Ratting Day 2023
Report from Rachel Green. Photos from Randal Repetto
Friday the 2nd June 2023 was Ratting Day, a community tradition held annually.
In the olden days 'Ratting Day' started out as a way to try and reduce the number of rats and mice. It then turned into a competition. The men would gather in their gangs and each would compete to see who could catch the largest number of rats. Each gang has a name taken from the plots of land out at the Potato Patches - Redbody Hill, Coolers, Daley's Hill, Below the Hill, Second Watron, Johnny Patch, Twitty Patch, Bills Hills, Old Pieces and The Farm. Nowadays there aren't as many gangs but the tradition of Ratting Day still continues.
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| Ratting Day action | ||
The gong sounded around 7.00am Friday morning. Some men camped out at the 'Patches', which is to the west of the village, the previous night to get an early start that morning. The women packed up a bundle of food for the men and off they went to hunt as many rats and mice as possible before the deadline that evening. The dogs were also excited to go and would know exactly what to do when the men shout 'hi take rats'! They would sniff out the nests and the men would dig them out. Then its mayhem. Only the tails would be taken as that's the only part of the rats that's counted.
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| Above:The dogs find a rat hole. | Below right: Cutting tails. |
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All tails were handed in by 5.30pm to be counted and measured. Judges were Medical Officer Dr. Gunter Kellermeier and Head of Agriculture Neil Swain. Prizes were given for the most tails, longest tails and a booby prize for the gang with the least amount of tails.
Winners
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Total Number of Tails Caught = 453 |
Booby Prize: Old Pieces |
Page Updated: Tristan da Cunha Association |
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| The Tristan da Cunha Association is a UK registered charity which exists to support the Tristan community. 7-Jun-2023 |
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Tristan da Cunha Annual Gathering 2023
Report by Peter Millington. Photos individually credited
The 2023 Annual Gathering of the Tristan da Cunha Association took place at the Holiday Inn, Southampton, on Saturday 15th April. Many people arrived the evening before and met for dinner and in the bar at the hotel.
Friday evening
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| Clive Sidall, Christine & Roger Leighton and Simon Levell - Photo: Ann Ashworth | Gwyneth Cooper, Charles Mawer, Richard Grundy, Elaine Mawer and John Cooper - Photo: Ann Ashworth |
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| Nick Schonfeld, Barry Carter, Jim Kerr, Hazel Carter, and Julia Gunther - Photo: Ann Ashworth | Richard & Margaret Grundy with Pia & Captain Torbjörn Svensson - Photo: Ann Ashworth |
Saturday Morning
The Saturday morning started with people socialising with old (and new) friends, and visiting the various displays and stalls. This continued between events in the afternoon.
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| Buying raffle tickets Photo: Maggie Millington |
Alison & Graham Shirville, with Gerald Bulger Photo: Mike Faulds |
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| Pat & Sue Patterson either side of Alan Ashworth Photo: Mike Faulds |
Robin Repetto & Gerry Repetto either side of Ann Ashworth Photo: Alan Ashworth |
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| Alison Shirville, Barry Cash, Graham Shirville and Sarah Cash - Photo: Mike Faulds | Debbie Elsmore, Austin Meares and Maggie Millington at the book stall - Photo: Peter Millington |
Annual General Meeting of the Association
The first event of the morning was the Annual General Meeting of the Association, commencing with a minute's silence in remembrance of three-times Administrator, Sean Burns, who sadly passed away while in office in March. Thereafter, the regular business was straightforward and swift, and the island's UK Representative, Chris Carnegy gave us an interesting update on recent and forthcoming Tristan matters.
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| John Cooper chairing the Association AGM Photo: Peter Millington |
Members at the AGM Photo: Peter Millington |
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Torbjörn Svensson brought along to show a film about his artist father Roland Svensson's stay on Tristan in 1970. Torbjörn introduced the film after the AGM. |
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| A still from the film "Roland Svensson: Tristan da Cunha" showing Roland at the tiller of a longboat | Torbjörn introducing the film Photo: Mike Faulds |
Afternoon Talk
Neil Golding and Anna Hicks with their title slide - Photo: Neil Golding
| Our speakers this year were Anna Hicks and Neil Golding, who gave a fascinating talk on "Mapping Landslide Risks on Tristan da Cunha". Anna is familiar as the island's consultant volcanologist, and Neil is a marine and geospatial scientist. In 2022, they used drone photography and sophisticated software to accurately map and model three areas of the cliffs, gulches and settlement plain that are vulnerable to landslides and washouts, including parts that cannot normally be seen. These models form a baseline for future surveys to monitor changes and evaluate risks. |  |
| Anna Hicks and Neil Golding at the start of their talk Photo: Peter Millington |
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Mini-ReunionsTorbjörn Svensson was captain of the MS Island Sky, which visited Tristan for three days at Christmas 2011. Torbjörn, nine of his passengers and one of his expedition guides were present at the gathering, prompting the mini-reunion photograph below: There was a similar mini-reunion of members of the St Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha Philatelic Society (left): |
| SHATPS members: Mike Faulds, Richard Hewitt, Lee Bryant, Richard Moss and Neil Robson - Photo: Alan Ashworth | |
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| Island Sky mini-reunion: Jessica Hottinger, David Wearing, Ann & Alan Ashworth, Peter Millington, Gerald Buck, Richard Moss, Jennifer Gardner, Richard Grundy, Ken Gardner, and Captain Torbjörn Svensson - Photo: Maggie Millington | |
Inaccessible Island Display
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Clive Sidall, who as a teenager took part in the 1982-83 Denstone Expedition to Inaccessible Island staged an interesting display of articles and memorabilia from the expedition. These included the first accurate map of the island, which he himself surveyed. There was also a wooden pulley block from the wreck of the Blenden Hall. It is amazing to think that this had survived over 160 years exposed on the shore of Inaccessible and a further 40 years in Clive's attic. |
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| Right: Margaret Grundy with Clive Sidall looking at the Inaccessible map that he surveyed - Photo: Mike Faulds |
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| Above: Close up of the display, including a block from the 1821 wreck of the Blenden Hall - Photo: Mike Faulds | |
| Right: Helen Daniels and John Kinchin-Smith viewing the Denstone Inaccessible Expedition display. Helen's late brother also took part in the expedition. - Photo: Mike Faulds |
Dinner Dance
At the end of the day's activities, there was break before the evening's dinner dance. Some people took a rest, while others went for an appetiser at the hotel bar.
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| Aperitifs in the hotel bar Photo: Hazel Carter |
Back: Paula Swain and Mark Adams; front: Tracy Tough and Gerry Repetto - Photo: Paula Swain |
Good company at the dinner table. Clockwise from far left: Barry Carter, Antje Steinfurth, Anna Hicks, Jim Kerr, Dawn & Amber Repetto, Hazel Carter, Gerry Repetto and Robin Repetto - Photo: Neil Golding
Traditional Tristan Dances
Once the meal had ended, our musicians took out their instruments to play for the ever popular Tristan Pillow Dance. They were then planning to play some more traditional Tristan tunes as background music, but Debbie and Gerry Repetto could not resist getting on the floor to do the Donkey Dance.
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| The Pillow Dance, including the all-important kiss - Photo: Ann Ashworth | |
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| The band: Peter Millington, Mike Faulds & Caroline Kinchin-Smith - Photo: Hazel Carter | Debbie Elsmore and Gerry Repetto dancing the Donkey Dance Photos: Neil Golding & Paula Swain |
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Disco
The traditional music gave our DJ Barry Carter time to finish getting his decks ready for the disco, helped by Amber Repetto. The dancing continued until midnight.
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| Barry Carter and Amber Repetto at the disco decks Photo: Hazel Carter |
Dawn Repetto, Linda Lavarello & Hazel Carter at the disco Photo: Maggie Millington |
Photo: Maggie Millington
The next Annual Gathering will be held in Southampton on Saturday 16th March 2024.
Please note that unlike previous gatherings, this will be held before Easter; not after.
Death Announcement for Peter Repetto |
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| Death announcement for Tristan da Cunha islander Peter Repetto, who passed away on the 1st May 2023, aged 87. 9-May-2023 |
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Mother's Day and Harvest Festival 2023 |
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| Celebrations took place at both St Mary's and St Joseph's churches on the 17th March 2023. 12-Apr-2023 |
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Death Announcement for Edward Rogers |
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| Death announcement for Tristan da Cunha islander Edward Rogers, who passed away 16th March 2023, aged 77. 20-Mar-2023 |
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Tristan Administrator: Passing Away of Sean Burns |
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| Death announcement for Tristan da Cunha Administrator Sean Burns, who passed away 16th March 2023. 17-Mar-2023 |
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- Death Announcement for Margaret Repetto (12-Mar-2023) >>
- Ches Lavarello's 80th Birthday (6-Mar-2023) >>
- Death Announcement for Benjamin Green (4-Mar-2023) >>
- Tristan book available for mail order (1-Mar-2023) >>
- Coffee and Cake Morning in aid of the Turkey and Syria Appeal (21-Feb-2023) >>
- Christening of Liam Glass (19-Feb-2023) >>