SIR,

Having read the letter entitled 'Chepstow travels' in the Beacon last week, I think I can confirm that the photograph is of Captain William Groves whose vessel 'Firefly' would have been moored in Chepstow at that time.

It was probably the last traditional wooden sailing boat to be found in the port.

Capt Groves lived with his family for many years in 'Riverside' the house next to the old Iron Bridge and opposite The Bridge Inn. A memorial to the Grove family can be found in the nearby Parish Church (St Mary's Priory Church) in the shape of a hanging tapestry which illustrates the bridge, the house, the river and the Firefly.

Where the canoeists came wearily ashore must have been the Wye Fisheries compound and they camped for the night among the boats and nets used by the Salmon fishermen of Chepstow when it was still a going concern.

'Eric' I think can be identified as the Wye Fishery Officer Mr Eric Childs who lived in nearby Stuart House, (now Liddell's the architect) which then had a neat front garden with a mature Monkey Puzzle Tree instead of a sterile car park.

Netting for Salmon ceased in the 70s and the fishery closed and later alterations for the flood control scheme have completely altered the profile of the river bank along this section. However those who would like to know more about the salmon fishing can find out in Chepstow Museum which has an informative exhibit about the almost unique method used by the Stop Boats.

Capt Groves was said to be an unsurpassed expert in the navigation of both the Severn and the Wye and a story is told of his taking a party of members of the Chepstow Society on an excursion across the river to Clevedon in the Firefly on a July day in 1950 when the weather was not very good.

When time came to return a marked deterioration had set in and Capt Groves warned the trippers that it was going to be rough. At this some of the less stalwart members of the party decided to make the return journey by train. As the more intrepid trippers were preparing to set out some of the crew of a Campbell's Steamer left no-one in doubt that they thought it a foolish undertaking in so small a vessel in such conditions. A member of the party Mrs M Collins (a teacher and erstwhile Commandant of the Girls Training Corps) challenged their right to be called sailors if they feared a little rough weather no matter the size of the vessel!

However, despite the rain, wind and the waves, they arrived back late. They will have been wet and weary at Chepstow and no doubt as thankful to get ashore safely as were those young canoeists who slept the night in the fisheries compound back in 1967.

Henry Hodges (Secretary of The Chepstow Society)