HALLEY’S
COMET SOCIETY
ELEVENTH
ANNUAL MEETING
I first learned of the Halley’s Comet
Society in the June 27, 1983 issue of NEW YORKER Magazine. In a brief article, the seventh annual
meeting (1982) was described. Eventually,
I met Brian Harpur and a wonderful association began. I attended my first Society meeting aboard the H.M.S. Belfast on
the Thames in 1984. It was there I
first heard the official society anthem sung to the tune of the “Battle Hymn of
the Republic.” Patrick Ide, who had
been composing verses for the official Halley’s Comet Society Anthem for all
those years provided the musing entertainment (see the Halley’s Comet Watch
Newsletter, Vol. 3, No. 4, December, 1984 for the text). Mr. Ide did not have to provide a verse for
the 1985 meeting, as the Royal Gala and reception took the place of the regular
meeting.
It was, therefore, with special
anticipation that I attended the eleventh annual meeting of the Society on
November 13, 1986, immediately after the Memorialization Ceremony in Westminster
Abbey. The event took place in the
beautiful and historic Great Hall of the Institution of Civil Engineers on
Great George Street, only 150 yards from Westminster Abbey.
The special feature of this meeting
was the Barancourt Halley’s Comet Champagne reception and the announcement by
Brian Harpur that the Society would not end even though “our” comet of 1986 had
left us, but that a new logo, 2061 with the six in the form of a comet, would
be adopted and the Society would continue.
The announcement was met with the traditional British floor-tapping
approval and the shouts of “here!, here!”
The Earl of Rosse introduced some
special guests – and Ruth Freitag (of the Library of Congress) and I were
introduced as having traveled from the United States, to the acclamation of
all! Brian Harpur made some
presentations and then the Official Halley’s Comet Champagne was used for the
toast.
Patrick Ide was called upon for his
annual poetic tribute to the Comet. To
the tune of the Battle Hymn of the Republic he fulfilled his annual
assignment:
Au Revoir our most dear Comet
Three-score years and ten
You’ll be gone
What will the West End be like
When you come back from yon?
One thing is very certain
The Moustrap* will still be on!
Chorus: Glory, glory Mr. Halley (3x)
Your Comet’s hurtling on.
I’ve sung to you for eleven years,
It’s been a lot of fun.
But I must admit to some relief
That when this ditty’s done
I needn’t write another verse
Till 20 – 61!
*The
MOUSETRAP, the Agatha Christie mystery which is currently playing at the St.
Martin’s Theatre in London. It is in
its 34th year, the world’s longest-ever run for a theatrical
production. JL