The Family History of a Milford Haven Skipper

We take you back to 1898 and the story of a local Skipper, Ralph Light, and his family. Follow his journey through World War One and onto the trawlers as he sailed the sea always returning back to his home in Milford Haven.

My grandfather Stanley Light who is 93, worked on Milford Haven Docks as a labourer and as a boilermaker, his dad, my great grandfather Ralph Light also worked there too. Ralph Light was born in 1898 in Devon. He left school at 14, when he was old enough he joined the Royal navy and fought in World War I. Ralph received medals for his efforts during the war. After he returned from the navy Ralph came to work in the fishing Industry in Milford Haven Docks.

Ralph started off as a fisherman and he progressed to become a Skipper in 1927 at the age of 29.

Ralph worked for a Fishing Company in Milford Haven Docks and worked on their boat. Ralph skippered a crew of 10-11 men. The boat would go out to sea to Southern Ireland from Milford Haven to fish for Hake.

Once the boat was full of fish, which was put on ice, they would return to Milford Haven Docks to sell their catch on the Market. Ralph could be gone out on the sea fishing for weeks at a time. Ralph’s whole family was involved in the Fishing Industry as so many other families in Milford and that’s why the fishing industry is such an amazing part of our town’s heritage.

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