I found the article by Alan Stroud, on Memories of Newtown, quite amusing.

I became harbourmaster for the National Trust in Newtown Harbour in the mid 1980s.

But my earliest connection with the harbour was back in the 1950s as a young navy diver, checking the moorings of the boom defence vessels maintaining the Hamstead Sowley anti submarine net.

A feature, that few so-called historians, are aware of.

Also there was the small shelter which housed the generator used during the war to illuminate the Newtown marshes as a misleading airstrip, the operating sailors being housed in the adjacent cottages.

I lived for almost a year on my boat in the harbour, becoming well aware of the oyster stealers, fish takers,and other activities.

The police vessel Ashburton was a frequent visitor which, when requested, recovered three stolen boats and two escaped prisoners in the harbour.

These were quite exciting times as I remember.

The customs lady, Annie, was another frequent visitor as there were reports of some illegal activities. She and I spent some very late nights following up some of her intelligence.

But my favourite memories of the harbour are the people who came to visit and became friends and part of my story of Newtown.

Like nudist, Josephine, on the bows with her boathook, causing more maritime disasters than the Lorelie on the Rhine, and the French lady and her big hat who made the pyjama party a memorable event.

No historian tells that story!

And my neighbours, Doug and Marge, Bill and Lily, Malcolm and Maureen, and all those who used to walk their dogs down to the quay and escort me home after a long day on the river, putting the world to rights .

There are some people who delight in taking a pop at Newtown and the National Trust, But I feel without the trust there might not be a national nature reserve.

It would seem very few of these have ever lived there!

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