1.
Hawley book launch
2. Hawley events in town
3. Hawley
play
4. Town Clerk is 50!
5. The Diving Belle and The Butterfly tonight
5. Small News
1. Hawley
book launch
John
Hawley
Merchant, Mayor and Privateer
Author, Michael Connors, 168 pages, many in colour
Foreword by Sir Geoffrey Newman
This is the story of
a terrible time, an exciting place and an extraordinary man.
John Hawley was a Dartmouth
merchant who became a privateer admiral and was the scourge
of the Bretons during the middle part of the Hundred Years
War. He effectively ran Dartmouth for nearly forty years,
serving as its mayor fourteen times and representing it in
Parliament for four terms. He became a public hero and yet
was for a time imprisoned in the Tower of London.
He almost certainly met Geoffrey Chaucer, of whom he was a
close contemporary, and was probably the object of the
satirical portrait of the rascally Shipman in The Canterbury
Tales.
Dartmouth occupied an important place in the life of the
English nation during Hawley’s lifetime, its shifting
population confronting war and pestilence with a dogged
resilience, led by a group of confident oligarchs of which
John Hawley was the undisputed and charismatic leader. He
lived his whole life in a time of war, albeit one punctuated
by edgy and often unreliable truces. He shone brightly at
that time and in that place because a combination of
political, economic, and other factors created unique
challenges and opportunities to which he responded with a
brilliant energy.
`Well researched
and scholarly text…..very enjoyable`
RAY FREEMAN
`....a fascinating book...meticulous research and attention
to detail....`
SIR GEOFFREY NEWMAN
This wondrous book is
available right now from The Harbour Bookshop
Dartmouth.
Click
here to see more.
2.
Hawley events in town
JOHN HAWLEY, SHIPMAN, PRIVATEER AND HERO OF DARTMOUTH
2008 is the 600th anniversary of the death of John Hawley,
who, in addition to his other exploits described above was a
principal benefactor of St Saviour's Church where he built
the Chancel. A series of events have been organised to
commemorate his death.
Shown here at the book launch are (l to r) The Reverend
Simon Wright, Vicar of Dartmouth, Richard Webb, publisher of
the book on John Hawley, Michael Connors, author, Commodore
Martin Alabaster RN of Britannia Royal Naval College and Sir
Geoffrey Newman, whose family owns Blackpool Sands.
FLOWER FESTIVAL- ST SAVIOUR'S CHURCH
Beginning on Friday 4th July to Sunday 6th July from 10.00am
to 8.00pm, Dartmouth Flower Arrangers present a series of
arrangements depicting various aspects of the life of John
Hawley. What better place to see them than in the
beautiful church of St Saviour's which was largely built by
him. Admission is free but donations towards the costs will
be most welcome. Refreshments will also be available from
10.00am to 4.00pm.
KEVIN PYNE POEM
To read the tribute from Kevin Pyne
click here.
HAWLEY BRASS
The outstanding Hawley Brass in the Chancel of St Saviour's
Church, normally protected by carpet, will be on public view
for the whole of the period of the commemoration next week.
It depicts John Hawley and his two wives, the first Joanna,
who died in 1394 and also Alicia, his second wife who died
in 1403. All three are now buried together under the brass.
This large brass in the Chancel which he built, is
considered to be the largest and finest church brass in the
whole of Devon. Don't miss this opportunity to see it!
HAWLEY EXHIBITION - DARTMOUTH LIBRARY
There is an interesting exhibition on the life and times of
John Hawley together with a 13th century ship's model of a
Cog loaned by Dartmouth Museum on display in Dartmouth
Library (in the Flavel Centre) during library opening hours.
HAWLEY FACTS AND ..?
Some information about John Hawley which may or may not be
historically correct! (JH)
-
John Hawley, defeated an invasion by the French, who
wanted to rape and pillage Dartmouth, at Blackpool
Sands.
-
John Hawley was Mayor of Dartmouth fourteen times.
-
John Hawley was MP for Dartmouth for four terms and
complained in Parliament about second homes being bought
in Dartmouth by the London `nouveaux riches`
-
John Hawley built Dartmouth's first castle and tearooms
for us to all walk to at weekends.
-
John Hawley was imprisoned in the Tower of London for
shooting a seagull.
-
John Hawley was a pirate/privateer - long before Johnny
Depp.
-
John Hawley was studied by generations of bored school
kids as the Shipman in Chaucer`s Canterbury Tales.
-
John Hawley was a merchant who made loads of money from
organizing booze cruises down to Bordeaux.
-
John Hawley funded the building of the Chancel of St
Saviour`s Church just to give more space for the sinners
of
-
John Hawley promoted his weekly binge drinking in
the recently built Cherub.
-
John Hawley was a true local hero - only a few years
before Nigel Way took over this role.
-
Finally John Hawley was buried with both of his wives -
one each side - the Dartmouth one and the Kingswear one!
3. Hawley
play
"BLOW THE WIND FAIR"
Don't miss this fictional play about the life and times of
John Hawley, written by Linda Churchill and performed by the
Dartmouth Players, beginning on Sunday 29th June at 7.30pm
in St Saviour's Church, just a few feet from Hawley's tomb!
Additional performances of the play are on Monday, 30th June
and Tuesday 1st July all at 7.30pm in St Saviour's.
This is going to be one of the most talked about events in
Dartmouth this year, when will you go?
Tickets available from
The Flavel either in advance or on the night at St
Saviour's, get yours now!
Come down for the weekend?
4. Town
Clerk is 50!
Chris Horan Clerk to
Dartmouth Town Council and Triumph Bonneville rider was 50
on Tuesday. Town Councillors and friends threw a
surprise Birthday Party at lunch time. Rum punch,
kirsch, cake, strawberries and other lovely things were
prepared by Karen and Tracey. Shown here are Chris,
his wife Ruth and Karen.
Chris was largely
responsible for obtaining initial funding to start the MCTi
and for getting Dartmouth Town Council "Quality Status"
Well done Chris, only another 15 years before retirement!
5.
The Diving Belle and The Butterfly tonight
!
A remarkable real-life
story of Jean-Dominique Bauby, a paralysed French writer who
used his left eyelid to dictate his memoir. It is a tender
testament to the power of language and love. At 43, Bauby
was defined by success, wit and charisma. But in the course
of a few bewildering minutes, the editor-in-chief of French
Elle became a victim of a rare syndrome.
The only way he could express his frustration, however, was
by blinking his left eye. The rest of his body could no
longer respond. Bauby was submerged in a diving bell of
physical immobility, that precious, fluttering eyelid was a
butterfly of freedom and hope. Visitors, and eventually his
editor, would read each letter aloud and he would blink at
the right one. Slowly painstakingly, words, sentences,
paragraphs and even this graceful book emerged.
Guest tickets for sale in The Windjammer 7.30-7.55 £3.50
Our bar in The Guildhall opens at 7.30 the film to be shown
at 8pm approx
6. Small News
-
This mystery picture
taken of a begonia is at a prominent place in Dartmouth,
the first to name it will get a mention.
-
Is
it
time to book your holiday
in Dartmouth now?
-
Self
catering accommodation
click here
-
Dartmouth B and B
click here
-
Dartmouth Hotels
click here
-
A Tourist Guide
to Dartmouth
click here
-
Images copyright Dave
Cawley, Becky Wright & others.
26th
June 2008
