The morning after the night before ... a very tired & hungover squad checked out of the Hotel & had a farewell lunch with Evelin, who had become a part of the team over the previous few days & an honourary Redondan, before heading to the Airport.
The Team are keen to return to defend our title but the Redondan Cricket Board will be meeting to decide whether to specialise in the Ice Cricket form of the game ot to try & rise through the ranks of Internation Cticket & take on the likes of Afghanistan, Croatia & The Czech Republic
Tallinn is a wonderful unspoilt City & Estonia is undoubtedly a great Country & on behalf of The Redondan Cricket Team I would like to thank everybody for making our visit so memorable
The Story Continues ..........
Monday, March 9, 2009
Ice Cricket World Cup - Saturday
At the previous days Captains meeting, Rob Brookes, the Tournaments Organiser, informed us that due to global warming the Ice had not formed on Lake Harku & therefore the Tournament would be held in the Jeti Hall.
The Jeti Hall is a former Soviet Missile Facory & a monstrosity that Stalin & Glasgow's town planners would have been proud of & the fact that The Estonians have converted it into an international venue deserves great credit
We were informed that in addition to the two Redondan Sides there would be sides representing England, Australia, Estonia & Gibraltar.
The Competition itself would be a 6 a side tournament, 6 overs each side & with all players having to bowl an over & results fed into a league which would determine the eventual winners.
The Competition was being covered by Reuters who had sent a TV Crew & Radio 5 in the UK.Dan Smith, who had handled our booking in the UK also informed us that there had been press interest in The Kingdom Of Redonda & our entry into The Ice Cricket World Cup including an approach from the Daily Mail before he left
During the initial games, players from all sides were very tentative assessing what they could and couldn't do without falling flat on their faces.
However as the Tournament progressed Batsmen were sliding in from halfway down the wicket and fielders were crashing into boundary boards.
At the end of the Tournament Redonda South had won all their games whilst Redonda North lost to England in the last over of the game & to Redonda South on the last Ball of the Tournament
The final Table was
Redonda South : Ice Cricket World Champions
Redonda North
Gibraltar
England
Australia
Estonia
The remainder of the afternoon was spent unwinding at Molly Malones & inevitably conversation turned to which honour King Leo would bestow on his returning Champions.
There were also vague plans made for an Open Bus Trip & a trip to Lords with the Ice Cricket World Cup Trophy
A Celebratory Dinner was held at The Peppersack Restaurant which included prize giving & a number of drinking games following which the majority of the Squad spent the rest of the night at The Pub With No Name bamboozling locals with the psychic / magic trick & celebrating in a style worthy of World Champions
The Jeti Hall & Ex Soviet Missile Factory
Redonda take on Estonia
Ice Cricket is not the only attraction in Estonia !!!
The Redondan National Ice Cricket Team
Estonian Cricketer Marko / Slim Shady
The Jeti Hall is a former Soviet Missile Facory & a monstrosity that Stalin & Glasgow's town planners would have been proud of & the fact that The Estonians have converted it into an international venue deserves great credit
We were informed that in addition to the two Redondan Sides there would be sides representing England, Australia, Estonia & Gibraltar.
The Competition itself would be a 6 a side tournament, 6 overs each side & with all players having to bowl an over & results fed into a league which would determine the eventual winners.
The Competition was being covered by Reuters who had sent a TV Crew & Radio 5 in the UK.Dan Smith, who had handled our booking in the UK also informed us that there had been press interest in The Kingdom Of Redonda & our entry into The Ice Cricket World Cup including an approach from the Daily Mail before he left
During the initial games, players from all sides were very tentative assessing what they could and couldn't do without falling flat on their faces.
However as the Tournament progressed Batsmen were sliding in from halfway down the wicket and fielders were crashing into boundary boards.
At the end of the Tournament Redonda South had won all their games whilst Redonda North lost to England in the last over of the game & to Redonda South on the last Ball of the Tournament
The final Table was
Redonda South : Ice Cricket World Champions
Redonda North
Gibraltar
England
Australia
Estonia
The remainder of the afternoon was spent unwinding at Molly Malones & inevitably conversation turned to which honour King Leo would bestow on his returning Champions.
There were also vague plans made for an Open Bus Trip & a trip to Lords with the Ice Cricket World Cup Trophy
A Celebratory Dinner was held at The Peppersack Restaurant which included prize giving & a number of drinking games following which the majority of the Squad spent the rest of the night at The Pub With No Name bamboozling locals with the psychic / magic trick & celebrating in a style worthy of World Champions
The Jeti Hall & Ex Soviet Missile Factory
Redonda take on Estonia
Ice Cricket is not the only attraction in Estonia !!!
The Redondan National Ice Cricket Team
Estonian Cricketer Marko / Slim Shady
Ice Cricket World Cup - Friday
The flash Champagne / Cider/ Urine drinkers awoke the following morning with no obvious side effects from the night before & undertook a rigorous training session in the local park whilst the more 'frugal' members of the squad who had continued drinking Beer nursed their hangovers.
At 11am Evelin arrived & took us on tour of what must be one of Europes most beautiful Cities.
Our preconceptions of Estonia had been of Babushkas and rotting tower blocks, but Tallinn is a City with Chic new constructions twinned with a delightful old town that would grace any Chocolate Box.
I was disappointed that flash Cars roamed the street & that there were no sign of Trabants running on 2 Stroke fuel being steered by Dogs sitting on the drivers knee that I had expected to see
Our tour of the City ended inevitably in Molly Malones Sports Bar, where the Test Match was being shown. It was here that Nick Hales was approached by a Street Vendor pedalling Viagra. We explained that somebody know as 'The Corpse' was probably the least likely member of our party to need his wares & he left without making a sale, although several of the 'elder' member of the party left very shortly afterwards with a desperate need to visit the 'toilet'.
With the Competition looming and levels of nerves & excitement increasing, it was decided that the Squad needed a release & to burn of their energy & a Go Karting Competition was arranged between the North & South again upping the level animosity between supposed Team Mates
Following the Safety Briefing which consisted of ' there are the helmets, you can wear them if you want' we took to the grid & awaited the chequered flag.
Ali Jackson with testosterone coursing through his veins caused a massive pile up, nearly crippling several of his team mates & decapitating our Chaperone, which allowed Matt Crawley to pick his way through the wreckage & race unopposed to victory & in the process earning himself the first nomination for Redonda's Sports Personality Of The Year
For our Pre Tournament meal Evelin booked us into the Troika Russian Restaurant in the heart of the Town Square where we feasted on traditional Russian food which included Roast Bear & settled back to enjoy traditional Russian Dancers & Music. Andy Bowden also seemed to take on amazing psychic powers, due apparently to a small magic Dog called 'Jack' purchased from Romanian Gypsies
.
During the festivities we received a disturbing text from Rob Croucher who was joining the squad a day late, & would be representing the North, to inform us that he was on his way & intended to 'Go large tonight'.
On previous Tours Rob has behaved like an over excited puppy,his flame burnt brightly but very briefly & he tended to blow himself out on the first night & was useless for any remaining days.
His text informing me that he was 'Going Large' the day before the Ice Cricket World Cup was akin to Andrew Flintoff telling the ECB he fancied a shandy & a play on the Pedalos the day before the biggest game of his life !!
Of equal concern was that Robs text triggered his room mate & fellow Northerner, Matt Crawley, to decide that the best way to deal with his own nerves was to increase his intake of Vodka & egged on by Southerner Russ Cole, with an evil glint in his eye, proceeded to drink his way into oblivion.
Other members of the North followed his lead & at least one member ended up returning his meal to the Restaurants Toilet & by the time Rob arrived several of his team mates were incoherent dribbling wrecks & Captain Andy Bowden realised that the chances of victory were diminishing rapidly
Until this point our Chaperone, Evelin, had been the perfect Hostess. However I began to suspect that the Estonian Team had sent her to sabotage our prospects & on leaving Troika she suggested that we visit a traditional Estonian Bar where they serve a drink unique to the Pub.
My fears were heightened, when on entering the small drinking hole we encountered several Estonians passed out on the Bar & those still standing resembled characters from the Michael Jackson Thriller Video.
Evelin ordered a round of 'Millimallicas' a drink that seemed to contain Estonian Moonshine & Tabasco which rips the skin from your mouth & throat as it goes down.
The drinks were served by a Man who was 50 at the most, however Evelin swore that he had worked there for over 60 years. Not wanting to question her integrity we assumed that Estonian Years must be slightly differant to Human Years !!
Matt Crawley, now on his second wind, downed 4 Millimallicas a record broken the following night by Ernie McDade
Ray Clarke Orders Bear
Roy Wood : Not a Massive Ice Cricket fan
At 11am Evelin arrived & took us on tour of what must be one of Europes most beautiful Cities.
Our preconceptions of Estonia had been of Babushkas and rotting tower blocks, but Tallinn is a City with Chic new constructions twinned with a delightful old town that would grace any Chocolate Box.
I was disappointed that flash Cars roamed the street & that there were no sign of Trabants running on 2 Stroke fuel being steered by Dogs sitting on the drivers knee that I had expected to see
Our tour of the City ended inevitably in Molly Malones Sports Bar, where the Test Match was being shown. It was here that Nick Hales was approached by a Street Vendor pedalling Viagra. We explained that somebody know as 'The Corpse' was probably the least likely member of our party to need his wares & he left without making a sale, although several of the 'elder' member of the party left very shortly afterwards with a desperate need to visit the 'toilet'.
With the Competition looming and levels of nerves & excitement increasing, it was decided that the Squad needed a release & to burn of their energy & a Go Karting Competition was arranged between the North & South again upping the level animosity between supposed Team Mates
Following the Safety Briefing which consisted of ' there are the helmets, you can wear them if you want' we took to the grid & awaited the chequered flag.
Ali Jackson with testosterone coursing through his veins caused a massive pile up, nearly crippling several of his team mates & decapitating our Chaperone, which allowed Matt Crawley to pick his way through the wreckage & race unopposed to victory & in the process earning himself the first nomination for Redonda's Sports Personality Of The Year
For our Pre Tournament meal Evelin booked us into the Troika Russian Restaurant in the heart of the Town Square where we feasted on traditional Russian food which included Roast Bear & settled back to enjoy traditional Russian Dancers & Music. Andy Bowden also seemed to take on amazing psychic powers, due apparently to a small magic Dog called 'Jack' purchased from Romanian Gypsies
.
During the festivities we received a disturbing text from Rob Croucher who was joining the squad a day late, & would be representing the North, to inform us that he was on his way & intended to 'Go large tonight'.
On previous Tours Rob has behaved like an over excited puppy,his flame burnt brightly but very briefly & he tended to blow himself out on the first night & was useless for any remaining days.
His text informing me that he was 'Going Large' the day before the Ice Cricket World Cup was akin to Andrew Flintoff telling the ECB he fancied a shandy & a play on the Pedalos the day before the biggest game of his life !!
Of equal concern was that Robs text triggered his room mate & fellow Northerner, Matt Crawley, to decide that the best way to deal with his own nerves was to increase his intake of Vodka & egged on by Southerner Russ Cole, with an evil glint in his eye, proceeded to drink his way into oblivion.
Other members of the North followed his lead & at least one member ended up returning his meal to the Restaurants Toilet & by the time Rob arrived several of his team mates were incoherent dribbling wrecks & Captain Andy Bowden realised that the chances of victory were diminishing rapidly
Until this point our Chaperone, Evelin, had been the perfect Hostess. However I began to suspect that the Estonian Team had sent her to sabotage our prospects & on leaving Troika she suggested that we visit a traditional Estonian Bar where they serve a drink unique to the Pub.
My fears were heightened, when on entering the small drinking hole we encountered several Estonians passed out on the Bar & those still standing resembled characters from the Michael Jackson Thriller Video.
Evelin ordered a round of 'Millimallicas' a drink that seemed to contain Estonian Moonshine & Tabasco which rips the skin from your mouth & throat as it goes down.
The drinks were served by a Man who was 50 at the most, however Evelin swore that he had worked there for over 60 years. Not wanting to question her integrity we assumed that Estonian Years must be slightly differant to Human Years !!
Matt Crawley, now on his second wind, downed 4 Millimallicas a record broken the following night by Ernie McDade
Bizarrely the team met Roy Wood from Wizard in the Pub with No Name, not sure why he was there but apparently he is not a huge fan of Ice Cricket
Matt Crawley Redondan Go Kart Champion
Rob Croucher: Over Excitable
Ray Clarke Orders Bear
Roy Wood : Not a Massive Ice Cricket fan
Ice Cricket World Cup - Thursday
The Redondan National Cricket Squad met at Gatwick slightly nervous at the prospect of a 3 hour flight to Tallinn with Estonian Air. Having encountered various issues in booking 16 people onto the flight many of the squad were expecting the plane to resemble the one Buddy Holly got off.
We were however pleasantly surprised that it was perfectly OK & there were no sign of the expected Goats & Chickens running up & down the aisle.
The only disappointment was that all the hot food had been handed out before the Hostess got to us & we were left with the choice of Pringles or Beef Jerky.
We had entered 2 teams into the Ice Cricket World Cup Tournament to be played on Saturday & during the flight the inevitable queries regarding teams & selection cropped up.
It was decided that the teams would represent the North & South of Redonda.The North,everything from Rasta Cliffs to Shiels Sumit would be Captained by Andy Bowden & everything South would be Captained by Andy Rooke.
The responsibility for selection was handed to the Estonian Airways Hostess who pulled names out of a hat & immediately triggered inter Island rivalry which lasted throughout the trip.
As the planeload of testosterone charged Cricketers swooped over the Baltic touching down on a snow surrounded runway I struggled to picture Estonias Cricketers on tour against the might of 75th placed Venezuela.
As we passed through Arrivals we were met by Evelin our pretty blonde Chaperone holding a sign saying 'Redondan Cricket team' .. I was over the moon. I had half expected the whole event to be a massive con & that we would arrive in Estonia at 11pm with no Hotel & nobody speaking English
We checked into our Hotel which was billed as having a Casino, however although perfectly comfortable it was no Caesars Palace, the Casino extended to 3 slot machines.
Although now close to midnight nobody was ready to turn in & Evelin took us to a Bar for food and a few drinks. Here she coped commendably with our Machine Gun questioning and having made sure that we were fed and watered and happy in our new surroundings left us to unwind having agreed to take us on a cultural tour around Tallinn the next day
Evelins departure sparked events that led to the evening taking a turn for the worse.
Having had a couple of Beers & with wallets bulging with thousands of Estonian Kroon several of the flashier members of the squad decided to Celebrate the start of the tour with a bottle of Champagne.
A bottle of Moet was duely delivered,however the contents were clearly not Champagne. Either the Barman had decided to decant some local Cider or more concerningly has simply chosen to relieve himself in the Bottle, we will never be sure ..
Having made a tentitive complaint, we got the impression that any escalation would be dealt with by a couple of shady Russian Mafia types & the Tour would be over before it had even started.
Most of us left in disgust at the blatent rip off, but a couple of the lads decided to make the best of the situation and act as ambassadors for Redonda & spent the rest of the evening befriendly the few locals still there at 3am.
Indeed the next morning Billy Webb proudly proclaimed that he now knew how to say 'nose' in Estonian ... the rest of the squad agreed that this was a great return on investment for what was probally the most expensive bottle of urine in the world
Evelin : Our Chaperone
Billy Webb : Fluent In Estonian
We were however pleasantly surprised that it was perfectly OK & there were no sign of the expected Goats & Chickens running up & down the aisle.
The only disappointment was that all the hot food had been handed out before the Hostess got to us & we were left with the choice of Pringles or Beef Jerky.
We had entered 2 teams into the Ice Cricket World Cup Tournament to be played on Saturday & during the flight the inevitable queries regarding teams & selection cropped up.
It was decided that the teams would represent the North & South of Redonda.The North,everything from Rasta Cliffs to Shiels Sumit would be Captained by Andy Bowden & everything South would be Captained by Andy Rooke.
The responsibility for selection was handed to the Estonian Airways Hostess who pulled names out of a hat & immediately triggered inter Island rivalry which lasted throughout the trip.
As the planeload of testosterone charged Cricketers swooped over the Baltic touching down on a snow surrounded runway I struggled to picture Estonias Cricketers on tour against the might of 75th placed Venezuela.
As we passed through Arrivals we were met by Evelin our pretty blonde Chaperone holding a sign saying 'Redondan Cricket team' .. I was over the moon. I had half expected the whole event to be a massive con & that we would arrive in Estonia at 11pm with no Hotel & nobody speaking English
We checked into our Hotel which was billed as having a Casino, however although perfectly comfortable it was no Caesars Palace, the Casino extended to 3 slot machines.
Although now close to midnight nobody was ready to turn in & Evelin took us to a Bar for food and a few drinks. Here she coped commendably with our Machine Gun questioning and having made sure that we were fed and watered and happy in our new surroundings left us to unwind having agreed to take us on a cultural tour around Tallinn the next day
Evelins departure sparked events that led to the evening taking a turn for the worse.
Having had a couple of Beers & with wallets bulging with thousands of Estonian Kroon several of the flashier members of the squad decided to Celebrate the start of the tour with a bottle of Champagne.
A bottle of Moet was duely delivered,however the contents were clearly not Champagne. Either the Barman had decided to decant some local Cider or more concerningly has simply chosen to relieve himself in the Bottle, we will never be sure ..
Having made a tentitive complaint, we got the impression that any escalation would be dealt with by a couple of shady Russian Mafia types & the Tour would be over before it had even started.
Most of us left in disgust at the blatent rip off, but a couple of the lads decided to make the best of the situation and act as ambassadors for Redonda & spent the rest of the evening befriendly the few locals still there at 3am.
Indeed the next morning Billy Webb proudly proclaimed that he now knew how to say 'nose' in Estonian ... the rest of the squad agreed that this was a great return on investment for what was probally the most expensive bottle of urine in the world
Evelin : Our Chaperone
Billy Webb : Fluent In Estonian
South Redondans
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
The Ice Cricket World Cup
Having founded the new Redondan International Cricket Team we needed to decide who would be our first opponents
Forget Bangladesh, accoring to Angus Bell's Book 'Slogging The Slavs' Estonia has the worst International Cricket Team in the World. At 105th in the (unofficial) rankings, they fall short of Sierra Leone (joint 51st with Switzerland) and 74th place Sweden (sandwiched between Panama and Venezuela).
Where better to for a fledgling International Cricket Team to start than at the bottom of the Rankings
Estonia also happen to host The Ice Cricket World Cup in the beautiful City of Tallinn ...
Due to take place on Saturday 7th March The Redondan National Cricket Team have entered their first Tournament !!
Forget Bangladesh, accoring to Angus Bell's Book 'Slogging The Slavs' Estonia has the worst International Cricket Team in the World. At 105th in the (unofficial) rankings, they fall short of Sierra Leone (joint 51st with Switzerland) and 74th place Sweden (sandwiched between Panama and Venezuela).
Where better to for a fledgling International Cricket Team to start than at the bottom of the Rankings
Estonia also happen to host The Ice Cricket World Cup in the beautiful City of Tallinn ...
Due to take place on Saturday 7th March The Redondan National Cricket Team have entered their first Tournament !!
The Redonda National Cricket Team
Redonda Sport is made up primarily of individuals who play Cricket in the I'Anson Cricket League which was founded in Grayshott, Hampshire in January 1901.It is believed the league, which draws its member clubs from Surrey, Hampshire and Sussex, to be the oldest continuously-operating cricket league in England, and possibly the world.
For many years our pre season training has consisted of a few days in Benidorm, playing against ex-pats in disused Bullrings by day & enjoying the cultural delights of the City by night.
In 2008 the idea of forming a Redondan International Cricket X1 was born & again we approached King Leo for his permission to represent the Island.
On the 23rd October 2008 his Highness King Leo granted us permission to represent the Kingdom & the Redondan National Cricket team was founded
Andy Bowden
Redondan Cricket Captain
For many years our pre season training has consisted of a few days in Benidorm, playing against ex-pats in disused Bullrings by day & enjoying the cultural delights of the City by night.
In 2008 the idea of forming a Redondan International Cricket X1 was born & again we approached King Leo for his permission to represent the Island.
On the 23rd October 2008 his Highness King Leo granted us permission to represent the Kingdom & the Redondan National Cricket team was founded
Andy Bowden
Redondan Cricket Captain
Redonda Sport
We came across King Leo during a trip to Antigua & the strange quirk of History & romantic tale of the Island was explained to us.
On our return to the UK we wanted to help his Highness promote the Kingdom & spread the story.
Being keen sportsmen we decided the best way to do this was via the medium of Sport.
We proposed the concept of a Golf Tournament to King Leo who gave his blessing & at cosiderable expense a Trophy was produced and The Golf Championship Of Redonda was played at the Old Thorns Golf and Country Club in 2005.
The Tournament is a Ryder Cup style competition between teams Captained by Andy Bowden & Rob Croucher & is played annually, current holders are the Bowden team
On our return to the UK we wanted to help his Highness promote the Kingdom & spread the story.
Being keen sportsmen we decided the best way to do this was via the medium of Sport.
We proposed the concept of a Golf Tournament to King Leo who gave his blessing & at cosiderable expense a Trophy was produced and The Golf Championship Of Redonda was played at the Old Thorns Golf and Country Club in 2005.
The Tournament is a Ryder Cup style competition between teams Captained by Andy Bowden & Rob Croucher & is played annually, current holders are the Bowden team
The Kingdom Of Redonda
The Island of Redonda lies in the Caribbean Sea, about thirty-four miles WSW of Antigua and approximately fifteen miles NW of Montserrat. It is about one mile long by one third of a mile wide, rising to a height of 971 feet, and is the rocky and uninhabitable remnant of an extinct volcanic cone.
It was discovered by Christopher Columbus at 8 p.m. on the evening of November 12th, 1493, on his second voyage of exploration Although Columbus claimed the island for Spain, no formal act of sovereignty took place until July,1865. In that year, Matthew Dowdy Shiell, a prosperous sea-trader from Montserrat, who claimed descent from the ancient Irish Kings of Tara, was overjoyed at the birth of a son, after a succession of eight daughters. He landed on the island with some friends, and formally claimed the island as his kingdom.
Shortly afterwards, the island was annexed by the British Government, so that it could control the exploitation of rich deposits of phosphates, in spite of strong protests from the Shiell family. In consequence, the island has been administered by Antigua ever since, but the Title of Monarch of Redonda had been established, and its unbroken line of Kings survives to this day.
Following precedents going back over sixty years the present King of Redonda is King Leo, who holds the Title Papers & resides in exile in Norwich !!
To commemorate his predecessor's literary career and achievements, King Juan developed an Intellectual Aristocracy of the Realm, granting noble titles to his many friends and acquaintances. The result was the creation of the Redondan Peerage, which still exists. Dukes of the Realm included Arthur Machen the novelist, Victor Gollancz the publisher and Edward Shanks the poet. Many more were subsequently honoured, including J.B.Priestley, Dorothy L.Sayers, Arthur Ransome, Henry Williamson, Vincent Price, Diana Dors, Dirk Bogarde, George Barker, Henry Miller, Dylan Thomas, and Lawrence Durrell and his brother Gerald.
However, Gawsworth's talents as a poet and man of letters failed to sustain him in the bleak post-war years, and he gradually fell on evil days, taking odd jobs, suffering from ill-health, and spending much time in the bar of the "Alma" tavern in Westbourne Grove, West London. Here he often held court, and knowledgeable tourists would frequently track him down. In return for buying His Majesty a drink, it was sometimes possible to receive a Dukedom, inscribed on the back of a beermat. Such prodigality, together with Gawsworth's undoubted skill in keeping the Realm in the public eye by newspaper reports (usually compiled by himself) eventually brought the Realm into disrepute.
At one point, desperately in need of money, he attempted to sell his Title by advertising in the Personal Column of The Times newspaper, in spite of the fact that he had already bequeathed it to a former friend by a witnessed document. The real threat of a legal injunction prevented the deal being clinched with a member of the Swedish Royal Family, and Gawsworth carried on reigning. He was only able to pass the Title on after the death of this claimant had rendered the original bequest null and void. Therefore in 1966 he first bequeathed the Title at his death to his friend John Roberts, and then abdicated in his favour by Irrevocable Covenant. This was drawn up by a lawyer, now Professor of Law at a Commonwealth University, following a thorough investigation to prove the legal validity of the Title, which has never been challenged. Both Bequest and Covenant were profusely witnessed by Members of the Realm; the originals remain in the Royal Archives. The new King, Juan II, commenced his reign on February 17th,1967, being the twentieth anniversary of his predecessor's accession.
The new king's main problem was to separate the whimsical idealism of the earlier years of the Realm from the sad reputation it had acquired in the latter part of Gawsworth's reign. In distancing himself from the circle of old courtiers and hangers-on, and eventually moving away from London, King Juan II succeeded in breaking the pattern, although he kept in close touch with ex-king Gawsworth and a small group of supporters. As a result, the tourists were thwarted, and the Press lost its supply of juicy gossip. By this time, Gawsworth's continued ill-health, alcoholism and poverty meant that he relied heavily on a few close friends, including his successor as King, for succour and support. Eventually he died in a London hospital in September,1970, following an operation. Having disposed of the Title of King to John Roberts three years earlier he left instructions in his Will of April, 1970, for his Literary Estate, together with that of M.P.Shiell, to be administered jointly by two literary friends, Dr. Iain Fletcher of Reading University and Mr.J.Wynne-Tyson of the Centaur Press.
Meanwhile King Juan II, having gladly accepted the terms of the Covenant as laid down by his predecessor, set about restructuring the Realm, assisted by a nucleus of supporters. Many of the current successful policies of the Realm were suggested, discussed and implemented at this time. As a result the Realm underwent renewal and slow but steady growth, although no longer occupying the dubious London limelight. In London itself, the circulation of exaggerated rumours about the supposed events of Gawsworth's last years created confusion in certain quarters about the true nature of the Title of King of Redonda. As a result of this misunderstanding, certain impostors appeared, each pretending to be the true King, who was, of course, alive and well and living further north. The Solicitor-General of the Realm was impelled to issue an Open Letter in 1982 dispelling false claims; this has never been challenged.
In due course, King Juan II retired to Shropshire, having laid the firm foundations for a re-invigorated Realm, but unfortunately unable to develop it further, due to the tragic lengthy illness and eventual death of his beloved wife. In 1989 he therefore approached his chief supporter, William Leonard Gates, a former member of the court of Juan I, and an old friend, to carry on the role of the Kingship. A new Irrevocable Covenant was drafted, signed and witnessed, embodying the now traditional precepts which govern the Title, and the new King commenced his reign at 3 p.m. on October 26th, 1989. He took the Title of Leo, fifth King of Redonda, and thereby inherited a large collection of Royal Archives dating back to the time of King Felipe, as well as all the Title-Deeds and legal papers relating to the descent of the Title.
Following precedents going back over sixty years, the present King of Redonda is pledged by the terms of his Irrevocable Covenant to maintain and extend the Intellectual Aristocracy of the Kingdom, to preserve and develop the Realm itself for posterity and to keep the memories of M.P.Shiell and John Gawsworth green. In fulfilling these terms, the present King is greatly assisted and supported by the Membership. Admittance to the Realm is entirely at His Majesty's discretion, and usually occurs by personal recommendation. Obligations of membership include an Oath of Allegiance, and a nominal financial commitment to the Redondan Foundation. The Redondan Foundation is a non-profit-making organisation, responsible for the publication and distribution of the Members' Handbook, Certificates of Membership, the List of Members, the "Times of Redonda" Newsletter, an information pamphlet detailing a brief history of the Realm, an annual Members' Greetings Card and occasional Press Releases. It also deals with general enquiries, monitors public statements and keeps in touch with the Literary Executor. The Foundation also organises the established annual pattern of meetings and celebrations of the Realm, which include a Spring Conference, a Summer Garden Party, Meetings at the Realm's London Headquarters and a Discovery Day Banquet in November. It is also involved in the necessary arrangements for other occasions, whenever the King is invited to carry out certain formal or honorary duties, by certain charities or other private organisations in which he has an interest. This includes giving illustrated lectures on the History of the Realm and the literary careers of M.P.Shiell and John Gawsworth, using material selected from the extensive collection of Royal Archives in his possession.
Plans for the future development of the Realm include the setting-up of Regional Branches where practical, since membership has now spread to three continents, and a regular update of current Redondan affairs on the Internet, to keep Members in touch. It is also proposed to produce a documentary film of the Realm's extraordinary and romantic history, detailing the people and places involved in its development over the years, and to publish a definitive History of the Realm and its true Kings, based on documentary evidence from the royal archives and the present King's own historical researches.
King Leo regards his reign as a trusteeship, in collaboration with the Members of his Realm, to perpetuate and develop for posterity a charming and unique quirk of history.
FLOREAT REDONDA !
It was discovered by Christopher Columbus at 8 p.m. on the evening of November 12th, 1493, on his second voyage of exploration Although Columbus claimed the island for Spain, no formal act of sovereignty took place until July,1865. In that year, Matthew Dowdy Shiell, a prosperous sea-trader from Montserrat, who claimed descent from the ancient Irish Kings of Tara, was overjoyed at the birth of a son, after a succession of eight daughters. He landed on the island with some friends, and formally claimed the island as his kingdom.
Shortly afterwards, the island was annexed by the British Government, so that it could control the exploitation of rich deposits of phosphates, in spite of strong protests from the Shiell family. In consequence, the island has been administered by Antigua ever since, but the Title of Monarch of Redonda had been established, and its unbroken line of Kings survives to this day.
Following precedents going back over sixty years the present King of Redonda is King Leo, who holds the Title Papers & resides in exile in Norwich !!
To commemorate his predecessor's literary career and achievements, King Juan developed an Intellectual Aristocracy of the Realm, granting noble titles to his many friends and acquaintances. The result was the creation of the Redondan Peerage, which still exists. Dukes of the Realm included Arthur Machen the novelist, Victor Gollancz the publisher and Edward Shanks the poet. Many more were subsequently honoured, including J.B.Priestley, Dorothy L.Sayers, Arthur Ransome, Henry Williamson, Vincent Price, Diana Dors, Dirk Bogarde, George Barker, Henry Miller, Dylan Thomas, and Lawrence Durrell and his brother Gerald.
However, Gawsworth's talents as a poet and man of letters failed to sustain him in the bleak post-war years, and he gradually fell on evil days, taking odd jobs, suffering from ill-health, and spending much time in the bar of the "Alma" tavern in Westbourne Grove, West London. Here he often held court, and knowledgeable tourists would frequently track him down. In return for buying His Majesty a drink, it was sometimes possible to receive a Dukedom, inscribed on the back of a beermat. Such prodigality, together with Gawsworth's undoubted skill in keeping the Realm in the public eye by newspaper reports (usually compiled by himself) eventually brought the Realm into disrepute.
At one point, desperately in need of money, he attempted to sell his Title by advertising in the Personal Column of The Times newspaper, in spite of the fact that he had already bequeathed it to a former friend by a witnessed document. The real threat of a legal injunction prevented the deal being clinched with a member of the Swedish Royal Family, and Gawsworth carried on reigning. He was only able to pass the Title on after the death of this claimant had rendered the original bequest null and void. Therefore in 1966 he first bequeathed the Title at his death to his friend John Roberts, and then abdicated in his favour by Irrevocable Covenant. This was drawn up by a lawyer, now Professor of Law at a Commonwealth University, following a thorough investigation to prove the legal validity of the Title, which has never been challenged. Both Bequest and Covenant were profusely witnessed by Members of the Realm; the originals remain in the Royal Archives. The new King, Juan II, commenced his reign on February 17th,1967, being the twentieth anniversary of his predecessor's accession.
The new king's main problem was to separate the whimsical idealism of the earlier years of the Realm from the sad reputation it had acquired in the latter part of Gawsworth's reign. In distancing himself from the circle of old courtiers and hangers-on, and eventually moving away from London, King Juan II succeeded in breaking the pattern, although he kept in close touch with ex-king Gawsworth and a small group of supporters. As a result, the tourists were thwarted, and the Press lost its supply of juicy gossip. By this time, Gawsworth's continued ill-health, alcoholism and poverty meant that he relied heavily on a few close friends, including his successor as King, for succour and support. Eventually he died in a London hospital in September,1970, following an operation. Having disposed of the Title of King to John Roberts three years earlier he left instructions in his Will of April, 1970, for his Literary Estate, together with that of M.P.Shiell, to be administered jointly by two literary friends, Dr. Iain Fletcher of Reading University and Mr.J.Wynne-Tyson of the Centaur Press.
Meanwhile King Juan II, having gladly accepted the terms of the Covenant as laid down by his predecessor, set about restructuring the Realm, assisted by a nucleus of supporters. Many of the current successful policies of the Realm were suggested, discussed and implemented at this time. As a result the Realm underwent renewal and slow but steady growth, although no longer occupying the dubious London limelight. In London itself, the circulation of exaggerated rumours about the supposed events of Gawsworth's last years created confusion in certain quarters about the true nature of the Title of King of Redonda. As a result of this misunderstanding, certain impostors appeared, each pretending to be the true King, who was, of course, alive and well and living further north. The Solicitor-General of the Realm was impelled to issue an Open Letter in 1982 dispelling false claims; this has never been challenged.
In due course, King Juan II retired to Shropshire, having laid the firm foundations for a re-invigorated Realm, but unfortunately unable to develop it further, due to the tragic lengthy illness and eventual death of his beloved wife. In 1989 he therefore approached his chief supporter, William Leonard Gates, a former member of the court of Juan I, and an old friend, to carry on the role of the Kingship. A new Irrevocable Covenant was drafted, signed and witnessed, embodying the now traditional precepts which govern the Title, and the new King commenced his reign at 3 p.m. on October 26th, 1989. He took the Title of Leo, fifth King of Redonda, and thereby inherited a large collection of Royal Archives dating back to the time of King Felipe, as well as all the Title-Deeds and legal papers relating to the descent of the Title.
Following precedents going back over sixty years, the present King of Redonda is pledged by the terms of his Irrevocable Covenant to maintain and extend the Intellectual Aristocracy of the Kingdom, to preserve and develop the Realm itself for posterity and to keep the memories of M.P.Shiell and John Gawsworth green. In fulfilling these terms, the present King is greatly assisted and supported by the Membership. Admittance to the Realm is entirely at His Majesty's discretion, and usually occurs by personal recommendation. Obligations of membership include an Oath of Allegiance, and a nominal financial commitment to the Redondan Foundation. The Redondan Foundation is a non-profit-making organisation, responsible for the publication and distribution of the Members' Handbook, Certificates of Membership, the List of Members, the "Times of Redonda" Newsletter, an information pamphlet detailing a brief history of the Realm, an annual Members' Greetings Card and occasional Press Releases. It also deals with general enquiries, monitors public statements and keeps in touch with the Literary Executor. The Foundation also organises the established annual pattern of meetings and celebrations of the Realm, which include a Spring Conference, a Summer Garden Party, Meetings at the Realm's London Headquarters and a Discovery Day Banquet in November. It is also involved in the necessary arrangements for other occasions, whenever the King is invited to carry out certain formal or honorary duties, by certain charities or other private organisations in which he has an interest. This includes giving illustrated lectures on the History of the Realm and the literary careers of M.P.Shiell and John Gawsworth, using material selected from the extensive collection of Royal Archives in his possession.
Plans for the future development of the Realm include the setting-up of Regional Branches where practical, since membership has now spread to three continents, and a regular update of current Redondan affairs on the Internet, to keep Members in touch. It is also proposed to produce a documentary film of the Realm's extraordinary and romantic history, detailing the people and places involved in its development over the years, and to publish a definitive History of the Realm and its true Kings, based on documentary evidence from the royal archives and the present King's own historical researches.
King Leo regards his reign as a trusteeship, in collaboration with the Members of his Realm, to perpetuate and develop for posterity a charming and unique quirk of history.
FLOREAT REDONDA !
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