Broadside

The Brixham Pirate Festival began in 2002 when members of the community decided to create an event to liven up one of the quietest bank holidays of the year.

Since those humble beginnings, the Festival has grown into one of the biggest pirate gatherings in the world, with thousands of people descending from all over the world for a long weekend of swashbuckling fun and seaside shenanigans set against the authentic backdrop of the historic port.

The 2022 event saw thousands of Pirates make their way to Brixham for the biggest Pirate Festival yet, with the tall ship ‘Atyla’ in port over the three days and live music from acts, including The Dolmen, Black Friday, Fury, Captains Beard, The Boarding Crew, Seas of Mirth, The Filthy Spectacula, Gurdy Bird, the JollyRoger band, Queen Anne’s Revenge and Reivers’ Gallows. The Trafalgar Gun Company also took part, bringing a taste of what it would have been like to be in a 19th century naval battle. Wearing authentic uniforms, they used reproduction gun-decks, guns on carriages and artillery to fire salvos over the harbour, together with a small galleon manned by re-enactors such as the Sheppey Pirates, Star Gun Co and The River Rogues taking part in skirmishes with the tall ship.

After the close of this year’s Festival, a number of members of the organising committee announced that they were standing down to make way for a new team. A ‘Call to Arms’ was published and a date set for a Parlay to meet any fresh blood. The meeting was well-attended and after a few weeks’ preparation, the new crew was welcomed aboard the Golden Hind. The excitement and enthusiasm amongst them is intoxicating and augurs well for events to come.

A spokespirate said, “We don’t want to change the Festival that Brixham has come to know and love, but sail it into the future as there are adventures on the horizon”.

In 2023, Brixham Pirate Festival is planned for May Bank holiday Weekend from 29 April to 1 May.

At the Captain’s table are from left to right: Sam Ellison, Lorna Sedman, Nicola Blake, Darren Collins, Clairelouise, Louisa Anderson, John Ingram, Casey Vandenberg, Phil Nelson, Sean Twomey and Russell Timbrell (picture courtesy of Chris Slack Photography).

Louisa Anderson Brixham Pirate Festival

The article on our crew looks fabulous. Thank you so much and thanks also for adding in the last-minute details about Brixham too.

Our crew be mighty pleased and excited to receive their copies (Editor: I’ve featured a different pirate crew in every issue and intend to go on doin’ so until the last one listed in ‘How to become a pirate’ on pages 24-25 has received the recognition due to ‘em).

Lucien Cruse, Quartermaster, Blackwater Pirates

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A warm welcome awaits pirates and smugglers at this 600-year-old inn 01797 223065 info@mermaidinn.com www.mermaidinn.com

Raising money for half a century

The village of Appledore lies on the North Devon coast and is famed for its shipbuilding, once having the largest covered yard in Europe. It is also where they built a full size reconstruction of The Golden Hinde, which can be visited in St Marie Overie Dock where she is now moored in the heart of London.

The village is also the home of Appledore Pirates, a community group launched in 1971 by men from Appledore Shipbuilders to provide local pensioners with a chicken dinner at Christmas. This has now become a three-course meal served by the pirates in the Community Hall, with carols and entertainment.

The crew has a full diary, including a Summer Carnival led by the village silver band followed by the Carnival Queen and her attendants in a gig boat, crabbing competitions, occupying stalls at other events and weekly bingo sessions. Another popular event is Firework Night, which brings the village to a standstill with a bonfire and firework display on the beach.

The year ends with a torchlight procession through the village led by the band and Father Christmas, culminating with a carol service at the church.

The present Chair is Terry Bailey, who was born and bred in Appledore as were about one-third of the 20-strong crew. The rest are what he terms ‘blow-ins’ but makes the point that village groups wouldn’t exist if it wasn’t for like-minded newcomers, adding that it’s not where you come from that matters – it’s what you do when you’re here that counts!

He has been a pirate since 1984 and volunteers at the North Devon Maritime Museum, as well as conducting local history

walks since 2006. He has even led a pirate walk on Lundy Island in the Bristol Channel, which was once the base for Barbary pirates, who embarked on slaving raids from the island to capture Europeans for sale in Algiers. In addition to the Barbary Pirates, from1628-34 the island was plagued by privateers of French, Basque, English and Spanish origin targeting the lucrative shipping routes passing through the Bristol Channel.

Terry and the crew of Appledore Pirates have raised a great deal of money, mainly for local causes, throughout their long history, including: play equipment, football kit and cooking aprons for the local primary school; picnic benches and hand-carved mushroom seats for the village green; renovation of the village hall; help for local families with disabilities; and new lights for the Appledore Christmas Angel. Donations have also been made to the Appledore Instow Ferry, the Maritime Museum and the local football club.

Not every effort at raising money has proved entirely successful. Terry would rather forget about the idea of locking people in the stocks on their birthday and, on another occasion, auctioning a custard pie (mixed results). The less said the better about delivering Womblegrams to parties wearing Uncle Bulgaria and Madam Cholet Womble suits. After a trip to South Devon for the Plymouth Pirates Weekend this year, he is now planning a similar event for Appledore in 2023.

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