My sister, Kim Noble and I started Chatham Ivy in 2014 as a tribute to the Yankee spirit of our fun loving, preppy Dad, Dick Noble – known to his childhood friends in Milford, Connecticut as Brownie Noble. We started Chatham Ivy when he was in his fourth year battling cancer as a nostalgic look back at our lives in New England. Tragically, that year was the last year we got to share with him, but we have worked to keep his spirit alive through Chatham Ivy.
We never thought twice about our Dad’s quirky New England habits until we were adults. Growing up, our Dad taught us bawdy songs from his days at Fairfield Prep and Trinity College. He wore Nantucket reds, critter pants, rep ties, Sperry topsiders and penny loafers (no beef rolls, please). He played golf and tennis, sailed, skied, and loved our poorly behaved hunting dogs. He was thrifty and fixed things himself, sometimes with questionable results that became the stuff of Noble family legend. He taught us to work really hard, but enjoy life, take pride in our appearance without being vain, and keep our chins up in the face of adversity. He lit up a room without being boisterous and had class without being pretentious. Our Dad was an old school New Englander who never tried to be a prep, he just was.
We hope you enjoy Chatham Ivy as much as we do. We’re so happy you can join us in celebrating our Dad and the joyous spirit of all things New England.
- Katie Noble
Richard Brown Noble, Jr. 1935 – 2014
The anchor heaves, the ship swings free,
The sails swell full. To sea, to sea!
- Thomas Lovell Beddoes