I have connected with two men in Scotland who may be able to connect me with folks who helped revive my father with hot porridge, rum and dry clothes (after a naval training mishap) in 1941.
And because I have their email addresses I don’t have to buy expensive international stamps.
Just over a week ago, a few emails between John Leo Scott (a barman at the King’s Arms Hotel, Irvine) and I flew back and forth across the Atlantic Ocean. I learned The Harbour Lights was once called The Victoria. He learned my dad once wrote a column by the same name as someone in Irvine. I learned he was serving supper to John Woods, a local writer I’d mentioned here earlier. He learned I was persistent - I kept asking about the Skinners. ("Are you serving them supper right now? Drinks? What are they drinking?")
["While training in Scotland, young sailors slept in Bell tents near Irvine": GH]
Because he was acting barman and waiting tables I next directed my attention toward Mr. Woods, the writer.
I sent the following email:
Dear Mr. Woods,
In August 2008 you wrote a story entitled 'King’s Arms family snap up the Harbour Lights' (concerning the Scott family) and I recently linked to it online while searching for information re both pubs.
(While writing the above I learned you were at the King's Arms, enjoying a meal w your wife. Small world, I say. Smaller if pub owners are armed w a Blackberry).
Based on a story my father wrote re WW2 experiences in Irvine, and accompanying photo/caption, I thought the two pubs were one and the same.
I appreciate knowing that both names and pubs survive and hope a few local Skinners do as well. My father writes that a few ladies from the Skinner family helped provide hot porridge and rum and dry clothes after an unusual mishap in the water offshore Irvine in 1941 or 1942. I would love to thank any from the family connected to my father's story in some way.
(I have just been informed by John Scott that you are interested in collecting more information re the story or characters).
Dad mentions other pubs and towns (e.g., Top Hat Pub, Southend on Sea) but his mishap off the shores of Irvine and how it was resolved (though I'm a whisky man myself) holds the most interest for me.
Hopefully, we can connect soon.
Kind regards,
Gord Harrison
The next day Mr. Woods emailed the following reply:
Hi, Gordon.
Real coincidence that I was in the restaurant when your e-mail came in.
As a former barman at the Kings Arms I know the Scott family very well.
They originally came from Lanarkshire and took over the town centre hotel in the 1950s - this is the third generation of the family to be involved in the running of the hotel.
I arrived in Irvine in 1973 so I don't really know who ran the Harbour Lights - which is obviously a pub at the harbour - at the time of your dad's experience.
But I think I know someone who may be able to fill in a few blanks.
I'm now working as a journalist at the Irvine Herald and I intend to do a wee story about the incident to see if it stirs a few memories.
It would help if you could send me your dad's first name, where he came from, maybe the name of his craft and any other details - eg how he came to be stranded, how he was rescued etc and anything else which might be of interest - although I realise it may be difficult.
A couple of details about yourself would also be helpful.
Nice to hear from you, hope I can come up with something.
Cheers,
John.
Yes folks, more to follow.
***
Please click here to read PT 4 - A door opens at the King’s Arms Hotel
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