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CAPTAIN MACGREGOR SKINNER was born in Perth-Amboy in North America in 1760. He joined the Royal Navy in 1776 and was an officer on the HMS Phoenix during the American War of Independence. He only served a short time before he lost his arm and received many bad wounds storming Forts Lee and Washington. He lost an eye in combat, and served with the Navy until 1793 when he entered the Post Office shipping service.He was well loved and respected by the people of Holyhead. Captain Skinner became Master of the Paddle Steamers "Escape", "Wizard" and "Dragon", and was usually accompanied by his raven who would recognise the"Escape" and fly out until it was perched on his Masters' shoulders!
In 1832 be became the principal witness of a Committee drawn up by Parliament to look into the fact that Holyhead should have been grown in prosperity due to great sums of money being spent on roads - but with the cramped accommodation on the boats, people were opting to go to Ireland from the port of Liverpool. Captain Skinner was to investigate this.
He reported that high fares and bad accommodation were turning passengers away from Holyhead, together with the report that the Holyhead packets had only iron knives and forks and earthenware, compared to their rival packet ships in Liverpool who could boast being magnificently fitted and provided plates, table linen, mattresses, feather beds and an abundance of blankets. Sir Henry Parnell corroborated Captain Skinner's evidence and concluded that the Admiralty take over management of the packets from the Post Office. The Committee made a statement that the Holyhead route was a major one, and that no expense should be spared on it. The evidence was vindicated in October 1832.
CONTINUED...
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