THOMAS SINCLAIR

THOMAS SINCLAIR M24

Official No:    300155 Port Number and Year: 7th in Milford, 1956

Description: Motor vessel, single screw, wooden hull. Inshore class; pots and stern trawling.

Crew: 1 man

Registered at Milford: 27 Nov 1956

Built: 1956; Saundersfoot

Tonnage: 19.37 gross 9.7 net

Length / breadth / depth (feet): 37.7 / 13.2 / 6.2

Engine: 1 - One internal combustion; 4 Cyl, 40 Bhp, 7 kts. R.A. Lister, Dursley, Glos.

2 - Internal combustion direct acting; 6 Cyl, 72 Ihp, 10 kts.

Owners:

27 Nov 1956: Donald William Sinclair, Hakin Point, Milford.

15 Jan 1957: Donald William Sinclair, Hakin Point, Milford.                            ) Joint

                     Rees Evans, Ty Capel, Solva.                                                         ) owners

9 Aug 1957: John George Mynett Sinclair, Hakin.                                             ) Joint

                     Rees Evans, Ty Capel, Solva.                                                         ) owners

20 Jan 1958: John George Mynett Sinclair, Hakin.

23 Jul 1973: Harry Allday, Barmouth.                                                                ) Joint

                     Baran Allday, Barmouth.                                                               ) owners

7 Jan 1977: Michael William East, Barmouth.

Landed at Milford: 14 Jan 1958 - c.1985

Skippers: D.W. Sinclair (1956-7); J.G.M. Sinclair (1957-61); H. Allday (1973); M.W. East (1977).

Notes: 1963: Featured in the film Milford Fishermen, in command of Skipper Bob Foster. [See below.]
1985: Laid up; sold to Maurice Colclough for conversion to restaurant, as a "Spanish galleon". [See below.]
13 Jul 1987: Towed to Swansea Marina.

Cert. Cancelled & Milford Registry Closed: 13 Jan 1988.
18 Mar 1988: Registry reinstated.
11 Apr 1989: Registry closed

Accidents and Incidents:

From the West Wales Guardian of Friday 19th July 1957:

The lobster boat Thomas Sinclair, in charge of Mr Jack Sinclair, and Mr. Rees Evans of Solva, was one of the vessels which assisted in recovering the bodies of five bathers who were drowned in Tuesday's Barmouth tragedy. Also on board was Mr. Sinclair's nephew, Michael East, of Hakin Point.

[ Five bathers were drowned when swept out to sea. ]

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From the West Wales Guardian, possibly of Friday 16th January 1959:

HELICOPTER STOOD BY

Milford Lobster Boat Was Overdue

The 40ft. lobster boat Thomas Sinclair tied up alongside Hakin Point at 5 p.m. on Thursday, her one-man crew, 35-year-old Jack Sinclair, stepped ashore and thus ended 24 hours of anxiety, during which a helicopter searched the Pembrokeshire coast for the boat.

Mr. Sinclair, who lives at 6, Nubian Crescent, Hakin, left Barmouth, North Wales, on Tuesday after lobster fishing there since last spring. He was alone in the boat and put into Fishguard for the night. On Wednesday he telephoned to Milford to say he was leaving Fishguard at mid-day and should reach Milford about 5 p.m. that day.

He failed to arrive and on Thursday morning Coastguards were told that the boat was overdue and a search was started to try and trace her. It was ascertained that the Thomas Sinclair was last seen passing Strumble Head on Wednesday afternoon. Then she disappeared into the fog and no more was heard.

Anxiety increased at Milford Haven as the hours went by on Thursday. All ships in the locality were asked to keep a look-out, the St.Davids' lifeboat stood by and a helicopter from R.N.A.S. Brawdy searched the rugged coastline, still without trace.

Then just as the last rays of the sun lit up the sea watchers at Hakin Point spotted the Thomas Sinclair sailing up the haven. Other small boats went out to meet her and found Mr. Sinclair, her joint owner, quite unaware of the full-scale search which had been going on for him.

"NOT WORRIED - JUST LONELY"

He told a "Guardian" reporter: "After leaving Fishguard on Wednesday I ran into fog and snow showers and it got too dark to see. Then the engine developed a water cooling defect and I was unable to get into St.Davids. I tied up on a buoy somewhere off St.Davids and stayed there all night. I repaired the engine when daylight came and waited for the tide before carrying on across St.Brides Bay. I had plenty of food and blankets aboard and was not worried - just lonely."

Two years ago Mr. Sinclair was rescued by lifeboat from another lobster boat, the Westmark, which was driven ashore in a sudden severe gale off Barmouth.

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From the West Wales Guardian, possibly of Friday 17th January 1967:

FOUR RESCUED FROM BLAZING LAUNCH

MILFORD BOATMAN'S FINE EFFORT

Four men adrift in a blazing launch in Milford harbour on Saturday morning were saved by the prompt action and skilful seamanship of well-known Milford boatman Mr. Jack Sinclair, 6 Nubian Crescent.

In heavy seas and a high wind, Mr. Sinclair ... at considerable risk, manoeuvred his 40ft. fishing boat, the "Thomas Sinclair" alongside the diesel launch Eastmark and took off the coxswain and three passengers who were up on the bows ready to jump into the sea. He then managed to get a tow rope onto the stern of the burning boat which was being swept towards the rocks by the wind and undoubtedly saved her from becoming a total loss.

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From the West Wales Guardian of Friday 21st November 1969:

LIFEBOAT TOWS IN ONE-MAN TRAWLER

PANZERS ALERT IN NIGHT RESCUE

WELL-KNOWN MILFORD HAVEN INSHORE FISHERMAN, MR. JACK SINCLAIR, WAS RESCUED AND TOWED IN BY ANGLE LIFEBOAT ON FRIDAY AFTER HIS 40ft. "MINI" STERN TRAWLER, THE "THOMAS SINCLAIR", BROKE DOWN AND DRIFTED DANGEROUSLY CLOSE TO THE SOUTH PEMBROKESHIRE COAST. BRITISH AND GERMAN TROOPS TAKING PART IN NIGHT-FIRING EXERCISES ON THE MERRION AND CASTLEMARTIN TANK RANGES SPOTTED THE PLIGHT OF THE DISABLED BOAT.

Coastguards, a cliff rescue team and Army personnel with a searchlight stood by on the 100ft. high cliffs in case the Thomas Sinclair was driven ashore as the wind and tide carried her seven miles along the treacherous coast from St. Govan's Head to Crow Rock, just north of Linney Head.

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