2022 Annual Gathering
Report by Peter Millington, with photos from Mike Faulds, Ann Ashworth, and Maggie Millington
This year's Tristan da Cunha Annual Gathering took place on the 7th May 2022 at the Holiday Inn, Southampton. This was the first full gathering at our normal time of year since the COVID-19 lockdown. There had been no gathering in 2020, and a cut-down gathering last year, was postponed until October 2021.
Many of the islanders present, with partners. Left to right: Sue Patterson, Frank Rogers, Dennis Swain, Dereck Rogers, Pat Patterson, Hazel Carter, Barry Carter, and Gerald Rogers - photo: Mike Faulds
As always, the Annual Gathering is an opportunity to catch up with old friends and to make new friends. There was a good turnout, including eight islanders, plus their spouses, and a similar number of members from continental Europe.
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| Sandra Kornet with Paul - photo: Mike Faulds | Austin & Valerie Meares, and Isolde Mueller photo: Ann Ashworth |
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| Marc Escudier & Sarah at the Association's stall, manned by Margaret Grundy - photo: Mike Faulds | Nick Schonfeld at Ian Mathieson's 'Miles Apart' book stall photo: Mike Faulds |
We were also very pleased to be joined by the next Tristan Administrator-designate, Jason Ivory and his wife Sue, especially as his appointment had not yet been officially announced. Jason said a few words of introduction during the AGM part of the gathering. The Ivories will be going out on the Agulhas II in August, and they were very keen to meet as many Tristanians and people with knowledge of Tristan as possible.
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| Roger Price and Chris Carnegy with Jason Ivory photo: Mike Faulds |
Sue Ivory chatting with Aniket Sardana photo: Mike Faulds |
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| Debbie & Megan Elsmore and Dereck Rogers chatting with Tom - photo: Mike Faulds | Graham & Joyce Ford - photo: Mike Faulds |
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| Ann Ashworth, Robin Webb and Susan Rich photo: Mike Faulds |
Alan & Elizabeth Waters - photo: Mike Faulds |
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| Mike Faulds, Marc Escudier & Sarah - photo: Ann Ashworth | Dereck Rogers, Sue & Pat Patterson - photo: Ann Ashworth |
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| Members socialising - photo: Mike Faulds | |
Book Sales
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| Above: Neil Robson & Richard Grundy selling 'Nothing Can Stop Us' photo: Mike Faulds |
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| Left: Albert Beintema signs 'The Remotest Island' for Cindy Buxton photo: Mike Faulds |
As well as the usual stalls, Richard Grundy and Neil Robson were selling copies of their book "Nothing Can Stop Us", the core of which is an authoritative account of the 1961 volcanic eruption, evacuation of the population, and the resettlement. This was published recently by the Association, which will receive all profits. Albert Beintema was also selling and signing copies of his own new book, "The Remotest Island". This is a revised and updated edition of his 1997 Dutch book "Het waterhoentje van Tristan da Cunha" [The moorhen of Tristan da Cunha], only this time in English. The new title more accurately reflects the general content of the book than the Dutch original. Albert has been a frequent visitor to Tristan and a lecturer on cruise ships visiting the island.
Association AGM
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| Administrator Designate Jason Ivory introduces himself at the AGM - photo: Mike Faulds | Co-Chair John Cooper announcing the proposed grant to the school for laptops - photo: Mike Faulds |
Now that the Association's application to register as a charity has been successful, the AGM section was routine and short. Undoubtedly, the most welcome news was an announcement that the Education Fund had received a bid from St Mary's School for funding for 28 laptops, one for each pupil, which will help them access online resources for their coursework. This bid very much matches the objectives of the Association and has been conditionally approved by the trustees.
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| Audience for the AGM and talk - photo: Peter Millington | Jenny Craig and Isolde Mueller pick up their raffle prizes photo: Mike Faulds |
The charity auction held after the AGM and the raffle raised a total of £815. The film shown after the AGM was "Tristan da Cunha: 1972-1974" filmed by Mike Richardson. Mike, a keen ornithologist, was the doctor in the early 1970s, and was controversial on Tristan for exterminating all the cats (because they were spreading Toxoplasmosis). However, the film, coupled with his sensitive commentary on life on Tristan, created a lot of interest.
Talk on the Gough Island Restoration Project
Andrew Callender giving his talk on the Gough Restoration Programme photo: [Mike Faulds]
The guest speaker this year was Andrew Callender of the RSPB, who reported on the "Gough Island Restoration Programme 2021". The aim of the programme, which was the RSPB's biggest ever, was to eradicate the invasive house mice on Gough, which were predating breeding seabirds. Four helicopters distributed poisoned bait over the whole island twice. The initial effect on the invasive mice looked promising, but a live mouse was spotted after the project in December 2021, followed by others. Unfortunately therefore, the programme has to be deemed a failure, although there was a silver lining. The breeding success rates of albatrosses, prions and other species were highly successful in the temporary absence of the mice.
The eradication operation was paired with an aviculture operation for captive populations of Gough Moorhens and Gough Buntings. This was because it was expected the poisoned bait would impact these endemic species. In the event, the buntings fared relatively well, but the impact on the Gough moorhen population was very substantial. The captive birds were successfully released at the end of the programme.
The RSPB is commissioning an independent review into why the programme failed and the lessons that must be learned from it. The findings are due to be reported in early 2023. Andrew concluded by saying that doing nothing is still not an option.
The soundscape/slide show that Andrew used to introduce his talk.
The Dinner Dance
As an aside, a Friday evening carvery for early arrivals in the hotel restaurant was repeated this year, and proved popular, with over forty people breaking bread together.
We took a break after the Saturday proceedings to prepare for the evening dinner dance.
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| Richard Moss, Nick Schonfeld, Julia Gunther and Sue Ivory at the dinner dance - photo: Maggie Millington | |
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| Margaret and Richard Grundy - photo: Maggie Millington | The Pillow Dance - photo: Maggie Millington |
Tristan music was provided by Peter Millington (accordion) and Mike Faulds (fiddle) after the meal for the now traditional Pillow Dance. This was followed with disco dancing, with our very own DJ – Barry Carter – spinning the discs. As it was something new for him, Barry had been daunted at the prospect doing this – it's more complicated that you might think. Apparently there was an initial glitch, but the traditional Tristan music had given Barry enough time to sort it out, and we all thought that the result was very professional.
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| Disco dancers at the dinner dance - photo: Peter Millington | DJ Barry Carter at the deck - photo: Peter Millington |