The Skipper's Daughter

Author: Nancy Richards
Publisher: Karavan Press
​Reviewer: Beryl Eichenberger
Well known in South African homes for her many SAfm broadcasts, veteran journalist , columnist,  broadcaster and founder of NPO Woman Zone, Nancy Richards, brings us an extraordinary story of adventure in ‘The Skipper’s Daughter ‘, as she recounts her mother (big) Nancy’s sea faring voyage at the age of 16. Buried deep within the family psyche Richards had always known some of the story but it was not until a trip with her mother in 1988 that big Nancy spoke at 

length about the voyage that ended in tragedy. 
In Richards’ gentle yet incisive style she faithfully brings her mother’s voice to life in a legacy tale that is intimate and revealing. Transcribing her mother’s logs, letters and recollections the story is interspersed with Richards’ own memories bringing us this tale of a fearless young woman with love and honesty. Richards’ writing is unsentimental but totally engaging.  
Life in a sailor’s family is not easy with a husband away at sea for months at a time. It takes a strong mother to bring up three children and there is no doubt that Ethel Brooks was a tough woman. In 1938 Thomas William ‘Billy’ Brooks had been at sea for two years. When he finally puts into Cardiff his wilful elder daughter, 16 year old Nancy, is off to meet him. He is about to take command of the newly built tramp ship the SS Nailsea Manor  and Nancy announces she wants to travel with him on this round the world trip.
Despite her mother Ethel’s misgivings and a gypsy fortune teller’s warning, Nancy gets her way, and signs on as Captain’s clerk at a shilling a week.  The many adventures of that trip were recorded faithfully in her log. She became known as Nancy Fancy Pants due to her practical attire, garnered media coverage at almost every stop on her voyage – after all she was something of a novelty, and  worked alongside the crew learning the ways of the sea. Tireless and with boundless energy, she endeared herself to the crew and to ship’s agents and their families in port, many of whom remained lifelong friends. Exotic destinations, a reserved friendship with the young 2nd Mate and the everyday happenings on board are a wave scape of wonderful words. Big Nancy was a strong, curious and feisty young woman.
Having taken some 30 years to compile, Richards tells the story memorably with all the family reverberations that it ultimately created down the years.  It is a glimpse of a colonial world and Richards takes us into her family after the journey, post war and to the near present. A role model for her generation big Nancy travelled widely, was always busy and would arrive to visit with a plethora of stories - she embraced life in every way. The words, the letters from those friends made so many years ago, the wide array of black and white photos of family, friends, crew and locations on that ill-fated voyage attest to that and poems from Skipper Billy add to the enjoyment.
Richards pulls the threads together skilfully as we traverse the sometimes choppy waters of her mothers’ journey. Ultimately it is a deeply personal, utterly absorbing story and one in which I was completely immersed.   Part proceeds from the sale of the book will go to the NSRI, a fitting tribute to the men who sail the high seas.  ​