My business name however reflects my long family connection to generations of fisherman, lifeboatmen and Trinity House Pilots based in Appledore in the UK.

I am fortunate that there is a book about the 6 original Trinity House Pilots in the Taw/Torridge region of which my Great, Great, Grandfather Alfred (“Giley”) Evans (1872-1955) was one.

It must have been a tough life bringing ships over the bar in days where mechanised propulsion was in its infancy.

We even had our own Ditty

These photos are of Alfred and his father George, my family tree reveals that all descendants of these men end except for me and now my son Joby seen here a few years ago with a model of one of my designs, ironically named MV Alfred!

Farewell to Tokey Evans

Farewell to Giley too

It’s over the bar tonight boys

There’s a vessel there for you.

Sometimes I remember Jack Bowden, the handyman

Cos they’re going out tonight to bring in the “kindly night”

And the pilot was “long haired Jan”