Island Life Magazine Ltd August/September 2010 | Page 57

interview

Island Life - August/September 2010
father when I was 28. We arranged

recalls: “As we got to the entrance of

Dutch courage to jump a five-bar iron

a mortgage for me to buy it off my

the hotel the doorman said ‘I am not

gate with my horse.

father, and the rest of the family. I have

going to let that dirty little so and so in

been married twice, and the first time

– but the goat can come in’!

I was on £10 a week and my wife was

“In all I was tethered to that goat

“We continued our journey up
through West Ashey and on to
Rowlands Farm, making quite a few

working at Lloyds Bank and earning

from 7 o’clock in the evening until

more ‘whisky stops’ before going to see

more than me,” he said.

we got home at 1.0am. I still have a

John Kingswell, who fortunately was

photograph of me dancing out on the

not in, otherwise we might have been

dance floor with the goat.

even worse.”

So Harold has learned his dairy
farming trade to perfection. But
perhaps what is a bit more surprising

“After Daish’s, we moved on to

But there were still a few more friends

is that he also has quite a good

the Fisherman’s Cottage on Shanklin

waiting to meet and greet Harold and

knowledge of goats – or at least one

seafront, where the guys had organised

Phil along the way with a tipple, before

in particular, after being up close and

a few strippers. I have to say they

they finally made their way back to

personal for a few hours.

weren’t the prettiest girls I had ever

Havenstreet slightly the worse for wear.

Just before he married his second wife

seen, but a few photographs were

Harold recalls: “The next time I saw

Andrea, even he was not prepared for

taken, and when they were later shown

Phil he told me he did manage to get

what lay in store on his stag night –

around Brickfields, there were nearly a

home, but didn’t put the cover on his

courtesy of some of his closest friends.

few divorces.

horse, left all the tack on the stable

He explained: “Back in the 1980s one

“Thankfully after the stag night I had

of my favourite sayings was ‘you might

one day to recover before the wedding,

as well be handcuffed to a goat’. Then

and Andrea still married me.”

in 1989 I had my stag night before I

floor, and just went indoors and fell
asleep.
“And despite having a house full of

Harold also remembers one social

visitors for Christmas lunch, he made

married Andrea, and two great friends

Christmas he spent with close friend

believe he had a touch of flu, stayed

Phil Legge and Mick Sivell said they

and sadly missed Phil Legge. He

in bed all day and finally got round

would organise it for me.

continued: “Back in the early 1970s Phil

to eating his lunch about 5’oclcok

“There were about 55 of us, and we

had just started being a blacksmith on

on Christmas Day. I have to say I was

all met in the bar at Brickfields. Then

the Island, and he came to visit me one

nearly the same, but not quite as bad.

suddenly about six of them grabbed me

Christmas Eve to ask me if I fancied a

But looking back it was just one of

and handcuffed me to a goat, with a

ride out with him on our horses to call

those fantastic days out, and something

pair of genuine police handcuffs.”

in on a few friends.

you could never repeat.”

So the party set off by coach - goat

“We set off about midday, and visited

Harold was once a member of the 3D

and all - and the first port of call was

quite a few farms in the area – having

Discussion group, mainly farmers who

Daish’s Hotel in Shanklin, where the

a glass of whisky at every stop. By

enjoyed a chat and invariably a few

staff had been well pri