sailorman
Well-Known Member
Pin Mill characters ….
some more watery memories of the
50’s from Mark Grimwade
How I joined the PMSC:- Hirta’s regular
crew numbered about 6, and it was our habit
to land at Woolverstone Pier and walk to the
Butt & Oyster. One night we were joined by
some 40+ members of the Ipswich Rugby
Club and, having been ejected from the Butt at
10pm by the then Landlord Bill ‘Pop’ Watts
(Pat Watt’s father) with the traditional cry of
“All the best people are now leaving”, we
started back, but noted the PMSC bar was still
open. As “Visiting Yachtsmen”, we all
trooped in. Ted Jillings and Tony Cowley
were on duty in the bar and Ted immediately
pulled down the shutter, explaining that it was
after hours; Tony pulled it up again on the
principle that it would be good for turnover.
Tony won. BUT, two days later I received a
stiff letter from the Hon.Sec.,Kingsley Ballard,
pointing out that some 50 “visiting
yachtsmen” from a mile up river was a bit of a
liberty. I replied, regretting my action and
stating that it was my intention to apply for
membership – and by return I received a
proposed and seconded application form
signed by Arthur Davies and Kingsley. I
joined!
Austin ‘Clarence’ Farrar owned and ran
Woolverstone Shipyard. He was concerned
about toredo worm attacking Woolverstone
Pier and said he had heard that an underwater
explosion would kill them – so he had ‘come
by’ a couple of dozen rusty ex-WWII hand
grenades. Pulling the pin, he dropped one
down each side of the pierhead.
WHOOMPH!! Muddy water and dead
mackerel arose. “That should have fixed the
worms at the bottom – I reckon the fuse is 12
seconds so if I pull the pin and count to 8
before dropping them, we should get the
waterline ones!” He pulled the rusty pin and
started counting, I started running! But over
half a century later, Woolverstone Pier still
stands (Note: Austin ‘Clarence’ Farrar: An
Eye for Innovation, a biography by David
Chivers, was published in 2007 by Bosun
Publications. ISBN: 0-9554243-4-8 and 978-
0-9554243-4-2. It’s a very worthwhile read,
covering the incredibly inventive life of an
amazing gentleman – in every sense).
Pop Watts, on handing over the Butt to his son
Pat, took over as Steward at the RHYC (in its
Nissen hut days, when its bar counter was the
superb one we now enjoy at the PMSC – it
originally came from Lloyds Bank). Pop
enjoyed many a good night there and towards
the end of one of them he managed to put an
egg sandwich in the till whilst trying to eat the
small change.
some more watery memories of the
50’s from Mark Grimwade
How I joined the PMSC:- Hirta’s regular
crew numbered about 6, and it was our habit
to land at Woolverstone Pier and walk to the
Butt & Oyster. One night we were joined by
some 40+ members of the Ipswich Rugby
Club and, having been ejected from the Butt at
10pm by the then Landlord Bill ‘Pop’ Watts
(Pat Watt’s father) with the traditional cry of
“All the best people are now leaving”, we
started back, but noted the PMSC bar was still
open. As “Visiting Yachtsmen”, we all
trooped in. Ted Jillings and Tony Cowley
were on duty in the bar and Ted immediately
pulled down the shutter, explaining that it was
after hours; Tony pulled it up again on the
principle that it would be good for turnover.
Tony won. BUT, two days later I received a
stiff letter from the Hon.Sec.,Kingsley Ballard,
pointing out that some 50 “visiting
yachtsmen” from a mile up river was a bit of a
liberty. I replied, regretting my action and
stating that it was my intention to apply for
membership – and by return I received a
proposed and seconded application form
signed by Arthur Davies and Kingsley. I
joined!
Austin ‘Clarence’ Farrar owned and ran
Woolverstone Shipyard. He was concerned
about toredo worm attacking Woolverstone
Pier and said he had heard that an underwater
explosion would kill them – so he had ‘come
by’ a couple of dozen rusty ex-WWII hand
grenades. Pulling the pin, he dropped one
down each side of the pierhead.
WHOOMPH!! Muddy water and dead
mackerel arose. “That should have fixed the
worms at the bottom – I reckon the fuse is 12
seconds so if I pull the pin and count to 8
before dropping them, we should get the
waterline ones!” He pulled the rusty pin and
started counting, I started running! But over
half a century later, Woolverstone Pier still
stands (Note: Austin ‘Clarence’ Farrar: An
Eye for Innovation, a biography by David
Chivers, was published in 2007 by Bosun
Publications. ISBN: 0-9554243-4-8 and 978-
0-9554243-4-2. It’s a very worthwhile read,
covering the incredibly inventive life of an
amazing gentleman – in every sense).
Pop Watts, on handing over the Butt to his son
Pat, took over as Steward at the RHYC (in its
Nissen hut days, when its bar counter was the
superb one we now enjoy at the PMSC – it
originally came from Lloyds Bank). Pop
enjoyed many a good night there and towards
the end of one of them he managed to put an
egg sandwich in the till whilst trying to eat the
small change.
