Where else would George celebrate his 90th birthday but his beloved common?
WHEN Vale resident George Domaille was asked by his family where he would like a party to celebrate his 90th birthday, his answer did not surprise anyone – L’Ancresse Common.
Mr Domaille is a former president of the L’Ancresse Commons Council, and as a result of his choice a picnic was arranged for the family next to the recreation area of the common.
‘I remember this as it was back in the 1930s,’ said Mr Domaille, as he sat watching young members of the family kicking a ball near the goalposts. ‘Before it was all gorse.
‘The parish is keeping this playing field in a good condition.’
A Vale man all his life, Mr Domaille served on the council for 42 years: ‘We couldn’t always do the work we wanted to because the States wasn’t giving us the grant,’ he said.
In the past the common was a place for both recreation and grazing of farm animals: ‘The grazing has more or less gone,’ said Mr Domaille.
He said he was not particularly impressed by some of the recent work that has taken place in the area: ‘The environmentalists will make a mess of it, but it’s in a reasonable state right now.’
Joining him for his celebration was four generations of Domailles, including his four children, 10 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.
Daughter Anne-Marie Domaille said that this was actually being treated as Mr Domaille’s ‘official’ birthday, since he is not really 90 until November.
‘But it’s always rotten weather then, so we decided to do a party now and he requested it on his beloved common.’
‘We’ll probably all go to the Pony in November,’ said Mr Domaille’s youngest son, Nick. ‘We all go for a carvery during the Tennerfest.’
