The practice was taken over by Edwin Coe LLP in 2015.
Maggie Ramage joined them as a partner but after briefly acting as a consultant, Eric Ramage moved on acting of counsel elsewhere in the UK and EU.
The Heavy Haulage Arena, colloquially known as "The Play Pen" is where much of th action took place.
Maggie, the dogs and I normally spent up to 10 days in August living on site in our caravan or (latterly) in our motor home in the diesel heavy haulage section where we displayed and worked our 1952 Scammell Mountaineer for twenty years until the Great Dorset Steam Fair closed in 2022.
We started boating on the Wey Navigation in the 1980s and subsequently bought our first boat (a 25 foot ex day boat that was extended by Warble Narrow Boats to 50 feet). Then, in 1998 we commissioned Warble to build us a new 60 foot boat which was launched in 1999.
The original ARA dogs are no longer with us. Kirsty, Pandy and Fly all died in harness as ARA working collies. Gina retired when Edwin Coe took over the old practice and passed away shortly thereafter. Toby (inset) joined the team in 2019.
Back in the 90s when the internet was just taking off, before proper forums were established, GDSF had what was called a Message Board where those interested in GDSF could ask questions or leave messages. ("Will I need a rock hammer to get my tent pegs in" sort of thing) and it fairly rapidly became an on line meeting place for aficianados of GDSF. i coined the name Mebo Mechanic because we met up on the ME-ssage BO-ard were all MECHANICS (of varying ability). Some - but not all of us met annually at GDSF. In about 2002 or 2003 we arranged to meet on the Friday of the show in the Real Ale Tent ("the RAT"), wearing suitably printed Tee Shirts and it became an annual event thereafter.
I have been attempting to master the 5 string banjo since I was 14 and when i started exhibiting at GDSF I met the last Victorian entertainer, Dr Busker, who was a stalwart of GDSF.
Although I was never a full time member of any of Dr Busker's backing groups I was occasionally invited to join him in pub or club gigs or joined him for impromptu gigs at other steam rallies.
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