A resident of Holyhead is all set to donate a piece of history to a maritime museum in the Netherlands.

Mary Parry, known locally for arranging her on-stage productions with ‘Mary’s Musical Players’, recently got in touch with the Dutch embassy in London in order to hand over a bowl that was given to her by her brother in law who served on a Dutch vessel during the war.

Her brother in law, Johnny Andriesse, was a chef on the Medusa ship in those days and would often visit her family in Holyhead when ever he and his fellow crew members were docked on the Town’s quay.

Johnny had passed the bowl on to Mary’s mother and she would often use it to serve up various meals and desserts in, including rice pudding.

Mary has kept the bowl since both her mother and Johnny passed away and is now going to be visiting the Dutch embassy next month, so that they can donate it to one of the maritime museums over in the Netherlands.

There are several connections between Holyhead and the Dutch people, with many of the Medusa’s sailors having courted with or married the women of the Town and thus some of their ancestors still live there to this day. 

Last week, Mary and her ‘Dawns Lan Mor’ dance group members held an event in Holyhead to honour those members of the Medusa and celebrated all things Dutch and Welsh, entertaining fellow residents and dressing up in traditional outfits.