Last time I dealt with the history of the Aber Bridge and the ferry boat which was operational prior to the building of the first bridge in 1900. On this occasion I will again be concentrating on a ferry service which traversed between Caernarfon and the Isle of Anglesey.

"Anglesey and Carnarvon Ferry" was the official name , but to the people of Caernarfon and the commuters from South West Anglesey it was always referred to as "Stemar Bach Sir Fon", The Little Anglesey Steamer. In 1929, with less and less people using the ferry, due mainly to a substantial increase in those travelling by bus, the Town Council sold the Steamer "Menna" and bought a motor launch, and from then on up to the time when the ferry service was discontinued in 1954, motor launches were the only form of transport used. Nevertheless, the ferry was still called by the name "Stemar Bach Sir Fon".

Dafydd Llewelyn in his page on "Memory Lane" has a photo of the steamer "Arvon" and asks if anyone can name the captain. Some years ago I wrote a bilingual booklet dealing with "Ferries to Anglesey" and I was given a photo of the crew of six of the "Arvon" in 1913, together with their names, by a good friend and fellow historian, now deceased, Mr. W. Stewart Whiskin.

The "Arvon" was a fairly large steamer licensed to carry 300 persons and was bought in 1896 and sold in 1923. As well as passengers the steamer carried animals and goods destined for Caernarfon Market.

P.S. ARVON 1913 The Crew /Y Criw

Ed Grifith (Mate), J. Williams (Warehousman), J. Lloyd (A.B.), Daniel Jones (Master), David Davies (Engineer), R. Daniel (Collector of Tolls), Casgliad/Collection W.Stewart Whiskin.

Note the second photo (Mr, C. Flynn Hughes' collection) showing soldiers with their horses on the steamer's deck, and according to Mr. Flynn Hughes, the man in the bowler hat was the late Mr. J.R. Pritchard, businessman and Mayor of the town in 1894/5. He owned a large store on the site now occupied by Woolworths in Pool Street and his warehouse was where Rayners the Opticians are now situated.

Photos 3 and 4 are of the "Menna", last of the Caernarfon ferry steamers. She was built in Queensferry, Flintshire, by J, Abdela & Mitchell. This steamer, owned by the Caernarfon Borough Council, operated for only six years and 33 years after she was sold it became known that this paddle steamer was the smallest ever to have been built, being only 76 tons.