Salty speaker takes the WI on a 50-year cruise

Posted on November 17, 2006

Eaton Bray WI members put on their sea legs for the November meeting.

The land-lubbers got the tang of sea air in their nostrils when they welcomed guest speaker Captain William Wells, who had enjoyed a career aboard ship lasting almost 50 years.

A master mariner and former ship's captain, he has for the last 35 years been a licensed commercial marine pilot, ending his career as the Snior River Pilot in the Port of London.

Captain Wells, a New Zealander by birth, gave Lord Nelson as his hero and inspiration for a boyhood dream of going to sea.

He went on to tell the group about his life at sea as a harbour pilot in the Middle East, working at the large oil tanker terminals - oftern in war zones.

Captain Wells saw many changes taking place as a river pilot on the Thames, from the demise of the busy port of London to the building of Canary Wharf and the new development replacing the commercial docklands of the city.

Institute business consisted of the members voting that their Christmas charity would be to support the work of the "Mercy Ships".

They will be celebrating the WI's 85th birthday in mid November with a dinner at Priory House, Dunstable.

The next meeting is on Monday December 4 at 7.30pm in Eaton Bray Village Hall.

New members and friends are always very welcome.

Source: Leighton Buzzard Observer, 14 November 2006