Retired Section Swansea Docks

Hi Ivor

I came across your site by chance whilst searching for a reference to my great uncle's Victoria Cross at Brecon Museum. Having just visited the Imperial War Museum last week with my daughter who is studying GCSE history, I wanted to show her some actual family history dating back to the first world war. I found what I was looking for on your web site - the Sgt. Ivor Rees listed in one of your photos. Many thanks for this. I intend to visit the museum myself around Bank Holiday  time.

I toured the rest of your visits out of interest as I am now a Welsh exile. I had been involved in the early days in establishing Big Pit as a museum and haven't been back for years. You all seem to have a great time being retired. I hope your social life continues. Have fun.

Best wishes

Wendy Hislop.

My work friend told me about this site he lives next door to Tommy Doel in Manselton, I worked on the docks for 4 years 1974-1978 as app/fitter/turner I was based in the fitting shop with Stan Charlesworth and Basil/the fitter also Russell the turner, can’t remember name of man in charge of stoking the boiler but he always stunk. Next door was the boiler shop where Hardy would beat out all the metals and also put on a big drum of water on the forge to boil Stan’s lobsters which he had caught during the night around Gower.

Moving on to the coal hoists Tommy Doel  his brother Johnny and Dennis the menace Jeff Lye, Ron who was in charge of the washing machine Glyn the pipe that telephone box outside the shed, trading overalls for bottles of vodka off the
Russian ships even going for a good few beers over the Union Inn oh must not forget blackberry picking over the Queens dock anyway got to change a shackle on one of the grabs or was it change a piston  ring on one of the
dredgers all the best Stewart, ( the one who won a socket set  off Viv in the fork truck shop 1978 ) 

                                                            Mail to Phil Trotter Re the Tenby Castle   

Hi PhiL

            May have found the place where the Tenby Castle went aground. There were 2 Trawlers named Tenby Castle one built in 1898 and the other built in 1928, The one built in 1928 seems to be the one aground. Here is a news cutting of the event.  

 Messrs Peter Hancock's trawler "Tenby Castle", is dying hard.  Condemned to the breaker's yard she was being towed to Messrs T.W.Ward's basin at Briton Ferry when she was swept aground by a twenty five foot tide on Sunday morning, two miles from her destination, at the entrance of the river Neath.  Her towing tug tried to pull her off the bank later on Sunday but went aground herself and did not refloat until Monday.  With the tides dropping it is not expected that the "Tenby Castle" will be refloated until the next twenty foot tide on January 28th.

From the West Wales Guardian of Friday 8th January 1960:

 Thanks again for the photos. I worked at Swansea Docks for 21 years and with help from a number of people I am setting up a website on the various sections of the Port. At the moment concentrating on the Tugs from 1924 on.

All the Best,  Ivor Lewis.

Ivor,
Thanks for that – I’ve added the info to my site.Best wishes,

 Phil
 

Mail To Ted Finch,

                      Found your message regarding the Dredger Abertawe. She worked in my home town Swansea South Wales. Thought you may be interested in her details
.Last Name: SANTA TERESA (1972)
Propulsion: steam, triple expansion, twin screw, 8.5 knots
Launched: Thursday, 05 June 1947
Built: 1947
Ship Type: Dredger
Tonnage: 653 grt | 213 nrt
Length: 193 feet
Breadth: 41 feet
Draught: 10 feet
Owner History:
Great Western Railway Company
Status: Deleted from Register - 1987

Ivor Lewis

Reply from Ted Finch
 Ivor,

Thanks for your email and the link to your interesting site. Sorry I haven't replied earlier, but have been away for a fortnight. I have forwarded the details of the ABERTAWE to the original enquirer (which will make his day!)