Hearsay 2 Meet Dominic Robb

Dominic Robb, single, actor, had moved to Dartmouth several years ago. Having made enough money to return to his favourite spot he could now potter on the river, read about history, look at books on religion now and again, and play the odd bit part in occasional TV series that came his way . It was all he seemed to want from life.

On a return trip from Totnes he heard Captain Steer telling passengers some of his stories.

"Where did that come from Barratt?"

" The passengers they like a bit of history, a good tale, it adds to the journey."

“A good tale? Yes. A bit of history? Wax moustache? I doubt it ?"

“Any more stories Captain?” asked another passenger.

“Sure. Christopher Robin’s swan, or the ghost of Sir Walter Raleigh?” Captain Steer winked at Dominic.

“Sir Walter Raleigh it is then”

For the rest of the journey Dominic listened and developed an idea of his own. Or more precisely he put his own thespian polish onto Captain Steer’s tales. He made a few headline notes when he got home . Where better to start than with Raleigh, and of course Gilbert .

“What better place to act it out than on Compton Castle herself.” He set to with relish .

'Sir Humphrey Gilbert of Compton Castle and Sir Walter Raleigh were half brothers. In 1571 Sir Humphrey became MP for Plymouth. In 1576 he wrote about his theory that a North West passage by water existed across America leading to the East Indies. In 1578 Queen Elizabeth1 gave him permission to sail in search of this route. He didn't succeed and returned minus a captain and a ship. In 1583 he started out again on another expedition with Raleigh. But, two days after leaving Plymouth, the ‘Barke Raleigh’ turned home due to illness. The rest pressed on Gilbert in the ‘Delight’ with the ‘Golden Hinde’, the ‘Swallow’ and the tiny ‘Squirrel’, 120, 40, 40 and 10 tonnes respectively. They arrived at St John's Newfoundland on the 3rd August. Then the ‘Swallow’ returned home with a sick crew. On the 29th the ‘Delight’ shipwrecked and a hundred lives were lost. Time was running out. In Sir Humphrey’s own words, "The wings of man's life are plumed with the feathers of death." He was aboard the ‘Squirrel’ which encountered heavy weather. The ‘Golden Hinde’ survived to bring the news of Sir Humphrey Gilbert's death, He had last been seen on September 9th on deck reading a book and was heard to say, “We are as near to heaven by sea as by land.” That evening the boat sank. Winston Churchill in his History of the English-Speaking Peoples said "The first great English pioneer of the West had gone to his death."'

He read through it crossing much out. “It’s interesting history but a bit heavy for a boat trip”, he reflected, then made more notes.

' Wax tosh , teddy bear, parrot , bit of carpet, head to tuck under arm, song-walked the bloody tower-was it about Walt? Raleigh knighted 1585. John Gilbert ( Humph’s eldest son) goes with uncle Walt on Guiana voyage 1595. Brings parrot for Liz?'

“Yes , that would be good. But where do I find it?”

A few minutes later he returned from rummaging the bookshelves.

“Mmmm, might use that. I’ll call it the Greenway Parrot.”

Then he wrote down the words, from the book he’d just found, noted that John Gilbert had presented Queen Elizabeth with a 'parakito' in April 1596 and then read the words out loud .

"He will eat all kinds of meat and nothing will hurt him except it be very salt. If you put him on the table at mealtimes he will make choice of his meat. He must be kept very warm and after he hath filled himself he will sit in a gentle woman's ruff all day. In the afternoon he will eat bread or oatmeal groats, drink water or claret wine; every night he is put in the cage and covered warm. My servant more at large will tell you all his conditions and qualities. Surely if he be well taught he will speak anything”.

The first rehearsal had taken place.

And that’s how it all came about. For a month or so each year from about 1955 and for several years he would put on a show aboard Compton Castle with a couple of colleagues and for no extra charge to the passengers. Those 'lucky' enough to pick the right excursion would be treated to ‘History Afloat; an enactment involving some famous people of the Dart'.

The company paid him a small retainer believing it increased passenger numbers. He was not in it for the money, although it gave him the chance to share his historic knowledge, and at the same time feel the thrill of live theatre as he trod the 'boards' once again.