Murder - Victorian style

There were suspicious goings on in Pembroke Town Hall last week. A Victorian murder mystery took place there last Friday, our fundraising event which certainly appealed to many. I had never been to a murder mystery before, but I enjoy a whodunnit: most of us have once enjoyed Agatha Christie books and Cluedo. Poirot and Miss Marple are still constantly enjoyed on the television and I have to admit to liking Midsomer Murders as well.

SeeSaw Productions

The murder mystery was performed by a group of actors called SeeSaw Productions, an amateur group raising money for charity. For the uninitiated, this is how it works. The actors begin proceedings by acting out a set piece: a murder has been committed and the characters set the scene. There are different mysteries - this one was called 'Tea for Four' and took place in Monkton.

"It is September 1882. The weather is generally fine. Life at Monkton Manor proceeds at a smooth and leisurely pace, but beneath the calm face presented to the outside world there is a viper's nest of intrigue, passion , theft and blackmail .....".

But this is not a play - Guests must help with the investigation. And there is another essential element in that the investigation happens over a meal. After the actors have set the scene, guests get the chance to interrogate these suspicious characters whilst wining and dining. Suspects join them at table one by one for questioning, and the first table to suss out whodunnit wins the prize. So, whilst guests enjoy a lovely meal, they are kept entertained and at the same time help raise money for charity. Some people really got into the swing of it by dressing up in Victorian dress - we decided to give a prize to the best dressed. It went to Mary Willington who didn't dress up in the usual Victorian garb but as a cook complete with rolling pin and flour on her face! By contrast her grandson, Rhys Morgan, looked every inch the Victorian gentleman by her side.

Raising funds

This is by far the biggest fundraising event that we, as a society, have attempted. Through our popular bimonthly quiz nights in Monkton Church Hall, we have developed a good reputation for food: we are fortunate to have such marvellous cooks on our committee!

The History Society has its serious side as it is engaged in the very important work of researching and promoting our heritage: but it is also a community group aiming to bring people together in enjoyable events like this which give us the opportunity to raise our own funding. Everything we do is voluntary and, as the ethos of the society is free and open access to our heritage for all, our talks and exhibitions are always free at point of entry. We do have overheads however, eg venue rentals, insurances, equipment, printing and display materials etc so we do have to raise money - and now that we are involved in the town museum we are contributing to that as well. The actors also raise funds for charity and the fee we presented them with on this occasion will go to the air ambulance.

Thanks

We have encountered such good will and generosity by those who we approached for raffle prizes and I would like to acknowledge them here: Wisebuys (who donated the magnificent Christmas hamper), Brown's Café, N.E.T, Mendus, Post Office, Co-op, Bush Hill Garage, Mary Willington, Pat Goodridge, Bee's Knees, Tesco, Boots, Asda, Torch Theatre, Grand Theatre, Swansea, Scarlets family ticket and to George Lewis for donating a framed print to be auctioned. Also I would like to David Baker, of Pembrokeshire Radio, for giving us such good publicity.

Thank you so much to the SeeSaw Players, who were brilliant, to everyone who helped behind the scenes and to all who supported us. I think we can count this a big success as the response was fantastic and the event was a sell out. Above all, it was a lovely community event and a good evening out which everyone seems to have enjoyed.

Reeds or no reeds

There seems to be something of a controversy developing in the Pembroke and Pembroke Dock Observer over changes that are happening to our natural environment. The Pembroke Watchman (November 1) bemoaned the changes which have been made to the Millponds by the planting of reed beds and islands which he found not only unsightly, but detrimental in accumulating all kinds of rubbish etc. On the other hand a letter from David Wall in a letter 'keep Pembroke Millponds mucky' (November 8) sees the planting of reed beds as enhancing the local biodiversity and defends them, even though they may look a mess, because they provide food and home to Pembroke's wildlife.

It is not my intention to get caught in the crossfire and I will not forward an opinion - but I have found these old photographs of the Millpond and Upper Pond which might interest you, taken long 'before the reeds'. I cannot help thinking that it would be lovely to be able to row boats on the Ponds again. The wildfowlers are on the Upper Pond which is now choked with reeds - which could be the fate of our Millpond which I know to be a cause for anxiety.

William Wainwright lived in Paradise Row and owned a number of rowing boats which were beached on their garden on the shores of the Main Millpond, where a modern bungalow now stands. His daughter Dilys Jenkins told me that her father used to let the boats out at 6d for a half hour or one shilling per hour. He used to make most of the boats himself in his boat shed at the bottom of their garden which stretched down to the water.

Whatever your views on the matter, wildfowl were on the Millpond before the reeds were planted and too many swans were a common complaint. However, there is one point on which I would disagree with David - far from having (I quote) 'horrifying sexual morals' the mating of swans is a beautiful sight, a joy to behold and not in any imaginable way disgusting.