your comments
Annette Edwards Wrexham
On the picturesque St Cwfans island, on Anglesey, `Church in the bay` there is a gravestone for Frank Morley Gurney who drowned in July 1869. I've often visited this lovely place and always wondered about this young man, who was he; what about his family, and more importantly are there any relations around now that probably don’t even know that he existed? With a little research I have managed to discover the event that happened all those years ago, and a little more about the young man and his family.
The North Wales Chronicle August 7th 1869 Wreck of a Vessel and Loss of Life. “During a gale on Friday the Iron Barque Dalton (Capt. Towill ) bound from Valparasio to Liverpool with a cargo of wheat, copper ore, honey etc was driven out of her course and struck between 12 and 1 o` clock on the rocks near Trecastell in Anglesey. In getting to the boat to save themselves one of the crew was thrown into the water and drowned, and another received very serious injuries from falling to the deck while trying to reef the sails. The ship".
Wed Jun 24 12:26:30 2009
Graham Vine from Woking, Surrey
I read Mary Owens report of the grief felt by her family when HMS Conway broke up. I recall my own sadness when I heard the news although I cannot claim as intimate a knowledge of her as Mary's kin. Conway featured prominently in the view from my bedroom window, on the top floor at 14 Menai View Terrace, and one of her officers was the father of my friend Alistair Wood who lived further along the terrace. During one, wartime, school holiday, it was arranged for several of us boys - all members of the 3rd City of Bangor Sea Scouts - to be given a conducted tour of Conway by Alistair's dad whilst all the cadets were away.
We all met on Bangor pier-head and boarded Conway's tender for the ship. The tender's crew were quite fearsome to behold. They were all Chinese and none of them were clothed from the waist up. This displayed, in their full glory, the numerous bodily mutilations they had sustained during their earlier careers - prior to capture by the Royal Navy! - as pirates on the China Seas ! Huge scars, missing fingers, ears and noses were everywhere. None of them seemed to have escaped the effects of fighting with cutlasses. Despite their fearsome appearance, they were very friendly and treated us boys like little princes whilst we were aboard.
For most of us it was the first time we had ever trod the decks of a man of war and it was, altogether, a most fascinating visit, quite eclipsing my own later visit to HMS Victory. So Conway will always have a very special place for me.
Web team: Read more memories of HMS Conway from the Old Conways reunion.
Wed Feb 18 10:44:52 2009
Mary Owens from Bangor
My grandfather Harry Butler was the "chippy" on H.M.S. Conway and, with my father, watched broken hearted as she broke up. My family have pictures taken by my father of that sad day.
Tue Aug 5 14:09:21 2008
Gill Hughes, Sheffield
Does anyone have any stories about my great grandfather Captain Daniel Mc Neil from Aberdaron and his family? He was from Glasgow, a Master Mariner and married Jane Williams, the then blacksmith's daughter. They raised a family and built and lived in Bell Field (now Henfaes). He died in 1900.
Wed Mar 7 15:00:18 2007
Jonathan Varcoe from Brockenhurst
Does anyone know anything about Capt David Jenkins of the schooner Heart of Oak from, I think, Bangor, around 1848. He wrote love letters to an ancestor of mine in Pentewan, Cornwall. These letters were found hidden (from her father) in the upholstery of an old chair quite by chance. They are very well written and quite romantic. No long term relationship ensued, as he was unable to get return cargoes to Cornwall before he heard a rumour that someone else was stealing her heart!
Thu Jan 11 09:39:46 2007
Prof. Peter Barrar from Conwy
I was with Blue Funnel in the 1960s, having joined Alfred Holts as an Engineer Cadet. I went to Birkenhead Tech, worked at Odyssey Works and I sailed aboard the Neleus to Australia, the Peleus to Japan and Autolycus to Borneo. I knew lots of others from North Wales, from HMS Conway and from Maesgerchen, Bangor. We called it the Welsh Navy back then and listening to your first programme brought lots of memories back. My eldest son who is 37 now heard former shipmates talking about places I have told him about over the years - but he never believed, including Boogie Street, now sadly gone. I will look forward to programme 2 and will forward the web address to old friends from my apprenticeship.
Mon Dec 26 18:59:41 2005
Haydn Evans from Criccieth
In answer to Iorweth from Blaenau, my grandfather Gruffudd John Ellis was also on the Miss Morris that day.There was a programme made for television about him.Could anyone help me in finding a copy of this programme?
Wed Dec 7 11:23:37 2005
Dave Percival. Llanynghenedl
The last big parade and service to the memory of the loss of the Thetis was the 60th in 1999. It was attended by as many of the relatives as could be contacted and a wreath was laid on the site by the Moelfre Lifeboat. The service was never anything to do with councillors and myself and other members of the Ynys Mon ex Submariners and organised the ceremony. The concensus of the relatives was that the 6oth should be the final one. Despite this the ceremony is still marked every year alternatly in Holyhead and Birkenhead. The Maritime Museum in Holyhead has a large collection of photos etc as does the RNA I have a large collection myself and anyone interest can give me a call.
Sun Dec 4 19:49:42 2005
Peter Roberts, Morpeth
I am searching for information on, pictures of, the Amwlch built PEARL which was once owned/skippered by my Great-grandfather Joseph Hughes of Connah's Quay in the 1890s. I believe she was wrecked at Red Wharf Bay.
Thu Nov 3 15:53:03 2005
Jean Baker, Menai Bridge
Prosiect Menai is a Community Heritage Trust working towards opening a bridges and local history heritage centre/museum on the waterfront in Menai Bridge. We are looking for personal stories/contacts with families connected with a) building Telford's Menai Suspension Bridge (1826) and Stephenson's Britannia Bridge (1852), also families of the seamen who sailed in the Davies family ships from Menai Bridge - grain was exported, wood and guano were imported and people emigrated from Menai Bridge in these ships to Ellis Island and Canada. Some of the ships were also built in Canada. The family shipping business activities dated from 1824 to 1870s-90s. Latterly they shipped coal from Swansea.
Fri Sep 23 08:05:27 2005
Leslie Roberts, Silver Spgs FL & Gananoque Ontari
Two worthy publications are (1) Anglesey and Llyn Shipwrecks by Ian Skidmore Published by Christopher Davies Swansea and (2) Ships and
Seamen of Anglesey by Aled Eames first published by The Anglesey Antiquarian Society then the National Maritime Museum.
Mon Jul 4 21:32:18 2005
Iorwerth r Ap Selwyn from Blaenau Ffestiniog
My maternal grandfather Rowland Williams ran away to sea as a sixteen year old (1906). He set sail from Porthmadog in a three masted schooner named Miss Morris. Miss Morris was sunk by a German U boat (U35) off the coast of Spain in 1916, and my grandfather was on board at the time of the sinking. A model of Miss Morris can be seen at the maritime museum, Porthmadog. There is also a video of its sinking at the martime museum.
Wed Jul 30 15:39:26 2003
