Roly Drower

[cheeky boy]

I knew Roly for a few years and he was the kind of guy there are too few of around

 

Witty, clever and offbeat he came at life from a different angle. One of those rare people who bring colour to a monochrome world

 

Difficult to be positive about him without being insulting about his adversaries

 

But I hope they're fucking happy now

[staaue]

Mannanagh mie as Roly gura mie ayd.

[Phildo]

A thoroughly decent, nice guy and gone far too early.

 

RIP.

[nigelstewart]

I've known Roly for about 40 years. I admired his adventurous spirit at school where I first met him. He was an outsider searching for the truth that education seemed to avoid providing us with.

 

On leaving school we went travelling in europe (Amsterdam etc.) and around UK.

 

Roly was always game for anything - a beautiful open mind, dry sense of humour, happy to plunge into cold water or sleep rough in a wet field, loved to get mucky with greasy motorbike parts strewn around his bedroom floor and cycling the length of the Thames.

 

We went our own way for a few years and then our friendship renewed itself, this time with Ann and Jake.

 

I loved the trip in Roly's narrow boat we all took last year - going nowhere slowly.

 

I loved his compositions and poetry.

 

Loving you and missing you Roly.

 

Nigel Stewart

[Snaipyr]

I'm glad I printed off all his Manxman stuff so I've got a permanent reminder of a unique individual and the shitty stuff/people he exposed. Bannaghtyn ort Roly.

[Celt]

I don't think I ever met Mr Drower, but feel after reading what has been posted here, I think i missed meeting someone who was abit special.

 

In this Modern life where everything is about Law, Litagation, who has the best Lawyer, who has more power, going against Government Policy, the Moral stand is very much forgoten and, most times, not a powerful enough a voice to be heard.

 

Yet we see a Man who has so much compasion to the Land that he loves, so much distaste to what he see's in his own country and, I believe, a will to make things better, i find it very distastful on how he was treated. Even though, it seems, his own Countrymen used the Law to suppress the Moral Standards which we all thought were the Basis of Law.

 

He stood up and was a voice and it seems to be a loud voice. However, the Isle of Man has a very good history of getting rid of people that go against the " Policy ".

 

Two people come to mind when i think of the " The Moral Stance " as apart from the Legal one.

 

Ghandi

 

Nelson Mandela

 

Whilst I'd say that Mr Drower will not go down in history like the above, his princibles and passion in what he believed in, could be judged as the same.

 

As long as you guys who knew him follow in his footsteps and carry on his beliefs, the the Isle of Man is not getting as bad as i thought.

 

 

To the " Elect " who read this, take note from a REAL MANXMAN, MR ROLY DROWER ,who could see beyond the wage packet and not for one moment think , like the English, that we're a bunch off Dimwits.

 

We're not and can see what happens.

 

God Bless to Mr Drower and my condolences to your Family.

 

I just wish there was more like him.

 

NewsNight, awesome post btw.

[matty]

A google for 'Roly Drower' reveals some of the following:-

 

Some history

 

More here

 

Even more here

 

If anyone has any pic's of Roly, or any further info , please email/pm me.

 

Cheers

[mollag]

I had the misfortune of never meeting Roly, i would have loved to have bought him a pint and had a chat.

 

When he named loadsa freemasons on his site, we considered it a badge of honour to be mentioned, and his witty descriptions of the employment of many was a hoot! [jumped up hall porter was his description of one of the top wallahs---brilliant]

I kid you not, many masons noses were out of joint for not being named

 

Miss manxman and Roly mucho

[steven !]

About 2 or 3 years ago I joined a rather sparse crowd at a wet and drizzley Tynwald Hill. We were all collectively gawping up at thems on The Hill. I suppose there is little more you can do at these occasions. Tynwald can be slow on a sunny day but on a wet one even worse.

 

In order to break the spell we were all apparently under, I put on my theatrical Manxie accent and probably a bit louder than was necessary, said to the bloke next to me "There's some crooks up on there, you know".

 

The bloke happened to be Roly. He looked back at me completely dead pan and wide eyed, paused for a second or two and with more than a hint of sarcasm, humouringly replied ". . . . nooooo".

 

It was at the time he was right in the thick of it all, and on the receiving end of a person who seemingly could not survive without a chosen nemesis. Anyway I was impressed at how he kept his demeanour and dignity throughout.

 

I was sat in the public gallery when the court dished out a coupla grand fine for not revealing his sources. I remember the Deemster, perhaps looking to play to the gallery, tried his hand at some 'court humour' but in all honesty, there was nothing much to laugh about.

[KrazyJak]

I only met Roly on a two or three occasions but I completely agree with what everyone has said. He was a gentle-man and will be sorely missed by all those close to him.

[manxy]

I spent hours at Roly's years ago trying to think up new music at the farm (If matty is the matty I am thinking of, then we spent a fair few hours round the kitchen table) and lusting after his bathroom decoration (hope it goes to a good home).

 

I remember one day nipping down to Port Soderick to go fishing early morning low tide, and on the far right, at the furthest most rock, a lone figure poised like a cormorant patiently waiting; I watched slightly bemused for a good 15 minutes, then gone..into the sea....Roly. I recall the childish grin when he told me he had named a song 'Drowning Zoe' on the Pigs like cheese album (I had an ex called Zoe, so he knew it would cheer me up).

 

If they have the tinterweb in the sky, sorry I didn't catch up with you as much as I maybe could have. Rest in peace mate, nobody will be taking anything more from you now.

Is there somewhere/link where you can see his poems?

[Pat Ayres]

http://manxman.com/fringe/index.html

 

Some downloadable stuff there, should lead to other sites.

[matty]

Roland Paul Drower died suddenly on 12th May aged 54 years.

 

Much loved son of Denys and Angela, brother of Annabel and Jill,

and partner of Anne.

 

A funeral will be held for family and close friends at the Douglas

Borough Crematorium, at 2pm on Friday 30th May.

 

All his friends will be welcome after the funeral at the Max,

King Edward Bay Golf Club, Groudle Road, Onchan,

from 3.30pm onwards

 

Family flowers only.

 

Donations to Amnesty International, Human Rights Action Centre,

1275 New Inn Yard, London. EC2A 3EA.

 

 

 

I have been asked to pass on heartfelt thanks from Roly's family and Anne for the kind comments on this thread.

[Boudicca&Co]

Dearest Roly. God, that photo brings back memories.

 

Hi Matty, I just heard about this via Karl, who told me on Facebook. Hard to take in, isn't it? He was so damn young. My next book (due out this autumn) absolutely reeks of him, you know - kind of ironic, I had been planning to send him a copy. Exorcised for good. Now for real.

 

What will happen to his work, both music and text? There should be a publication/website devoted to it. I have the odd CD, and perhaps his Charioteer text, somewhere. He never had much ambition for himself.

 

There was a piece of music he wrote at Ballacreggan to accompany one of my Boudicca poems. It would be wonderful to run that to ground. But since he never named his tracks properly, just random numbers it seemed to me, it will no doubt die with him.

 

I can't make the wake, being based in Warwickshire now and typically broke, as all the best poets are. But I'll be thinking of you all on Friday ... and of dearest Roly.

 

Jane (Holland)

[Smarty]

I knew roly for about 10 years, only the good die young, you will be missed mate. Sad condolences to all his family to ann and all his friends. RIP.