Thomas
Mary Agnes McGowan of Island View married Ivor Thomas, a South African of Welsh extraction. He came to Sligo as the 2nd Engineer on a grain ship around 1914 and settled in Rosses Point. He was later employed by the Sligo Steam Navigation Company as an Engineer aboard the Liverpool, Kirkcaldy and Carrickfergus.
There were three boys in the Thomas family, Blannie, Willie and Vivian, and in keeping with the family tradition on both sides, all three went off to sea at an early age.
Blannie Thomas first served on the SS Fermain whose Master was a Captain John McLynn, a native of Rosses Point. Later, he was a crew member on the SS Brita which arrived in Sligo in September 1940, with grain from the River Plate, the last such cargo to enter the Port of Sligo and the last vessel to make use of the old mooring buoys at Rosses Point. Thomas had a lucky escape when his ship the Stanleigh was attacked by a German plane off the Welsh Coast in 1941. Twenty of the crew were lost. After the war he was Captain of different coastal vessels and at the time of his retirement he was Master of a large car ferry plying between Felixstowe and the Baltic Ports.
Willie Thomas sailed the seven seas and had many lucky escapes during World War II, notably onboard the SS New York City which had to be abandoned after catching fire. He died in Dublin many years ago.
Vivian Thomas, the younger brother, served for a time in the Royal Navy before becoming Master of different coastal vessels. He went on to become a Pilot on the River Mersey.
Dan McGowan of Coney Island attended the oil lamps on the River Perches for many years. On his retirement he was succeeded by his sons, Dan Junior and Joe. The latter had been at sea for a time as an AB with the Blue Funnel Line.
Another son, Patrick, spent a number of years seafaring before settling in New York where he operated a taxi fleet.