ID: WW01_571 / Winifred Hone

TitleThe Song of the Dabchicks - Winifred Hone memoirs
Abstract(Reprinted from "The Essex County Telegraph")

Lee O' I say. Four fine cups today
For Rani, Mimms, Eva and Kate;
Three pigs are for Volage and Pingle - hooray
The Ballybhoys wasn't too late.

A stands for Amorel, sailed by the Pullens;
B for Bonita and Bodkin, MacMullens,
For Bluebird, for Bunny, For Barbara Scotts,
Birdalone, Ballybhoys - jolly finelots.

C stands for Charles; Reg, Bert and friend Dyer
Sailed nearly on top but couldn't get higher;
For Clutha and Curlew, the Grab owned by Wilkin;
While D stands for Dougska and Dona by Gowen.

E stands for Edith, the flagship of Yonge,
Our Commondore rev, who revels in fun;
For Ethel (Cox. Thomas), for Eva (Ed. Wyatt);
While F is for Fuss, whose fame is yet quite.

G stands for Grace, Bruce Rainbird's sole shipping,
H is for Heron and Happy Day's Tiffin;
I is for I.O. not so big as Ionic;
J is for Jass and The Joy so heroic

K stands for Katie, whose owner is Digby,
Not forgetting The Kate, once William Trim's dinghy,
But now owned by Wyatt, the Admiral bold,
Who always cheats fair, and never looks old

M is for Mimms whose owner John Wood,
Believed in her winning as oft as she could;
Her skipper Jack Milgate, won many a race;
Her first mate L. Green, just likes going the pace.

The owner's young son J.C. Wood loves the sea;
The racing, the joy rides, a stiff wind loves he;
He gybes her, he luffs her - to sleep in her cabin
Is the nearest approach to real bliss he'll he havin.

'Nuff said of the Mimms. There's Madcap and Mary,
The last name for two yachts Blunt, Atkins they carry,
The mystery plucky was, so said the Naid.
But "Oh' I Say's owners have oft away stayed.

P stands for Pingle, our vice commodore,
Her owner's a good 'un - no need ti say more;
The Rani the chief prize for this season has won
Her owner his consort and skipper trey bon.

She pitched out The Dona, the ball old Mimms,
Though Volage towards finish oft kept her from wins;
The Scallywag fought her on every fine day,
But somehow she managed the top dog to stay.

The Sam and The Vaga, The Teetotum too;
Sailed over the course a chance time or two;
The War Baby looked at one time in the running,
But Ed Wyatt in Eva just built her by cunning.
J.W.

AuthorWinifred Hone
Publishedc1969
SourceMersea Museum / Wendy Brady
IDWW01_571