Some of those who got together at Gorey Common

IT WAS very much a family affair at Gorey Common recently when 110 members of the Labey family gathered for the first family picnic for 35 years.

All were decedents of John William Labey and his wife Eliza Blampied, and the group even included a couple – Mary Labey Renouf and her husband Eddie – who had travelled from New Zealand especially for the event.

Jane Labey Hocquard, one of the organisers of the event which was held on Sunday, said that her great-aunt Amy Labey had started the tradition more than 50 years ago, when the family would gather at Green Island or Long Beach at Grouville. Her mother, Bobby Labey, organised the last one at the Watersplash 35 years ago.

‘Although the total of 110 family members was a fantastic turn-out, if the whole family had managed to attend there would have been 248 – which isn’t bad from one couple!’ she said.

‘Our grateful thanks go to Andrew Labey and his team for erecting the marquee and to the Constable, Dan Murphy, for allowing us the use of the common.’

She added that the family was now hoping the picnic can become a bi-annual event.