The following circular has been exhumed from the President’s files, and dates back to a time when he held a more onerous – but honorary position. (The precious original is rather faint l and will not reproduce well, so it has been faithfully copied.)
November 1957
Dear Mariner,
It is stirring, is it not, to think of our noble Founders (God bless ’em!) pacing their respective quarter – decks beneath a blue Mediterranean sky, their vessels heaving beneath them — or perhaps swabbing their respective mess-decks with their stomachs heaving beneath them – dreaming of England, beer and cricket. Wireless mechanic (3rd Class?) Irvine dreamed, we understand, to such effect that he immobilised an entire cruiser by discharging instead of charging its batteries, while ‘Sparks’ Brown, musing on googlies and Chinamen, could only think in terms of six successive dots and consequently so mismanaged his morse that the manoeuvres of the entire Mediterranean fleet were thrown into hopeless confusion. That was ten years ago, and it is not surprising to learn that shortly afterwards they were both relieved of their duties and back in London gathering about them congenial barnacles.
Most of us have stuck to the side ever since, and have decided to celebrate with a Dinner the tenth anniversary of our first meeting, which as far as fuddled memory serves was as near to December 17th as makes no difference.
Your indefatigable committee, in an effort to find a suitable dining place in London, has visited innumerable pubs at no little expense of time and thirst, but without success, and we have therefore reverted to an anchorage well known to many Mariners – The Swan, at Thames Ditton. Here then, on Tuesday, 17th December, we shall meet, at 5.30 p.m. for 7.45 p.m.
Furthermore, we have brow—beaten the Treasurer into agreeing to part with some of the Club Funds (he will probably have to give up his Winter Sports holiday this year in consequence) to provide a subsidy, so that the nett cost of the Dinner will be only 10/- each, exclusive, of course, of drinks. What a splendid committee you have!
He look forward to putting up with your sparkling conversation, then, at The Swan on December 17th, and meanwhile a prompt return of the appended form will gratify and astonish.
Yours sincerely,
Michael Spratt
Hon. Sec. A.M.C.C.