BRENDA WILSON

From a local newspaper, probably the West Wales Guardian of Friday 9th October 1970:

Heartening news for Milford and the local fishing industry is Thursday's announcement by Hubert Jones (Trawlers Ltd.) that they have purchased two drifter trawlers from Fleetwood. The trawlers, Georgina Wilson and Brenda Wilson, have been brought from the north-western firm of James Wilson, and scratch crews leave today to bring them back to Milford. They are due to arrive on Sunday and fitting out and crewing will start immediately. Both trawlers are similar to the Irish-owned Ranworth Queen, which left this week for the first time under local management.

The Brenda Wilson, built in 1954 in Aberdeen, is 181 tons gross (65 net), and has a 400 h.p. engine.

Mr. Hubert Jones, principal of the firm, is a well-known Swansea businessman. He purchased the Sally McCabe some months ago when the East Briton Company at Milford went into liquidation, and the latest welcome additions to the local fleet are an indication of his confidence in the industry and the port. Local manager with the firm is Mr. Frank Squires, Murray Road.

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From the West Wales Guardian of Friday 5th April 1974:

With a triumphant "cock-a-doodle-do" on her siren the Milford Haven trawler Georgina Wilson sailed from the port at 11 a.m. on Thursday, the first ship to return to sea since the owners decided to lay-up the fleet a fortnight ago because of an economic crisis.

As she sailed, in charge of Skipper Tommy Smith, Hakin, the Fishermen's Union officials made it clear that her crew had returned to sea without accepting any pay-cut and will be paid under the existing wages and hours structures.

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SAME CREWS

The Georgina Wilson is one of three Milford trawlers owned by Swansea businessman Mr. Hubert Jones. Her sister ship, the Sally McCabe (Sk. Charlie Watts) sailed on Thursday afternoon's tide, and a third ship, the Brenda Wilson was due to sail this morning (Friday) with the fishermen's union chairman Mr. Vaughan in command.

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Meanwhile, with fish prices reaching their peak for the traditional Easter demand, eleven Milford trawlers remain tied up in dock.

[ The trawler owners had laid up their ships to put pressure on the Union for a pay cut while requesting the Government for a short-term subsidy to cover increased costs. ]

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From the West Wales Guardian of Friday 16th April 1976:

FISHMERCHANTS' CRISIS OFFER TO TRAWLER OWNERS

The word 'crisis' is not unknown to Milford Haven's Fishing Industry but this week it has taken on a harsh new reality with the news that the port's operational fleet is down to SEVEN.

This is the result of the decision of Hubert Jones Trawlers of Swansea to lay up two of their ships, the Brenda Wilson and the Georgina Wilson. A third, the Sally McCabe is to go to the scrapyard.

Another trawler, the Jade Star Glory [sic - see below] has been undergoing a refit for some months and was due to sail under the Jones flag.

This reduces Milford's catching power to seven ships, five owned and one managed by Norrard Trawlers, and one owned by Mitchell and Kerr.

This weeks crisis has been brought on by soaring running costs, particularly of fuel. Local owners have complained to the Government about over-fishing of the fishing grounds by foreign vessels and recently called for stricter conservation methods to include banning the use of beam trawls popular with Continental fishermen.

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[The reference to JADE STAR GLORY - CTL in Jan. 1974 - is presumably a mistake for JADE STAR GYPSY, which began landing at Milford in 1976.]

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From the West Wales Guardian of Friday 25th February 1977:

The 38 year old cook/deckhand on the Milford trawler "Brenda Wilson", Mr. Roy J. Thomas, collapsed and died whilst the ship was fishing in Cardigan Bay late on Wednesday.

Mr. Thomas, married with one son, lived at 76, Griffith John Street, Brynmelin, Swansea. He had been sailing in the crew of the "Brenda Wilson" for the last six months. The local manager for the owners Jones Trawlers, Mr. Frank Squires, said on Thursday that the "Brenda Wilson" only sailed from Milford on Wednesday morning in charge of Skipper Rees Evans. "They had just started fishing up in Cardigan Bay when Mr. Thomas collapsed and died without warning," he said.

Mr. Squires arranged for the trawler to put into Fishguard, the nearest port, to land the body late on Wednesday night. A post-mortem examination was due to be carried out at Haverfordwest on Thursday.

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From the West Wales Guardian of Friday 9th June 1978:

£100,000 BILL TO REFIT TRAWLERS?

How much will it cost Milford Haven businessman Mr. Peter Wright to put ready for sea the three trawlers he bought on Friday for £11,225?

This is burning question on Milford Docks this week following Mr. Wright's out-bidding of scrap dealers and other bidders from England, Scotland and Ireland at the auction of the trawlers Brenda Wilson, Georgina Wilson and the Jade Star Gipsy.

Two of the trawlers had been laid up since the collapse of the Swansea-based form of Hubert Jones Trawlers two months ago. The third had been "on the wall" awaiting repairs for some weeks before that. She is said to require a new £30,000 engine block before she can return to sea!

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