Surprise visitor shows up at the
boat club after 60 years
An unexpected visitor to the 60th anniversary party of Govilon Boat Club brought with her an historic photo of the founder members’ maiden voyage together back in 1963.
The surprise visit took place just as today’s members of Govilon Boat Club on the Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal had settled down to an outdoor concert on their wharf by local singer Jim Ramsey which was the inaugural event in three days of celebrations.
Founder member Tricia Slater (nee Bayley) arrived at the wharf with the photo which she had made into a congratulatory card together with a cheque towards club funds.
Mrs Slater had apparently designed the club’s pendant which is still in use today and she can be seen as a young woman in the prow of the leading boat in the old picture of that first flotilla (above right).
“She just suddenly turned up unannounced and, once we had got over out surprise, we were delighted to meet her,” said Bob Jennings who chairs the club today.
“She had taken a great deal of trouble to make the card for us and to deliver it in person, and it was a lovely gesture. We owe her a huge debt of gratitude not only for her unique, thoughtful and generous gift, but also for her work in helping to found a club which is still thriving for us to enjoy.
“It is her type of pioneering spirit which has helped to make this canal the Mecca for leisure boating which it is today with a reputation as one of the most beautiful inland waterways to be found anywhere in Britain.”
The second day of the Diamond Jubilee Party started with a lunchtime barbecue followed by a rerun of that first cruise with around ten small vessels cruising together to the neighbouring village of Gilwern for an evening of entertainment at the local hostelries.
The third day was taken up by a celebration lunch complete with a birthday cake on the wharf which was also attended by a second surprise visitor. Club member, Phil Jones, had brought his coal fired vintage steamroller – a 12-ton giant which was a comparative young upstart of merely 39 years when Govilon Boat Club was founded. The vehicle steamed up and down the wharf to the delight of the revellers before leaving to return on a low loader to its usual base in the Forest of Dean.