Millionaire Mr Jack Hayward of Grand Bahamas,

who gave £150,000 to enable the National Trust to buy Lundy, visited the island for the first time.

He was given a great welcome by the islanders which rain and grey clouds could not diminish.

Mr and Mrs Jack Hayward, Mr and Mrs Charles Hayward, Mr Jeremy Thorpe, Mr and Mrs Peter Mills, Mr Gerald Whitmarsh, Lord Antrim and Mr John Smith all flew to Lundy by helicopter. Outside the door of the Marisco Tavern Mr Felix Gade presented Mr Hayward with an illuminated scroll. A leather bound volume of Lundy photographs bearing the insignia of the National Trust and the House of Commons was handed to Mr Hayward by Mr Thorpe. Later Mr Hayward hoisted the Union flag from a signal station on the cliffs overlooking the landing beach.

Asked why he had given the £150,000 to buy the island, Mr Hayward declared “I am getting fed up with seeing bits of Britain being given away to foreigners.” He added he considered it was a bargain.

Gazette article dated 11 July 1969