Firstly I must apologise for any incorrect names/details which were included in last week's extract from Anthony Williams' book - the copy I had was a draft, and Anthony did say it might include a few errors.

This week I'm returning to the early days of Milford Docks -1888 - when the 'powers that be' still harboured a burning desire to see the town become a 'big player' in the Transatlantic Shipping world; despite all of the continuous knock-backs, and apathetic lack of interest being shown.

Inevitably, their dream of welcoming one of the major liners as the first ship to enter the docks, failed to materialise. That glorious occasion fell to the Hull trawler, Sybil, which, as the town's history books portray, sailed, majestically into Milford docks on September 27, 1888, under the leadership of Skipper Thomas James Wales.

There were no fireworks, no fanfare, nor mass hysteria to greet the 127 ton/98' ship (seen in the picture), whose name was derived from the mythological Greek prophetess Sibyl.

I suppose it was somewhat ironic that it turned out to be a fishing vessel that led the way to Milford's startling rise as a popular fishing port, and a slap in the face for the many who hadn't foreseen that happening and who'd openly detested such a thought.

Indeed, at a Dock shareholders' meeting on July 31,1890, Chairman Thomas Wood reportedly said.."That much derided and despised fish trade... has come in very opportunely for us, and yields us a very considerable amount of revenue. In short, I think I may say that it is more than paying the expenses at Milford... It is a trade we did not either cater for, or look forward to... but it helps to pay, and in fact does pay, the expenses of the Docks."

When the Sybil first landed, there were no suitable facilities or equipment available, and, of course, there were no buyers either, so it was down to the crew to off-load the fish, which were then sent by train, direct to Billingsgate Market in London.

The excellent quality of the fish was welcomed with high regard, and, very soon, word spread far and wide that there was a 'new kid on the block' in the fishing world, namely, the port of Milford Haven, which would one day be known as: 'Milford - the town where the fish comes from'..and lead the way into a boom time -'when every day was a pay day.'

In 1890, there were 9500 tons of fish landed, and, just a few years after the Docks opened, having attracted trawler owners from ports all round the UK, there were 55 steam trawlers, and 200 sailing vessels fishing out of Milford.

The Sybil may have become a symbol of Milford's successful entry into the trawling stakes, but, apparently, a much less known fact is that it wasn't her debut in our waterways, she'd actually steamed into the neighbouring Neyland's fish market a month or so earlier, as this news cutting from the Pembrokeshire Herald and General Advertiser of August 17, 1888 suggests.

"INQUESTS: On Wednesday, the 8th inst, James Price Esq, Coroner for the Lower Division of Pembrokeshire, held an inquest at the South Wales Hotel, Neyland, ( see picture) touching the death of Thomas Browning. Deceased was mate on the steam trawler Sybil , and is supposed to have fallen off the fish stage in going aboard his vessel about 11.30 pm on the night of the 6th last. The jury returned a verdict of accidentally drowned."

This week's final snap is another well known, iconic pictorial recollection of those early, pre-ice factory days, when the desperately needed ice was imported from the Fjords of Norway.

Now for all our teasers..the answer to last week's poser (It goes in dry, it comes out wet, the longer it's in the stronger it gets) was... A TEABAG. And those enjoying their cuppa are Kay Thynne, Joyce Layton, Les Haynes, Elinor Jones, Margaret Jones, Anne and Jets Llewellyn and Cynthia Edwards. Many thanks to all who had a go.

Here's this week's little grey cells stirrer. Where does today come before yesterday? As usual, closing time...noon on Friday.

I'll leave you with another proverbial platitude..Laugh and the world laughs with you. Snore and you sleep alone.

See you - keep safe.