For the benefit of those who read this for the first time, here’s a short history of the origins, aims and objectives of the Mal de Mer Club.

In the early 1930s, W. H. Goold (Uncle Jimmy) was working in Plymouth as a Branch Manager for an Insurance Company. On one of his trips to Scilly he got into conversation with certain of the Island’s sportsmen and the subject of sport on the Islands was the topic for discussion. Opportunities for playing competitive sport on the Islands were limited so Uncle Jimmy offered to bring over a team of sportsmen who would play the Islanders at whatever game they chose.

In September 1932 the first party arrived and, with the exception of the war years, has been coming ever since.

Uncle Jimmy died in 1977 but the Island sportsmen from those early days remain very dear friends.

The objectives set by Uncle Jimmy from the first trip remain clear today – to encourage and foster sport and sportsmanship both on and off the field and particularly, in the Isles of Scilly, to encourage good fellowship with the Islanders, good feeling in its membership and a willingness to have a go when called upon.

A word of warning to new members, the Mal de Mer Club is not a democratic organisation, it is a benevolent junta comprising the President, Organizator and Director General with the opinions of the Treasurer thrown in for good measure.

Do not question its authority, we have lost too many good men at sea!

Qualifications for membership: