.JPG)
NORRARD STAR M44
[See also foot of page.]
Official No: 300156 Port Number and Year: 6th in Milford, 1956
Description: Steel side trawler; single screw motor vessel.
Crew: 6 men
Registered at Milford: 17 Nov 1956
Built: by R. S. Hayes, Pembroke Dock, in 1956. (Yard no. 505)
Tonnage: 167 gross 55.71 net
Length / breadth / depth (feet): 101 / 23.2 / 11.9
Engine: One vertical single acting reciprocating diesel; 4Cyl; 550 hp; 10 kts. H. Widdop & Co., Keighley.
Owners:
27 Nov 1956: Norrard Trawlers, Docks, Milford.
Manager: Alan George Packman, 'The Moorings', Steynton.
9 Feb 1957: White Fish Authority, Tilbury House, Petty France, London SW1
27 Jun 1968: Norrard Trawlers, Docks, Milford.
Landed at Milford: 22 Nov 1956 - Jun 1991
Skippers: Jack Chenery (1956 - 61); George Rowlands (1963); Arthur James (1969); Teddy Bowles (1970); James Manson (1973 - 76); Alex Simpson (1978); J. Rodgers (1978 - 80); Alfred James (1986)
Notes: The last middle water trawler sailing from the port with Milford crews.
Cert. Cancelled & Milford Registry Closed: c. 1992
Accidents and Incidents:
West Wales Guardian of Friday 23rd November 1956:From the
FIRST TRAWLER ON TRIALS
"Norrard Star" Sails from Pembroke Dock
The "Norrard Star", first trawler ever built at Pembroke Dock, excited a great deal of interest and favourable comments as she sailed from her builders' yard (Messrs. R. S. Hayes, Ltd.) for trials this week.
The vessel, which was launched by Mrs. Ingram, wife of Mr. Fred Ingram, D.C.M., managing director of the owners (Messrs. Norrard Trawling Co., Milford Haven), from No. 9 slipway, on July 10th, incorporates all the modern fishing aids and is believed to have given every satisfaction on her trials.
"Everything A1 - couldn't be better," was the Thursday morning comment of Mr. Alan Packman when asked about the previous day's trials.
The "Norrard Star", which left the haven at 9 a.m. and returned in the early evening, steamed 20 miles outside the Heads and during a trial trawl landed a basket of assorted fish, first of which to slither on to the gleaming deck was a sole - a good omen!
A heartening feature for the crew and observers present was the fact that apart from spray the new trawler did not ship any seas. This did not prevent a mild epidemic of sea-sickness, however, some of the less-hardened "guests" feeling the effects as soon as the trawler reached the Heads.
Skipper Jack Chenery expressed his satisfaction at the result of the trials and is looking forward to tomorrow morning (Saturday), when the "Norrard Star" leaves on her maiden trip.
The chief engineer, Mr. W. J. "Billy" Chick, North Road, said on Thursday: "She is a grand sea ship. Trial speed averaged 10.3 knots and everything from the engine-room viewpoint was most satisfactory."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
From the West Wales Guardian of Friday 27th January 1961:
Skipper Jack Chenery signalled his return to sea after a couple of trips ashore by making not only the best return of the week in the Norrard Star, but the finest drifter voyage for over a year. In fact, his £1,500 for ten days is one of the best ever drifter trips from this port. His 146 kits included 4 kits of hake, 34 of ray, 24 of soles, 15 of plaice, 16 of lemon soles and 20 of whiting.
This the third £1,000 plus trip by the Norrard Star in 1961; in fact, in about 26 days she has landed over £3,700 worth of fish for Norrard Trawlers (Mr. Fred Ingram)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
From the West Wales Guardian of Friday 8th February 1963:
Mystery surrounds the disappearance of a young Milford Haven skipper, reported missing by his wife last weekend. The missing man, 31-year-old Skipper George Rowlands, Albion Street, was due to take the drifter Norrard Star to sea on Saturday. He failed to appear, and the owners, Norrard Trawlers, after searching for him, put the mate, Victor Welham in charge, and she sailed on Saturday.
Skipper Rowlands was last seen late on Friday, walking towards Milford Docks after leaving a local hotel. In his seafaring career he followed his father, Skipper Frank Rowlands.
From an unknown local newspaper (possibly the Western Mail) dated Thursday 4th April 1963:
SKIPPER'S BODY IN DOCKS
Tragic discovery solves mystery
The mystery of a missing Milford Haven skipper was solved tragically on Monday when his body was found floating in the docks. It was two months ago that 34 years old skipper George Rowlands vanished while returning to his trawler, Norrard Star, and an extensive search failed to reveal any clues.
He was last seen on the bitterly cold night of February 1st, walking in the direction of the docks, where the "Norrard Star" was berthed.
The following day, when the trawler was scheduled to sail, he was reported missing.
DIVERS
Divers were used to hunt beneath the surface of the docks. But after several days the search was called off.
Then, on Monday, Skipper George Matthias, of the Docks Company tug "Sidney Herbert", spotted the body floating in the dock, about 200 feet from the Fishmarket wall and 100 feet from the Ice Factory.
The body was recovered and taken to the mortuary.
The South Pembrokeshire Coroner, Mr. John F. Johnson, has been informed.
Skipper Rowlands was one of Milford's youngest and most promising skippers. He was married, with one child. He took to the sea at an early age and was skipper of the "Latania" in 1958.
A principal of Norrard Trawlers, Mr. F. W. Ingram, said yesterday: "We have lost a good young skipper who had a promising future."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
From the West Wales Guardian of Friday 24th January 1969:
STRANGE CATCH BY MILFORD TRAWLER
The Milford drifter trawler Norrard Star made a strange "catch" on Monday while fishing off Lundy Island, more than 20 miles off the north-west coast of Devon.
"We saw a big bird swimming slowly towards us, obviously exhausted," said Skipper Arthur James, 25, Hilton Avenue.
"As it got nearer we could see it was a goose. It made straight for us and we got it aboard. It couldn't fly, was quite tame and settled happily in a locker hungrily accepting food from us but refusing to come out on deck for the rest of the trip. When we returned to Milford she came ashore quite happily and followed us about on the docks."
A director of Norrard trawlers, Mr. Fred Ingram (who is also Vice-President of the Trawler Owners' Association) and Mrs. Ingram are now caring for the bird at their bungalow home at "The Limes", Pill Green. Bedded down in an outhouse, she remains quite friendly and unafraid.
The bird appears to be a greylag goose and it is thought she might have escaped from one of the Severn sanctuaries.
At least one of the crew of the Norrard Star took the goose as a good omen - the trawler returned with a prime [sic - catch?] from the Trevose grounds and made £2,265.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
L to R, back row: George Kerrison, David Bennett, Mate Billy Hawkins
Front row: Skipper Teddy 'Bantam' Bowles, Ch.Eng. Joe 'Nobby' Hughes, Stanley 'Yorkie' Farrow
John Stevenson Collection
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
From the West Wales Guardian of Friday 24th April 1970:
Two popular Milford brothers, both mates on our local trawlers, were put ashore ill this week. Mr. Billy Hawkins, Picton Close, Hakin, was landed at Milford from the Norrard Star, and Mr. Tommy L. Hawkins was put ashore from the Willing Boys.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
From The Irish Times of Wednesday 21st November 1973, p.17:
Trawler arrested off Wexford
The skipper of a British trawler is to appear before the District Court in Kilmacthomas, Co. Waterford today, charged with a breach of the Fishery limits.
The trawler, Norrard Star, from Milford Haven, was arrested yesterday by a fishery protection vessel, the L.E. Fola, near the Coningbeg lightship, off the south Wexford coast.
[The FOLA was the ex-British "Ton" Class coastal minesweeper HMS BLAXTON M1132.]
From the West Wales Guardian of Friday 23rd November 1973:
MILFORD TRAWLER ARREST
- THEN SURPRISE
The Norrard trawler "Norrard Star" was arrested by an Irish fishery patrol vessel off the Dunmore coast at about mid-day on Tuesday An armed guard was put on board and the vessel was escorted into Waterford.
The arrest took place off the Conningbeg and on Wednesday morning Skipper James Manson, who hails from Swansea, appeared in court at Waterford charged with illegally fishing inside Irish territorial waters.
He denied the charge, claiming that he was fishing outside the six mile limit according to the "base line" drawn under the 1960 Fishing Agreement.
He was fined £40 plus loss of gear and catch and was ordered to pay expenses, the trawler being held pending receipt of a cheque of around £3,000 from the owners, the Norrard Trawling Company, at Milford.
Within hours, Skipper Manson was informed that the sentence had been quashed because an error had been made about the limits - a Gilbertian twist to the whole situation.
...........
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
From the West Wales Guardian of Friday 30th January 1976:
MILFORD TRAWLER IN SALVAGE DRAMA
In a Force 10 gale on Thursday afternoon the Milford trawler Norrard Star successfully salvaged a Dutch tug and her dredger tow.
The sea drama took place off the south-east Irish coast. The Norrard Star, it is believed, may have been in Rosslare sheltering from severe weather when the powerful Dutch ocean tug sent out a May Day message that her steering was out of action. The tug was towing a bucket dredger from Belfast to Holland at the time.
Rosslare lifeboat was launched and rescued the tug's 16-man crew. Then the Milford trawler, in charge of Skipper Jim Manson with Mr. Brian Salter as mate, managed to get a tow-line aboard the tug in very difficult conditions and managed to tow both tug and dredger safely into Rosslare harbour.
"too bad to fish"
Mr Alan Packman, a director of the local trawler owners, Norrard Trawlers , told the Guardian on Thursday evening, "We have spoken on the telephone to the Harbourmaster at Rosslare and he was full of praise for the salvage job carried out by the Norrard Star. Weather conditions were very bad at the time, too bad for the trawler to fish. The tug and her dredger tow were on a leeshore. We were, of course, delighted to hear that our ship has carried out this wonderful salvage job and that everyone is safe and well."
The Norrard Star sailed from Milford last Saturday and is due to land at Milford next Wednesday
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
From the West Wales Guardian of Friday 6th January 1978:
"It's an ill wind ... " is the old proverb which proved cheerfully true this week for Skipper Affie James and the crew of the Milfod Haven trawler Bryher, hit by engine trouble (the cooling system) as they fished on the Tusker grounds.
With a gale increasing to force 9, the Milford fishermen called for assistance on Tuesday afternoon, after realising the necessary repairs, although minor, had to be carried out from the outside of the hull.
Their call was answered by another Norrard Trawlers vessel, the Norrard star (Skipper Alex Simpson), who broke off fishing to take the Bryher in tow. With the fierce wind in a favourable quarter it was decided to make for Milford, and the ships docked at their home port late that night.
The ill wind which had broken her scheuled trip proved to be a right prosperous start for the Bryher, whose 88 kits of prime fish sold for £5,340 in a week when supplies are at their scarcest. The Norrard Star landed 15 kits to gross £2,931.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
From the West Wales Guardian of Friday 16th June 1978:
Axe Falls On Milford Fishing
(Exclusive by Ethel Clark)
The axe which been poised over Milford Haven's fishing industry finally fell on Thursday when Norrard Trawlers Ltd. announced that they are going into liquidation.
In an exclusive statement issued to the "Guardian" at 4 p.m. on Thursday, the directors of the firm announced that their five trawlers are ceasing operations. This means the end of Milford's fishing industry as a viable concern.
The Norrard vessels involved are the Bryher, Rosevear, Picton Sea Lion, Picton Sea Eagle and Norrard Star.
This means that Milford Haven is left with only two small trawlers, the Westerdale, owned by Mr. Bruno Linke and the Arthur Harvey, owned by two local tugmasters.
[ This decision was rescinded seven weeks later, on 4th August 1978.]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
From the West Wales Guardian of Friday 27th April 1979:
Trawler owner explains Fleetwood landings
Reports that Milford Haven fishmerchants are angry because local trawlers are landing their catches at Fleetwood have been refuted by the fishmerchants' official spokesman.
On behalf of the Fishmerchants' Association, their secretary, Mr. Hugh Kerr, said on Wednesday: "We must agree that the particular class of fish involved, in quantity, is not conducive to the trade at this port. We are aware that the local trawlers will be returning to their traditional grounds within a few days."
It is Milford's only remaining firm with more than one vessel, Norrard Trawlers Ltd., some of whose five vessels have been landing catches of "small" fish from Morecombe Bay at Fleetwood rather than bringing the supplies back to Milford. ..........
And the Norrard Trawlers Company makes no secret of the fact that it ships CAN earn several thousand pounds per catch by landing this kind of fish in Fleetwood. Last month their "flagship", the Picton Sea Eagle, netted a record £18,000 plus on one catch landed there. This week, she and the Norrard Star together grossed £18,350 by landing at the northern port.
By comparison, the Milford-owned trawler Andrew Wilson landed a nice catch at her home port on Wednesday and earned just £7,080.
..........
[The "small" fish mentioned above refers to coley and small codling.]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
From the West Wales Guardian of Friday 24th October 1980:
NEW BLOW MAY SIGNAL THE END OF MILFORD FISHING
A CRUCIAL new threat to the future viability of Milford Haven's fishing industry has arisen with the laying-up of the port's top-earning trawler, the PICTON SEA EAGLE.
The 110 ft. 22-year-old trawler has a suspected cracked engine block and is laid-up in Milford docks, along with two other Norrard Trawlers ships — the NORRARD STAR and the PICTON SEA LION.
A marine surveyor will inspect the EAGLE next week and on his findings will depend Norrard's decision about the future of the Company, which now has only two vessels operating — the BRYHER and ROSEVEAR.
Norrard Trawlers admit that the withdrawal of the EAGLE is a "bad blow". It is Norrard which has been the vital cog in Keeping Milford's fishing industry going in recent years and the whole future of fishing at the port is crucially linked with that of the Company.
............
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
From the West Wales Guardian of Friday 31st December 1982:
Milford Trawler Fleet On Stop
Following this week's rejection by trawlermen of a one per cent cut in their share of the catch, four ships belonging to Milford Haven's largest trawler firm are "on stop" and may never go to sea again.
Norrard Trawlers director Mr. Fred Ingram said on Thursday, "I cannot see the boats ever going back to sea again." The vessels ainvolved are the Norrard Star, Picton Sea Eagle, Bryher and Rosevear.
............
Soaring fuel costs now take up 37 per cent of a trawler's operating costs compared with the 10 per cent involved when the present agreement with the men was made whereby they get 36 per cent of the gross catch.
...........
[The dispute was settled on 13th January 1983, when the crews agreed to a 10 per cent pay cut on all catches up to £7,000.]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
From an undated copy of the Western Telegraph & Cymric Times of a Wednesday in March 1983:
A co-operative of Milford Haven fish merchants has bought Norrard's three remaining trawlers to give the industry in the port renewed hope. In a deal completed by 4 p.m. on Friday, the consortium bought the equity of the company for £200,000 and took over the running of the Norrard Star, Picton Sea Eagle and Bryher.
Norrard had been operating the trawler company in Milford since 1946, but now the directors, which include the President of the Trawler Owners' Association, Mr. Fred Ingram, have retired.
The chairman of the new co-operative, an amalgamation of fish merchants and smaller trawler owners, Mr. Roy Pettit of Ashley and Co., told the 'Telegraph', "The business will be run much as it was before, and we hope to get over the industry's problems."
The future of the fishing industry in Milford Haven came into question over Christmas, when the entire fleet was laid up by bad weather and spiralling fuel costs. The vessels returned to sea in the New Year, but then ran into more trouble when the trawler owners and the crew failed to reach agreement over the percentage share of the catch. Although Norrard put their four vessels up for sale a compromise was eventually reached with the twenty-five members of the crews.
Now, however, only three vessels remain in the fleet, following the sale of the Rosevear to a company in Lowestoft.
With the livelihood of 250 men, whose employment depended on the fishing industry, threatened by a firm offer for the other fishing trawlers from an East Coast company, the fish merchants decided to move in.
"There would have been no fishing industry left. We've always felt that the industry belonged in Milford, and we now hope that the situation will resolve itself," Mr. Pettit said. "We believe that we need seven or eight trawlers to service the ancillary plants and give the industry the necessary platform with which it could take off."
"There are five vessels now and we could probably do with more. We would hope to buy them and will try to earn enough money to do so," he added.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
From the West Wales Guardian of Friday 27th June 1985:
A Milford trawler returned to sea with a bomb disposal squad last night to detonate a large mine that it had caught in its nets two days ago.
The ten foot long cylindrical object that the crew of the Norrard Star dragged up 180 feet from the sea bed near the West Wales coast was identified as a British made aerial land mine containing 1,200 lbs of high explosives, the crew of the trawler not knowing its lethal contents.
Police sealed off the trawler and evacuated nearby offices on Milford docks when the vessel arrived to unload its catch of fish. A bomb disposal team from Plymouth examined the mine and told worried dock officials that the firing mechanism had been removed. Police kept onlookers away from the trawler and the vessel was due to sail late last night to dump the mine in international waters, where it will be detonated.
Skipper Mr Trevor Badcomb, of Grimsby, who has been in charge of the Norrard Star for two trips, said yesterday, "I was staggered when I was told what it was. It just looked like a long cylinder filled with concrete. We had it on board for two days and even drove wedges underneath to stop it rolling about the deck."
The trawler picked up the mine fourteen miles from the West Wales coast near an area previous used for dumping ammunition. Ministry of Defence officials from Pembroke Dock said later that the mine was of British origin and probably post-war.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
From the Western Telegraph & Cymric Times of Wednesday 5th November 1986:
Port Mourns Tragedy of Two Trawlermen
The fishing industry in Milford Haven has been plunged into mourning following the tragic deaths in Ireland of two of its most popular trawlermen.
Still reeling from the news of the death of Skipper Alfred James while boarding the Kinellan in Dun Laoghaire on Thursday, the industry was further stunned to learn that his shipmate for almost 15 years, Mr Hugh Picton, had been lost in similar circumstances while boarding the Gilmar just over 24 hours later in the same port.
Four of the Milford Haven fishing fleet, the Norrard Star, Bryher, Kinellan and Gilmar, had put into Dun Laoghaire to shelter from storms after fishing the Irish Sea.
At midday on Thursday, Captain James, of 23 Ramsey Drive, Milford Haven, and affectionately known as 'Jaffa', had been crossing from his own vessel Norrard Star to her sister ship Kinellan for a meal.
"He was going down a ladder on the Kinellan when either the ladder moved or he slipped and went into the water," Mr Ivan Harvey of Norrard Trawlers told the Telegraph.
TREATED
Two crewmen of the Kinellan, 41-year-old Tony James and William Hamilton, 43, and the bosun from the Norrard Star, Keith Leggett, all jumped into the water to try and save 55-year-old Mr James, but he was dead when they got him out of the water.
Mr James and Mr Hamilton were both treated in hospital for hypothermia but were later released.
With details of Mr James' death still filtering back to Milford Haven on Friday, the industry was hit with a second tragedy.
From The Irish Times of Thursday 29th January 1987, p.12:
Trawler deaths recalled
The death by drowning of two Welsh trawlermen whose vessels were moored in Dun Laoghaire Harbour sheltering from gales, was recalled at an inquest yesterday.
Hugh Picton (63), a crew member of Kinellan, and Alfred James (56), skipper of the Norrard Star, both with addresses at Milford Haven, south Wales, died when they fell off ladders into the sea in separate accidents on October 31st last.
The inquest in Dun Laoghaire heard that both men had gone ashore to a local pub with other crew members on the night of October 30th. On his return, Alfred James fell into the water just after midnight when he was using a ladder as a "stepping stone" from St. Michael's Wharf to the Kinellan trawler.
Rescue attempts failed.
The inquest heard that Hugh Picton returned to the same trawler at approximately 5 p.m. and fell from a ladder which had been lying on the wharf. He died on arrival at St. Michael's Hospital.
Garda Liam Kavanagh told the inquest that after a subsequent examination of the ladder on November 12th, he found two breaks, a section of one of the wooden rungs broken and a weak part on the frame.
The Dublin County Coroner, Dr. Bartley Sheehan said that while it may not be obligatory in a legal sense for the Harbour Authority to provide these facilities "proper harbouring is the business that they were set up to do and that implies there should be at least a minimum standard of safety."
Dr. Sheenan demanded an urgent investigation by the Board of Works.
[See GILMAR, also the related news story of Wednesday 20th May 1992, below.]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
From the Western Telegraph & Cymric Times of Wednesday 22nd October 1986:
Mystery of propeller may soon be solved
BY COLIN EAST
The mystery of an aircraft propeller picked up by a Milford Haven trawler last week may soon be solved.
The propeller, hauled on board the trawler Norrard Star — fishing ten miles south-east of the Smalls — was at first thought to have come from a helicopter.
But officials from the Pembrokeshire Aviation Group now believe it is from a Wellington bomber which went down in the area towards the end of the Second World War.
...............
The propeller — from a Pegasus engine used in Wellington bombers and Sunderland flying boats — was collected from Milford Docks by personnel from R.A.F. Brawdy on Friday.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
From the Western Telegraph & Cymric Times of Wednesday 12th March 1986:
Port Watch
by the Rev. Andrew Hackett
..............
Following reports of several weeks ago that the fishing licence for the Milford-based trawler Dawn Spray has been sold, she has since returned to trawling using the licence transferred from the Norrard Star. ..... [which] is undergoing major engine repairs.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
From the Fishing News of Friday 15th March 1991:
Lay-up looms for Milford company
The issuing of redundancy notices to 30 shore based workers at Milford Haven has raised fears that the port's oldest firm, Norrard and Southard Trawlers, will soon lay up its seven aging trawlers.
Ways are being sought out [sic] of financial difficulties facing the firm, which has been hit by shrinking quotas and soaring costs. But the problems of the trawler firm are seen as 'the tip of the iceberg' at the troubled Welsh port.
..................
The Milford Haven company is the remains of a once powerful fleet that made the Welsh harbour a top landing port 30 years ago.
.................
Meantime it appears inevitable that Norrard's seven vessels — Norrard Star, Bryher, Antigua, Anguilla, Kinellan, Gilmar and Dawn Spray — will be laid up until a solution to the present crisis is found.
[In May 1991, only the Kinellan and Gilmar were still fishing; the other vessels were laid up.]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
From the Pembrokeshire Telegraph & Cymric Times of Wednesday 18th March 1992:
Trawler fleet is sold to Ireland
BY JIM SMITH
Milford Haven's fleet of seven trawlers has been sold to Ireland and will leave the port shortly,
Even though the administrative receivers, Cork Gully — representing the creditors of the previous owning companies — refused to make any comments on the sale of the trawlers it is known they will shortly go to both Northern and Southern Ireland.
This follows the recent announcement by the government that decommissioning grants for the vessels will now be considered.
The trawlers include the Gilmar, which has been leased to the Milford Haven Port Authority and has been successful since returning to sea with its local crew. They have now been laid off.
The Gilmar, Kinellan, Dawn Spray, Norrard Star, Bryher, Antigua and Anguilla, were stopped from fishing last summer when the owning companies went into liquidation.
All the vessels have since been for sale and it was only the Gilmar which went back to sea — earning an estimated £1,000 a day.
..................
Port Authority manager, Mr. Mike Hyslop, said they were now hoping to encourage the new owners to operate the trawlers from Milford Docks and to, hopefully, employ local crews.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
From the Pembrokeshire Telegraph & Cymric Times of Wednesday 20th May 1992:
BRAVE TRAWLERMEN TO GET AWARDS AFTER FIVE YEARS
BY JIM SMITH
Two Milford Haven trawlermen who risked their lives trying to save their skipper from drowning are to receive bravery awards.
Bill Hamilton of haven Drive, Hakin, and Tony James of Cromwell Road, Milford Haven, who are both still fishermen, were crewmen on board the local trawler Norrard Star, sheltering in Dun Laoghaire harbour, Dublin, five years ago when Skipper Alfred James fell into the sea.
The award of a bronze medal and certificate to Tony James has been approved by a special committee in Dublin, including the Lord Mayors of Dublin and Cork and chairman of the Irish Red Cross Society.
................
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
From the Pembrokeshire Telegraph & Cymric Times of Wednesday 3rd June 1992:
Attempts are being made to save a locally-built Milford haven trawler from the breaker's yard, for preservation by the town's museum.
The 101 feet long Norrard Star, built at Pembroke Dock in 1956, is one of a fleet of seven trawlers which have been offered for sale, following the financial collapse of the previous owners, Norrard and Southard Trawlers.
It is understood that the trawler could be bought for between £3,000 and £5,000.
............
The idea is to take the trawler out of the water, place it on a site near the museum and open it up to the public to show the working conditions of fishermen.
............
The Norrard Star was last used in June 1991 and is now being sold by the administrative receivers.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
From the Pembrokeshire Telegraph & Cymric Times of Wednesday 23rd December 1992:
The last Milford Haven trawler built locally for the port is being scrapped, despite all attempts to save and preserve the vessel for posterity.
...............
The idea was to spend £25,000-£30,000 refurbishing the vessel and placing it alongside the museum for visitors to see in decades to come.
But the money could not be raised and the trawler has now been sold for scrap, to be broken up at Castle Pill yard near Milford Docks.
...............
[This effectively marked the end of the history of Milford as a trawler port.]
.JPG)
Courtesy of Keith Morgan
Back to Trawlers 1940-88