# Milford Haven



## Jacktar1 (Jul 17, 2005)

Anyone from or familiar with Milford Haven ?



Cheers...Glan(K)


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## BarryJ (May 28, 2007)

Glan -

I know a bit about Milford, having been born and brought up there, and as the developer of the Milford Trawlers website.

But I'm not exactly bang up to date on modern Milford!

What did you want to know?

BarryJ


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## price (Feb 2, 2006)

Hello Glan;
I live in Manorbier now, but have lived in lots of different places in South Pembrokeshire over the years, I am quite familiar with Milford Haven.
Bruce.


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## Jacktar1 (Jul 17, 2005)

*Barry J & Bruce*

Many thanks for your response.......I have been reminiscing about the happy memories I have of Milford Haven way back in the 1950's and 1960's. In 1953 I was 2nd Mate on a naval armament vessel which was a regular visitor to the 'Mining Depot' at Milford. In 1955 I married and my late first wife had many relatives in Milford Haven, they lived in a small row of terraced houses just above the 'Kings Head' in Hakin. At that time we used to walk along a coastal path to Gelliswick, before Esso came along ! In 1961 I was offered employment with the Port Health Authority but decided to remain at sea and a few years later offered employment again, with BP at Angle Bay, I believe that that facility is now closed down. Barry, I found your Milford Trawlers website, what a great site. My wife's cousin's husband John Gapski of Nubian Cres, Hakin who served as Bosun on the 'Bryher' was mentioned when he was put ashore due to an injury sustained on board !
My last visit to Milford was I think in the late 1970's, whilst doing some RNR training on board HMS St David a coastal minesweeper, we docked and spent a Saturday night alongside, berthed on the Hakin side of the dock, with a pub close by, maybe one of you can remember the name ? Spent the evening drinking with John Gapski who was home at the time !
I left Swansea in 1980 for the Bahamas and since 1984 have lived in Florida due to my employment with a Miami based cruise line until 1999. Having lost my second wife suddenly in 2005 I am trying to get motivated to sort this place out and get back home this year, and hopefully will find it possible to visit Milford Haven before my time runs out ! Thanks Again....Cheers...Glan (Thumb)


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## Jacktar1 (Jul 17, 2005)

*Back Aga*

Touch of "oldtimers" I guess ! I forgot to ask if the 'Lord Nelson' is still going ???

Glan


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## BarryJ (May 28, 2007)

Glan -

We have a lot in common, it seems. I was sea-mad in the 1950s - a member of the local Sea Cadets, frequent visitor to warships in the dock, Breton fishing boats alongside the Mackerel Stage, and, by canoe, to merchant ships out in the harbour. I also went out with the TOA MFV tender to trawlers at anchor (can you imagine that happening today?), and did a trip on MILFORD KING with my uncle, Alfie Beckett, who was skipper. And there were always the ships being broken up at Ward's yard, when you could take off whatever you could carry for 2/6. I had the morse key off HMS TETCOTT, a brass azimuth ring off the Blue Flue SS GLAUCUS, and tins of lifeboat biscuits, heliograph kits, and a box of distress flares (hidden under a couple of yachting magazines) from other ships. Milford Haven in the 1950s was a really great place for a boy to grow up in.

Not surprisingly I went to sea as an RO (my eyesight wasn't good enough for deck officer), and sailed on OSWESTRY GRANGE and BARON INCHCAPE as a Marconi employee, before direct employment with Zim Israel.

In 1967, I got married, and my wife and I sailed on the original QUEEN ELIZABETH to New York, then flew down to Nassau, and on to Long Island where we taught for three years. The local W/T operator in Clarence Town let me send my own telegram to Nassau, after I told him I was an ex-RO, and could still send and receive morse. Well, that couldn't happen today either, even if W/T still existed.

The 'Lord Nelson' still exists, and has been renovated by new owners. The last time I was there was in 2001, but I'll be able to see what it looks like now when I visit it this coming Saturday, after the funeral of one of my uncles. 

Point Street was once full of pubs, and one of my uncles had a shop there. Much of the street was demolished when the docks were extended in the 1950s, but at least one pub remains there, probably the one you visited, though I'm not sure of the name ('Royal Oak'?) I did all my drinking in Charles Street, mainly at the 'Kitchener'.

Regards,
Barry


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