The Armchair Treasure Hunt Club
September Event 2003 - Treasure Island Sunday Lunch

Lunch is served

This year's September Event was a little bit different! Shaun 'Captain Smollett' Whitehead based the whole hunt around a fantastic Roast Sunday Lunch at Brooksby Hall, near Melton Mowbray in Leicestershire on Sunday 21 September 2003.

Over forty five club members and friends joined the Captain at the home of Squire Clive Trelawney and his crew: Mikey "Jim-lad" Smith, Dr Matt Livesey, Long John Perry and Alison - a (not so) common doxy to did them farewell before they set sail on the Hispaniola for Treasure Island. As the guest mingled with the crew, they collected trinkets which, once lunch was properly digested during a stroll among the fine gardens of Brooksby Hall - they used to deduce the location of three cultured pearls, buried in a 'sand map' of a treasure island.

All photos by Long John Nick Perry except where marked. Click the pictures to see bigger images.

	<	Squire Clive Trelawney, Long John Perry, Dr Matt Livesey, Alison, Captain Shaun Smollett and Mikey 'Jim-Lad' Smith outside Brooksby Hall, Melton Mowbray. (photographed by Brian Souter)
		Captain Shaun Smollett is a bit pensive before lunch...	>

	<	Mikey 'Jim-Lad' Smith - a fine lad, but one for telling tales - so guests beware!
		Alison plies her trade - no takers today?	>

	<	John and Nick discuss the perilous luncheon ahead.
		Captain Shaun discussed the morning with t'other captain - club captain Sandra.	>

	<	Yo ho ho and a bottle of... er... coke. Mikey will need a clear head for the afternoon.
		The Mainsail team haven't even decided on their starter before they are presented with Long John's puzzle.	>

	<	Nick's starter would taste so much better if Alison wasn't trying to confuse the Foresail team with tales from the docks.
		Squire Clive entertains the Mizzen team with tales of bravado and his skills with the musket.	>

	<	Back at the foresail, the team try to get the lie of the land for Jim Lad.
		John and Brian are trying to fathom the puzzles the crew are leaving for the guests.	>

	<	Alison takes the Doctor's potion, but Shirl doesn't think it will solver her ills.
		The squire moves to Jigger team - Vernon and Shirley earn a musket ball from Squire Clive.	>

	<	The rest of the Mizzen team have to restrain Martin - each time he says the word 'right' he earns the team a black spot - and Captain Shaun is keeping count.
		Brian, Martin and Peter trade portions of an what appears to be a treasure map.	>

	<	With lunch over, the Doctor takes to the garden in search of local flora for his medicinal potions.
		Jackie points out similarities between the map and the gardens to her team.	>

	<	The gardens of Brooksby Hall - home to the agricultural students of Brooksby & Melton College, provide a fabulous backdrop and an opportunity to work off lunch.	>

	<	Mikey 'Jim-Lad' Smith takes a walk in the park.
		The lake is home to a variety of fish.	>

	<	Does this fish-shaped lake match the one on the map?
		Jackie spots some pine trees in the distance.	>

	<	The Mainsail team still think the map ties in with the grounds of Brooksby Hall but don't quite understand how.
		The Squire and his guests.	>

	<	This odd steel contraption had everybody confused.
		The monkey puzzle.	>

	<	John and Brian in front of the Chapel.
		Back in the Hall, each team member takes it in turn (based on the roll of dice and the number of black spots earned) to have a stab at finding the treasure - quite literally. Lyn takes the knife and stabs the spot in a sand pit where she thinks the treasure lies.	>

	<	The Mizzen team are typically methodical as Deborah homes in on the area.
		Nick B comes oh-so close... he doesn't realise quite how close...	>

	<	...but, appropriately enough, its the only pirate here, Nick 'Long John' Perry who catches something on the blade of the knife - possibly more through luck than judgment. Photo taken by Nick Ball.
		A surprisingly large miniature cask containing three cultured pearls, is dug out from the sand.	>

	<	'Long John' Perry with his prize. Photo taken by Sandra Young.

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