A Fishguard man has been recalling the friendship he struck up with the youngest member of the cast of Moby Dick during filming at Fishguard in 1954 - ahead of the On Land's Edge Festival (Ar Ymyl y Tir) in Fishguard and Goodwick which takes place from Friday, September 25 to Sunday, September 27.

Stuntmen Jock Easton and Del Watson lodged at the Fowles family home in Lower Town for bed and breakfast during the summer.

And one day they brought along 13-year-old actor Tamba Allen – who played Pip the cabin boy – for afternoon tea.

“I was 13 – the same age as Tamba – and I guess they thought it would be nice for him to meet up with someone of the same age,” says 85-year-old Richard Fowles, a former Fishguard lifeboatman, ahead of the Ar Ymyl y Tir 2026/On Land’s Edge Festival marking the 70th anniversary of the re-lease of John Huston’s classic movie.

“Tamba was the first black person I’d ever met. I liked him a lot and we hit it off straightaway. He was a nice boy who I remember with a great deal of affection.”

Born at Bridgend in 1941, Allen was one of the pioneering British black actors of stage and screen, although his movie career was brief and he did not receive another movie credit following Moby Dick.

He died in Norfolk at the age of 75 in 2016.

Tamba Allen – who played Pip the cabin boy
13-year-old actor Tamba Allen – who played Pip the cabin boy. (Mike Lewis)

Richard still has a copy of Herman Melville’s classic novel given to him by Easton and Watson at the end of the filming.

And he says he is looking forward to this month’s festival marking the 70th anniversary of the cine-matic release of John Huston’s classic movie.

Meanwhile, the essential role played by a Fishguard butcher in the film’s production has been re-vealed for the first time.

The premises of butcher James Morse served as an unofficial office for cast and production staff during the eight months Moulin Productions were based in the town.

And Jim Morse’s daughter, Carol Morgan, has fond memories of a series of Hollywood actors dropping in to use the telephone at a time when telephones were still something of a rarity in the community.

“Our family shop was right opposite what is known as Theatr Gwaun today,” says Carol, a one-time mayoress of Cardigan.

“Looking out of my first-floor window I wouldn’t just be able to see people queuing – I could ac-tually see what films were being shown in there as well!

“The cast and crew of Moby Dick would use the cinema to view rushes at the end of the day’s film-

ing and would also ask to use our business phone to perhaps contact the Bay Hotel or call a taxi.

“The film played at a packed cinema when it came out and I recognised a number of local people who worked as extras.”