‘A day to Remember’ by Ian Cannell CBE

Ian Cannell’s title, ‘A Day to Remember,’ gave us an evening to remember. The illustrated talk centred on Ian’s award ceremony to receive the CBE was particularly appropriate with our minds still focussed on Her Majesty’s sixtieth anniversary on the throne, marked here, in Peel, by the visit of His Royal Highness, Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall.

In a deliberately brief introduction, I referred to Ian’s work as Town Clerk for many years, commenting that the title should really be City Clerk, particularly as we have not just one cathedral bur two and his national and international role with the Royal British Legion. I could have added TT and Tynwald Day commentator and goodness knows what else!

Ian began by saying that he was born in Peel and this has always been his home. He regarded himself as part of Peel Heritage, as indeed he is. He then explained that he was going to talk about the honours system, how you get on it and referred to some of the Manx people recently honoured. His efforts to avoid an ‘ego trip’ left me feeling that I would have liked to know more about the work that had led to his award of first MBE and then CBE. He stressed that one did not use both titles, only the more senior one, commenting that despite his advice, Joey Dunlop’s memorial plaque, incorrectly, bears both! 

Anyone can send a letter recommending a person for inclusion in the honours list, setting out the reasons.  This should be accompanied by supporting letters from others and sent to the Lt Governor who chairs a small selection committee. Their recommendations are then forwarded to Downing Street and on to Her Majesty.

Ian outlined the process as far as the candidate was concerned and the arrangements for the day of investiture. At this point, we were treated to a DVD made by the palace, personalised for each recipient – a remarkable achievement in itself. It included the pomp and ceremony as well as the preparations behind the scenes, the arrival of guests and their progress through the palace, past wonderful works of art to the ballroom where the ceremony was to take place. We then saw the presentations along with comments rounding off a panoply of splendour yet, uniquely personal to each recipient. At its conclusion, our audience broke out into spontaneous applause.

After refreshments, Ian answered questions and we were able to see his awards, citations and photographs.

When it was time to make our usual small presentation to the speaker, I couldn’t resist the procedure we had just witnessed. Ian entered into this fully, bowing and shaking hands and retreating as he had before Prince Charles. A great sport rounding off a great evening with much amused applause!

Next event is Peel’s Secret Gardens on the 14th and 15th July. Admission programmes will be in the usual outlets and in the Market Place on the days.

“Queen of the Mountain”……Carolynn Sells

Most of us know how difficult it is to attend a job interview, speaking about your accomplishments without appearing boastful or self-congratulatory. Somehow, Carolynn Sells succeeded in talking about her remarkable motorcycle racing accomplishments in a modest, charming, entertaining yet modest manner. 

Tim Crookall, Chairman, made a splendid introduction, admitting that he’d made use of Google to assemble some key highlights. Carolynn’s sites are excellent and I cheerfully refer you to them, having dipped in myself.

Carolynn now lives in Lower Foxdale after several moves. She hailed from Preston, spending her childhood at race circuits with her family, her father being a keen racer, competing in circuits all over the UK. These trips doubled up as family holidays, sometimes with the children and luggage wedged in a sidecar hitched to a Norton ES2. This even took them to France. The bike was described as ‘unreliable’. My memory of many Norton’s of this period was their fondness for catching fire!

1985 was Carolynn’s father’s first MGP. She and her brother came over as well. In 1985 they moved here. Where else! 

Carolynn started racing just before her 27th birthday, at Jurby, having borrowed dad’s TZ250. By 2003, she obtained her National Licence allowing her to compete on TT course. Martin Bullock approached her and the rest is history!

A full list of Carolynn’s accomplishments are beyond the scope of this article but to give a flavour of her dedication to racing, include being the first woman to win a championship on the Island, highest finishing woman newcomer, 1st woman in top 10, 1st woman to win a race in the Southern 100 (2005), female lap record in 2008, success in Irish Road Races, won Lesley Anne Trophy for best performance by a female in MGP 2003 –9. Fastest lap of 113mph on Martin Bullock Racing CBR 600 holds 9 silver replicas for MGP and in 2009 became the first woman to win an MGP. The gamble of riding four laps, non stop, paid off and took many by surprise. Phew!

Just to balance all these successes, we were also shown spectacular crashes, including being helicoptered to hospital. She regrets being unable to remember the trip as her only experience of this form of flight!

In 2009, Carolynn made the cover of the MGP brochure and is in the Guinness Book of Records. Despite all this success and glamour, Carolynn showed us a photo’ of  her baby daughter as her greatest reward. To our relief, she has stopped racing but is still heavily involved in the sport, tutoring newcomers and travelling marshals.

The questions from the audience were well-informed and very entertaining. Not surprisingly, Carolynn and the audience were strongly in favour of keeping the MGP as close as possible to the present format. She also admitted that she would be very nervous if her daughter took up racing!

Our next meeting is at 7.30pm on Wednesday 20th June in Centenary Centre. – Ian Cannell MBE ‘A Day to Remember.’