Frank Rainsborough suggested that a skit based on Trafalgar happening today might provide amusing entertainment after the Aquarius 2009 Annual Dinner. The idea was developed with Nigel Knowles and it provided a very successful and unexpected addition to the dinner.

Lord Nelson (Frank Rainsborough) visited the club and members wouldn’t action his requests due to present day regulations and restrictions.

  It took the form of a dialogue between Nigel Knowles, Lord Nelson and selected members of the club to a prepared Script; the members had no idea they were taking part until they were given their script.

Nigel gave the following introduction.

Frank Rainsborough emailed me a few months back and said he had met this distinguished sailor and thought he would be a good raconteur and after dinner speaker. Things escalated a bit and we have invited him down tonight.

Our guest is a very distinguished sailor. He's here through the good offices of Frank Rainsborough - who of course is also pretty distinguished - but not quite as much as our guest.

Had Trafalgar Happened Today Introduction Updated

This guest is ex Royal Navy - in fact spent his entire adult career in the Navy. However he is getting a bit elderly and he is going to speak to us via a prepared script, but he wants some audience participation, and he has asked me to arrange for a few select members of this club to participate in this script!

Now being ex Navy he tends to look on all organisations as a ship and when he asked a few questions about this club he was struck by some curious anomalies in the names of people occupying various offices.

For example we have a fine seaman, down at the end there, called Carpenter he's not the ships Carpenter, rather as we all know he runs our bar - so when you have to say a few words Peter this is to remind you that you are victualling officer (cans of London Pride).

The chap with one of the best claims to be our carpenter has a name more appropriate for a ships cook - Mike Baker Here's your prop just in case you forget who you are (Site safety hat).

Then we have Richard Cannon, with a name like that he should be gunnery officer - but No he is our most excellent sailing secretary and web master. Richard's emails are a bit too sophisticated for our guest so to make him feel more at home I have equipped you with a rather more rudimentary communications system (set of Psion, Windows, etc. flags). Fairly limited vocabulary, but some of the more frequently used words feature and there's space for more if you get on with it.

Talking of communications - Joan is responsible for that here's your prop (loud hailer).

Who else is there, oh yes, Ships cook - has to be Rodger after his magnificent efforts at Casino Royale (chefs hat).

Then we need our Health and Safety officer - I'm tempted to say that she has such a bright personality that she doesn't need a fluorescent tabard - but Pat rules are rules!

Then there's our treasurer - she gets the black book.

And last - but certainly not least - there's our Commodore.

Now each of you - except Richard who will be busy with his flags - has a script with a few words to respond to something our guest says OK??

Let's meet our guest if he's ready.

Script

Also as part of the dinner evening there was a competition for the best nautical theme hat; the winner was Mike Baker.
Pictures by Frank Rainsborough