The Steam Boat Rally

The Steam Boat Association will be visiting the Milford Haven Waterway in August, and on the 14th, they will be coming up to Pembroke under the pilotage of the West Wales Maritime Heritage Society.

On July 27, I actually went up the Pembroke River on a steam boat and thoroughly enjoyed the experience - just hope the weather is as good as it was then. There were just two steam boats on that occasion: the SL Draculus from Aberystwyth owned by Joan, Paul and Amy Miller and the Sioux II from North Devon owned by John and Wendy Puddy. They were impressed: to quote from the Steam Boat Association's newsletter: "The experience of the Daugleddau is both memorable and not to be missed. The waters make excellent steaming, by using the tides fast passages maybe made, exploring the lost harbours is magical, it appears that every pub has a pontoon and serves excellent food, the people are friendly, the scenery is stunning and launching is easy and free. This was a reconnaissance trip for a proper rally next year and the outcome is that this event is not to be missed next year."

Said David James: "As secretary of the West Wales Maritime Heritage Society, I feel it is part of my role to foster links with other organisations such as the SBA. In doing so, we are helping others to enjoy our waterway and demonstrating our ability to organise events on the river. We hope that a spin off from this will lead to an increase in water borne tourism with benefits to businesses which are likely to capitalise on the increase in visitor numbers.

"It is a great shame that in order to enter Castle Pond one has to negotiate with PCC and this is a daunting and difficult task for individual boat owners. However, on an occasion such as this the council will cooperate to allow organised flotillas to enter."

David would also like to add that all boats are welcome to join in and they will be assembling at Crow Pool at 2.30 pm arriving at the south Quay at about 3.15 pm. Please contact David for sailing instructions on 01646 683764.

An Edwardian Occasion

The Pembroke Chamber of Trade has organised an Edwardian Day to coincide with the event, recognising the importance of steam power during this time. We have now changed our display in the shop window of the former Pretty Woman shop, next to Brown's Fish and Chip café to coincide with this. Our thanks to the Brown family permitting us to use this space.

The late Mrs. Connie Brown MBE, loved by us all, was born in the Edwardian Era and we have made a little exhibition about her life and times.

Born in 1907 in Orchard Gardens, she married Sid Brown who had come to Pembroke from Swansea in 1923 to work for his cousin Billy Brown at the Corn Store.

Connie told me: "My grandmother used to keep a pig in the cot - quite usual then - and Sid would deliver the meal. That's how we met".

And so began a Pembroke legend: they married in 1930, having first put off their wedding two years because Sid wanted to buy the fish and chip business at number 42 Main Street.

"It was just a take away business then," Connie told me - chips at a penny or halfpenny a bag and fish for tuppence or three halfpence a piece."

This proved so popular that in 1939 they moved the business across the road to the present premises.

"We opened a restaurant and served up a dinner of fish, chips, bread and butter - all for one and nine pence!"

The business carried on through the war Connie having to cope while Sid went off to war, joining the Air Force. She managed to open despite the rationing and serving rissoles of corned beef when fish was unavailable!

And so the business has carried on through three generations - her son Hilton and his wife Glenys and grandson Steve; surely this must be the longest running fish and chip business in the country!

A Pembroke Celebrity

"The proudest moment of my life," Connie told me "was receiving the MBE from the Queen. I just couldn't get over it, I never thought I would receive that."

Not one to rest on her laurels, Connie continued working and her birthdays became occasions to celebrate, including a kidnapping and on her 102nd birthday she was dressed up in leathers and went biking around Pembroke on the back of a three-wheeled chopper. This was followed by a spin in a red Ferrari sports car! I asked her what her secret was and she replied "its working that keeps me going! Goodness knows what I'll be doing next year, but I will, for certain, be serving fish and chips. I've no plans to retire."

God bless her - Pembroke isn't quite the same without her.

Contact

If you have any stories or photographs for this column, please contact me, Linda Asman, on 01646 622428, email [email protected]">[email protected] and visit our website http://www.pembrokeandmonktonhistory.org.uk">www.pembrokeandmonktonhistory.org.uk