Captain Richard Phelps Gough (27 February 1869 – 12 October 1930) was a Welsh seaman for 50 years, born in Swansea, son of William (H.M Swansea prison engineer) and Mary Ann Gough. He married Harriot Winifred Bright, daughter of late Samuel and Bridget Bright from Victoria Terrace, on 15 October 1908 at Rhyddings English Calvinist Methodist Chapel in Swansea. The Gough family lived in Swansea, on Beechwood Road and later on Bonville Terrace. Horace Nichol Gough (marine engineer) and George Gough (Headmaster at Rutland-Street School) were two of his brothers.
Gough, a sea captain, master mariner and later on a Swansea Sea Pilot (1904-1930), came from "one of the oldest families in Swansea" and was in the nineteen twenties one of the most prominent seamen of south Wales. He was also a very sociable man, freemason and accustomed to talking in public, as he hand-wrote in a note book, some of his speeches and stories ready to be delivered such as "the Bachelors' farewell" or "the wreck of the Cyprian".
Early years and career at sea (1883-1904) His story of how he ran away to sea aged 14, had a W. W. Jacobs flavor and was greatly enjoyed by many. The story of this adventurous "Swansea Boy" says that one evening when 14 (in 1883), he was sent to fetch bread for the home, got in stealthily into the house, donned a bowler hat to look as old as he could (although he also wore an Eton collar!) and stowed away in one of T.P Richards' barquetines; the Wenona. He was discovered too late for the ship to go back, only when the ship was off "Worms Head" (Island in Front of Rhossili). He got away all right and the ship sailed round Cape Horn, and from that point, the association with the copper ore trade lasted several years.
He was later apprentice(4 years indenture from 1884 to 1888) notably in the Richardsons' cape horner Ravenscrag, got his mate's and masters' certificates (1890, 1892 and 1896) and served in numerous ships including the Kildonan, Lord Eslington, Taunton, Illimani, Serena, Candahar, Brunetti, Sumbawa, Matteawan, Savernake, Menemisha, Glenbreck, S.Y Eothen Rys. His first steamer was the Charles Hill's Bristol City line, Sir Walter O.N 79147 on which he served as a Master (in 1904). His career at sea spanned almost half a century.
It was reported on 8 July 1895 by Peter Denniston managing owner of the Scottish Ship Co (Island Line Sailing ships), that he was in charge of a ship (The Sumbawa) for the first time in the merchant Navy, as acting Master in 1893 at the age of 24 years old (rounding Cape of Good Hope) on death of Captain at sea between Rangoon and Rio Janeiro. It was also stated by the Ship owner that "Richard P Gough was a capable and reliable officer and that during the time he had in charge of the ship as acting Master, he acted to our entire satisfaction"
Swansea Master Pilot (1904-1930)
After an intense career in the Merchant Navy which lasted more than 20 years and led him all around the world with notably 10 voyages round Cape Horn, Gough became a Swansea Sea Pilot, operating in the Bristol Channel which is one of the most dangerous shipping lanes in the world. He stayed in function as a sea pilot for 27 years, first under the Old Harbor Trust and later under the Pilotage authority, and rendered very good service (Pilotage License granted 14 March 1904 and renewed every year).
He first served as a Master Pilot on the Pilot Cutter "Beaufort"(first steam pilot cutter to be built in the world for the purpose of laying alongside vessels at sea to embark and disembark pilots) from 1904 to 1924 and then he served from 1 January 1925, on the cutter "Roger Beck" (named by the Pilots after Harbour Trustee & Swansea greatest citizen at the time, died in 1923) until his death in 1930. He co-owned the "Roger Beck" as it was built by Messrs Palmers Ltd Tyne (Amble Shipbuilding Co) to the order of the Pilots constituting the Swansea Pilot Boat Co (property of the Pilots). The new cutter ordered by the Pilots was an improvement of the Beaufort and was built in accordance to many years experience, being oil driven and capable of developing a speed of 10 knots.
Gough was a member of the United Kingdom Pilots' Association which protected the pilots' interests. Amongst its members, he was very active to defend the Pilot's interests and on 15 August 1908, they met at the Albert Hall, Winston Churchill (President of the Board of Trade) who was in town, at the time, to meet the miners. The concern was the Tonnage Bill question cropping up and Churchill told them that "the Pilot's position was having his earnest consideration". His reception was said to be most cordial throughout.