The Master’s Outing 2021

Like the introduction to an Agatha Christie novel, 47 Furniture Makers and guests were summoned by the Master  to Burgh Island, Devon, for his Covid-delayed Outing.  Here, cut off by the tides twice a day, an unforgettable experience was enjoyed, which for many was the first real opportunity to undertake a major social gathering for over a year.

Built in 1929 the luxury hotel has been extensively refurbished and is an icon of Art Deco, with a long history of distinguished visitors, rule breakers and fun seekers of the era, to which we now add the Furniture Makers

Carried by car to the island over the exposed causeway guests settled into their rooms named after many of the characters who had visited the island, and where the Master had placed an appropriate gift of Agatha Christie’s “And Then There Were None”, which had actually been written on the island.

An informal reception and dinner gave everyone the chance to renew friendships which had been maintained by Zoom, e-mail and telephone during the long period of relative isolation.

The next day was action packed, returning through the surf to the mainland by sea tractor, with a coach trip to Dartmouth, a voyage up the Dart to Agatha Christies’s “Greenways”, returning by river to Dartmouth after a picnic lunch, then by coach back to Burgh Island where the formal reception and white/black tie dinner was held in the Grand Ballroom, while a murder mystery group taxed the Poirot /Miss Marple skills of the assembly. The murderer was correctly identified by two teams but the debate at the bar continued into the small hours.

The following day dawned bright, some hardy souls still managing an early morning dip in the sea or the sea-fed “Mermaid” pool. The trip into Plymouth and a tasting tour of the distillery ensured gin would become the hallmark of this Outing. Following lunch at the distillery a private charter boat took the group on a welcome relaxing 2 hour cruise of a calm Plymouth Harbour giving all a chance to prepare for another energetic dinner, a 20s/30s style “Flappers” night, followed by a mass card game of “Swedish Pursuits” where some members even managed to master the rules!

During the dinner the opportunity was taken to thank the Master and Anne for hosting a memorable occasion which exemplified the fellowship enjoyed by the Furniture Makers Company members. Particular thanks were offered to Lizzie Shaw who had borne the brunt of the organisation and (usually) successfully “herding” the guests from event to event.

Epilogue

While no-one was actually murdered on the island, the sea tractor failed on departure morning, marooning a few poor souls on the island until the tide receded. Agatha would never have provided the complimentary hospitality as compensation, though!