Island Life Magazine Ltd August/September 2007 | Page 10

life

ISLAND HISTORY

FOREWORD

Old Gaffers pays tribute
to over 100 craft

RNLI evening a success
The eleventh Old
Gaffers Festival was the
‘best yet’ with a record
attendance, brilliant
weather and a wonderful
atmosphere throughout
the whole weekend.
The arrival of the ‘ghost
of Queen Victoria’ (Shirley
MacNab) accompanied by The
High Sheriff, David Langford,
was a splendid sight as the
horse drawn carriage was
driven around the picturesque
town. The ‘Queen’ made her
speech standing in front of an
excellent painted back-drop of
Osborne House that looked like
a photograph of the real thing!
Around 100 visiting craft filled
the harbour but the wonderful
42 metre French schooner, La
Recouvrance was particularly
prominent. The town of Brest
had paid for this awesome
vessel to travel to the Island
to promote a Maritime Festival
there. Alongside the harbour
wall it attracted a great deal
of interest.
The theme this year
was ‘Treasures of the
Island’ with many
stalls selling Island
food produce that
proved popular, as
did the craft tent in
The Square. In the
marquee on The
Quay was the first

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ever ‘Old Gaffers Beer Festival’
with a huge selection of real
ales for sale, organised by the
Fat Cat. The Big Boy’s Toys field
was filled to capacity this year
with veteran cars, motorbikes
and military vehicles and a
colourful replica of the car,
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, that
was hand built on the Island.
The non stop entertainment
pleased the crowds with its
variety and quality and included
several new acts again this year.

Isle of Wight board of the
Isle of Wight RNLI meet each
summer at different venues
around the island to enable
workers and crew to meet
together outside fund raising.
On this occasion Simon
Goodenough head gardener
at Ventnor Botanic Gardens
agreed to host the board on
behalf of the Ventnor Branch.
Major General Martin White the
new Lord Lieutenant for the
island and newly appointed
island president of the RNLI
came along to meet workers
and tour of the gardens.
Despite a blustery evening
Simon Goodenough was able
to take the group round the
extensive gardens showing
not only recent work but the
re-planting after the 1987 storm.
Plants noted that evening
included the original palm trees

and Brown Turkey Fig, which
had been planted in the original
gardens of the Ventnor IW
Hospital Respiratory illnesses.
Lady Pigot, Chairman of the
Isle of Wight RNLI, hosted the
evening. She is also County
Councillor for Bembridge
and a fundraiser for St Johns
Ambulance, in addition to
being an active member of the
Bembridge Sailing Club and
Royal Yacht Squadron where
she does regular Officer duties.
The 60 or so guests enjoyed
an indoor picnic after the
guided tour of the gardens.
PHOTOS:
Top: The group being shown
round the gardens.
Below: Left – Major General
Martin White, Lady Pigot
and Simon Goodenough

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