History
(This section is reproduced from a more complete document posted here by the Fowey Royal Regatta Committee).
There have been numerous regattas held in the estuary over the years including Lostwithiel, Lerryn, Golant, Bodinnick, Passage, Stevedores and of course Polruan. But the biggest is Fowey. Bodinnick and the Stevedore regattas no longer occur but all the others take place in differing forms and pride themselves as being different from Fowey.
In just over two hundred years Fowey Regatta has evolved from a one-day event held in association with Lostwithiel to the week long spectacle of today. In the early days it was a huge occasion and one-day holiday where spectators lined the shores and took to large numbers of small craft - always dressed in their best clothes. Rowing formed a large part of proceedings with pilot gigs and ships boats competing before progressing to more specialized rowing craft, club racing and now gig racing.
When sailing came to the fore it was for the large yachts of the wealthy gentlemen who attended a series of regattas along the South Coast from Cowes to Falmouth. Fowey was always considered to be high in the Regatta and social programme. In addition, large steamers and then motor yachts attended and for several years Fowey was graced with the famous 12 metre and J class yachts.
The Town regatta gained Royal status and once the Fowey Yacht Club was formed a second regatta day was held and some years later the Fowey Gallants Sailing Club added their regatta to make a third day. By this time the big boats had dwindled in numbers being replaced by more affordable yachts. After the second world war dinghies and the local Troy class rose in popularity. The Fowey River Class, with their brightly coloured sails, became the second Fowey class of significance - although through the years many different classes have been catered for.
In addition to the aquatic sports a range of shore-based events have come and gone with carnivals, processions and fireworks forming a large part of the proceedings. Singing, laughter and enjoyment have always been a big part and the main theme of fun remains today.
A possible fore runner to the regatta was the Fowey boat race held in September 1800 for two-oared boats and pilchard seine boats. One of the first known records of Fowey Regatta is 9 July 1819. In those days excursions by steamers from Plymouth and Falmouth added to the local supporters. On that day Captain Sadler's S.S Sir Francis Drake departed Millbay dock in Plymouth at 7.30 a.m. with 450 passengers. Apparently, it was a misty morning and views of the coast limited- arriving off Fowey at 1115. In the harbour there were half a dozen yachts all flying many flags as well as merchant ships. The passengers visited the church and walked around Place grounds before watching the rowing races. There were races for four-oared gigs used for pilots and four-oared ship's boats. There were also races for two-oared boats for both men and women with competitors from Gorran to Saltash. After watching the events the steamer returned to Plymouth getting back at 8.40 pm.
Then the town was bedecked with flowers and greenery decorations and guns were fired around the harbour in welcome during the mid 1830's when the regattas were held in mid-July. 'Johanna' won the silver cup in the Fowey Regatta sailing match of 1838 with the purse for four-oared gigs rowing match won by 'Fox' from the revenue cutter berthed in the harbour and the pair of oars purse by 'Goldfinch'. In 1839 the regatta was on 17 June some time before Falmouth's regatta in the first week of August.
In the mid-1840's the regatta was combined with Polruan and comprised rowing events. In later years sailing was introduced for large boats. In 1848, as with other years, the passengers brought to Fowey by the 'Sydney' from Falmouth and the 'Sir Francis Drake' from Plymouth amounted to some five hundred people who would stay for six or seven hours. They were welcomed and entertained and a party was held for dignitaries in the Ship hotel.
One of the traditions was to fire cannons along the racecourse in the harbour and also when passenger boats arrived and departed. This was a signal to report the progress of the boats to the large numbers of people watching. On one occasion, before the 1856 regatta, John Jago was killed when the Customs cannon he was firing exploded killing him.
The racing in those days was fiercely contested along with challenges by boat owners and advertised wagers. The Royal Western Yacht Club in Plymouth had a big part to play in the early days. In 1847 it was recorded that his Royal Highness Prince Albert would patronise the regatta to be held on 20 July. The 1850 regatta was under the patronage of The Prince Consort, the Honorable G.M. Fortescue, Sir Colman Rashleigh and others. The racing format remained the same with schooner boats accounting for most of the entries. 'Sir Francis Drake' brought another 300 passengers.
In 1857 it was recorded that the town was decorated with streamers and vegetation and arches and there were guns fired and music. After the morning races the committee and folk went to the Ship Inn for merriment. The racing of the day was largely ship's boats and gigs. The following year the event was advertised as the Fowey Rowing Regatta but in 1859 as the Fowey Royal Annual Regatta.
1860 saw the harbour full of yachts and craft bedecked in flags and all the vantage points full of folk who had travelled from afar for the celebrations. At this time the regatta, a one-day event, occurred in July. That year Captain Worth's vessel 'Hope' was the committee ship with courses set from the committee ship to the harbour mouth and back to Passage creek twice around. The whole day was taken up with the rowing races and there were no arrangements for sailing events. However Mr. William Rashleigh of Menabilly had announced the following year he would donate a cup and prize money for which the rowers competed.
The 1861 regatta recorded seven yachts dressed overall including Rev E.J. Treffry's 'Red Rover'. Whilst there appears that there were no sailing races their rowing boats did enter races. The steam ship 'Sir Walter Raleigh' entered the harbour to a salute from the 7th Battery (Polruan) of the Duke of Cornwall's Own Volunteer Artillery. Music on the day was by the band of the Fowey 3rd Battery Volunteer Artillery.
In the mid 1860's Fowey appeared not to have a regatta although one was held at Polruan. Fowey appeared too busy with the gas works and the bringing of the railway to the town. The Polruan and Fowey regatta of 1865 seemed to be one of the first for sailing craft but limited up to 16ft for boats of the port. Several collisions occurred that year resulting in quite a bit of damage. Races were promoted as matches. Combined regattas continued for a few years as the enthusiasm had waned somewhat.
Royalty arrived for the 1869 regatta when the Prince of Wales (Duke of Cornwall) attended and gave an annual donation of £10.The newspaper report that July recorded it as the Royal Fowey Regatta. By the 1870's additional sailing races were added to the programme including those craft up to 23 ft. 1875 and 1876 saw a class for sailing boats of up to 10 tons added with a silver cup and £3 prize for a 20-mile course. Rowing races still dominated the day's events whilst the band played music on board the committee ship. Regatta days were treated as a holiday and large numbers came to watch many via the newly opened railway.
Pilot gigs were raced with enthusiasm and in 1877 the Fowey gig 'Annie' of pilot Johns was first, second was 'Treffry' and third 'Dove' - both of Newquay. These gigs were brought to Fowey by train. There were also races for coastguard men in four-oared boats with teams competing from Par, Fowey and Charlestown.
H.M's brigs 'Sealark', 'Nautilus' and 'Pilot' attended the 1882 regatta and their crews, including the boy trainees, took part in the rowing races. As usual, a schooner was used as committee ship this being 'Mary Fanny' from South Wales. During the mid-1870's and into the 1880's two yachts 'Mabel' and 'Spinaway' were always in attendance to compete for the trophies and money prizes. Another tradition was introduced at this time of yachts racing to Fowey from either Plymouth or Falmouth on the day before the regatta.
1888 and the regatta was held in August for the first time. The following year there were races for bona-fide fishing boats of the port of Fowey using full working rig and with gear on board with 'Beatrice Annie' beating the F.M.C of Looe. This year was the first for races of Mosquito class boats.
As the event entered the next decade a fireworks display was undertaken for the first time from a sloop moored off Polruan. In 1891 a procession of illuminated craft went around the harbour before the fireworks and there was also a water carnival. Races were held between lifeboats from Polkerris/Fowey and Mevagissey with crews in full lifejackets and lifesaving gear on board. The Polkerris crew won.
The 'Jane Slade' was the committee ship in 1893, lent by her owner the Harbour master Captain J. Slade whose son Captain T. Slade was the master. This was the first year that the Fowey Town Band had played for the regatta and, as usual, on the committee ship.
In 1894 Fowey Yacht Club was formed and there was a race for the Fowey Yacht Club Cup for handicap boats exceeding 5 but not exceeding 25 rating. Prizes were plates of value 20, 10 and 3 guineas. 'Shulah' won on corrected time with 'Spinnaway' second and 'Kite' third. There were also races for under 5 ratings, those not exceeding 18 ft and one for craft not exceeding 16ft. The Mosquito craft also raced as well as the rowing and paddling races - including those for ladies. Swimming races completed the day's events. The commodore's cup and the Moore-Harper cups were added the following year to the trophy list.
The Firework display at the end of the event consisted of set piece depicting a yawl, the Cornish coat of arms and a "Goodnight" sign. Earlier in the procession of boats J. Hunt won the £5 prize for the best dressed boat with flowers and grasses.
The opening of the Fowey Yacht Club new bungalow club house near what was described as White House was a special part of the 1898 Royal regatta. The following year and the last for the 1800's guests were received at the club house for the first of the "at Home" events with music provided by the band of the Highlands Light Infantry ashore. Rowing races, somewhat less in number, followed the ever increasing sailing races.
The new century 's first regatta saw fresh wind preventing the passage races with races postponed for a day and festivities taking place over two days with a carnival and poorly attended dance being held. The practice of bands being afloat resumed the following year with the Royal Navy band assembled on a barge moored off the club house. During these years entertainment was provided by the Plymouth Amateur Swimming and Lifesaving Society with ornamental swimming and high diving which was watched by large numbers of people.
By now the event had evolved into two days with the Fowey Yacht Club Regatta being on the Wednesday and the Royal Fowey Regatta on the Thursday. These swapped around a few years later. Water polo had now been added to the event and the competition took place off Town Quay.
In May 1907 the Commodore of Fowey Yacht club received a letter with the news that His Majesty King Edward VII had been graciously pleased that the word Royal prefix the clubs name so on a foggy 15 August the first Royal Fowey Yacht Club regatta was held.
In 1908 controversy arose when the Fowey regattas dates had to be moved at short notice as the Plymouth regattas committee announced their dates as being the same. The new dates of 4 and 5 August were advertised, and objections raised on behalf of the club by Mr (later Sir) Arthur Quiller Couch. It was resolved that the organization for races the Y.R.A. would meet the following November to try and ensure there weren't clashes in the future.
In September 1911 Mr. Edward Atkinson lost his life in a boating accident between Looe and Fowey. He had been president of the regatta committee and commodore of the yacht club from 1894 but had participated in it and presented prizes for several years previously. That year three hundred dock workers had gone on strike in the morning marching through the town behind a band but joining in the festivities in the afternoon. The following year Major E. Treffry became president with Sir Arthur Quiller Couch as chairman. The swim from Mixtow to Town Quay, a distance of one mile, was now a regular event. By 1913 Sir Arthur was commodore of the yacht club. The regatta of this year was to be the last for a while because of the First World War. The 1914 events were cancelled late on. Regatta resumed in 1919 when a depleted fleet participated but the rowing and swimming races were well supported and Sir Charles Hanson MP taking on the president's role. It was only a one-day event combining the clubs and Polruan regattas. In the evening after the carnival a dance was held at the Armoury.
In 1920 the programme was extended to two days and supplemented with an athletics programme including tug of war between local community teams. The yachts club's "at home" afternoon was a welcome return.
1924 was a special year in that the famous sailing ship 'Cutty Sark' was towed to Fowey from Falmouth to act as committee ship dressed overall in the harbour
The 'Cutty Sark' owned by Captain Dowman was accompanied by his fine schooner yacht 'Lamorna'. This was the year that the Falmouth Sunbeam yachts competed for the first time with seven making the passage to Fowey. 18ft Jolly boats from Plymouth made the passage and competed in both regattas for the first time.
For the last few years of the1920's H.M.S. Dart, a fishery protection vessel, acted as committee ship whilst the harbour was as usual full of small craft with spectators.
1930 saw the regatta event held in September for the first time and a flying boat visited the harbour. For the first time races for the new Troy class were included - 'Shimmer' owned by Col. E. Treffry won the RFYC Regatta whilst 'Ruby' owned by A.H.Watty won the Royal Town Regatta.
International 14's and 8 metre yachts took part in 1931 and 'Jolie Brise' competed for the first time. ['Jolie Brise' won the first Fastnet Race in 1925 and is still actively racing in the 2020's]. There was a hope that the 12 metre class would attend in 1933 but their arrival was delayed and thus they missed the regatta. HMS 'Dart' was committee ship again. The Fowey fire brigade headed the carnival procession with the Bugle Prize Band. All the money collected from this and the "at home" event went to the Fowey Cottage Hospital.
The Falmouth working boat 'Victory' attended for the first time with Bertram West at the helm engaging in a duel with 'Veronique' - which she won.
In May 1935 an area in and around the swing ground was dredged enough to take nine J-class yachts. The "Big yachts" eventually came in June 1935 when an additional regatta programme was sailed. Two 12 metre and seven J-class yachts with the King's 'Britannia' and the ex-American challenger 'Endeavor' and 'Yankee' attended. The following year they made a £5 contribution to dues and costs of the regatta.
Two 12 metre yachts competed being 'Miquette' and 'Flica' and their race was over 15 miles with 'Miquette' winning by just over a minute. The yachts then went to Cowes to compete there. The annual regattas followed in the September as usual. The following year the Drake and Cooper one design classes of dinghies took part providing some exciting racing. The Drake class boats name all start with the word 'Red' with seven boats competing. The St. Mawes one designs, and Falmouth Sunbeams also competed bringing the number of boats to over one hundred. The event was now being advertised as Fowey Regatta week.
This was Toby West's first year at the helm of 'Victory' rigged then as a Bermudian cutter sailing in the handicap class as no other Falmouth working boats attended. Toby recalled in his book A-Sailing West some of the experiences sailing in Fowey's regatta week including being dismasted on the passage back and not getting into Falmouth until the following morning. Their handicap was adjusted harshly and on one occasion they were told they could race with the yachts but should keep well clear of them.
In the mid 1930's the Borough of Fowey Royal Regattas were held in early September a one-day event with both sailing and rowing races in the morning and afternoon and in 1939 athletics sports were held.
A separate event was held again in June 1936 with the new 'Endeavour' owned by Mr Tommy Sopwith attending. The first 'Endeavour' also raced along with 'Valsheda' and 'Astra'. The race was won by 'Endeavour', 'Valsheda' second and 'Shamrock' third. Three 12 metres raced being 'Marina', 'Flica' and 'Evaine'. All the boats then went down to Falmouth to race. Later that year the fifty-seven year old 'Britannia' was scuttled off Cowes following the wishes of the late King George V. Soon after this racing for these elegant yachts was over for good. This was the last of the special big boat regattas in Fowey.
Only three of the 12 metres that entered managed to race in in foggy conditions in 1938 'Evaine', 'Trivia' and 'Marina' finishing in that order. 'Flica' was in harbour but didn't race.
The 1939 regatta programmed for 28 August to 1 September was cancelled due to the international situation before World War Two.
After the war it didn't take long for the regatta festivities to resume, and Fowey's was the first regatta held from Monday 26 August in 1946. General F.A.M. Browning had become commodore of the Royal Fowey Yacht Club succeeding Sir Arthur Quiller Couch who had died. Alderman H. Chandler the mayor was president of the Royal Fowey regatta. 'Flica', now owned by the Dyer brothers of St. Austell and the owners of 'Sapphire', Troy number 7, attended taking part in the races and the passage races to and from Falmouth. Toby West was back but 'Victory' had changed her name to 'Royal Oak', her original name. Most of the classes of smaller craft were back together with the Dragon class and for the first time the 14ft Redwings and the 12ft National Class. A storm had delayed the start of the racing and the events for smaller craft were held on Saturday once their sunken or broken adrift craft had been recovered. H.M.S 'Fort York' acted as escort and committee ship for the week. The fireworks and carnival went ahead despite the changing weather. The carnival queen was Miss Jean Nankervis and the fairy queen was Nesta Grose who was elected by her fellow pupils - both crowned at Place.
The following year, 1947, another "big" yacht attended - the 12 metre 'Vanity' owned by Sir Hartley Shawcross, the attorney general.
H.M.S. Burghead Bay was the committee ship in 1948 and the Trinity House yacht 'Patricia' also graced the harbour. There were strong southeasterly winds and a rough sea prevented many craft from making the passage to the regatta week on Monday.
Whilst the sailing events continued as planned in 1949 the carnival and festive events ashore were cancelled at short notice due to an outbreak of infantile paralysis effecting five children in three days in the country. The attendance of the big yachts with their tall masts and huge sails started to fall away from this time but were replaced by even more smaller craft as more people began to enjoy sailing. Lt. General Sir Frederick Browning's motor yacht 'Fanny Rosa' was moored gaily bedecked in flags off the Royal Fowey Yacht Club and used as committee ship. The Gallants one design class was prominent for all the races.
H.M.S. 'Watchful' replaced the 'Fanny Rosa' (which had been sold) as committee ship. Barbara (T12) won the Troy class race for the RFYC trophy. By now eight Troys are competing in some good racing. The carnival was postponed from the Wednesday to the Saturday due to the bad weather. Prominent in the harbour for the following years regatta was the newly launched 'Jean D'Arc' beautifully built by Hunkins in Polruan and owned by Sir Frederick Browning. Another special attendee was the Dragon class 'Bluebottle' owned by Princess Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh. She was being sailed by Peter Scott a well-known helmsman and naturalist. This time H.M.S. 'Protector' was the committee ship. Mr. Ben Johnson, Fowey's eight-time national champion town crier, officiated at many of the events during the week.
Rowing was still a big part of the town regatta with as many as fifteen different races including now for randans. Five Airborne lifeboats raced having been transported from the R.A.F. station at St. Eval by lorry to Par where they were launched and then sailed to Fowey in 1947. They were named after colours.
In 1950 the entry fee for sailing races went up from 1/- to 2/-
1951 regatta again welcomed Princess Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh's Dragon class yacht, 'Bluebottle' sailed again by Peter Scott.
1954 was the first year that the event was held under the patronage of the Duke of Edinburgh and Uffa Fox, a famous yachtsman and boat designer, came from Torquay in his newly designed and built boat 'Jollity' in which he won several races. H.M.S. 'Orwell' was committee ship. Many boats capsized or broke masts in the fresh breeze especially on the Tuesday that week.
In 1954 the official souvenir programme had become larger with more advertisers and it covered the whole week highlighting each days events including the carnival and the grand torch light parade and dance at the Armoury. No longer did the Borough of Fowey appear in the title.
After the carnival in 1955, which had the best entries for many years, a torchlight procession took place from the railway station through the to the Armoury with over three hundred torches. A water carnival also took place after the well attended rowing watched by hundreds of people
This was the first year that enough Falmouth working boats came for their own race. 'Six Brothers' won the first race followed by 'Stella' and 'Memento'.
In June the following year a well-attended public meeting was held to ensure the Fowey Royal Regatta continued. It was decided that all the events held on the day would be under one committee and any funds raised would go to running the events. Previously the carnival had been separating the funds raised from it going to the cottage hospital or the regatta fund. In the absence of H.M.S 'Orwell' a tug was used a committee vessel for the first time. Hansome tin tankards were given as part of the prizes for winners of each race for both regattas. Members and youngsters of the Fowey Gallants club, founded in 1947 under the leadership of Wilfred Denaro, took part in boats called Fowey Gallants which were National Cadet dinghies - three of which had been built at the club.
1958 was the first year that the Fowey Harbour Commissioner's dredger 'Lantic Bay' was used as inside committee ship. She had been launched from Brazen Island in Polruan earlier in the year. Another first that year was the arrival of a six-foot long Cornish pasty given to three hundred children eagerly waiting. It was given by Mr. Vickers of the Toll Bar Restaurant. The Firework display at Brazen Island paid for by Mr. Allday ended the day.
The Fowey River class (based on the 15 foot Yachting World knockabout design and first built in Polruan in 1951 by Hunkins for local dentist Mr. E. Mogg 'Moggy') was taking part as a class in regatta week for the first time in 1959. 'Moggy' fittingly won the races their first year.
After several years of huge success there was an ongoing problem with raising enough finances and for volunteers to help and make collections. A public meeting was held in October of 1962 which was well attended and as a result volunteers came forward and new ideas were brought into action.
For quite a few years Mr. Allday (who had given the town the old Golf links which were renamed Allday Fields) paid for and organized firework displays.
The sailing races were frequently affected by the weather, as was the case in 1960, but the record entries managed to sail one day giving the Scorpion class from Porthpean Sailing Club their first regatta race. The rowing regatta was held on Thursday in better conditions where Mylor rowing club were the most successful. The tug 'Penleath' was used as committee vessel and Mr. T.B. Sullivan was the official in charge. Community singing was led by the Polruan and Troy Male Voice choir after the presentation of the trophies.
H.M.S. 'Venus', a naval frigate, was the committee ship in the harbour and the tug 'Canute' ran the morning races as outside harbour committee vessel in 1961.
After several years of absence the Royal navy provided H.M.S. 'Nurton' a coastal mine sweeper and tender to the aircraft carrier 'Ark Royal'. Some of the latter's officers and ratings manned her. The Senior Service passage race to Mevagissey, started the year previously held on the Sunday at the beginning of the week, was held in the harbour in rough conditions. In 1966 H.M.S. Aveley then started a run of a few years where she visited
for the regattas under the command of Lt. Commander Jan Liddicoat from Lostwithiel.
It was the first year that Allen Toms won a regatta race in his Troy 'Maid of Fowey'. For the first time also, the Fowey Gallants ran a regatta on the Thursday with prize giving in their club house in the evening. A format for future regatta weeks had now been established and the following year there were also races on the Friday with passage races to Plymouth and Falmouth on the Saturday. That year the entry fee for races went up from £1 to £2. The Chamber of commerce organised and put up coloured lights strung across the streets adding welcome colour after dark.
Rowing races were now taking part on the Saturday. The racing had become based around clubs and the following entered - Torpoint, Saltash, Cawsand, Tamar and Lyner together with Looe, Polruan, Par, Penryn, Greenbank and Mylor as well as the home team of Fowey. The races included a four-oared four mile challenge race won by Cawsand in 23 minutes 50 seconds.
1968 saw the first Fowey Town Band as they are known today - a tradition started by Jim Pierce & Titch Wellington. They march at the head of the carnival playing all the right notes but not necessarily in the right order with a lot of noise. Each year different themes of attire are worn.
In 1969 the first bathtub race was in the programme with a course from Albert Quay to Town Quay in bathtubs aided by floatation devices and organized by the Lankelly Rugby Club. Great fun was had by all and in later years this would become raft racing for various classes.
The same year the giant pasty was carried onto the Town Quay by eight members of the crew of H.M.S. Averly commanded by Lt. Commander Liddicoat escorted by the sea cadets and preceded by four trumpeters from Lostwithiel Town Band with the Mistress of the Pasty, Mrs Dorothy Hollaway, leading the procession.
A class for catamarans from Pentewan Sailing Club was in the 1970 programme with 'Cat-a-bat' winning. The tug 'Gribbin Head' had taken up the duties of outside committee ship for the morning races.
Mrs Dorothy Hollaway, who always cooked the giant pasty and was affectionately known as the Mistress of the Pasty, on her retirement in 1971 marching with Ben Johnson , the Town Crier, and then with the giant 6ft pasty weighing 2 cwt at the King of Prussia. The tradition of the pasty continues until present times. Over the years different people and companies have carried this out using their own secret Cornish recipes. After a period, the tradition migrated to Polruan where George the Bun and his team cooked it- then Tony Minall of Polruan Bakery. The meat was donated by Martyn Crowle the butcher and continued from the mid 1980's until the turn of the century when Proper Cornish pasty makers took over. The Fowey town band took on the duties of collecting it and conveying it over the harbour in or on various of the Harbour Commissioners craft. Originally landed at Town Quay it is now landed at Berryls and ceremonially marched through the town to the King of Prussia where, sometimes after mishaps, it is cut up and distributed to children and all.
In more recent years Quay bakery in Fowey have cooked the pasty.
After 'Gribbin Head' was sold in 1988 following an engine failure 'Pendennick' took over the duties with the starting/finishing guns mounted across the for'd bulwarks. The tradition of a tug being used as outside committee ship continued until the early 2000's when due to changing working practices and the need for tugs to be available for large ships their use ceased. 'Lantic Bay' continued to be used as the inside harbour committee ship until she was sold in in 2003 after a 45 year service.
After a wait of 53 years, the uncrowned carnival queen of Fowey, Winifred Finding, finally had her day. She was chosen as queen in 1939 but missed out on her crowning when war broke out. The crowning ceremony took place in the grounds of Fowey Hall Hotel by Rusty Eplett, chairman of the Regatta Committee. Mrs Finding is pictured with one of her attendants, Phylis Newton. Photographer: Jonathan Barker
The Royal Air Force display team, the Red Arrows, became a Fowey Regatta tradition and their appearances over the skies of Fowey attracted visitors from far and wide to see their displays - especially the low level cross over down at mast height over the harbour. Rusty Eplett persuaded the team to come and perform their display in the 1980's and for over 30 years the pilots enjoyed their flying over Fowey harbour. Displays over crowded areas are no longer permitted and the last display in the harbour was 2014. An attempt to have the
display outside the harbour was not popular as viewing was difficult and after one such event the displays have now stopped.
In 1987 Bluebird built in 1938 by Sir Malcom Campbell acted as the committee ship in the harbour having been at Brazen Island slipway yard for maintenance.
Crab catching, usually held on the Monday morning, is a popular children's event originally held off the quay wall and since 1988 on the Albert Quay pontoon. For many years Elaine Elliot and her team organised the event and the distribution of prizes for the most crabs caught
Last updated 15:06 on 27 March 2025