HERE we go again, digging up the past and wondering where on Earth the time has gone…but there's no point in worrying because, as Old Blue Eyes told us..."That's life”.
Pleasingly, I've had some more feedback with regards to previous TRMs, starting with this email, from Brian Symmons.
"Hello Jeff. Last week's TRM brought back some memories of the war years. My father was an ARP Warden, and on the night mentioned by Old Pill Boy, he was patrolling the Rath, and, as he told us the next morning, he could see the bombs as if they were coming down the drive of one of houses towards him, so close, he instinctively ducked as they went over his head and down to Scotch Bay.
“Now he always maintained that they did not explode, and the craters were due to impact, and not explosion. Certainly, you might expect just one large crater had they all gone off. So the question is...was my dad right? Was any investigation ever made, or are the bombs still lurking in the mud of Scotch Bay?
“Does anyone know ?
“Incidentally, the bull terrier mentioned was white, large and boisterous, and I believe belonged to the Mitchell family.
“Hope these ramblings may be of interest."
Great stuff, many thanks Brian, I wonder if anyone will come back to us with answers on your dad's unexploded Scotch Bay bomb theory...if I'd known about that likelihood in my beach swimming days of the 1950s...maybe my carefree marine indulgences would've been tinged with even more excitement!
I also had comments re the old school photo, firstly from regular TRM follower, Gerry Thomas.
"Hi again Jeff…re that Central School pic. I didn't go to the Central until 1957 so, by then, I think all those in the photo would have left. Not sure who the teacher on the left is, could be Tommy Miller, because he took Games, but the teacher on the right is definitely Vivian Lewis. Again, not sure, but the boy standing by the teacher on the left looks very much like Mike (Tiger) Jones."
And Steve, Tiger’s son, also got in touch to confirm his dad's presence in the pic.
Thanks guys...and, as luck would have it, I've had this list of names given to me, Back row…L-R: Mr T Miller; M Jones; G Simmonds; W Andrew; P Higgings; Mr V Lewis.
Front row...L-R: R Hancock; J Davies; D Owans; R Bland; J Warren; B Davies; J Rimmer.
In TRM Trawler Corner this week is the Silver Crest LT46. A steel-sided drifter trawler, built in Selby in 1928. 100 tons. 86' long.
Originally named Larus LT 381, but became Silver Crest LT46 in July 1929.
She landed at Milford from April-June 1928; Feb-May 1930 to 1939, and from Feb 1947 to August 1951. Skipper R Utting.
In October 1939 she was requisitioned by the Admiralty and converted to a minesweeper, and, eventually, was broken up in Brugge, in November 1960.
Here's a snap of her.
This week's peep into the wartime memoirs of Old Pill Boy, includes his recollections of some of the town's well known ‘characters of the day’.
"In Milford, there were a few people not quite in control of their faculties.
“Is there a better way of explaining it?
“However, they were very happy, ribbed a bit, but if needing help in any way, the people of Milford would be there. They were characters in their own right, and I'm sure they will be well remembered with affection.
“When we had a callout in an air raid, it didn't take us long to get to the station, but I can't remember a time when one of these gentlemen…who, I might add, lived in Hakin, wasn't there before us. He was always immaculately dressed, white silk scarf, dark overcoat, and brown kid gloves, and his job was to look after the Wrens billeted in a building in front of the station yard.
“Another had a habit of keeping his beard very bristly, and if he caught you, he would rub his chin along your face…it was like coarse sandpaper.
“These two didn't get on very well, but the first, and smaller, could always fall back on his brother, The Lone Ranger. He was very adept at controlling traffic, and would stand on the crossing by Whicher & Jamieson in Charles Street.
“The locals, of course, ignored him, but I am sure some visitors found themselves at Milford Cemetery rather than Dale where they were hoping to go!"
We'll return to the Old Pill Boy some other time, in the meantime, here's a snap of the memorable Whicher & Jamieson store, which would have been taken some 30 years prior to Old Pill Boy's recollection.
Now for our teaser. Last week's answer was that the dates in question were BC, not AD, and on the ball were…Les Haynes, Eric Harries, Tricia Hawthorn, Elinor Jones, Joyce Layton, Gerry Thomas, Anne and Jets Llewellyn. Many thanks to all who got in touch.
Here's another...A grandfather, two fathers and two sons, went to the Torch cinema together, and everyone bought one ticket each. How many tickets did they buy in total?
Right, that's enough of my ramblings for another week, if you feel like getting in touch about anything TRM, you're more than welcome.
See you.
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