The Flag Officers regret to inform you of the death of Ann English, who died peacefully, aged 85 on 17th July 2024, in Darent Valley Hospital.
Ann, along with her late husband, Denis, had been a member for over 50 years, first owning a Flying 15, Flying Fancy, before Denis joined the dragon fleet with Apple Pie II. In later years they bought Cochise, a 29 feet long Gravesend-built Apache cruiser. Cochise’s traditional style appealed to Ann and Denis, with the added bonus that it was fibreglass, despite looking wooden-built, and it handled like a dragon. Although she spent all these years on the water, Ann never learned to swim.
Older members will remember Ann, usually laden with bags, always in a hat or headscarf and a clipboard under her arm, trotting down the pontoon after Denis who would be puffing away on his pipe (it helped with assessing the wind direction, he always said).
Ann’s funeral will be held at 11am on Thursday 22nd August at St Mary’s Church, Horton Kirby, and anyone who remembers her is very welcome to attend.