Ship’s wheel recovered from sea given to dive club
A SHIP’s wheel retrieved from a wreck in the Bristol Channel which has been on display in a Devon pub has been donated to the local diving club that originally saved it from the depths.
The Ilfracombe Sub Aqua Club, one of the oldest in the country, says it is “overjoyed” with its latest acquisition.
The MV Stan Woolaway, a sand dredger, ran into trouble and sank off
Bull Point in 1967 with no loss of life. Later two members of the Ilfracombe club, Chris Partington and the late Dick Down, brought the wheel to the surface and since then it has been a main feature of Dick’s public house by the harbour, the Ship and Pilot.
The pub has just been refurbished and Dick’s widow, Marleen, has generously donated the wheel to the club so it can be a major part of the club house memorabilia which has been constantly growing since 26 of the club’s members self built the meeting place in Ropery Road, Ilfracombe in 1984.
Amanda Gartshore, club membership secretary, said: “Now the wreck of the MV Stan Woolaway is owned by the club it is one of the highlights of the club’s annual dive calendar and it would be wonderful if all the artefacts and the history of the vessel could be kept together for future safe keeping in our clubhouse for all to see.”
The club already have the ship’s telegraph and life ring and are also hoping to display the ship’s bell that was presented to Stan Woolaway on April 10 1970 by the then diving officer Brian Watts, who now at the age of 89 is president of the club.
Ilfracombe Sub Aqua Club hope to start training and try dives when the current pandemic situation eases.