The next season started about where we had finished the previous one, with the three boats at Gravelgate slipway doing their own thing but with my team at the bottom of the earnings league as usual.
On a night I was often moored alongside Queensbury and we got on quiet friendly terms often exchanging stories about our past. I told him of my adventures when I was a serving lifeboat and the miserable and embarrassing times I have had to suffer under Lil Cloud and Big Wessy.

Queensbury in turn told me of how she had worked as a passenger boat since her birth in 1934, what a wise old lady she turned out to be. She was named Queensbury by her first owners in respect for the Marquis of Queensbury who introduced the rules of boxing. It came to pass that whoever owned her also abided by the rules of fair play too. So it was fitting that she came into the ownership of Al Legory who despite my present owners allegations was well respected in the local community.

I knew that Al Legory had intended to buy a speedboat the previous year so I probed Queensbury about that, and what a terrible tale it proved to be, at Scarlington there had always been three speed boat licences though only two craft had been operated for the past 11years, by their respective owners Mr G Reedy who owned "Mad Lass", and Mr N Ozy and his partner Mr George Dixon who together owned "Top Speed". These three operators had also obtained between them the third license to block any competition.

Al Legory knew this, and applied in writing 3 years ago for the unused licence on the grounds that it was not being used for the purpose intended. Scarlinton Council who administered the licences wrote back and said, that until the present 5 year licensing period ran out things must stay as they were.

Queensbury explained to me, that shortly before that expiry date Al Legory  wrote again and his application was put before the relevant committee. His was the only application discussed at the meeting and so of course he was confident that he would be successful.

Imagine his surprise then, when he received a letter from Council Officer Billy Lair stating that the third licence would stay with the existing operators (presumably Messrs G,Reedy, N.Ozy and George Dixon). Al Legory of course accepted this as a truthful and democratic decision, and not being one for letting grass grow under his feet joined the crew of the Jolly Roger until he could source another boat of his own, which of course was Queen

What Queensbury told me next amazed and sickened me. It was proved later (too late as it happened for Al Legory as he had by then bought Queensbury) that the consideration of his speedboat application by Scarlington Council had been a complete sham.

The unused licence had not been awarded to the previous operators, as Billy Lair had stated in his letter to Al. It had in fact been given to a completely new operator, Mr Queue, who had not applied, or if he had, it was not discussed at the relevant meeting.

Mr Queue had never been mentioned in any correspondence or discussions on the speedboat issue, and appeared as if from nowhere.

From what Queensbury told me it was clear that Scarlington Council was a dodgy outfit quite happy to sidestep decency and democracy where ever it suited them, or their friends.

It was lucky for me that my owners seemed to be in with the "in crowd".

                                                                                                 Billy Inkwell Ashtray