South Yorkshire Times, March 14th, 1970
Student is in Crew of Famous Sail Schooner
A Mexborough student is one of a trainee crew of 39 aboard the Sail Training Association schooner “Malcolm Miller”, which sailed out of the West India Dock, London, on Tuesday.
Seventeen-year-old Alan Gough, a student at Mexborough Grammar School’s Sixth Form College, made good a three-year ambition when he was included in the crew of the 300-tons rigged schooner bound for the Netherlands.
The son of a former Petty Officer in the Royal Navy, Alan, of 159, Wath Road, Mexborough, applied for inclusion in the crew earlier this year, and, with the backing of his school he received a West Riding grant.
For Duke’s Award
Alan intends that the two-week voyage on the sister ship to the “Sir Winston Churchill”, will be included in his schedule for the Duke of Edinburgh award on which he is already working. He is a member of the Baker and Bessemer rifle club, a serious climber and hiker and is treasurer of the Children’s Club at Mexborough Grammar School.
The son of Mr. and Mrs. Derick Gough, who keep an off-licence on the corner of Queen Street, has passed seven ‘O’ level examinations. Alan now hopes that he can impress on the voyage and be included as a watch leader on a later cruise. His shipmates for the next fortnight are taken from schools, colleges and youth organisations throughout the British Isles.
Adventure
Mr. Derick Gough told the “South Yorkshire Times” last week: “Alan has looked forward to the cruise for some time now. He has a real spirit of adventure.” He added: “He rang us on Monday to say that the schooner was to set sail for either Rotterdam or Amsterdam, but the captain had told them that where they go from there “depended on the weather.”