"Fishguard Lass"

Llong fasnachu arfordirol â’i chartref yng Nghwm Abergwaun oedd y ‘Fishguard Lass’. Teithiai ar hyd yr arfordir yn gyson ac yn reolaidd i Fryste. Mae’r anfoneb yn datgan yn falch ‘Bryste i Abergwaun pob wyth niwrnod ar hugain’.

The Fishguard Lass was a coaster which traded out of Lower Town and around the Welsh coast with a regular route to Bristol. The invoice proudly proclaims “Bristol to Fishguard every 28 days”

Cafodd yr anfoneb ei anfon at Mr William Bennett a oedd yn berchen siop groser  yn Dinas. Mewnforiwyd amrywiaeth o nwyddau gan gynnwys cist o sebon, casgenni o soda, siwgwr a physgod, sach o flawd a phwmp!

Mae’r nodyn bach a ychwanegwyd gan Bennett wrth ddychwelyd yr anfoneb, gyda’r taliad, yn ddiddorol. Mae’n sôn bod yr halen wedi gwlychu a sbwylo!

The invoice was sent to Mr William Bennett who had a general stores in Dinas – the goods brought into port for William Bennett were varied and including a chest of soap, casks of soda, sugar and whiting, sacks of flour and a pump!

Interesting to see the little note that Mr Bennett wrote on the bottom of the invoice when he returned it with his payment  to the effect that “he wont be getting salt again, as it gets too damp and spoils”!!!

Dyddiad yr anfoneb Mai 20fed 1870

The invoice is dated May 20th 1870

Fishguard Lass” was a wooden trading smack (single masted sailing vessel) built and registered at Milford in 1868. She had a net tonnage of 34. Overall length 56.8 ft; breadth 16.6 ft; depth of hull 6.8ft. (quite large for a vessel with this rig).                                                                                                                                     She was described as “well known in the Bristol Channel trade as a first rate coaster and Irish trader”.  In 1870 was owned by Levi Francis, of Fishguard.                                                                                                                                                            She later went to Caernarvon and by 1890 was owned in Braunton, Devon,    re-rigged as a ketch (two masts). Disappeared from Official Lists about 1908  Information provided by Rob Willatts