User:Patman31/sandbox

Captain Richard Phelps Gough ( 27 feb 1969-12 oct 1930) was a well known and popular Sea Captain and Sea Pilot. He came from of "one of the oldest families in Swansea" and was in the 1920ies one of the most prominent seamen of south Wales. His story of how he ran away to sea at 14 had a W.W Jacobs' flavour and was greatly enjoyed by many. The story says that one evening when 14 (in 1883), he was sent to fetch bread for the home, got in stealthily into the house, donned a bowler hat to look as old as he could (although he also wore an Eton collar!) and stowed away in one of T.P Richards's barquetines; the Wenona. He was discovered too late for the ship to go back, only when the ship was off "Worms Head" (Island in Front of Rohssili). He got away all right and the association with the copper ore trade lasted several years. He was apprentice in the Richardsons' cape horner Ravenscrag, got his mate's and masters' certificates and served in numerous ships including the Kildonan, Lord Eslington, Taunton, Illimani, Sevena, Candahar, Brunetti, Sumbawa, Matteawan, Savernake, S.Y Eothen Rys,...) His first steamer was The Hill's Bristol City line, Sir Walter. His carrier at sea spanned 50 years. Captain Gough who was 61 years old when he died was a sea pilot for 27 years, first under the Old Harbour Trust and later under the pilotage authority, and rendered very good service. He served as a pilot on the Pilot Cutter "Beaufort"(first steam pilot cutter to be build in world for the purpose of laying along side vessels at sea to embark and disembark pilots) from 1904 to 1924 and the he served on the "Roger Beck" until his death (1930). His funeral took place at Bethel Chapel, Sketty in Swansea on the 15 oct 1930. "Many prominent men at attended at the funeal" He left 3 sons (Hubert, Glyn, John) who all went to sea following in their father's footsteps and a daughter (Gwyneth). His wife Harriott Winifred Bright died in 1924.

Richard Phelps Gough was a freemason, member of the Carradoc lodge (n°1573), the Talbot Chapter lodge (n°1323) and the Beaufort lodge (n°3834). In june 1925 the Herald of Wales mentions "his excellent record of 10 voyages round Cape Horn in sailing ships". Captain Gough was also remembered long after his death "60 years ago one of Swansea's best loved seamen died after a long illness after a career on sea which spanned more than half a century".

Captain Gough was awarded with the Mercantile Marine Medal and the British Medal, both issued in 1921.