Help needed to track down an official photo of HMS Mercury's 50th Anniversary

From:Diccon Murphy <[email protected]>

Subject: HMS Mercury 50th Anniversary Garden Party - Official Photo 

 

I am contacting you in the hope you can help me obtain a copy of the only photo ever taken that has both myself and my Father in Law in it.

In the Spring of 1991 I was appointed to HMS Mercury as a Pilot Holdover straight out of BRNC Dartmouth to assist in the organising of the Royal Garden Party to commemorate HMS Mercury's 50th Anniversary.  I was essentially a gofer and dogsbody but on the day was in charge of the Royal Car 'door openers'.  Due to the inclement weather the Official Photo was taken under the Portico entrance to Leydene House and included my then future Father in Law, Cdr Roe, and the very tips of my shoes as I was standing to one side off camera.  Unfortunately Cdr Roe passed away a couple of years later and before I met, courted and married his daughter.  The family had a copy of the photo but it has been mislaid over the years and several house moves but I am keen to replace it with another copy.

Details as far as I can remember are that it was the official photo to commemorate HM the Queen and Prince Philip attending a Royal Garden Party on the occasion of HMS Mercury's 50th Anniversary. That would have been at the very end of May or beginning of June 1991.

The picture was taken under the Portico of the entrance to Leydene House due to the lashing rain timed perfectly for the arrival of the Royal Couple.  The picture was essentially a couple of rows of the Captain and HoDs of HMS Mercury seated around the Queen and Prince Philip and was Black and White I think (the weather was so grim it could have been in colour but you wouldn't have guessed).

Anything you can do to put me in contact with one of your members or an archive that may hold a copy would be hugely appreciated as I want to surprise my wife with it as a present.  I will of course cover any subsequent costs and will happily request membership of the RNCA if that is appropriate, however as a WAFU feel I probably wouldn't qualify.

Yours Aye,

Diccon Murphy