James Myatt Memorial Trust


	Lt Colonel J.E.Myatt CVO. James Myatt was born on the 27th October 1931 and lived most of his early life at Leigh-on-Sea in Essex. He spent a lot of time with the 3rd Chalkwell Bay Sea Scouts and this fired his enthusiasm for the sea and showed him what offshore sailing can do to help young people towards maturity. He was later involved with 35th Westminster Sea Scouts based on Captain Scott's DISCOVERY, then moored on the Thames Embankment.. In 1960 he persuaded the Hon. Hugh Astor to enter his 100ft yacht NORDWIND in that year's Tall Ships race from Oslo to Ostend, it being the third race to be organised by the newly formed Sail Training Association (STA). As a young army officer in the early '60's he spent a great deal of his free time in advising and assisting in the setting up the first of the newly forming sail training schemes for young people. The Ocean Youth Club set up by Christopher Ellis and Christopher Courtauld as well as the London Sailing Project founded by Lord Amory (Derick Heathcoat-Amory). This was the start of the modern sail training movement which has grown considerably since 1960. In 1964 he recruited two crews of youngsters from all over Britain from as far afield as Stornoway and St Austell, was lent a 65ft yawl named TAWAU by Lord Boyd and took part in the race from Plymouth - Lisbon - Bermuda - New York and home. The first trans-Atlantic race to be run by the STA. On returning home he played a very large part in the commissioning of a new 180ft schooner for the STA, named SIR WINSTON CHURCHILL. He was chairman of the first 'Schooner Management Committee' which set up the operating procedures of the new ship and, two years later, her sister MALCOLM MILLER. Throughout this time he was also a Special Advisor to the newly formed Duke of Edinburgh's Award Scheme and an advisor to the Chief Scout. James, a highly respected yachtsman, was the first chairman of the RYA Yachtmaster Qualification Panel and a member of the 1977 Fastnet Disaster Inquiry. James's involvement in sail training for young people continued throughout the rest of his life. He would re-visit those early schemes from time to time if he felt that his experience would be helpful, whilst encouraging new schemes as they appeared. In the Army he became an instructor at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, then a Parachute Gunner and as a Major commanded a battery of 7th Parachute Regiment, Royal Horse Artillery. He was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel and commanded the Junior Tradesmen's Regiment at Troon. Shortly afterwards he retired from the Army. He had a very strong personality. Many people who met James for as short a time as just half an hour, remembered him clearly tens of years later. James then became the Chief Executive of the Royal Bath & West Show. He quickly realised that the Show owned a large area of land outside Shepton Mallet which was only in use for a few weeks each year. He advised his committee and then supervised the building of a large exhibition building and proceeded to ensure that it was in use for most of the year. His time in this job was a most important one for the Show and he instigated many very successful new arrangements. In mid 1982 he became unwell with severe back pains. This was eventually diagnosed as cancer of the pancreas at the end of that year. After that Christmas he became very unwell and three days before he died a special messenger delivered his CVO to his house. On the 14th February 1983 James died.