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Western Telegraph
29-06-2025
- Health
- Western Telegraph
That Reminds Me: How Milford Haven youngsters kept fit
Back then, all a boy needed was a long piece of string and a clump of plasticine in his pocket to to enable him to strut down the road with a jaunty swagger and no worries of note. Today one recurring news item is that obesity poses a major threat to the health and well being of far too many kids and if not curtailed, is likely to turn the less active school children into millions of Humpty Dumpties, with hardly enough puff to blow out the candles on their sixth birthday cake, never mind their 21st! This week my TRM looks at the plumpness problem and compares it to the 1950's, when the delicious Doris Day was our 'Secret Love,' and Frank Sinatra kept himself fit by chucking "Three Coins in a Fountain." It appears that different 'experts' blame childhood obesity on different reasons. There are those who insist that schools don't have enough PE and Sports on their curriculum to make sure that potential 'telly tubbies' get sufficient exercise to sweat off more calories than they put on. Others blame the parents for not organising a healthier lifestyle allowing their offspring to 'binge' on all the chocolates, sweets and junk food glorified in the TV ads which nowadays seem to be longer than the programs themselves! The steep side of the Gunkle leading down to Wards Yard (Image: Jeff Dunn) I've been trying to remember how many of my old playing pals and schoolmates were flabulously fat and I can't think of one. I know for the first 20 years of my life I was like a stick insect, all arms and legs, long and wiry, as if my flesh was struggling to stretch itself to cover all my bones. None of my street mates were chubbies either, nor were there any bouncingly big Billy Bunters "yah-booing" their way through my stream at school. So what was the difference in those days? In school, we had regular sports lessons, soccer, cricket, swimming and PE. Although I excelled at none of these, I did once make the cricket 2nd XI, took part in the swimming gala, and nearly skewered "Totty" Thomas, our sports master, with a wayward hurl of a javelin! Out-of-school exercises regularly included miles and miles of running (away from the wrath of irate orchard owners and long-suffering Ward's Yard watchmen!) There was mountain climbing (up and down the steep sides of the Gunkle), Scotch Bay and Rath pool swimming, stone throwing contests, rocks scrambling and crab catching, and regularly annoying the many courting couples who were doing their own 'exercising' on the Back Line's Bull Ring! Hylton Woods (Image: Jeff Dunn) In my case I was also blessed with the daily diversions of scrummaging with my faithful old mutt Tiny, when we'd go rabbiting and ratting across the Pill Fish Meal on our way to play on Robin Hood's bank in Hylton Woods. I think the only time I was still for two minutes was when we played one of our favourite nocturnal games Hide and Seek when I would lie in the bushes which lined the houses in Vicary Crescent, afraid to breathe for fear of being 'found!' When it came to food, like most boys, I was happiest when my main meal was 'something with chips,' so I could drown it in tomato sauce. We weren't vegetarians (in those days, they hadn't been invented) and our Sunday roasts always included two or three veg. It was, of course, written in a boy's contract that he must grow up hating all 'greens', particularly cabbage, and it was only the final official parental warning of: "JEFFREY! If you don't eat up your cabbage, you're not going out to play" that succeeded in my stuffing the green gunge into my ever so reluctant young mouth. Talking about dinners reminds me of my dear old dad's cooking days. To give him his due, my old man was always quite handy in the kitchen. I wouldn't be surprised if he'd picked up a lot from that time in the war when he was holed up in a French farmhouse for a while. The story goes that he'd been sent out by his starving unit on an "oeuf" poaching mission, but instead of returning to camp with a helmet filled with freshly laid eggs, he'd "moved-in" with a family of French peasants who, in return for his guarding them from the nastier, hungrier German invaders, had taught him how to pluck chickens and smother all edibles in garlic! It was in the Fifties, when my mum, to enhance the family income, used to go out 'spud-bashing' for a few of the local farmers, that my dad's "Allo, Allo" catering experience came in handy. He made sure that there was always a meal ready for her when she returned home after a hard day's slog on the land. Scotch Bay (Image: Jeff Dunn) Although she was obviously grateful, when she knew in advance that dad would be cooking a roast dinner, she'd leap out of the ramshackle van which had transported the pickers home, and on more than one occasion was heard to say: "Got to dash, Bill's cooking roast beef and I want to get home before he starts on the gravy!" I must say that my dad's lump gravy never bothered me, I used it to camouflage the cabbage!" As far as sweets went, I don't think I was much of a gannet, I certainly wasn't a chocaholic, although I'd always have the coffee creams in the box of chocolates my dad would buy mum, from me, on her birthdays. I reckon kids, in those days, were definitely more active. Of course, we didn't have the incredible amount of indoor distractions and amenities there are now. It was the late 1950's before we got our first telly. We might've been the same 'belly bulgers' if we'd had all of today's technological temptations and computerised recreations stacked up in our bedrooms. Who knows? Well, I don't seem to have come up with any innovative theories re the obesity problems, maybe it's just that there will always be some kids who are plumper than others, so I'll just leave you with these few snaps of places we war baby boomers would frequent to beat any possible "Battle of the Bulge." Scotch Bay pointing towards the Bull Ring; the steep side of the Gunkle leading down to Wards Yard, and Hylton Woods. That's enough from me, I'll leave you in peace with these few words from Oscar Wilde: "Experience is the name that everyone gives to their mistakes." Take care, please stay safe.
Western Telegraph
11-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Western Telegraph
Memories of the trawler Lord Suffolk in Milford Haven
He told us he was from Pembroke Dock, and it was his first ever visit to the Torch. He said he'd been looking out of the theatre's windows at the docks area, and remarked how different it all was to when he was a fisherman, sailing out of Milford in the 1960's, on the trawler Lord Suffolk, when Sandie Shaw was Number 1 in the charts with Always Something There to Remind Me, I knew it must have been 1965. And I also knew that thanks to the brief encounter this week's TRM would include a few facts and figures about the Lord Suffolk. I knew I had a photo of the trawler in my vaults somewhere and after a bit of delving, here's a snap of her taken after she'd been converted from steam to diesel in 1959. Built in 1929 in Lowestoft: 115 tons, 92 feet long. Local owners included J.C. Llewellin (Trawlers) Ltd and Norrard Trawlers. Landed at Milford at various periods from March 1948 to December 1969. Skippers included: Jack Chenery, Tom Long, J. Read, Noel Delf, Arthur James, John Donovan, and Jack Clarke. Interestingly coincidental, when I was a youngster living in Vicary Crescent, skipper Noel Delf and his family lived opposite us, and his sons Michael and Noel junior were pals of mine and part of our gang of reprobates. Here's a picture from those days taken down Wards Yard of a few of 'our gang' with dogs, and Michael Delf is the lad standing at the back, on the right. Michael Delf, son of the Lord Suffolk skipper Noel Delf is standing on the right (Image: Jeff Dunn) I will forever have one memory of skipper Noel which occurred in 1953 at our Crescent's street party for the Queen's coronation. Apparently, Noel had a bet with my dad that he wouldn't 'dress up in drag' for the occasion, the wager being a mugful of whiskey. Here's how I described it in my charity book Memories are Made of This: "My father emerged, somewhat sheepishly, from my parents' bedroom, and gingerly descended the stairs. "He was wearing a bright, flowered dress, high heels and had enough make up on to fill a pantomime dame's drawers! "He was 32 years of age, fit as a fiddle and built like the proverbial brick 'outhouse'. I could see his muscles rippling under the cotton dress and he hadn't shaved his arms." I still remember the look on Noel Delf's face as he handed my dad his 'prize' and I'm not at all surprised that my dad knocked it back in one swig. Meanwhile, back on the Lord Suffolk. Like many other trawlers, in 1939 she was requisitioned by the Admiralty and converted to a minesweeper. Here are a few of the WW Guardian news cuttings which followed: "August 1949. A deckhand trimmer on the Lord Suffolk, George Plummer, was rescued unhurt from Milford Docks on Wednesday evening after falling into the water. His cries were heard by a watchman, Mr Donnelly at 10.15pm and a life belt was thrown. Plummer was pulled out with the help of Docks PC Palmer, none the worse for his adventure." "January 1956. So fresh was the catch landed on Thursday morning by the drifter trawler Lord Suffolk that some of the fish were alive and wriggling as they were sold. The drifter, in charge of skipper Noel Delf, which had fished for only 3 days and brought in 72 kits made 941." "October 1963. When a Dutch merchant seaman lost his wallet overboard on a voyage to Northern Ireland he gave up all hope of recovering the documents and papers it contained. On returning to Holland, to his utter astonishment, he found his wallet waiting for him at his home. It had been brought up from the deep sea bed in the nets of Milford trawler Lord Suffolk and sent back to the owner by post with the contents intact. The Lord Suffolk found the wallet in the cod-end whilst they were fishing on the Chicken Grounds off the Isle of Man. The Lord Suffolk trawler (Image: Jeff Dunn) "Skipper James handed it in to the company office on the docks. The contents, which were remarkably well preserved, were found to include the merchant navy identity documents of the Dutch seaman, Mr. A. A. Verdonk, with the assistance of the mate of a Dutch dredger then working out of Milford harbour, the wallet was returned back to the owner in Holland." The final news item is from a WWG of March 1972: "Thick fog in the harbour was the cause of the Milford trawler Lord Suffolk running into the partially constructed Amoco jetty off Gellyswick. She got jammed and was lucky to escape sinking. "The trawler, in charge of skipper Jack Clarke, Shakespeare Avenue, was on her way to land her catch on the morning tide. The harbour was blanketed by very thick fog when the Lord Suffolk ran into the eastern end of the massive jetty and got jammed there. A spokesman for Norrard Trawlers, the vessel's owners, said: "It was a very serious situation. The tide was rising fast and the ship could have sunk. Her skipper told me that he was blowing the siren for a long time to attract attention to their plight, but because of the fog there were a lot of other ships' sirens being sounded, and I suppose the Lord Suffolk's went un-noticed. "The skipper eventually sent up a distress rocket and the Conservancy Board launched and a Wimpey tug went to the trawler's assistance and got her off the jetty. The Norrard director added: "The Lord Suffolk's foremast is down, her deck and deck rails on the bow section are badly damaged, and her mizzen mast is also damaged. She will be out of operation for some time undergoing repairs." The ship landed her catch the same day and made 1070. "The harbourmaster, Captain Guilford Dudley, stated: "At about 4am on Thursday the Signal Station duty staff heard a ship's siren sending the "Y" call, which means "I require assistance." The launch Skomer (coxswain Harold Price) went to investigate, joined by the pilot cutter Grassholm. They found the trawler Lord Suffolk jammed underneath the Amoco jetty on a rising tide. With the help of a Wimpey tug the Skomer got the trawler off the jetty and escorted her into Milford Docks." In 1976, the Lord Suffolk was sold for breaking up. I'm grateful to my fellow rock 'n' roll fan from Pembroke Dock who was instrumental in helping me to show how true Sandie Shaw's words were, there is indeed "Always something there to remind me." That's all from me, hope you've enjoyed another flashback. I leave you with these words of wisdom from Maurice Goudeket: "I get up before anyone else in my household, not because sleep has deserted me in my advancing years, but because an intense eagerness to live draws me from my bed." Take care, please stay safe.
Yahoo
28-04-2025
- Yahoo
Court documents detail homeless man's alleged attack on Topeka Rescue Mission staff member
TOPEKA (KSNT) – Court documents released Monday shed light on a brutal attack that left a Topeka Rescue Mission (TRM) staffer fighting for his life in a local hospital. 27 News obtained new information on April 28 regarding the attack on a staff member of the TRM in early April. The 52-year-old staffer was only recently released from a local hospital and is continuing to recover from his injuries sustained in the attack. Topeka police responded around 11 p.m. on April 4 to the TRM at 600 North Kansas Avenue on reports of an assault. A 911 caller told police he witnessed Xavian M. Locke, 25, attack a TRM staff member, according to court documents. Family mourns loss of Topeka police lieutenant, dad Officers arrived in the area a few minutes later, finding Locke on his knees near the 'lifeless' body of the TRM staff member, according to court documents. Police took Locke into custody while medical personnel treated the TRM staffer for 'blunt force trauma to the head.' The TRM staffer was transported to a local hospital for urgent care and was not expected to survive, per the court documents. The Topeka Police Department (TPD) later obtained video surveillance from the TRM building. The video showed the TRM staffer conducting his final checks for the night around 10:50 p.m. with a flashlight in hand. Locke can be seen running up to the TRM staffer and attacking him unprovoked, according to court documents. Locke allegedly punches the TRM staffer before knocking him to the ground. Locke then stomps on the TRM staffer's head with his foot before taking the flashlight and striking him over the head with it repeatedly, according to court records. Police arrived a short time later to find Locke kneeling beside the TRM staffer's body and arrested him. 2026 I-70 shutdown in Topeka to last for six months, what to know The TRM staffer injured in the attack was involved in banning Locke from the TRM on March 26, 2025, according to court records. The TRM moved Locke's property outside the mission and asked him to leave but, when he became aggressive, contacted police to help with his removal. The Shawnee County District Attorney charged Locke on April 9. His charges include the following: Attempted murder in the first degree; intentional and premeditated. Aggravated robbery; inflicts bodily harm. Aggravated battery; knowingly cause great bodily harm or disfigurement. Interference with law enforcement officer; obstruct/resist/oppose felony warrant service or execution. Four-year sentence issued to man involved in shooting death of 23-year-old in Topeka For more crime news, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news in northeast Kansas by downloading our mobile app and by signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track Weather app by clicking here. Follow Matthew Self on X (Twitter): Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
25-04-2025
- Yahoo
Topeka Rescue Mission staff member injured in attack exits hospital
TOPEKA (KSNT) – A Topeka Rescue Mission (TRM) staff member who was severely injured earlier this month is out of the hospital this week. Kim Turley with the TRM said in a press release the staff member is on the road to recovery after being released from the hospital. The staff member is now at a rehabilitation facility. Turley said there have been encouraging signs of progress in the staff member's ongoing recovery journey. The organization continues to emphasize the 'power of prayer' in helping the staff member heal. 'There are no adequate words to express the deep gratitude we have for each of those in our community who reached out to offer support and prayers during this situation,' said TRM CEO La Manda Cunningham. 'Each of our staff members is precious to us, not just as employees but as loved children of God's family. We remain committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of our staff and will continue working closely with authorities to understand this event. At the same time, we rejoice in the progress we have witnessed in the healing process of our injured teammate and continue to support all of our staff as we move forward.' Kansas Highway Patrol to move Topeka headquarters Police were called just before 11 p.m. on Friday, April 4 to the 600 block of North Kansas Avenue. Officers arriving at the scene found a 52-year-old man suffering from life-threatening injuries including 'blunt force trauma'. The man was hospitalized with injuries including broken bones, a severe cut and a possible internal injury in the aftermath of the incident, according to a police report obtained by 27 News. The Topeka Police Department (TPD) arrested Xavian M. Locke, 25, of Topeka in connection to the incident. The Shawnee County District Attorney later charged him with attempted murder in the first degree, aggravated robbery and other counts. For more local news, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news in northeast Kansas by downloading our mobile app and by signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track Weather app by clicking here. Follow Matthew Self on X (Twitter): Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- Yahoo
Charges filed against man accused of attacking Topeka Rescue Mission staff member
TOPEKA (KSNT) – The Shawnee County District Attorney has filed criminal charges on Wednesday against a man accused of attacking a Topeka Rescue Mission (TRM) employee earlier this month. Shawnee County District Attorney Mike Kagay has charged Xavian M. Locke, 25, of Topeka with four charges in connection to an alleged attack on a TRM employee last week. Locke's charges include the following: Attempted murder in the first degree; intentional and premeditated. Aggravated robbery; inflicts bodily harm. Aggravated battery; knowingly cause great bodily harm or disfigurement. Interference with law enforcement officer; obstruct/resist/oppose felony warrant service or execution. Police identify driver killed after falling off I-70 in Topeka Police were called just before 11 p.m. on Friday, April 4 to the 600 block of North Kansas Avenue. Officers arriving at the scene found a 52-year-old man suffering from life-threatening injuries including 'blunt force trauma'. The man was hospitalized with injuries including broken bones, a severe cut and a possible internal injury in the aftermath of the incident, according to a police report obtained by 27 News. The TRM announced in a press release on Monday, April 7 the employee was in stable but critical condition following the alleged attack. TRM CEO La Manda Cunningham said the TRM is working with law enforcement to understand what caused the incident. Police later arrested Locke in connection to the encounter. The TRM announced on April 9 that its staff member remains in stable, but critical, condition following the incident. People who have information regarding this investigation are encouraged to contact the TPD via email at telltpd@ or call 785-368-9400. Anonymous tips can be made by calling the Shawnee County Crime Stoppers at 785-234-0007 or by going online. Funeral plans released for slain Kansas priest For more crime news, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news in northeast Kansas by downloading our mobile app and by signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track Weather app by clicking here. Follow Matthew Self on X (Twitter): Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
