I'll begin with some feedback from last week's TRM.
Barry Thynne rang to say that it brought back some wonderful, youthful memories of dancing to the Astorian Band in Milford's Masonic Hall.
St Ishmael's Gerald "Jets" Llewellyn got in touch to say how much he'd enjoyed it. On the other hand, "Binky Hucklebuck" was disappointed I hadn't mentioned my old school chum, Andrew "Chuffo" James, in his Don Wade days. Well, Binky, in a previous column I've already featured the fantastic tale of The Wayfarers, with Chuffo and the boys, highlighting how they'd taken the bull by the horns to seek fame and fortune in London; their personal memories of the adventure, and the fantastic reception they got when they returned home. Maybe one week, when the music next takes me, I'll give the story a replay.
Many thanks to all who got in touch.
This week I'm featuring a prequel to the recent memories I included about the inauguration of Milford Docks. They're from a 1950's Pembs feature on how the town was created, before the refineries arrived, and up to the laying of the foundation stone of the Docks in August 1864.
"There's more than a hint of romance in the tale of the growth of Milford Haven. A Welsh town, with an English population, a Norse name, planned by whalers from Nova Scotia and developed by deep sea fishermen.
The prime mover was the Hon. Charles Francis Greville, son of the Earl of Warwick, and nephew of Sir William Hamilton. The latter married Miss Barlow, of Colby, and so became the owner
of the Manors of Pill and Hubberston. Seeing the possibilities of the site and being given by his uncle power to develop the place, Greville got in touch with a colony of Quakers who had left Nantucket Island to make their home in Dartmouth, in Nova Scotia, but wanted to find better headquarters for getting rid of their sperm oil, which at that time, was used in lighting the streets of London.
The colonists were whale fishers and so the streets of Milford were laid out in parallel lines on the American system by fishermen.
Strangely enough, it was to the North Sea fishermen that it held the proud position as the foremost fishing port of the West. Until that time, Milford, for some thousand years, had been a mere
place of refuge en route to Ireland and Brittany. In the time of King Alfred, Hubba, the Norseman, wintered in the Haven, with 23 ships, and landed at Hubberston, which still bears his name. Three centuries later, King Henry II, with 400 ships, and again, later King John, with an even bigger fleet, sailed from the Haven to finish the victory over Ireland, which had been started by men of Pembroke.
Milford, in fact, often appears as the meeting place for men and ships for service in Ireland, and it was from here that the Earl of Essex and Sir John Perrot sailed to Ireland, to return in disgrace.
However, until the middle of the 18th century, there is no trace of a town or port here.
The situation of the town is exceptionally lovely, for it lies on a point of land sloping rather steeply towards the water, which almost encircles it, except in the north. To the South is the main haven, resembling a big lake, with calm blue waters. On the east is Castle Pill, and on the West Priory Pill and Goose Pill.
In 1800 the Dockyard of the then new port had the good fortune to be leased by the Government for 14 years. This was a time of great prosperity, when Louis Barallier looked after the construction of the old fashioned war frigates in what is now called the Old Dockyard, the cottages of which are now all that remain of an important naval industry, for in 1814 HM Dockyard was removed from Milford to Pater, now Pembroke Dock."
As I've already stated, that comes from a 1950's piece, bent on promoting Milford Haven as a worthwhile visiting place.
I know I may be biased... but it certainly sold me!
My first photo this week is a Gastineau print, published in 1805, showing Hubberston Pill as it was in 1780.
The second is of Milford Haven in 1860.
Nearly time to go, but I leave you with another of those wise sayings. Allegedly, this one comes from Yoko Ono: "We should do something that will make your heart dance once a day. If you can't do that because you're too depressed, then try to do something that will make somebody else's heart dance."
That's it. Take care, please stay safe.
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