Sylvia Hayward and her late husband Mike first visited Herm in 1958 a few months after they had got married. Sylvia has just returned to the island for the first time since that holiday 49 years ago. Sadly her husband died 6 years ago so this time she has returned with two friends neither of whom has visited Herm before.
Mike was a very keen film-maker and when the couple were here did some filming around the island. Sylvia brought with her the cine footage which has been transferred to video tape and has given it to Adrian and Pennie Heyworth for the archives. The film shows the couple arriving by plane and then getting the open top boat across the Little Russel to Herm. The island looks quite bare of trees and the hotel considerably smaller. Sylvia remembers that hotel staff lived in bedrooms on the same corridor as guests and that they all shared the same bathroom – which had no lock on the door!
Sylvia’s memory has played tricks over the 49 years. She thought that the hotel was just round the corner from Rosaire Steps and she said that everything seems much further now. When she was here another hotel guest had recommended that she buy some perfume from the Herm shop. She bought some Miss Dior perfume and to this day the smell reminds her of Herm.
The week they were here in 1958 Major Wood was looking for someone to play the organ at the Sunday church service. Mike said to his young wife that as she played the piano then surely she would be able to play the organ. Sylvia did have a practice but said she wasn’t good enough to play during the service.
Mrs Hayward said that the island is more commercial than it was in 1958 but that it is necessary for the island to run as a business. Sylvia, who comes from Camberley in Surrey hopes to return to Herm again but this time won’t wait another forty-nine years!