at The George in Yarmouth opened the door
That coincided with her introduction to The Gaffers Festival,
but there was still time to become honorary secretary of the
The Isle of Wight is now
Martin spends his winters
starting point for his popular
Isle of Wight Hunt, a post she held throughout the turmoil that
known as a major world
fossil hunting trips at low
came with the fox hunting ban. She admits she even became
source of dinosaur fossils
tide, where you can see
a banner-waving protester in London against the Government
and, more recently, amber has
dinosaur footprints amongst
ruling.
been found with insect fossils
the fossilised trees. Who
that date back 125 million
knows you may even find part
be a short rest. But Debbie is clearly not the sort to sit around
years. Martin has a large
of your very own dinosaur
doing nothing for too long.
selection of amber jewellery,
and enjoy a cream tea at the
with or without flies!, and
Pearl afterwards!
Now the ‘Gaffers’ is looming again, and afterwards there might
a range of candle holders,
52
Visit our new website - www.visitislandlife.com