Greg, that's a beautiful painting!

Did you have someone professionally photograph and scan it? I have a Hugill painting that I don't think many have seen, and would love to share the image, but don't know how to go about it. The painting is titled "Blow, Boys, Blow!" Stan wrote on the back: "Shantying up the main t'gallant, on the raised midship section of the 4-masted Bark 'Garthpool,' led by the shantyman Stan Hugill, in the trades, Oct. 1929." Signed in his usual manner in Fall 1985.

In 1983 I was a volunteer at the Mystic Sea Music Festival; I was only 12 so I was mostly given gopher jobs. One job, along with Doug Allen's daughter Heather, was to roust Stan out of the Seaman's Inn several times a day and escort him to his next concert. Sometimes that took some doing, but he adored Heather and she could usually persuade him.

He was always kind, especially to children. We have a photo of him with a little girl who came to the festival in '85 or so; he's listening attentively as she tells him some story about a big fish.

He was intelligent, funny, adventurous, and one of the warmest people you would meet. Very approachable. I own copies of five of his books, and he graciously signed the four that I collected while he was alive. He loved women, and right up to the end was an incorrigible flirt. The last time I saw him, he snuck up and pinched my butt, then winked when I whirled around and caught him at it. Yikes!

His family is wonderful. I've met Bron, John and Martin several times and they are as warm and genuine as Stan was. Marvelous family.

Does anyone know if the woman who runs the S.S. Chanteens knows about this birthday shindig? It would be so cool if they could raise enough money to be there. When Martin and Penny came to Mystic a few years ago, Martin was really excited about them. He wished his father could have been there to see these dynamic kids carrying on the tradition. Stan would have loved them!

Kim