That Reminds Me: Looking at Milford Haven's oil industry

Peter Walters got in touch re last week's sporty one: "Hi Jeff, reading your football story in That Reminds Me today, my grandfather Teddy Walters wasn't mentioned. I've got that photo and he was standing 8th from the left. Ned Walters was listed but I'm not sure which one he was. Of course, he was Mike Walters grandfather and Ted's brother.

“Also, in the rugby photo, my wife's grandfather is in the middle row on the left, sitting. Her great grandfather is standing on the extreme right, with beard."

Thanks for the additional gen, Pete.

And my old pal John Gillespie emailed this: "Hi Jeff, once again your TRM column has rekindled a memory that I had all but forgotten. I, too, remember playing in a hockey match when I was in the old Grammar School. Indeed it may have been the same one as you. I seem to remember it was a boys' football team against the girls' hockey team. I subsequently played a lot of football and rugby after leaving school, but that hockey match was the most dangerous I ever played!

“Another memory. Jack's Coffee Bar. I spent a lot of time there drinking Coke from a bottle with ice floating on the top. There was also some sort of gaming machine which took threepenny bits which I seem to remember. Jack had to get rid of it because it broke some gambling laws. Happy days."

Esso Warwickshire with Vince Davies. Picture: Jeff Dunn

Cheers John, it was indeed the same hockey brawl.

I've also had some feedback re the recent Milford Knight trawler TRM. I had a lovely phone call from Margaret Thompson, daughter-in-law of the trawler's skipper Harry Thompson, who was delighted to see his story included.

And Denis Payne emailed me: "Hi Jeff, I was interested in this week's TRM about Vincent Davies.

“He worked with us at Esso, as you may already know, and his working life before he came to us was so interesting and explains really why he spent all his time on the jetty, apart from shutdowns and turnarounds when he came inshore to assist on the plant with his skills. I attach a photo of him that appeared in the Esso magazine many years ago when he was a jetty operator. Sadly he passed away some time ago."

Many thanks to all who got in touch. Denis has prompted me to remind ourselves about the arrival of the oil age in Milford Haven.

Having decided that they needed a second refinery in the UK to add to the Fawley, Southampton one, Esso selected Milford Haven, the best deep-water harbour on the west coast, to be a most suitable outlet. And after 3 years building the refinery in Herbrandston, the installation was officially opened on November 3, 1960, by HRH The Duke of Edinburgh.

Many skilled workers were imported "from away" but not all, as Denis mentioned earlier. Local seamen, born and bred here, their background trawling. A pool of experienced local seamen right on hand to man the tugs, launches, the jetties, to provide for all the many needs of a busy oil port. Esso had tapped in to a town that boasted a history of 80 years of trawling.

Esso's first vessel, the tanker "Esso Portsmouth" caused a slight panic around the town when, on July 8, 1960, the day after it had arrived, it exploded and caught fire. Firefighting tugs were quickly on the scene.

I distinctly remember the explosion, it shook our council house in Pill, and roused me from my bed, my initial thought being that we were being bombed by the Russians!

As we know, more oil companies arrived on our shores to build on Milford's new image as West Wales' "oil city."

Esso Portsmouth. Picture: Jeff Dunn

But there were also those who were unhappy with the possible dangers they posed to the environment and those dissenting voices were raised every time there was an accidental oil spillage into our waterways and shores.

In fact, my good friend Peter Eaton recently sent me this: "Hi Jeff, an article a few weeks ago in the local paper mentioned the Sea Empress and I came across this old newspaper article that my daughters and friends wrote at the time. Thought you might like it."

Cheers, Pete.

The cutting included a letter from Hubberston Youth Club committee members Lisa Adams, Kate Eaton, Lisa Davies and Erica Eaton, showing their concern over the Sea Empress oil spill. They'd also included this verse: "Our beaches used to be lovely, with views which would impress,

But now it's all been ruined, by a boat called the Sea Empress.

No more sea life, no more birds, no more children can be heard.

No more swimming in the sea, making castles in the sand,

Because of this disaster, there's black oil where we stand.

Everyone's always used the beach, to swim or bathe or sail,

The people who did this to our seas should be put in jail.

Milford's been the centre of attention for a week,

But for all negative reasons like this really bad oil leak.

So now only black oil is seen, no nice clean dark blue sea,

No sandy coloured beaches where birds flew happily.

Now it's all been ruined, it's just a bad eyesore,

We always went down to the beach...... we can't go anymore."

Sea Empress. Picture: Jeff Dunn

Today's other two photos are of the Esso Portsmouth and the Sea Empress.

That's your lot for now, I'll leave you with another of those pearls of wisdom. This from Aldous Huxley: "The secret of genius is to carry the spirit of the child into old age, which means never losing your enthusiasm."

Take care, please stay safe.