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. 5-Apr-2024 |
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Next Annual Gathering
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The date and venue of the next Tristan da Cunha Association |
The Association's Committee plans well in advance and normally announces the date and venue of the next year's Annual Gathering at the end of each AGM. In March 2024 this was not possible because our usual venue, the Holiday Inn, Southampton will be refurbished and rebranded in 2025. Dates cannot yet be booked, although we do know that the hotel will be unavailable at our usual time. Similarly, we do not yet know what the prices will be.
The Committee is actively looking at other options, and an announcement will be made in due course. Meanwhile, if you have any suggestions or recommendations for alternative venues with good transport links that might be suitable, please contact Co-Chair John Cooper at cochair@tristandc.com.
Pictures from the 2024 Annual Gathering
Visiting Tristanians with family resident in the UK.
Five attendees from Camogli, Italy (the home town of two of Tristan's forefathers) with the Association's Co-Chairs.
For many more pictures, see our full report of the 2024 Gathering and the general Annual Gatherings page.
Tristan da Cunha Annual Gathering 2024
Report by Peter Millington.
Photos by Ann Ashworth, Hazel & Barry Carter, Mike Faulds, Maggie Millington & Paula Swain
The 2024 Tristan da Cunha Annual Gathering this year took place on Saturday 16th March at the Holiday Inn, Southampton. There was a good attendance, including visiting islanders and islanders resident in the UK.
We were also joined by a party of five from Camogli, Italy - the town from which the island's shipwrecked forefathers Andrea Repetto and Gaetano Lavarello came. There were four Repetto's among the visitors.
Our Camogli guests with the Tristan flag and the plaque they presented to the Association
Riccardo Buelli, Andreas & Angelo Repetto, John Cooper, Richard Grundy, Gianfranco & Giovanni Repetto
The Association Trustees arrived the day before the gathering for a Committee meeting, and in the evening they were joined by other early arrivers for dinner in the hotel restaurant.
The gathering proper started at 10:00am on the Saturday with various stalls and the chance to meet old friends and make new friends> For the islanders, of course, it was also an opportunity to reunite and catch up on family news.
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| Alan Ashworth & Ken Gardner with Isolde Müller from Switzerland | John Cooper, Richard Grundy, and Torbjörn & Pia Svensson from Sweden |
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| Guy Marriott, Simon Level and Elizabeth Marriott | Jessica Hottinger and Jennifer Gardner |
Some of the island families resident in the UK: Back: Barry Carter, Gemma Flight, Hazel Carter, Sue Patterson, Debbie Elsmore, Pat Patterson; Front: Archie & Emily Flight
Stalls
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| Clive Siddall serving Alasdair MacEachen and Gisela Lapot at the Tristan book stall | Richard Grundy discussing lots at the charity auction table |
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| Frank Rogers eyes up the raffle prizes with Tracy Tough and Gwynneth Cooper | Title frame of this year's Tristan film, shot by Allan Crawford in the 1940s, to which he added a commentary 30 years ago. |
Annual General Meeting
The Assocation's AGM was held mid-morning. The officers reported a stable level of membership and healthy finances. All the officers were willing to continue in their posts, and they were elected en bloc, nem. con. After the formal meeting, Tristan's UK Representative, Chris Carnegy, gave us a summary of recent and forthcoming developments on Tristan and UK Parliament initiatives.
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| Co-Chair John Cooper, and Treasurer and Secretary Jim Kerr speaking during the AGM, and Tristan's UK Representative Chris Carnegy updating us on the latest Tristan developments |
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Business over, we were then treated to what was billed as a 'Novelty Item', which consisted of the Committee and Trustees forming a choir to sing the 'National or Patriotic Anthem' composed for Tristan by poet George Newman and organist R.T.Clarke in 1900, about which Neil Robson published an article in the latest Newsletter. (Most of us had only sung for the first time the day before.) Will it catch on?
The Committee and Trustees sing the 'National or Patriotic Anthem' composed for Tristan in 1900
Richard Grundy, Hazel Carter, Megan Elsmore, Neil Robson, Margaret Grundy, Jim Kerr, Gwynneth Cooper, Clive Siddall, Peter Millington, Mike Faulds, Barry Carter and John Cooper
The last item before lunch was the Tristan film. This was Part 1 of "Allan Crawford's Tristan da Cunha". This was originally silent colour footage filmed by Allan in the 1940s. The raw footage was edited by the late Charles Frater 30 years ago, and Allan added a commentary that was recorded during a showing at one of our AGMs. We will show Part 2 at a future gathering.
Lunch Break
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| Hazel Carter and Dr. Rosemary Jordan | Isolde Müller and Barry Carter |
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| Guy Marriott, Gisela Lapot, Richard Grundy, Elizabeth Marriott and Hardy Lapot | Our philatelic members, representing SHATPS: Richard Hewitt, Neil Robson, Mike Faulds and Lee Bryant |
Joe Hollins's Talk
Suitably refreshed, we reassembled for an illustrated talk by Jonathan Hollins, usually known as Joe. Joe has been a veterinary officer on all the British South Atlantic islands from the Falklands to Ascension, including a stint on Tristan. He recounted interesting anecdotes of his experiences on the islands, many of which he recently published in a book "Vet at the End of the Earth: Adventures with animals in the South Atlantic" (Duckworth, 2023). After his talk, Joe signed copies of his book, a supply of which he had brought for sale.
Joe Hollins talking about his veterinary adventures on the South Atlantic islands
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| Joe Hollins after his talk with Sarah & Barry Cash, and Clive Siddall | Roger Price with Joe Hollins at his book stall |
Raffle and Auction
We broke for afternoon tea and coffee, and then drew the raffle. There were a large number of prizes, and a few people won two or more times. Winners had their pick of the prizes - the bottles seemed to disappear first!
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| Raffle winners Paula Swain, Laurie Holland, Neil Robson & Maggie Millington | ||
The final event of the afternoon was the Charity Auction. Auctioneer Richard Grundy sought bids for a mixed bag of Tristan-related lots, including a surprisingly popular sack from the lobster factory.
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| Disappointingly, this Rat Bobble Hat remained unsold, perhaps because it suited Richard so well. | This empty Tristan Rock Lobster Meal sack incredibly attracted the highest bid in the auction! |
One lot that realised a good price was a copy of the latest edition of the "Tristan da Cunha 'Big Book' Family Tree from 1816 to 2023", kindly donated to the auction by its compiler Marilyn Crawford. This 132 page book has been published in South Africa, but a few copies are available for despatch from the UK. Please contact the webmaster for price and details.
Evening Dinner Dance
After the excitement of the auction, people dispersed, either to go home or the change for the evening's dinner dance. We gathered for aperitifs in the bar before entering the dining hall for a hot buffet dinner.
People gather for pre-dinner drinks
Paula Swain, Tracy Tough, Jose Repetto with son Oakley, Conchita Repetto with daughter Summer Swain, Jose's wife Georgia, and Hazel Carter
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| Tables and buffet set out ready for the dinner dance | |
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| Diners socialise while awaiting their turn for the buffet | Captain Torbjörn Svensson proposes the toast to Tristan da Cunha |
Diners: Peter Millington, Joe Hollins, Colette & Daniel Halter-Pernet, and Isolde Müller
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| Paula Swain, Tracy Tough and Debbie Elsmore | Alan Ashworth, Tracy Tough, Ann Ashworth and Paula Swain |
Let's Dance
After the meal came the dancing, starting with three traditional Tristan dances led by Peter Millington on accordion and accompanied by Mike Faulds on fiddle. The Pillow Dance is now a firm fixture at the annual gathering. Having two pillows introduces an element of competition. At one point two men were heading for the same woman, and Joe Hollins positively threw his pillow ahead to stake his claim. The Donkey Dance was also fun, but it must be said that the Chair Dance was not the success we hoped for. This was however the first time we'd tried it, and I think we learned a few lessons for next time.
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| Musicians Peter Millington and Mike Faulds | The ever popular Pillow Dance |
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| The Donkey Dance continues to be a hit | The Chair Dance was less successful, but valuable lessons were learned for next time |
The disco was the last event of the evening. DJ Barry Carter manned the decks while the rest of us threw a few shapes on the dance floor and burned off some calories. It was then bedtime for most people, but some of us carried on in the bar into the early hours. There seemed to be surprisingly few thick heads the next morning at breakfast and when we said our final farewells.
Dancing the night away with Barry Carter manning the disco decks
Next Annual Gathering
We like to end the business meeting by announcing the date and venue of the next gathering. However, this was not possible on this occasion because our usual venue, the Holiday Inn, will be undergoing refurbishment and rebranding next year. The Committee investigating possible alternatives, and would welcome suggestions from members. Our Camogli visitors have extended an invitation to meet up sometime for an event in Italy!
Christening of Emily Tahlia Swain |
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| Christening of Tristan da Cunha baby Emily Tahlia Swain to Riaan Repetto and Kelly Swain on 11th February 2024. 23-Feb-2024 |
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Death Announcement for Sylvia Green |
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| Death announcement for Tristan da Cunha islander Sylvia Green, who passed away 7th February 2024, aged 83. 11-Feb-2024 |
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Vet Joe Hollins to speak at Annual Gathering |
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| Author of new book 'Vet at the End of the Earth' 2-Feb-2024 |
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Birth of Jayden Christopher Patrick Swain |
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| Birth of Tristan da Cunha baby Jayden Christopher Patrick Swain to Philip Rogers and Rhyanna Swain on 27 January 2024. 2-Feb-2024 |
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