Tresco times
autumn 2013
Our Views Are Clear Autumn 2013
Tresco times
autumn 2013
W e lc o m e to t h e au t u m n m i n i -T r e s c o T i m e s !
Edited by Alasdair Moore editor@tresco.co.uk Design & Art Direction nixondesign.com Advertising Nicola Christopher trescotimesads @tresco.co.uk +44 (0)1720 422843 Published by © Tresco Estate 2013 The Island Office, Tresco, Isles of Scilly TR24 0QQ Illustration Livi Gosling Print Four Way Print fourwayprint.com
Firstly, I’d like to thank you for the many kind words in letters and emails about the new format and style of the Tresco Times Yearbook, the first edition of which we published in the spring. I must apologise to those who have not received a reply – the postbag was a bit overwhelming! But thank you all so much for taking the time to get in touch.
Given the high cost of producing and sending out the Tresco Times Yearbook, I am obviously keen to make sure that we are only sending it to those who actually wish to receive it. With this in mind, I would be grateful if you could confirm that you would like to continue to receive your free copy of the Tresco Times Yearbook in the post. Needless to say, all timeshare owners will continue to be sent their copies automatically. For those who would prefer to read the Yearbook online, a copy will be available on our website on publication. If we don’t hear from you, it will be assumed that you do not wish to receive the Tresco Times Yearbook. I look forward to hearing from you, Alasdair Moore
inside... See page 10 for some of Eddie’s festive recollections and page 12 for a great Christmas offer.
Tresco times
autumn 2013
To con f i r m you r su b scr i p t ion to t he Tr esco Ti m es Y ea r book si m ply em a i l you r na m e a n d a ddr e s s to us at: trescotimes@tresco.co.uk or write to us at The Tresco Times, Subscription, The Island Office, Tresco, Isles of Scilly TR24 0QQ If you have moved since the last edition of the Tresco Times Yearbook, please include your former address with the new one – thanks!
Autumn 2013 | 3
the
Superconnected but still Super-Laid-back
T
resco’s IT team has worked on an unusual, if not unique, project – Tresco’s own data network. The main transmitter is up on the hill near Cuckoo Rock, but there’s an elaborate array of technology stretching across Tresco and even across the water to Hell Bay Hotel on Bryher. This is the culmination of a project that Tresco’s IT boffin Tony Reading has been working on for nearly seven years. Tony said: “With internet speed varying so much here geographically, this was the chance to offer the same broadband experience at all cottages. By combining a number of the best available internet connections together and transmitting them over our own data network, we have been able to achieve speeds three to four times as fast as the best individual connection. And with a little more work, we are looking to improve this further.” A fibre optic cable, currently lying dormant on the seabed of the Atlantic Ocean, will be re-appropriated and brought to St Mary’s in the very near future. If all goes well, the first connected customer is due on St Mary’s in the first half of next year, with Tresco joining the Superfast future at the earliest opportunity thereafter.
After much negotiation, BT are pushing ahead with ambitious plans to bring Superfast Broadband to Scilly. 4 |Autumn 2013
If you go down to the woods today, you’re sure of a big surprise… well actually it may be not be quite such a surprise any more, but following on from our first batch of red squirrels, 20 more of the delightful creatures are on their way to Tresco, courtesy of the British Wildlife Centre with the help of Robin Page. RNAS Culdrose will be offering close air support… We’ll keep you posted.
T r e s co t i m e s
autumn 2013
New Arrivals Many congratulations to Mark and Becky (née Brint) Watkins on the birth of their daughter Amelie Rose on Monday 22nd April.
out of
Congratulations also go to Alex Smith and Carly Doherty on the birth of their son Xander Daniel on Friday 19th April.
The rowers of the Tresco & Bryher Gig Club put their backs into this year’s World Pilot Gig Championships. Three crews competed, a ladies’ crew in the Alfie Jenkins and two men’s crews in the Alfie Jenkins and Emperor respectively.
Another key fund-raising event in the island’s calendar is the annual fête, which took place a little earlier than planned this year on 28th July. The usual suspects were there from welly-wanging to hoopla, as well as a cracking Tresco beef BBQ. Thanks to all who took part and helped raise £3,000 for the Community Centre and the Tresco and Bryher Gig Club. Talking of which…
Full details of crews and positions will be included in the next Yearbook, but particularly impressive was the performance of the ladies’ crew (Kate Clement, Michelle Oyler, Susanna Gates, Edit Toth, Richenda Gurney and Emma Bagnall-Oakley) who finished 6th in Group B (18th out of 125). This would have been a fantastic result for most crews but Richenda and Emma are novice rowers and Edit only took up rowing the previous year! A magnificent performance. Autumn 2013 | 5
Tresco times
autumn 2013
Transport Good news for Land’s End Airport as plans are going ahead for a hard runway, which will alleviate any issues of waterlogging, such as those faced by Skybus as a result of the biblical rainfall experienced last winter. No doubt there will be a few who will miss that vintage vibe of grass beneath the wheels but, on those occasional damp days, a bit of tarmac goes a long way! St Mary’s runway and terminal are also due to be improved through a £6.8 million grant from the European Rural Development Fund. We are all also to benefit from the installation of the EGNOS navigational system at St Mary’s Airport which will allow aircraft to land in lower visibility than is currently possible. Please remember to book your flights through the Island Office (01720 422849) as the airport shuttle and short boat trip to Tresco are included as part of the price of the ticket. We have been delighted with the response to our new transport system; from the Tresco shuttle team meeting guests at St Mary’s airport to Max at Hugh Town quay, Bryher Boats to Tresco and our team greeting arrivals on Tresco, everyone has been very complimentary!
Keep an eye out... Our man on the quay, the floating valet and harbour concierge Max Rowe, has been part of the seamless transport team but he has also revealed hitherto hidden skills as a writer, photographer and naturalist. He has his own rather splendid blog http://quitetallmax. blogspot.co.uk If you like Tresco and you like nature, it’s a must! Of course if you like Max, you’ll enjoy it anyway!
Great Balls of Bryher (and Tresco School) This summer’s spectacular social event was Tresco & Bryher School’s Summer Ball, which was held in the Community Centre. Apart from the glamour, the music and the frivolity, the purpose of this event was to raise funds for the school. With tickets and a charity auction, the evening resulted in £1,360 for the school and several hangovers for the islanders. 6 |Autumn 2013
Tresco times
autumn 2013
Wrinklies Retain Cup
Cooking masterclasses Don’t forget, there are some tempting Tresco morsels cooking on Tresco in October. The South-West’s young gun with a bun, Baker Tom, is returning to give some baking masterclasses over the weekend 5th - 6th October, while Falmouth food hero, Charlie Choak the pasty blok e, is back to give some more pasty-making tutorials over the weekend of 26th - 27th October.
Tresco & Bryher Cricket Club has enjoyed a season of sunshine and showers, even though the weather has been excellent. Despite some sterling performances both from the team and individuals, the taste of victory has remained an occasional treat for the TBCC. Probably the highlight so far was our win against touring regulars Bay’s Hill, who set a target to win of 110 of 20 overs. The TBCC innings was opened by father and son pair, David and Luke Hamilton, who achieved the total in an unbeaten stand. The Hamiltons left the field to a standing ovation from the crowd (15 adults, three children and a seagull).
For more information, please call the Island Office on 01720 422849.
Probably the highlight so far was our win against touring regulars Bay’s Hill, who set a target to win of 110 of 20 overs Relax and unwind Get away to Bryher this autumn as Hell Bay is welcoming guests this October with a two nights for the price of one offer on any new bookings of two nights or more. Please call Hell Bay (01720 422947) to book or for more details (The booking cannot be in conjunction with any other offer and is subject to availability).
Another pairing of youth and maturity was brought into sharp relief at this year’s Old Gentlemen’s XI vs. Young Gentlemen’s XI, played in late July. In a 25-over game, the wrinkled retainers scored a stout 178, while the swaddlers managed only 89 in reply. A far more detailed, smug and patronising report of the game will be published in the Tresco Times Yearbook, penned by your editor (Old Gentlemen’s XI). Autumn 2013 | 7
T r e s co t i m e s
autumn 2013
Tresco & Bryher School Report Tresco & Bryher School have been busy as always – not least artistically. Young Declan Shaw’s splendid depiction of the wreck of the Isabo was chosen to adorn the Tresco & Bryher Gig Club card, so snap them up if you get the chance – collectors’ items to be sure.
This year the children have also been looking at stained glass windows in St Nicholas’ Church, learning about the history and parables behind them while creating some designs of their own! Their “stained glass” windows were displayed in Truro Cathedral as part of the project.
St Nicholas’ Christmas comes early St Nicholas’ Church has some good news of its own as it has received a Lottery Heritage Award of £105,000. This is added to the £17,000 raised by churchwarden extraordinaire Eve Cooper, with many donations from Tresco Times readers. There’s still more needed but many thanks to those generous donors! Should you wish to make a donation, please send it to Eve Cooper, 5.Bay Row, Tresco, Isles of Scilly TR24 0PY. (Cheques should be made out to P.C.C of the Isles of Scilly.) 8 |Autumn 2013
Get busy this autumn half-term Creativity forms a part of activities available on Tresco this October half-term. Working with those lovely, talented people at Phoenix Craft Workshop of St Mary’s, there’s a range of fun and artistic workshops from jewellery making to the art of creating your own island journal of your stay on Tresco. There’ll be something for all age groups, adults, teenagers or children, so there’ll be no shortage of things to do, though there’s still the option of doing nothing if you want to!
T r e s co t i m e s
autumn 2013
Autumn 2013 | 9
Tresco times
autumn 2013
m e mor i e s of Chr istmas & New Y e a r on T r e s co f r om t i m e s gon e by. B y E dd i e B i rch
j
ust before Christmas, the Reading Room would have a whist drive called a “Poultry Drive” with live chickens in sacks for prizes. It was very popular. One year we had 25 tables with four people per table. The people came not just from Tresco for the whist drive but also from Bryher and St Martin’s as well. In Major Arthur Dorrien Smith’s time, just before Christmas, he would have a big Christmas tree put up in the Reading Room. The tree was lit with real candles and the children would dance around it. Every child was given a present of an apple, an orange and a bar of chocolate. There’d be about 260 people in the room at the time. 10 |Autumn 2013
On New Year’s Eve, the New Inn would close at 10.30pm. Mr Williams would shout “Time!” and then he would say “There is a fancy dress dance in the Reading Room. If you do not want to go, I do!”
Tresco times
autumn 2013
On Boxing Day, Mr Williams, who ran the New Inn, would have a big party for the children of the island. When we had the children’s party, we would start at 3pm with the games then they would have tea. At about 6pm they would have their fancy dress and the judging and after that there would be more games. One year my father bought a lot of clockwork tortoises and we had some fun with them. I think the grown-up men enjoyed playing with the tortoises on the floor more than the children did. After we’d had more games, we would have a picture show until about 9pm. On New Year’s Eve, the New Inn would close at 10.30pm. Mr Williams would shout “Time!” and then he would say “There is a fancy dress dance in the Reading Room. If you do not want to go, I do!” The dance would start about 10.00pm and by 10.30pm it was crowded. There was no alcoholic drink allowed and if anybody came in drunk, they were taken outside to sober up. The fancy dress would start at about 11.30pm for the judging to take place. All the Abbey people would be in the Reading Room and the Commander, Tom Dorrien Smith, would be one of the judges. Then at 11.55pm everyone would stand up, hold hands and Frank Christopher would sing a song called “The Miner’s Dream of Home”. One night Frank was singing and Ivor Hicks came in dressed as a miner and carrying a model house. He came into the middle of the room, put the house on the floor and lay down beside it. Ivor closed his eyes pretending to be asleep. If the New Year fell on a Sunday the dance would finish at 12.15am and if the New Year fell on a weekday the dance would finish at 1am. Eddie Birch, our Heritage & Transport Correspondent, also leads guided walks around Tresco to raise funds for the RNLI – a tour with Eddie is a treat not to be missed! Autumn 2013 | 11
W h y n o t jo i n u s fo r t h e f e s t i v i t i e s t h i s y e a r ? T h e r e ’ s a v e r y s p e c i a l off e r w i t h o u r goo d f r i e n d s at Wat e rg at e B ay a n d F i f t e e n.
12 |Autumn 2013
Special Christmas Cottage Holiday
Champagne and Spa Break
Make a new family booking for Christmas in one of our three-bedroom Sea Garden or Flying Boat cottages and receive a complimentary night at the fabulous Watergate Bay Hotel, perfect for flying here from Newquay Airport. The offer is based on two adults and two children sharing a family room on 19th or 20th December 2013, for new bookings made before 30th September. With a limited number of rooms available, don’t delay in taking advantage of this special opportunity! This Christmas offer is subject to availability. Terms and conditions apply.
Alternatively you can enjoy a five night Christmas break at the welcoming New Inn, including dinner, bed & breakfast, flights from Land’s End and a champagne and canapé reception for £690 per person. Come for a similar five night New Year break and you’ll receive a complimentary treatment at the Tresco Spa. For more details and bookings, please call the Island Office on 01720 422849 or look at our special Christmas page on www.tresco.co.uk
Autumn 2013 | 13
30 year FriDAY CHANGEOVER
Seaflower (FB) sleeps 6
Flora (FB)
Wk 22 24-May £41,100
Wk 16 15-Apr £30,210
Wk 28 05-Jul £91,500
Wk 30 22-Jul £106,500
Abalone (SG)
Wk 31 26-Jul £111,750
sleeps 8/10
Wk 16 12-Apr £32,145 Wk 27 28-Jun £50,845 Wk 28 05-Jul £117,500 Garland (FB)
sleeps 6
Wk 43 18-Oct £31,000 Smugglers Wk 9
sleeps 6
22-Feb £2,550 10yr*
Wk 21 17-May £19,950 22yr*
Flotsam (SG)
sleeps 6/8
sleeps 6/8
Wk 12 18-Mar £18,510 Wk 43 21-Oct £32,475 Ivy Cottage
sleeps 4/5
Wk 17 22-Apr £11,750
Wk 20 10-May £38,550
Wk 37 06-Sep £40,175
Wk 21 17-May £41,100
Wk 38 13-Sep £35,500
Wk 22 24-May £41,100
Wk 40 27-Sep £23,600
Wk 32 05-Aug £45,250
SaturDAY CHANGEOVER
Wk 40 30-Sep £15,150 Wk 41 07-Oct £14,000
School House sleeps 8
Maiden Bower sleeps 8
Wk 30 19-Jul £106,500 Wk 31 26-Jul £106,500 Glen
sleeps 6
Wk 36 30-Aug £56,500 Kittiwake
sleeps 8
Wk 17 19-Apr £19,425 Wk 25 14-Jun £36,000 Wk 37 06-Sep £44,925 Wk 41 04-Oct £24,525 Nautilus (SG)
sleeps 6/8
Wk 17 19-Apr £35,000 Wk 18 26-Apr £35,000 Pentle House sleeps 8 Wk 19 03-May £30,560 Wk 21 17-May £32,600 Wk 22 24-May £38,000 Wk 25 14-Jun £36,000
Wk 21 18-May £32,600 Wk 36 30-Aug £63,500
MonDAY CHANGEOVER Barn Flat
sleeps 6
Wk 19 07-May £20,625 Wk 22 27-May £25,500 Wk 30 22-Jul £54,500 Wk 35 26-Aug £54,000 Bay House
sleeps 6
Wk 12 18-Mar £10,850 Curlew
sleeps 6
Wk 26 21-Jun £38,125
Wk 17 22-Apr £16,500
Porth
Wk 19 06-May £20,625
sleeps 6
Wk 14 29-Mar £18,290 Rowesfield
sleeps 6
Wk 19 03-May £27,000 Wk 21 17-May £28,700 Wk 38 13-Sep £35,500 Wk 39 20-Sep £27,000 Sandpiper
sleeps 6
Wk 17 19-Apr £12,975
Wk 18 29-Apr £12,975 Wk 21 20-May £16,320 24yr* Wk 22 27-May £25,500 Wk 30 22-Jul £54,000 Wk 38 16-Sep £27,000 Wk 39 23-Sep £20,625 Driftwood (SG) sleeps 8/9 Wk 15 08-Apr £31,645 Wk 24 10-Jun £43,080
Wk 28 08-Jul £36,250 Wk 33 12-Aug £45,250
Wk 37 09-Sep £40,675 North End
sleeps 8
Wk 28 08-Jul £57,000 Wk 37 09-Sep £40,175 Wk 38 16-Sep £35,500 Plover
sleeps 4
Wk 19 06-May £13,750 Wk 21 20-May £14,600 Wk 26 24-Jun £17,150 Wk 42 14-Oct £11,200 Reading Room sleeps 6 Wk 15 08-Apr £17,865 Wk 16 15-Apr £18,500 Wk 24 10-Jun £23,685 Wk 28 08-Jul £49,350 Snipe
sleeps2
Wk 13 25-Mar £6,025 Wk 17 22-Apr £6,700 Wk 18 29-Apr £6,750 Wk 29 15-Jul
£28,500
Wk 31 29-Jul £28,500 Wk 32 05-Aug £25,000 Wk 33 12-Aug £28,500 Wk 42 14-Oct £8,660 Wk 43 21-Oct £8,660
Wk 18 26-Apr £12,975
Farmhouse
Wk 19 03-May £20,625
Wk 18 29-Apr £19,925
Wk 21 17-May £21,900
Wk 22 27-May £42,100
Wk 18 29-Apr £30,210
Wk 25 14-Jun £24,450
Wk 28 08-Jul £80,500
Wk 21 20-May £41,100
Wk 32 02-Aug £54,000
Wk 36 02-Sep £64,000
14 |Autumn 2013
sleeps 10
Sophie (FB)
sleeps 6/8
TUESDAY CHANGEOVER Beach
sleeps 4
Wk 27 02-Jul
£25,100
Wk 35 27-Aug £45,000 Wk 36 03-Sep £36,000 Wk 37 10-Sep £14,500 16yr* Doctors Cottage sleeps 4 Wk 14 02-Apr £11,540 Wk 15 09-Apr £12,700 Wk 19 07-May £13,750 Wk 29 16-Jul
£45,000
Wk 36 03-Sep £36,000 Fearless (FB)
sleeps 6
Wk 23 04-Jun £41,100 Wk 35 27-Aug £101,500 Green
sleeps 6
Wk 22 28-May £15,000 19yr* Wk 31 30-Jul £54,000 Wk 36 03-Sep £42,750 Wk 37 10-Sep £15,467 16yr* Wk 40 01-Oct £18,075 Just Home
sleeps 6
Wk 18 30-Apr £18,800 Wk 23 04-Jun £23,700 22yr* Wk 38 17-Sep £35,500 Merrick
sleeps 8
Wk 19 07-May £27,500 Wk 25 18-Jun £32,600 Wk 27 02-Jul
£40,250
Wk 28 09-Jul £57,000 Wk 36 03-Sep £57,000 Norrard
sleeps 8
Wk 19 07-May £30,560 Wk 20 14-May £30,560 Wk 37 10-Sep £39,995 Wk 39 24-Sep £30,560 Wk 42 15-Oct £24,525 Pebble (SG)
sleeps 2/4
Wk 11 12-Mar £7,195
With Buy Back Guarantee between years 4 and 15 Phoenix (FB)
sleeps 6
Gadwall
sleeps 4
Greenside
sleeps 8
Rockpool (SG) sleeps 6/8
Wk 28 09-Jul £91,500
Wk 11 13-Mar £6,100
Wk 24 12-Jun £30,560
Wk 15 11-Apr £29,685
Wk 36 03-Sep £69,610
Wk 12 20-Mar £6,320
Wk 25 20-Jun £36,000
Wk 16 18-Apr £31,645
Sandy Lane
sleeps 6
Wk 13 26-Mar £15,525
Wk 16 17-Apr £10,775 Wk 28 10-Jul
£28,500
Hilltop
sleeps 6
Wk 17 25-Apr £31,645 Wk 18 02-May £31,645
Wk 38 18-Sep £18,000
Wk 36 05-Sep £49,350 Wk 37 12-Sep £35,500
Sail Loft
Wk 39 24-Sep £27,000
Nurses
Wk 41 10-Oct £18,585
Wk 20 16-May £27,500
Wk 42 15-Oct £21,900
Wk 23 05-Jun £20,375
Wk 42 17-Oct £18,585
Wk 21 23-May £29,200
Wk 43 22-Oct £21,900
Wk 36 04-Sep £42,500
Wk 36 03-Sep £56,500
Wk 44 29-Oct £9,775 23yr*
sleeps 8
Wk 36 05-Sep £57,000
Wk 16 18-Apr £21,550
Tern
Wk 19 09-May £27,500
Wk 7
Wk 17 23-Apr £8,650
Wk 16 17-Apr £23,900
Wk 20 16-May £27,500
Wk 12 21-Mar £13,900
Wk 38 17-Sep £18,000
Wk 17 24-Apr £14,520 24yr*
Wk 41 08-Oct £11,200
Wk 21 22-May £32,600
Wk 42 15-Oct £11,200
Wk 22 29-May £38,000
Wigeon
sleeps 4
sleeps 6
Wk 22 27-May £25,500 Wk 25 18-Jun £24,450 Wk 28 09-Jul £43,000
WEDNESDAY CHANGEOVER Coastguards
sleeps 8
Wk 19 08-May £30,560 Wk 21 22-May £32,600 Wk 27 03-Jul
£44,500
Wk 35 28-Aug £80,000 Wk 38 18-Sep £39,825 Coral (SG)
sleeps 6/8
Wk 15 10-Apr £29,685 Wk 16 17-Apr £31,645
sleeps 8/10
Mincarlo
sleeps 8
Wk 15 12-Apr £22,400
Teal
Old Mill
sleeps 5
Wk 23 05-Jun £30,560 Wk 25 19-Jun £36,000
Pearl (SG)
sleeps 6/8
Wk 29 17-Jul
£95,500
Wk 35 28-Aug £95,500 Puffin
sleeps 8
Wk 19 08-May £30,560 Thatch
sleeps 6
THURSDAY CHANGEOVER Cliff Cottage
sleeps 6
Wk 12 21-Mar £10,850
Dolphin Cottage sleeps 6
Wk 43 24-Oct £18,600
Wk 26 26-Jun £29,550 Wk 28 10-Jul
£49,300
Wk 30 24-Jul
£61,500
Wk 31 31-Jul
£61,500
Endeavour (FB) sleeps 8/9 Wk 20 15-May £39,050 Wk 35 28-Aug £112,000
Wk 41 10-Oct £25,025
Wk 20 16-May £30,560 Wk 43 24-Oct £18,000 Townshill
sleeps 6
Wk 35 29-Aug £71,500
Tresco Timeshare is RCI Gold Crown Tresco Timeshare is available in February, March and November on a 10 year deferred payment scheme – call for details.
Wk 42 16-Oct £18,585
Wk 25 20-Jun £28,065
Wk 25 19-Jun £28,100
sleeps 10
Wk 35 28-Aug £80,000
Wk 20 15-May £40,405
Wk 24 12-Jun £23,685
Ocean View
sleeps 8
12-Feb £4,335 17yr*
Wk 34 22-Aug £75,000
Colossus (FB) sleeps 8/10 Wk 20 16-May £39,050 Wk 23 06-Jun £41,600 Wk 36 05-Sep £70,110
More timeshare weeks (including some summer holiday weeks) are available in both our traditional cottages and the new Flying Boat and Sea Garden Cottages. Please contact Dean Whillis, Timeshare Manager Telephone +44 (0)1720 424111 or email deanwhillis@tresco.co.uk for further details. (SG) – Sea Garden Cottage | (FB) – Flying Boat Cottage. *Asterisked weeks do not include FBC membership or have a Buy Back Guarantee. All dates shown relate to 2013.
Wk 37 12-Sep £57,350 Dial Rocks
sleeps 6
Wk 36 05-Sep £56,500 Wk 37 12-Sep £40,175 Wk 38 19-Sep £35,500 Wk 42 17-Oct £21,900
Tel +44 (0)1720 422849 Email contactus@tresco.co.uk Visit tresco.co.uk Tresco Timeshare, The Island Office, Tresco, Isles of Scilly TR24 0QQ Autumn 2013 | 15
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01720 422849 or visit their website www.tresco.co.uk To book call Tresco
Cruise Scillonian from Penzance Fly Skybus from Land’s End · Newquay · Exeter Find out more about how you can get to the islands online www.ios-travel.co.uk