Island Life Magazine Ltd April / May 2016 | Page 29

INTERVIEW

Tony’s Lifetime
on the

Ocean Wave

They say everyone has a book in them – but adopted
Islander and lifelong seafarer Tony Mansbridge
could write a whole shelf full of them.

I

n fact the energetic 75 year old is in
the process of writing his memoirs –
not to mention still putting in six or
seven hours a day at his workshop, where
he’s building a 26-ft clinker launch in
mahogany.
“There’s a lot of physical work,
heaving lumps of timber around and
jumping in and out of the boat” says
the irrepressible Tony, “but it keeps you
fit, and I wouldn’t miss it for the world.
“I look at some retired people who
just waddle around and don’t seem to
do very much – well, that’s certainly not
the life for me!”

bombed because of its proximity to an
ammunition site.
His dad Don had been working as an
ambulance driver, which gave him access
to petrol for rare excursions.

“We had a big open-top Worsley, dad’s
pride and joy” recalls Tony, “and our
excursions gave us some breathing space
from the constant bombing”.
After one particularly severe bombing

Adolf’s part in it
However, had it not been for Hitler
and his bombs, Tony might never have
come to enjoy an exciting life on the
high seas.
The family lived in Wembley during
the war, an area that was heavily
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