Tower Hill Memorial Gardens

[Dafydd M Edwards]

Fellow Seafarers,

It was reported in last Sunday's Observer newspaper [ 9/10/11 ] that Tower Hamlets Council are proposing to allow a license for Christmas parties to take place on the Tower Hill Memorial Gardens for those merchant seamen who lost their lives in the two world wars and the Falklands Campaign.
I do not think that it is appropriate to hold drinking and dancing in such a hallowed area. I have writen objections to Tower Hamlet Council, my MP, the Prime Minister and to the War Graves Commission.
I hope you can all join me in not allowing such a sacrilege to take place.
Dafydd M Edwards

[Ivan Cloherty]

Fellow Seafarers,

It was reported in last Sunday's Observer newspaper [ 9/10/11 ] that Tower Hamlets Council are proposing to allow a license for Christmas parties to take place on the Tower Hill Memorial Gardens for those merchant seamen who lost their lives in the two world wars and the Falklands Campaign.
I do not think that it is appropriate to hold drinking and dancing in such a hallowed area. I have writen objections to Tower Hamlet Council, my MP, the Prime Minister and to the War Graves Commission.
I hope you can all join me in not allowing such a sacrilege to take place.
Dafydd M Edwards

Dafydd

Thank you for this but would respectfully suggest you read the post "make your blood boil" the situation has been resolved

Regards

Ivan

[Dafydd M Edwards]

Ivan,

It did indeed make my blood boil! I have just been informed by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission that the mayor of Tower Hamlets has vetoed the application.

BW

Dafydd

[happy daze john in oz]

Dear John Strange

Thank you for your recent enquiry regarding the use of Trinity Square Gardens for events. The booking in question will now not take place, please see the statement below from the Mayor of Tower Hamlets:

"Commenting on the Trinity Gardens proposals, Mayor Lutfur Rahman said, "Staging events in the Gardens was an idea put forward by Trinity House who have been working with the Council and the proposed event organisers so I am surprised by comments made this weekend. The Council do not wish to cause any offence to any of the parties involved. As it no longer has the support of Trinity House and the maritime community I have put a stop this event."

Your Sincerely

Arts and Events Team
Cultural Services
Tower Hamlets Council


Sir, I have today been reliably informed, that the local council has given permission to a bankers end of year party, to be held on Tower Green on the grounds surrounding the Merchant Navy Memorial.
As an ex British Merchant Seaman now residing in Melbourne Australia I am appalled to think that the council would even consider such a request.
The Merchant Navy Memorial and the Memorial Gardens are sacred to the memory of the more than 30,000 Merchant Seamen and Women who made the ultimate sacrifice during both world wars.
Had it not been for their sacrifice the UK may well have been a far different place today, a place where such events may not have been allowed.
These gardens are now considered to be hallowed ground, the only resting place for the spirit of these brave souls. Their resting place is the deep oceans, this is the only grave site family and friends can come to, to pay respects.
How would you like it if a party was held in the cemetery of your loved ones, drinking and dancing around the graves?
Such a end of year party would never be allowed to be held by the Cenotaph, or at the grave of the unknown soldier, so why at the Merchant Navy Memorial grounds?
I left the Uk many years ago for a better life, a life away from such moronic activities.
I consider this decision by your council to allow the grounds to be used in such a manner an insult to the memory of those brave souls.
I request that you reconsider your approval of the use of these grounds.

John Strange
Victoria
Australia
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[robpage]

I have one question on this subject , Who at Trinity House thought this one up ? and do they have the authority to offer the memorial garden as a venue ?

[Roger Dyer]

John (Happy Daze),

Having just read your email to Mayor Rahman I have one word to say,....Brilliant !!! You said it all buddy! and with great eloquence. Well done, mate. Silly Bu--ers, fancy thinking they could take us on

Rob (Page),

Like you, mate, I think Trinity House has a lot to answer for. I always thought they were the honourable guiding light, upholder of traditions and practices which we seaman could, and did, regard with great respect - silly me. In the last day or so information circulated on the internet suggests that as an organisation they, initially at least, were complicit in the arrangement for the Trinity Gardens site being used for improper purposes. Are Trinity House the custodians of the M.N. Memorial site I wonder ? if they are, then as an organisation they have caused irreparable damage to their credibilty as far as I am concerned. If that is not the case then what was their part in all this? Why on earth did 'Moving Venues' feel the need to seek their approval for the proposed Xmas parties prior to making appropriate application to the Tower Hamlets Council ?. Perhaps, a full and frank statement from Trinity House would disperse any existing doubt that might remain in the minds of some, including me (and you too, it seems). It may well be that their, seemingly injudicious, involvement in this matter was due to a misunderstanding, but until they issue a statement to that effect we will never know.


........regards, Roger.

[robpage]

My problem Roger is , after 23 years at sea and another 23 years in industry , when Events Company , Bankers , Corporate Hospitality , Local dignitaries are all in the same sentence , I start to smell that familiar smell of a brown Manilla envelope , whether it is full of cash or a free night's entertainment , I worked as a manager within the Co-op Group for my industrial life , and "A cheap pen or a calender were the limit of what you could accept . I just get suspicious , and my mind starts along the dark corridors of wondering , I expect everyone is above suspicion .
,

I would just love to see if one of the Elder brethren put his hand up and admitted letting the events company think that a memorial was a good place for a P*** up . I bet some of those old sailors will be weeping in their rum at the thought .

I know the Trinity House is commercially minded , I think a trip for 3 days on the Patricia is about the same as seven days with P & O cost wise ,

[Gulliver]

,

I would just love to see if one of the Elder brethren put his hand up and admitted letting the events company think that a memorial was a good place for a P*** up . I bet some of those old sailors will be weeping in their rum at the thought .

I know the Trinity House is commercially minded , I think a trip for 3 days on the Patricia is about the same as seven days with P & O cost wise ,

I heartily agree with those sentiments Rob.

The commercial interests of T.H. have been shown to take precedence ..It so often happens in life these days....
Big ,big mistake on their part.

Deeply saddened by this fiasco.

[Roger Dyer]

Bless you Rob................some may suggest you're a cynic, but not I, mate. It seems that Ivan Cloherty on the 'This will make your blood boil' thread is of the same view as we. For the purpose of consolidating our opinions and feelings about this whole sorry affair, it's a pity we were not able to place all our views and comments on one thread. Still, "Every little helps",said the fat lady, when she pee'd in the sea".

..........................................cheers, Roger.


P.S. Just noticed that Davey (Gulliver) feels the same way. Perhaps we could start a new sub-group? We only need three more and then we could call ourselves " The Malfeasant Seven"........( I bet you go and look that one up).

[alf corbyn]

perhaps trinity house are just dipping a toe in the water?. if there are no objections then the next step might be using it for other purposes followed by buildings etc. the world is full of greedy people. alf