Invitation

entlemen,

I am writing to engage your attention towards the weekend of the 13th day in August, in the year nineteen hundred and ninety nine. It is my intention to organise a weekend celebration commencing upon that day to which you are invited. I have taken the liberty of disclosing the particulars of the aforementioned herein.

It is the forthcoming betrothel of our mutual friend, Mr Roy James Mussel, to a Miss Wright which is deservant of a modicum of frivolity. To this end I have taken steps to secure passage on a powered sailing craft which will depart from the Maidline cruises boatyard in Wallingford at a half hour past two on Friday afternoon. returning around six in the evening on Sunday. You are cordially invited to join us in this venture. We shall meet at the boatyard, and please endeavor to be there promptly, as we have a few miles to cruise in the afternoon.

Our party to the best of my knowledge currently is made up of Messers Mussel, Dawson, Young, Deek, Barrows, Wheeler, Hawkes and Miller, together with myself and Ms Harris. The lad at the boatyard will provide stabling for your horses over the weekend and I shall see the housekeeper about some provisions for the journeying. So you will only need a few shillings to repay me for the former and then a pound or two to cover food and drink for Saturday lunchtime, evening and maybe Sunday lunchtime (depending upon whether we make good time on the return leg.)

articulars

In terms of particulars for the journey, fresh bed linen is provided onboard, however there is no towelling. You may wish to have your bathing costume packed in case the sun is generous to us. Also if you have a favorite gramaphone recording then I believe there is a player available.

There will be an opportunity for some games and other frivolites and so I suggest you have your whites steamed well in advance and have your man pack your best coarse fishing line in case the trout are biting.

We will aim to moor somewhere in the vicinity of Abingdon for the Friday evening, whereupon I shall light the barbecueing set purloined from Mr Jameson-James for the purpose of cooking meats and sundries. Whilst the food is being prepared we shall be relaxing in a leisurely manner and providing gentlemenly waves to the passing vessels.

The Friday evening will be passed in this most pleasant manner, and we shall retire by ten, lest we displease the ship's boson, Mr Smyth-Robertson-Johnston. However, I intend hiding a small bottle of port under my waistcoats from which we may sup a nightcap...

tiniery

Saturday shall be spent cruising up to Oxford. Luncheon will be obtained from a public house on the way, and to secure our moorings we ought to have arrived in Oxford by five. Thereupon, we shall sally forth unto a local hostelry and hope to meet the remainder of our party.

A local restauranter has been telegramed to reserve us a table for the evenings dinner, a gentleman from India it would seem, who serves the most astonishingly spicey dishes. We shall not be dressing for dinner, so lounge suits shall be fine. Although in this capacity I may have arranged something more outlandish for Mr Mussel.

After dinner drinks will be taken at another local establishment, and I hope to have a word with the landlord and get him to specially prepare a tankard of Ale for our Groom to be. That should see him soundly off to sleep! Retiring back at the boat, it's an early start on Sunday for the 7 hour cruise back to the boatyard.

ost Script

A mithering detail though it is, I need to detail some of the costings in this postscript. The cost of the vessel is ninety three pounds each and I shall need a further amount from you all to cover Friday's food, breakfasts and drinks. Please reply by telegram regarding your preferences in these departments and I shall let you know how much these cost on Friday, although I anticipate no more than 15 guineas a head.

I may be contacted via electrical telegraph at 'jonnie at lards.net' and please do not hesitate to query any details of the jaunt with me. If you require directions to the boat yard it's postal address is Wallingford Yacht Station, St. Lucians Lane, Wallingford, Oxon. They do have a telephone on the Oxford exchange, number 01491 836088. The directions they give are to follow the one way system (such a curiosity I have never seen!) through Wallingford past the market square and the boat yard entrance is just past the police station, on the Shillingford road, sign posted Wallingford Marina.

I look forwards to making your acquantancies and wish us a 'bon voyage' for the weekend.

I am Sirs,
Most Sincerely Yours,
Mr J Harris Esq.

mail webmaster, return home.