A letter on the Barrels

My dad received a letter from Elizabeth Molony, who lives in Beer close to Branscombe where the ship carrying our barrels ran aground. I thought the letter was definitely blog-worthy.

Michael,

I live in Beer , Devon, the fishing village beside Branscombe.
On Saturday 20th January after the terrible storms of the 18th, I stood on the chalk cliffs with many of our village fishermen and their families, and looked down with great sadness at the wrecked ship. We stood in silent shock as we saw on those rough seas your barrels tossed in the waves.

That night the storm worsened and more damaged containers were washed ashore. Our local volunteer coastguards who were guarding the beach witnessed blocks of 5 containers lashed together rise up out of the sea like whales, as they hit the rocks and then crashed onto the beaches.

By morning they had spilt their contents onto our once long empty pebbly beach. Now this beautiful coastline looked like a bomb site.

Our youngest fishermen rowed out at dawn and picked up floating barrels. Later local lads climbed down the cliffs and also discovered 16 BMW bikes in a broken container. They queued up and the police gave them forms to fill in and allowed them to take the bikes away. Likewise with other goods lying there.

Sadly by evening on Sunday and all through Monday as a result of media reporting hundreds of people had been drawn in from all over Britain. The police could not control the situation and these two tiny village found their lanes clogged with cars and the beaches swamped with a thousand curious visitors, and a few ruthlessly greedy scavengers.

Mostly people were awed by the disaster and amazed at the strange assortment of goods scattered about - nappies, sweets, biscuits, gear boxes.

Above all we have marvelled at the craftsmanship of these magnificent oak barrels. And I have now been interested to read about them on your website and the destinations they have failed to reach.

Barrels have a special significance in these villages. For hundreds of years the poorest fishing communities of Devon and Cornwall have had to feed their families on the proceeds of smuggling. Great seamen have made a precarious living from sailing by night to meet French boats carrying lace and barrels of brandy. Such was their courage that still today we celebrate these skills in our summer Regatta with a BARREL ROLLING event down the village street. We use heavy metal barrels and it is a test of strength and stamina. In a neighbouring town the barrels are lit with burning tar and carried in team races on youngsters' shoulders as a mark of manliness.

We appreciate good craftsmanship. The youngsters who carried the barrels out of the sea and up the steep cliffs, or rolled them by hand the 5 miles by road will long admired and use them, unless they are reclaimed by the authorities.

I am sad at the distress to your family and to many of the other growers at the loss of these barrels. Please forward this email to any known to you.

I will make sure our village now know your wines and I hope we shall open some bottles and drink to your harvest and to our separate skills - yours as farmers, and ours as men of the sea!!

With greetings from Beer

Elizabeth Molony


Thanks for the letter Elizabeth.

SB