The Official Organ of the Seven Seas Club
Volume 89, No. 2
WINTER 2013
1
COMMITTEE MEMBERS
President – Mr. Martin Earp
Vice President – Mr. Bill Murray
Immediate Past President – Mr David Watson
Mr. Mark Scoular, Mr. Graham Capel, Capt. Chris Esplin-Jones C.B.E., Capt. Louis Roskell & Mr. Fez Wood.
OFFICERS
Acting Hon. Secretary / Historical and Protocol Adviser – Cdr. John Mankerty O.B.E., RN
Hon. Treasurer – Mr. Derek Bevan
Hon. Membership & Dinner Secretary – Mr. Dominique Watson
Hon. Almoner – Mr. Martin Earp
Hon. Magazine Editor – Mr. John Callcut
OTHER POSITIONS
Hon. Life Members – Mr. Paul Antrobus, Mr. George Kingston, Capt. David Matthews, Capt. Richard Woodman & Mr. Ray Williams
Hon. Chaplains – Revd. Canon Paul Thomas O.B.E. & Revd. Peter Dennett
Hon. Auditor – Mr. M.J. Buck
The committee meets on the first Tuesday of each month throughout the dinner ‘season’.
2 CONTENTS
Editorial President’s Address Secretary’s Corner Membership Almoner’s Report Club Dates Obituaries Sister Clubs South Africa Australia
Dinners Dinner Photographs and Reports
Features
Unpublished Pictures – an ongoing feature The loss of ss Laristan by Glyn Evans Minutes of the 89th AGM Free Fronts – Free Franks by Graham Capel Dinner Protocol by Commander John Mankerty O.B.E., R.N. South Africa 2013 Report by Sipho Wanliss The Seven Seas Trophy
Slop Chest
Front Cover – This picture appeared on the front cover of the Seven Seas Shanty Book under the title ‘Rolling down to Rio’.
3 EDITORIAL
When David Watson approached me about editing the Seven Seas magazine I must admit that I was taken somewhat by surprise. True, I have submitted a number of articles, but surely this is a job for someone who has served in either the Royal or Merchant Navy, someone who has travelled the world and was familiar with nautical ways and the feel of wind in their hair and salt on their lips!
Apparently this is not a prerequisite so here I am and I hope to produce a magazine which will be of interest and will ‘promote and foster the comradeship of the sea.’
I do have a limited amount of publishing experience having produced the magazine for our local history society for the past seventeen years and having two local history books and one book about World War One published, so I hope that I can live up to the standards set by our former editors.
Whilst on the subject of David Watson, the Committee has asked me to pass on their thanks for all his efforts in holding down the Secretary’s job as well as all the other posts he has so ably filled.
I do enjoy delving through old newspapers and records and I hope to discover some interesting stories about the club for inclusion in the magazine. For instance did you know that when the club was first formed, dinners were held in the Cecil Hotel which was the largest hotel in Europe when it was completed in 1896. It was demolished in 1930 and made way for the former Shell Mex House. A thousand members (not quite sure how they squeezed in as the Grand Hall was only designed for 600 diners!) came to hear Admiral Carpenter VC talk about disarmament. Admiral Carpenter was a distinguished naval officer and I can see an article looming about him!
I will be relying on the committee to provide me with up to date information about the club and I will be relying upon you, the members, to provide articles and to let me know of any nautical events that you have recently participated in.
Turning to this magazine I have deliberately not strayed too much from the existing format as it provides the members with current information about the club and a record and memories of past activities.
We all know about the Laristan fund but I was intrigued to learn about the tragic ship and her master. At the same time that I was researching records for an article, unbeknownst to me Glyn Evans was doing the same thing, so we shared information and have produced an article which we hope you will find to be of interest. I also hope that the other articles in this magazine will similarly prove to be interesting.
John Callcut – [email protected]
4 PRESIDENT’S ADDRESS
I hope most sincerely that the Seven Seas Club will continue to thrive and prosper during my term of office. I would like to express my thanks to Mr. James O‘Neill for proposing me and Mr. Chris Hulbert for seconding me, and for the support of Mr. David Watson and the committee for putting my name forward.
I would like to thank Commander John Mankerty, at the helm, who maintains the traditions of our club and I would also like to express my thanks to the hard working members of the committee, who despite many other pressures, have put in considerable time and effort, in order to ensure that our club continues to prosper. I would also like particularly to mention Mr. Dom Watson, Mr. Derek Bevan and Mr. Bill Murray who has accepted the position of Mr Vice.
I am sure that the combination of the impressive surroundings and the helpfulness of the staff of the National Liberal Club contribute greatly to the atmosphere enjoyed at our dinners and long may it continue.
The success of the club depends upon all of its members taking part, attending functions, inviting guests and encouraging new membership. We must also encourage those of our members who, for one reason or another, have been unable to attend as often as they might.
I extend a very warm welcome to you, and look forward to seeing you at one of our dinners and hope you benefit and continue to enjoy promoting and fostering the comradeship of the sea.
Kind regards & best wishes,
Martin Earp
5 SECRETARY’S CORNER
It would be useful in this section to highlight to Members the work of the Committee and to briefly describe its work. The Committee works on behalf of Members and our overriding function is the organisation of dinners the discussion of which takes up most of the Committee’s time. Other functions such as news of Members, correspondence, disciplinary matters are also dealt with.
This year for the first time in many years the Committee is actually at its full compliment. Further, the balance of the committee now represents all Members.
For the last few years the Committee have met on the first Tuesday of each month (during the dinner season) between September and May) in the Laurence Robson room at the National Liberal Club at 1830 hours. Before this we used to meet at the Hand and Shears pub near the Barbican. The agenda covers a fairly similar format at each meeting. A typical agenda would be as follows:
Apologies
Minutes of last meeting
Matters not on the agenda
Financial report
Correspondence (applications, resignations, news of members)
Report on the previous dinner
Almoners report
Speakers
Any other business (organise other functions such as the ANSS Service at St. Pauls, the Ceremony of the Keys, Pimms on the Poop Deck, the annual armistice day Memorial Service at the Merchant Navy Memorial) ordering Club ties, wreaths, slops, valuations of Club regalia and any other business to make the Club run smoothly.
Date of next meeting
The Committee runs the Club on behalf of its Members and so it is felt appropriate, especially so soon after appointing a new committee this year, to advise Members who is on the Committee and who you can approach if it is felt there is anything you wish to discuss about the Club’s affairs. David Watson 6
MEMBERSHIP
Membership of the Club currently stands at 242 Members. This has increased from 225 when the last magazine was printed in February, 2013 with an additional 3 Members who joined between the January and February listing (i.e. between the listing and the completion of the magazine).
In that time there have been no resignations.
New Members since February, 2013 are as follows:
Name: Date accepted by the Committee
Phillip Bridge 28th August, 2013 Martyn Brooks 2nd April, 2013 Jeremy Chidson 5th March, 2013 Ruari Chisholm 5th March, 2013 Roger Dobson 5th March, 2013 Kurt Eyre 5th March, 2013 Tony Goodhead 28th August, 2013 Brian Harrison 28th August, 2013 David Heaton 5th March, 2013 Russell Hicks 5th February, 2013 Brian Joyles 2nd April, 2013 Stephen King 5th February, 2013 Patrick Moore 5th February, 2013 Dan O’Mahoney 5th March, 2013 Stephen O’Shea 2nd April, 2013 John Tinney 28th August, 2013 Howard Trotter 5th February, 2013 Michael Waller 5th February, 2013 Nigel Wheatcroft 7th May, 2013 Dennis Wing 5th March, 2013
David Watson
7 ALMONER’S REPORT
I have kept in touch with members of the Seven Seas Club who have found themselves facing misfortune as well as the widows of former members.
While we have members who are constantly in our minds because of permanent disability or degenerative conditions, we have had members who for one reason or another have been prevented from attending the club’s functions.
In these circumstances their non attendance has been noted, the committee have made enquiries and if thought necessary I have given them a telephone call and passed on our best wishes.
With regards to member’s widows at the moment we have twenty ladies that are in our thoughts, to whom I speak to regularly, sadly two widows recently slipped their cables, cards of sympathy were sent on behalf of the club to the bereaved. At Christmas the club sends each widow £75 worth of Marks and Spencer vouchers, a copy of the club’s magazine and a letter from me wishing them a happy and healthy new year.
This brings me neatly to request you to fill in and post your Almoner cards if you are unwell, and I as well as the committee would be very interested in any information concerning sick and distressed members. I wish you all happy times ahead.
Martin Earp
CLUB DATES
Remembrance Day Services
Trinity House – 10th November 2013 Graspan Memorial Service – 9th November 2013.
Thursday, 21st November 2013 Friday, 20th December 2013
Graham Capel – Tall Ships Christmas Party
Thursday, 30th January 2014 Thursday, 27th February 2014
Chris Martin – Rowing the Pacific Michael Bellows – Doomsday Ship, the ssRichard Montgomerie
Thursday, 27th March 2014 Friday, 25th April 2014 (Ladies Night)
Graham Capel - Nelson’s First Battle Jim Phillips – London’s lost route to the sea
Thursday, 29th May 2014 The AGM followed by Shep Woolley and friends
8
OBITUARY
Herbie Jones was born on 10th June 1933 at Dundee . He was educated locally in Dundee and he then went to the Abbey School at Fort Augustas at the Southern End of Loch Ness. This school was run by Benedictine monks and he and his two brothers all attended there for their secondary education. In May 1951 he was indentured as an apprentice to Eagle Oil and Shipping and served four years starting out on the MT San Leonardo. He then served on various vessel during his apprenticeship and after three years was promoted to 3rd Mate for the rest of his time.
After passing the 2nd Mate’s certificate he returned to Eagle Oil and continued to serve on various vessels until 1960 when he briefly sailed on the vessels of the Ellerman Papayani Line. He seemed to like the short sea trades and in October 1961 he joined MacAndrews and was promoted to Mate in 1961.
Around this time he went to see a Yehudi Menuhin concert at the Royal Albert Hall and met Mara, from Italy who had gone to see the same concert. They could not get tickets so instead went to the Cafe de Paris and danced the night away. Two years later they were married in Treviso, in Italy but settled in Shenfield near Brentwood in Essex.
In 1968 Herbie was called by Trinity House to the London North Channel district as a pilot and with Mara and their children Paul, Robbie and Mark moved to Dovercourt (Harwich) . He settled well in Harwich and became a well known personality. All those who knew him were rewarded with the “Happy Herbie” smile. He was one of life’s gentlemen who always looked on the bright side of life.
He served out of Harwich until the change over in 1988 when he continued to pilot for Harwich Harbour. He eventually retired in June 1998 at the age of 65 and the photograph was taken during his retirement party which was held on a Thames barge that the following day he sailed up the Orwell to Ipswich.
9 This was not the end of Herbie’s career in pilotage since he was so fond of ships and the sea that he became licensed pilot for Brightlingsea and Creeksea. He continued serving as a pilot there until 2012 when he broke his leg. By this time he was 77 years young and the oldest serving pilot in the United Kingdom.
In addition to piloting Herbie also served time as navigator onboard the Sail Training Association vessels Malcolm Miller and Stavros Niachos.
Herbie and Mara had a holiday home in Italy and they loved to go there in the summer months and spend time in the surrounding vineyard.
Herbie was one of those characters who never seemed troubled and always smiled, was always happy and looking forward to whatever the day would bring. He will be sadly missed by all who knew him as witnessed by the numbers who attended his funeral. He had one request that on his tombstone was the word Seafarer which sums up his love of the sea and ships. Goodbye to a seafaring gent.
Martin Dicks. (Harwich Retd.)
Obituary reproduced by kind permission of the Pilot Magazine.
Captain Richard Woodman added the following comments
“With regard to Herbie Jones, although I knew him for years I do not know very much about his background beyond being able to tell you that he was born on the east coast of Scotland, went to sea as an apprentice (cannot recall which company) and, after qualifying as a master Mariner, became a licensed Trinity House North Channel pilot based and domiciled in Harwich. After the 1988 Pilotage Act he continued as a pilot for the Harwich Haven Authority until his retirement when he remained a pilot for the River crouch, taking timber ships up to VreeCsea until into his late seventies. Tall and good looking he was married to Mara, an elegant Italian lady and they had a house and vineyard in Tuscany. He was a charming man and a delightful raconteur, a devoted family man and a devout Roman Catholic. I liked him very much and was shocked when he was rapidly overwhelmed by cancer.”
10 SISTER CLUBS
South Africa
Captain Glen Marlow has been in touch with us and sent details of their website so that you can keep up to date with all their activities. http://simonstown.com/clubs/sevenseas/
Take a look at the dress code – ‘flip flops and bare feet have their place – not at the Seven Seas Club’ …. And certainly not, unless you are crazy, in London town!
Australia
The Club Secretary, Barry Allison has also sent us details of their impressive website which was developed by their past President, Captain Bob Smedley. http://sevenseasaustralia.com.au
I hope that you find it of interest and if you ever find yourself in South Australia I am sure that you will receive a warm welcome in more ways than one. When we were last in contact with Barry in October he said that he was swatting flies in temperatures of 35 degrees C! He reported that the club has recently raised their glasses to the memory of Nelson and had a great meeting and toasted Nelson with Nelson’s Rum . ‘A healthy gathering of 40 Members with a guest speaker talking on the relationship of Nelson and Governor Phillips, who was in charge of the colonisation of Sydney in 1788 . But for a few days, we could all have been communicating in French, as the Brits beat the Froggies by 3 days in establishing the beach head at Sydney Cove . The delay in the French arriving off the coast of Australia was partly attributed to Nelson’s conquest in Europe at that time.’
Club member Trevor Powell recently took this picture of HMS Daring.
11 DINNER REPORTS
Text: David Watson ……. Photographs: Dom Watson
28th February 2013 – Attendance: 78 (incl. 23 guests)
Ties: Andrew Cowan, Tim Green, Stephen King & Fez Wood.
Subject: HMS Swiftsure collision with HMS Diamond
Speaker: Commander John Mankerty O.B.E.
John Mankerty has spoken to the Club many times before and his talks are always entertaining and spoken from personal experience. This talk was the first time he has given this talk and the incident was relayed from his position on the bridge of HMS Swiftsure which was conducting Exercise “Mariner” off Iceland in late 1953 with many vessels including HMS Eagle, HMS Vanguard and HMS Diamond. John relayed the circumstances, the decisions made, the movement of vessels and the cause of the incident. The result was rather a large hole in HMS Swiftsure’s starboard side caused by the bow of HMS Diamond resulting in a fire that eventually spread to the bridge structure. There were no casualties and eventually both vessels were underway to Hvalfjord in Iceland for temporary repairs before both vessels slowly sailed south to Chatham. HMS Diamond spent three months in dry dock under repair while for HMS Swiftsure it was decided not to repair the damage thus ending her operational career. The dinner was very convivial throughout, the attendance was good and everyone enjoyed themselves.
21st March 2013 – Attendance: 50 (incl. 5 guests)
Ties: Jeremy Chidson & Dennis Wing.
Subject: The Unknown Warrior
Speaker: Mr. Andy Thompson.
Andy Thompson, a retired head teacher, gave a riveting talk on the Unknown Warrior. The stream of fascinating details which emerged regarding the complex choice of body by a blindfolded Brig. General Wyatt, the repatriation of the body of the Unknown Warrior from France by the destroyer HMS Verdun, the escort of six
12 destroyers across the channel with one destroyer peeling off and heading to Belgium to collect the soil for internment, the arrival of the body at Victoria station and the procession, in silence, to Westminster Abbey for internment. Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother laid her wedding bouquet at the tomb an example followed by subsequent members of the Royal family. There was a very lively question and answer session after the talk with Andy interested to know the feeling amongst Members for awarding the Unknown Warrior the Victoria Cross. Again, although, this generated much debate including strong opinions for both sides of the argument it was felt to be too political a subject to put to a vote. This would have also been rather an un-traditional approach to the Club’s dinners. The evening was very pleasant with a particularly lively debate after the talk which could have gone on a lot longer.
26th April 2013 – Attendance: 78 (incl. 38 guests)
Chip Leonard Anchor: Mrs. Carol Cherry Ties: No ties were issued on Ladies Night
Subject: Ladies Night – Travels to Morocco
Speaker: Mrs. Carol (Cat) Cherry
Cat Cherry has travelled on many expeditions to Africa and the Far East and gave an illustrated talk of one of her latest journey’s to the Atlas mountains in Morocco. This trek was certainly off the tourist trail and she described the terrain, means of travel by donkey, companions and encounters with the locals during her trek of many days. Ladies Night was well attended and the ladies, in particular, were keen to ask questions after the talk.
13 30th May 2013 – Attendance: 91 (incl. 25 guests)
Chip Leonard Anchor: Mr. Mike Buck ( Hon. Club Accountant)
Ties: Brian Joyles & Tony Goodhead
Subject: AGM Dinner followed by Shep Woolley and friends
Shep Woolley, Bill Mc Cinnon & Garry Blakeley
Shep, Bill and Gary who are also sometimes joined by Alan Hardy (but not on this occasion) have now been entertaining us at our AGM dinner for several years and it is always a pleasure to hear their high standard of playing and entertainment interspersed with light hearted, witty and good humoured banter throughout the evening. The Sea Shanties they sing are genuine in that they follow the traditional format of the sea shanty as intended when they were written, as an encouragement to working onboard a ship and to entertain, sometimes with the minimum of accompaniment. As always with Shep and friends it was a thoroughly enjoyable, good humoured evening. The dinner was slightly later than usual starting because of the AGM held beforehand in the Lady Violet room. The new President, Martin Earp was welcomed by Members and generally the evening was very pleasant finishing with the informal rendition of sea shanties by Shep and friends.
There were, however, a couple of regrettable incidents during the dinner which were followed up, dealt with and resolved amicably by letter.
26th September 2013 – Attendance: 61 (incl. 5 guests)
Ties: Phillip Bridge, Fleming Pedersen, Eric Tinney & Howard Trotter
Subject: Maritime Painting
Speaker: Captain Louis Roskell
The original talk was intended to be on Maritime Painting by Gordon Frickers. Unfortunately he was unable to attend and Louis Roskell kindly stepped in to cover.
14 As most Members know Louis, being a Maritime artist of repute, was more than qualified to talk and gave a fascinating and very well received illustrated presentation of marine artists describing their style, paintings, subject matter and techniques. A very enjoyable and informative talk with many questions at the end. Although some of us had seen Father Paul Thomas after our arrival at the NLC and he was expected to attend dinner anyway, we were unable to discover his whereabouts at the start of dinner. It turns out that Father Thomas had been mugged outside the National Liberal Club and it is believed he had his mobile phone stolen. Very commendably he joined us during dinner, a little shaken but unharmed and kindly said prayers after his arrival.
24th October 2013 – Attendance (75 incl. 17 guests and the speaker)
Chip Leonard Anchor: Commander Will Barker JCD. Cdr. Barker has a long association with the Club and it was felt appropriate that he should receive the award not least for cementing our friendship with the Seven Seas Club in Simonstown.
Ties: None given (Members wear black ties, so ties are not presented at Trafalgar Night)
Subject: My Excavations on Nelson’s Island.
Speaker: Dr. Nick Slope – Chairman of the Nelson Society.
Dr Slope, president of the Nelson Society gave the Club a fascinating illustrated talk on Nelson Island, the island in Aboukir Bay where many of Nelson’s crew were buried after the Battle of the Nile in 1798. It is believed the island was also resting place for those also killed in a land battle there is 1801as well. The graves were only discovered in 2000 but, due to the redevelopment of the island, during which the graves will be destroyed there is a process if re-interring the remains in the
15 Commonwealth war cemetery. During the discovery’s one body, that of Cdr. James Russell, has been positively identified. As part of the internment ceremony HMS Chatham called at Alexandria to provide a guard of honour, presided over by Lord West. Dr Slope also gave an insight into forensic archaeology pointing out key features of the remains and explaining their significance. Father’s John Armitage and Paul Thomas said prayers during dinner. Cdr. John Mankerty took over as Hon. Secretary and Bob Jones provided the rum. It was good to see Cdr. Will Barker from South Africa attending our dinner. Bob Jones, Graham Painter and John Mankerty piped hands to dinner and also piped the President and guest speaker to dinner. It was emphasized during the notices that the bar closes at 23.00 hours so Members wishing to get a drink before then need to get to the bar soon after dinner.
OTHER EVENTS
A number of members visited the Tower of London on the 26th July 2013 to attend the Ceremony of the Keys. Here is Keith Hanson leading the group.
16 UNPUBLISHED PICTURES
I’m sure that many members will have tucked away some unpublished pictures of ships from their past. Send them in along with a short description and we’ll revive some old memories.
We’ll kick off with a picture my mother took at Southampton Water in the late 1930s of the ss Nieuw Amsterdam (36,297 gross tons). She must have been very new when the photograph was taken as her maiden voyage did not take place until the 10th May 1938. She was built for the Holland-America Line and was known by the Dutch as the ‘Ship of Peace’ as she had no provisions built in for war use. She was, however, used during World War Two and transported over 350,000 troops. She was scrapped in 1974.
ss Nieuw Amsterdam
I think that the tug on her port side is the Alexandra Towing Company’s Romsey but a more knowledgeable reader might be able to correct me. The second picture taken at the same time shows some ‘gentlemen’s’ steam yachts and the same tug.
John Callcut
17 The Seven Seas Club ‘ LARISTAN’ Charity Fund by Glyn Evans
Members will be familiar with the name, Laristan, as after every dinner members generously donate to the Laristan Fund…. But what do we know about the Laristan?
On a voyage from Karachi to Hull with a much-needed cargo of wheat and barley, the steamship Laristan met her end in the Mediterranean Sea, thirty miles west of Gozo Island. It was the 4th April 1916 when she was torpedoed and sunk by the German submarine U-38 after her Master had been taken prisoner and her crew left to fend for themselves in the ship’s lifeboats.
Two years later Laristan’s owners, Common Brothers Ltd., of Newcastle upon Tyne, trading as Hindustan SS Co., (see house flag to the left) decided to replace her and purchased the Wilton from the Pyman SS Co., of Harlepool. She had been built in 1916 by William Gray & Co., of West Hartlepool; a steel vessel of 4,239 grt with a triple expansion engine, giving her a speed of 10 knots. On the 30th June 1918, Wilton was torpedoed by the German submarine UB-57 and beached near Hastings, later being re-floated, repaired and re-named Laristan (2).
For eight years Laristan traded uneventfully, until her last voyage when, on 9th January 1926, she sailed from Swansea to New York with a cargo of coal. Her Master, Captain Frederick Littlehales (1867-1926), was a well known member of the Seven Seas Club. On 25th January an SOS from Laristan was picked up by the North German Lloyd (NDL) vessel, Bremen (Captain Wurpts). In mountainous seas, rescue attempts were only partially successful when one lifeboat was launched from Laristan with seven crew aboard. One man was lost when that lifeboat was being hauled aboard Bremen. No further attempts could be made that night and next morning all that could be found of Laristan and her crew was floating wreckage.
………………………………………………………
The first news appeared in the Western Daily Press of Friday, 29th January 1926.
EPIC OF ATLANTIC TEMPEST
U.S. LINER’S GREAT RESCUE FEAT
BRISTOL TRADERS IN DRAMAS OF OCEAN
18 The Brotherhood of the Seas was never more exemplified than in two Atlantic storm episodes of the past few days.
Two British ships have been lost – one with about 25 men – but the manner in which two liners kept vigil in the tempest ready to effect rescues makes stirring reading.
The U.S. liner President Roosevelt, after standing by the steamer, Antinoe for four days and losing two men and six boats, saved her stricken crew; but the German liner Bremen, having saved six men from the ss Laristan was baulked by the foundering of the steamer in heavy seas which made rescue impossible. Both lost vessels have traded to the Bristol docks, the Laristan recently unloading a cargo of grain at Avonmouth.
The following day the paper carried a short report describing the rescue attempt and further details under the sub-heading,
WOMEN MUST WEEP
The Seaman’s and Fireman’s Union at Swansea yesterday received notification from the owners of the steamer Laristan lost with 25 hands off Nova Scotia that Seaman Jones, one of the six saved is James D.D. Jones of Swansea who is married with one child. His single brother, Thomas Jones, was lost. Fitzgerald, another Swansea man lost, leaves a widow and six children.
The Laristan floundering, taken from the deck of the Bremen
19 The Hull Daily Mail of Monday, 1st February 1926 later took up the story.
RESCUED FROM ATLANTIC’S DEATH CLUTCH
FIGHT FOR LIVES
GERMAN VESSEL’S EFFORTS FOR BRITISH CREW
SIX SAVED, 24 LOST
QUEENSTOWN. Monday – “We regret very much that our continued attempts to rescue those poor men were not rewarded with better results”. In those simple words the captain of the North German liner, Bremen, which arrived at Queenstown early this morning summed up the story of the gallant attempt of the Bremen’s crew to save the lives of the men of the British steamer Laristan. In a storm so fierce as to make the launch of a boat from the liner completely impossible, six of the Laristan’s crew were nevertheless saved by use of a line made fast to a boat. The Laristan sank during the night, carrying 23 men to their end, and one seaman had been washed out of the boat.
S.O.S OVER WILD SEA
Captain R. Wurpts received a civic welcome and the congratulations of the people of Queenstown on his achievement. In an interview, Captain Wurpts, gave this report of this drama of the sea. He stated that his vessel on the passage from New York, met frequent snowfalls, and heavy hail and snow squalls, with very high wild sea. In 45.08 N., 42.43 W., we received an S.O.S. from the English steamer Laristan giving her position 46.40 north, 43.06 west. We immediately made towards her given position, but on account of the heavy north-west storm and wild sea we could proceed with only medium speed, because the ship was continuously overtaken by the high sea. We went five knots against the high sea, and therefore we showed from eleven p.m. onwards rockets and blue lights in order to be seen.
SAW HER ROCKET
The next morning about three o’clock, we reached the place given to us by wireless without seeing anything of the Laristan. Now we received news that the place of the disaster was not as given before, but 26 miles more south in 45.12 N., 43.12 W. We immediately changed our course again and steamed southward, under the continuous
20 shooting of rockets and blue lights. At 4.30 a.m. we saw her first rocket right ahead, and we reached the Laristan at 5 a.m.
ONLY ONE HOPE
It was an absolute impossibility to man a boat in this high sea and swell. We prepared our cannon to shoot some lines over, also some lines with life rings, reserve and throwing lines, and storm ladders and boats. A crew for rescuing was ready in case there would have been even a faint possibility to lower a boat. The only hope for success was to fetch the people over to us with the lines, because the storm and the sea continued with the same fury. Hail and snow squalls followed each other.
SHOT LINES ACROSS HER
We continuously tried to get near the ship. We succeeded twice with the cannon and twice with the lines and life rings. The Laristan had on the starboard side a boat clear, and she was requested by us to fasten a line to it, so that we could try to get the boat under our stern, because to get the boat alongside would have wrecked it surely. The line was fastened but very much to our disappointment only seven men got into it. We got the boat behind the stern, and took six men in on our ropes. One man was washed off by the high sea and drowned. The carpenter of the Laristan, who was also in the boat and already had a line round his body, was also washed off and swung up and down the high waves, but we succeeded in getting him in. The rope of the boat got tangled in one of our propellers, but it broke loose and the boat drifted away.
NO MORE CAME
We tried several times again to get near the boat to shoot lines and ropes with life rings, and we succeeded twice in this effort. To our regret the men of the Laristan did not avail themselves of this opportunity. Meanwhile we had again long lasting snow squalls, with extremely heavy winds, and soon darkness fell upon the sea. We stayed near the ship. There was nothing to be seen anymore of the ship, and the radio station did not receive any answer. The last time we saw the ship was at 6.12 p.m. A prolonged snow squall came, then the air became clear for awhile.
FLOTSAM IN MORNING
We remained during the whole night near the place of the steamer, and when day-light came we noticed a great many pieces of the steamer, like doors, staircases etc. From this
21 fact we drew the conclusion that the steamer sank during the night. We regret very much that our continued attempts to rescue those poor men were not crowned with better success. The following are the names of the six survivors of the wrecked Laristan: Thomas Lazenby, 37, carpenter, Marston Street, South Shields, William Phillips, 32, seaman, Carmarthen Street, Swansea, James Jones, 22, seaman, Jockey Street, Swansea, William Croin, 42, seaman, Port of St. Mary, Isle of Man, Bartholomew McGee, 40, fireman, Chapel Green, Rush, Co. Dublin, Michael McCann, 45, fireman, Lake Road, Londonderry.
SAW BROTHER DISAPPEAR
In an interview, Jones, who had lost his brother Thomas Jones, seaman, told a pathetic story of the tragedy. “I came in the boat to which the Bremen captain had instructed us to attach a line when he shot over. We attached the line to a boat which was hanging from the davits. Seven of us entered her and were towed to the Bremen. We had to be hauled up on ropes, and were in danger of being dashed by the waves against the Bremen’s sides. While dangling in mid air my brother was washed off the line. His body immediately disappeared.” Lazenby, the Laristan’s carpenter, had a thrilling escape from death. “I had wound the rope which was lowered to me from the Bremen,” he said, “around my body and was dashed about on the crest of huge waves for a considerable time before the Bremen people could pull me aboard.” Michael McCann told how he also had had a narrow escape from death, his experience being similar to that of James Jones. McCann expressed admiration of the efficiency, courtesy and attention shown them by the Germans on the Bremen. “The Germans are good fellows,” he said, “I was treated as if I was the Kaiser himself.” The survivors were landed at Queenstown wearing clothes given to them by the Bremen’s crew. A passenger on board stated that the rescue of the six men was overshadowed by the gloom cast over the survivors and passengers by the loss of twenty-four of Laristan’s crew. This was specially the case with Captain Wurpts and his crew who felt very keenly their inability to effect the rescue of the entire crew.
The Bremen arrived at the entrance to Queenstown harbour with the survivors at 10.30 pm but only docked at four o’clock in the morning due to a heavy swell which made it difficult for the pilot to get on board. Capt. Wurpt was seen in the saloon by a number of visitors, who had gone out to the Bremen to congratulate its captain upon the rescue. Among others who offered congratulations were the Lord Mayor of Cork, Lloyd’s local representative, representatives of the Irish Free State Government and the National Lifeboat Institution. The captain expressed his thanks for what had been said of his crew, his officers and himself, but added that he did not want any thanks because “we know
22 what our duty is”. The Evening Telegraph of Angus in Scotland carried some quotes from the survivors. “None looked worse for their dreadful experience. M’Kane said the three firemen saved, of whom he was one, did not see much of what was going on, as they were down below until the last moment. The only boat was their one chance. It could not hold more with safety than the number that got into it, so badly was it damaged. The other boats left were all smashed up, so there was none left fit to bring over the rest of the crew. The sea at the time was awful. Jack Jones, a deckhand, said that he was only 22, and his brother only a year older, had his hand injured, and went down with the ship. Jones said he was seven hours continuously at the wheel before he got into the boat. M’Kane said that he was almost drowned before they managed to pull him up over the Bremen’s stern. He said the Germans were great people. All the Laristan survivors were taken to the Sailor’s Home at Queenstown to wait for the 3.15 train for Dublin.”
The Bremen was originally launched at the AG Vulcan yard in Stettin in 1900 and was named the Prinzessin Irene with a tonnage of 10,881 grt. She was impounded at the start of the First World War and was seized by the U.S.A. in 1917 and renamed Pocahontas. In 1917 she was repurchased by the Norddeutcher Lloyd Line and became the third ship within the company to bear the name, Bremen. In 1928 she was renamed the Karlsuhe and was scrapped in 1932.
23 Capt Wurpts was deemed to be a hero. The Board of Trade awarded him a piece of plate in recognition of excellent services rendered and upon his arrival in Germany he received a message on behalf of the Mercantile Marine Service Association conveying admiration and warm appreciation of the gallantry and humanity displayed notwithstanding tremendous odds, in going to the aid of the crew of the steamer Laristan and accomplishing the rescue of five of their number. The message said that “The heroic and repeated rescue efforts which were made afford striking evidence of that great brotherhood of the seas, and today British merchant seamen of all ranks salute you and your brave crew.” (ed. It would seem that the report got the number of crew members saved wrong))
A poignant letter was printed in the Hull Daily News on the 3rd February 1926.
The following letter has been received by the parents of Wireless Operator, H.W. Jukes, of the ill-fated steamer Laristan from the radio officers of the Bremen: “Your son Hubert has asked us, as a last favour to him, to send you his love. To almost the very last minute we were in constant communication with him, and hoped to be able to save him. May the knowledge that your son stuck to his post trying to help his shipmates help to subside your pain of this terrible loss.” Radio Officers ss. Bremen.
During this period there had been a wages dispute by Wireless Operators and in Parliament on the 9th February Mr. Charles Ammon the labour MP for Camberwell North specifically asked the President of the Board of Trade whether the Antinoe and the Laristan were equipped with wireless apparatus and whether competent operators were on board. Sir Philip Cunliffe-Listor confirmed that both ships were equipped with wireless telegraphy apparatus and carried fully-qualified operators. The Bremen was no stranger to vessels in distress. In April 1904 she rescued the crew of the schooner Marije, then five years later, rescued 109 from the shipwrecked Cunarder Slavonia. From a book “The History of the Marconi Company” we learn that the Bremen had been directed to the Laristan by means of the Marconi-Bellini- Tosi direction finding equipment carried by the Canadian Pacific Montnairn. The Laristan’s actual position was 26 miles distant from that calculated by dead reckoning. The position of d.f. equipment on all vessels of 5,000 grt and over was made compulsory in July 1931.
Captain Frederick Gascoyne Littlehales, Master of Laristan, who went down with his ship, was born in Wimbledon in 1867 (ten years before the first Tennis Championship there) and went on to serve a two year cadetship (1880 – 1882) in HMS Conway (see sketch by K.D. Shoesmith, a fellow cadet and Seven Seas Club member) where he
24 would have met fellow-cadet H W Broadbent (later Captain RNR and founder of the Seven Seas Club.) Frederick Littlehales gained his Mates Certificate in 1890 and his Masters Certificate two years later.
Proof that Captain Littlehales was held in high regard by his fellow Master Mariners lies in his being appointed London agent for the Imperial Merchant Guild of Liverpool. In this office his name appeared in The Straits Times newspaper for September 1st, 1914 when, under the heading “Steering at Sea,” his opinion in favour of an International Code for Steering at Sea was quoted. His lobby was for the adoption of the British system of helm orders where the order “Port” meant that the ship’s head was to be turned to starboard and vice versa. Supporting his argument for this, he pointed out (i) the enormous preponderance of British shipping in number of ships, tonnage etc., (ii) the fact that so many foreign sailors were accustomed to serving on British vessels and were therefore perhaps more conversant with the British than other systems.
Again in 1914 Captain Littlehales gave voice to his opinion through the press, this time over the sinking of the Empress of Ireland in the St Lawrence River on the night of 29th May 1914 following a collision with the Norwegian collier Storstad that resulted in the loss of 1,012 lives. In his “Notes on Life and Letters” the novelist and Master Mariner, Joseph Conrad refers to the above loss in a section headed “Protection of Ocean Liners – 1914.” From this it is apparent he and Captain Littlehales exchanged views via letters to the press on the simple expedient of a cork fender. Conrad says “One of them, hung judiciously over the side at the end of its lanyard by a man who knew what he was about, might perhaps have saved from destruction the ship and upwards of a thousand lives.”
Conrad’s proposition was a rule that “every steam-ship should carry a permanent fender across her stern (Did he mean “stem”?) from 2ft to 4ft in diameter in its 25 thickest part in proportion to the size of the ship. It certainly won’t look pretty but I make bold to say it will save more lives at sea than any amount of the Marconi installations which are being forced on ship owners on that very ground – the safety of life at sea“
Although the writer has been unable to track down Captain Littlehales’ letter to the press it would appear to have been broadly in support of Conrad’s proposition as Conrad went on to say “Captain Littlehales’ illustration borrowed from boxing is very apt and, in a certain sense, makes for my contention. Yes, a blow delivered with a boxing glove will draw blood or knock a man out; but it would not crush his nose flat or break his jaw for him – at least, not always. And this is exactly my point.”
Sadly for Captain Littlehales and 23 of his crew, a cork fender at the stem of Laristan would have counted for nothing against the mountainous seas that brought about her sinking, whereas a Marconi installation did contribute to the saving of six.
Some time after the Laristan tragedy , the BBC produced a radio play by Captain Frank Shaw, based on this sad story; a number of Seven Seas Club members assisted with the project. It was broadcast on Trafalgar Day, Thursday 21st October 1926, after which the BBC sent a cheque for twenty guineas to the Club, to be donated to a charity of their choice. At the suggestion of a committee member, a Club Benevolent Fund was founded and named the Laristan Fund. Captain Attenborough himself contributed the handsome collection box which is still in use today, carved in the form of a capstan and made from the timber taken from HMS Hindoostan 1888. The fund is used to support maritime charities including the training of young or disabled aspiring seafarers, as well as to assist Club members who fall on hard times. Recently, it has been the custom for the President to allocate any moneys remaining in the fund at the end of the year to be distributed to the widows of Club members, in the form of vouchers. Collections for the fund are made at Club dinners.
26 Genealogical Information about Capt. Frederick Littlehales by John Callcut
He was born in Wimbledon in 1867. His father, also called Frederick was a banker, and he lived comfortably with his parents, siblings and five servants at 10 Victoria Road, Wimbledon. One of his older brothers, Henry, became an author who in 1898 published ‘Notes on the Road from London to Canterbury in the Middle Ages’, and in 1904 he edited and published the accounts of the Wren church, St. Mary-at-Hill. His younger brother Arthur Gascoyne Littlehales became a physician. At the age of fifteen Frederick joined the training ship HMS Conway following the career of his distant relative, Vice Admiral Bendall Roberts Littlehales (1765-1847). He gained his Mates Certificate in 1890 and his Masters Certificate two years later. In 1904 he married Emilie Consuelo Hunter the daughter of a civil engineer and had five children. Following the outbreak of the First World War he was placed on the Royal Naval Volunteer List at the age of 47 with the rank of Lieutenant Commander (Tempy) and commanded the hired armed steam yacht Calan then based at Queenstown (Cobh). He later transferred to HMY Amy.
Another reference to the Littlehales name appeared on the 5th December 1921 when it was reported in the Evening Telegraph that Capt. J. Littlehales of 35 years experience, was captain of the world’s largest icebreaker, the Sviatogor (above) of 5,168 tons. She sailed to the Baltic via the Kiel Canal to open up the ice to allow ships to get through to Russia to aid the starving people.
Frederick’s eldest brother was called John Laurentius Littlehayes.
In his will Frederick Littlehales was described as of 29, Rowfant Road, Balham and ‘lost at sea’. Probate was granted on the 9th March to his brother, Arthur Gascoigne (sic) Littlehayes, £68. 6s. 4d. This is a very small sum, even for those days, so possibly many of his belongings went down with the Laristan.
27 MINUTES OF THE 89th ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF THE SEVEN SEAS CLUB
Minutes of the above meeting held at 18.00 on Thursday 30th May 2013 in the Lady Violet Room National Liberal Club, London.
1. Notice of Meeting: This was read out by the Hon Secretary.
2. To Receive Apologies: There were 25 apologies.
3. To Agree the Minutes of the 88thMeeting: Agreement of the Minutes was proposed by Michael Pinner and seconded by Graham Painter. All members present agreed.
4. To Receive the Club’s Audited Accounts and Adopt Them: The Hon. Treasurer’s report is attached at Att 1. p1 & p2. The members present adopted the Club Accounts
5. To Receive the President’s Report: The President’s Report is attached at Att. Pres Rep 13
k. To Receive a Report on the Activities of the Baxter & Grimshaw Trust: This Report by Michael Pinner is attached at Att. 3 B&G Rep.
7a. To Receive the Following Proposed Club Rule Amendment From Mr Dom Watson: “Any gentleman whose membership application is approved by the Committee shall undertake to attend at least one dinner and one function per annum. If this is not achieved then the Committee shall be at liberty to review the application and, if no reasonable explanation may be given for non-adherence to these conditions, then the Member’s Proposer will be called by the Committee to explain why, and if no reasonable cause is found, then Membership of the new Member may be revoked.”. Dom Watson advised that this new rule would apply only to new Members joining the Club. There are obviously Members who would not be able to attend every function due to work or financial constraints. Of the 217 Members listed there is a core of only 102 who have attended one dinner; there are 8 members who are never able to attend but who always send apologies. There are a further 107 Members from whom the Dinner Secretary has heard nothing. The Laristan Fund receives contributions only by collection at Dinners and it raised £2034:21 this year. The
28 money is used at Christmas for M & S Vouchers to our widows and to seafaring charities. A future Member who would not attend any function or dinner would not be a viable concern by an injection of only £20 per annum but receiving possibly 3 magazines a year, Dinner Notices and a free attendance at the Cocktail Party. The above is a précis of Dom Watson’s statement
Graham Painter, who seconded this proposal, stated that he had noticed that attendance at Club Dinners had become a bit “thin on the ground” and it would appear that the Club has many ghost Members . The Club is only as good as its’ Members and, obviously, some are not actively involved to take the Club forward. There are Members who, although are all unpaid, work tirelessly behind the scenes and the Members who fail to attend Dinners are letting these down. I fully support Dom’s proposal as we do not need these “fair weather sailors” who only surface when a “freebie” is on offer. The above is a précis of Graham’s report
7b. To Receive the following proposed Club Rule Amendment from Mr Michael Pinner: “That any attempt to change the conditions of Membership for new Members would require a postal ballot of all Members of the Club who are in good standing”. This proposal is seconded by Cdr. Will Barker SAN.
Michael was concerned that the proposal by Dom Watson had not been considered by the Committee and Members who have no email advantage may not even have received it. Michael had contacted many Members and, in general, there was very little support for the proposal. Some Members are unable to attend the Club because of work or even fear of raveling home late at night. If the intention is to keep the Club afloat financially by increasing profits from the Dinner Fund, a better solution would be achieved by increasing the annual fees. Michael is also aware that the increase in the responsibility of a proposer is aimed at Members misbehaving at Club functions, The Committee should act if misconduct should prevail and have the ability to relinquish Membership. Michael also believed that all mobile ‘phones should be “switched off” during club dinners unless the member or guest is on an “emergency call” Michael was quite happy to withdraw his proposal should Dom do the same. The above is a précis of Michael’s statement
John Mankerty, who was aware that the Bar was open and that further arguments from the floor could take up a lot of time, proposed that these entire proposals be given to
29 the Committee which is about to be appointed and this Committee will discuss all the options and amend the Club Rules as necessary. This proposal was agreed by all present
8. To Appoint Cdr John Mankerty as a Temporary Chairman and to Declare all Offices Vacant: Cdr Mankerty reported that there was only one nomination for President and Martin Earp was elected as Club President for the year 2013/14. Martin then took the Chair and proposed the following nominations which were agreed by all members present:- a. Mr. David Watson. Is the Immediate Past President. b. Mr. Bill Murray was elected as Vice President. c. Mr. Martin Earp was elected as the Hon Almoner. d. Mr. David Watson was elected as the Hon Secretary. e. Mr. Derek Bevan was elected as the Hon. Treasurer. f.. Mr. Dom Watson was elected as Hon Dinner Secretary. g. Mr. John Callcut was elected as Hon Magazine Editor. h. The following were elected as Committee Members: Mr Mark Scoular, Capt. Chris Esplin-Jones C.B.E., Mr. Graham Capel, Mr. Louis Roskell & Mr. Fez Wood. i.. Cdr. John Mankerty O.B.E., was elected as Committee Advisor on Historic and Protocol Matters. j. The following were appointed as Hon Chaplains: Revd. Canon Thomas OBE., and the Revd. Peter Dennett. k.. Mr. M J Buck was appointed as the Club Auditor.
The meeting closed at 18.40
30 A Word from our Revered Treasurer:
Many a true word is said in jest. Some time ago I pointed out that the Seven Seas Club is not licensed by the financial authorities to maintain current accounts; neither am I.
Occasionally members pay for dinners, only to have a guest drop out or to be unable to attend themselves. They then expect the Hon Dinner Secretary (or an assistant helping him) to recall such an event and to apply those funds at some time in the future. Others forget and remit money afresh, perhaps months later, adding to the confusion.
The Committee has decided that in future any such money, not claimed as payment for the next dinner or refunded by direct request, will be presumed as intended for the Laristan Fund and will be paid out accordingly.
Derek Bevan.
Free Fronts – Free Franks by Graham Capel
If you have not discovered the world of Free Fronts, or Free Franks as I have also heard them called, you are not alone. I only discovered them about a year ago. Signed Nelson letters sell for a fortune, even if you can find one. You can scour the lot listings for otganisations like International Autograph Auctions. You can find the occasional Nelson letter, but even an unsigned one which may or not appear in the Nelson Letter Books will cost you a couple of thousand pounds, and a signed one, verified and listed will cost you several thousand pounds at least. So, where could you find a genuine Nelson signature cheaper? Well, try Free Fronts or Free Franks, but I might add that the only Free Frank that I have ever encountered was a bar tender in a very dubious bar in Majorca many years ago!
So, what is a Free Front or Free Frank? The answer is that it is the address on a letter sent by a Member of Parliament or House of Lords before the Penny Black, the first postage stamp. The ‘noble gentlemen’ of Parliament were allowed the privilege of sending mail free from the House of Commons and the House of Lords to anywhere in the country as long as it was signed by the sender so that it could be identified. That is where you get the genuine signature from. It was usually stamped with a date stamp or ‘franked’ which is where Frank came in – not the Bar Tender – the stamp, and as the mail service was FREE, they were called Free Fronts – for the front of the letter, or Free Franks – as they had been stamped (franked). Incidentally, Free Frank the Bar Tender did excellent Harvey Wallbangers which nearly blew your head off, but they weren’t free! It was the sign behind the bar which earned Frank his name – FREE DRINKS TOMORROW. Of course, tomorrow never comes, and neither di Frank’s free drinks!
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Incidentally, the privilege of Free Franking was terminated in 1840 as a result of various abuses and excesses in the Post Office system. It was shortly after this that the postage stamp was introduced by Rowland Hill’s reforms and the very collectable and sought after Penny Black stamp and its successors were born, right up to the postage stamp of today.
This is a Free Front. I’ll call them that from now on to avoid getting into deeper water about Free Frank’s bar, and it is Free Fronts that you will find them under on E-Bay or in dealer’s listings. You can see that this one is addressed to Lord Nelson and signed by Hood – Lord Hood in his capacity as a Member of the House of Lords and entitled to send mail free, Look at the date on the stamp – the frank – sorry! It reads November 15 1800 and is addressed to Lord Nelson at what looks like NESOTS HOTEL in London. Now put these two bits of information together and you have Admiral Lord Nelson staying at an hotel in London in November 1800 – only a week or so after he had returned to England from his overland journey with Sir William and the increasingly pregnant Lady Hamilton after he had resigned his position in the Mediterranean. They had landed at Yarmouth on the 6th November. Why was he staying at an hotel? Well, he had just parted from his wife Fanny – they had their last meeting on his return, so there was obviously no room for him at the family residence in London anymore! From Yarmouth they must have journeyed to London. Sir William and Lady Hamilton to stay with friends presumably, and Lord Nelson to an hotel. So, this letter was written just over a week after Nelson had returned to England in some degree of disgrace following his resignation and the the growing scandal as news of his affair with Emma Hamilton grew, but nevertheless still with a degree of charisma as ‘The Victor of the Nile’. (ed. This is in fact Nerot’s Hotel, 17, King Street, St. James’s, London where he met his wife and father at 3.00 pm on the
32 afternoon of Sunday, 9th November to the accompaniment of a thunderstorm – in the literal and metaphorical sense!)
Why was Lord Hood writing to Nelson? Well, Samuel Hood – 1st Viscount Hood, had been a supporter of Nelson since their days together in the Caribbean and he knew Nelson’s uncle, Maurice Suckling, well. Hood had joined Rodney in Jamaica in 1780 at the beginning of the American War of Independence. In October 1782 Nelson, as a newly appointed Post Captain was sent to Jamaica. His first action did not go well when Nelson in the frigate Albemarle (28) failed in his mission to remove French troops from Turks Island in the Bahamas. Hood had also introduced the young Nelson to Prince William Henry who was a serving officer in the Royal Navy and shortly to become the Duke of Clarence and even later England’s Sailor King William IV, although he really wanted to become Henry IX! Prince William was one of Nelson’s principal attendants at his wedding to Frances Nesbitt on the Caribbean island of Nevis on the 11th March 1787. So, Hood was certainly writing to Nelson to greet him on his return to England and probably also to the House of Lords. He may or may not have been offering words of welcome as an old friend or alternatively words of warning over his now public marital affairs. I wonder if the actual letter in sin the Hood archives?
See just how much you can learn from an old envelope (Front) which is a lot more than you would have learned from Free Frank the Bar Tender!
Now, this next Free Front is signed by Nelson himself, or Nelson & Bronte to be exact. This is how I acquired my genuine Nelson signature at a fraction of the cost of a Nelson signed letter. This is franked (sorry again!) May 31 1803 and is addressed to Rear Admiral Campbell. At this time in his career, Nelson was ‘on the beach’. He was
33 on half pay and had taken his seat in the House of Lords since 1802 – so think how many letters he was sending between his failure with the Channel Fleet and the bombardment of Boulogne in August 1801 and 16th May 1803 when war was declared following the short Peace of Amiens when Nelson was employed again. Twenty months – lots of letters? Sir William Hamilton had died on the 6th April 1803 leaving his favourite portrait of Emma to Nelson who was living at their ‘beloved Merton’ , in conjugal bliss with Emma and shortly to be joined by Emma.
But who was Rear Admiral Campbell? If it is the one I think it is, he was to play an important part in the prelude to the Battle of Trafalgar. On the 13th June 1804 Rear Admiral Campbell was commanding a small squadron off Toulon where Admiral Lord Nelson’s fleet were blockading the French fleet. Rear Admiral Campbell in Canopus (74) engaged a French frigate which fled back to Toulon which led to the British frigate Phoebe commanded by Captain the Honourable Thomas Capel to be the first to witness the entire French fleet making to leave port, and he raised the general alarm. I don’t have a copy of the Nelson letters for 1803, so maybe someone can tell me if this letter is included? (ed. Nelson sailed in the Victory on the 20th May 1803 so this letter was either written and then posted after he had sailed or had been written whilst at sea)
There are many other famous Nelson associated personages whose signatures can be obtained in this way. Here is a Free Front signed by Lord St. Vincent dated 1829 and accompanied with a period print of the First Lord of the Admiralty which he became in Nelson’s time and thereafter.
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Here is another really early one of Earl Howe dated January 12 1793. This was Richard, the fourth Viscount Howe who was raised to the Peerage in 1782. Of course, he was famous for his victory at The Glorious First of June in 1794 when his Channel Fleet engaged the French Fleet of Vice Admiral Thomas Villaret de Joyeuse in mid- Atlantic who was attempting to protect a French grain convoy of merchant ships from America to France. Howe’s action resulted in the capture of seven French ships, but the grain ships got through. This letter was written in 1793, the year before his famous battle and presumably when he was commanding the Channel Fleet. He died in 1799 with no male heirs so the title passed through his daughter.
I’m not going to tell you how much I paid for my Free Front from Nelson. You will have to try your luck on E-bay or at the auction houses. As you can see there are many signatures on Free Fronts from other famous persons of the Nelson era, before and afterwards.
In December 2012 a Free Front signed by Thomas Masterman Hardy when he was First Lord of the Admiralty in 1833 sold for as little as £77.89 plus £1.20 postage. The second signature is of the Fourth Lord of the Admiralty at that time, Admiral FitzHardinge Berkeley, so you got two signatures for the price of one if you had bought it – unfortunately I did not. At about the same time there was another Free Font signed by Wellington which sold for a similar £74.
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If you work out how many days Nelson might have taken his seat in the House of Lords from the time he was raised to the peerage following the Battle of the Nile in 1798 and when he was not at sea defending the realm, and bearing in mind that ALL communications were by hand written letter, and Nelson was a prolific writer, you can make a rough guess at how many Free Fronts signed by Nelson might have existed – certainly hundreds. Many of them will not have survived. After all, up to 215 years is a long time for an old envelope to still exist, but many of his letters have survived. I’ll bet you, and Free Frank as well (he used to gamble on anything), that there are more out there to be found.
SEVEN SEAS CLUB DINNERS by Commander John Mankerty
This document is the protocol for attendance at a Club Dinner. Might I remind you that you are most welcome to bring guests but you are responsible for their conduct during the evening.
Social customs in this country have changed dramatically since the last world war and are still changing, and a way of life familiar to the older generations in the days of their youth now seem to belong to another world.
Consequently the style of dining and the manners and customs of the Seven Seas Club of 1922, which have evolved and are practiced some 91 years later may require some explanation.
One may ask what is the overriding rule of our mess and method of dining together and what deference should be shown within the club? I would sum this up as follows;
36 there should be no distinction of rank in the mess, except the natural deference which youth owes to age of common courtesy.
Not withstanding the Club is run by the President (elected on a yearly basis), as is the Committee. The format of the dinner is one that we have inherited and modified over the years. The format of a typical dinner is as follows and should without variation be implemented as far as possible on each and every occasion. So, having booked your place at least 48 hours before the event with the Dinner Secretary and paid by Cheque or BACS, we gather between 18.00 hrs and 1845 hrs at the National Liberal Club (NLC) using a corner of the main lounge as an ante room. The NLC set up a bar for us but unfortunately are unable to supply draught beer at that location. However we are permitted to enter the NLC Member’s Bar for that purpose, but you should return to the Lounge with your pint; remember we are NOT members of the NLC. Use of this Member’s Bar following our dinner is permissible and usual. On the large polished table in the ante room you will find a menu and table plan for the evening and one of the NLC staff will take your wine orders for the evening; this is paid for at the time of ordering and will be before you when you enter the dining room.
At 18.45 hrs the Secretary will bang on the table announcing… ‘Mr President, Gentlemen, dinner is served’. Members and their guests will make their way to the dining room, find their place and remain standing to greet the President and our ‘Distinguished Guest’ /Speaker for the evening. They are piped aboard and to the accompaniment of a steady handclap make their way to the top table.
The President will Gavel once and the ovation will stop. He will then call out, ‘Is there a Padre aboard’? The Padre will answer ‘Aye Aye Sir’ to which the President replies, ‘Grace please’. Should there be no Padre aboard the President will call, Mr Vice ‘Grace please’.
The Club grace is as follows:- ‘God Save the Queen, God bless our dinner, Prosper our Club and all who sail the Seven Seas, and give us thankful hearts. Amen.’
The silence is now broken as we sit to dinner. During the course of the dinner the President will make a number of formal announcements each of which will be preceded by a bang of the Gavel and the courtesy of total silence from Members and guests present is expected. These announcements will range from the presentation of the Chip Leonard Anchor to a particular member dining that evening, ties for newly elected members, to a few short words of welcome to all our guests. He will also call upon the Club Hon. Secretary for any relevant announcements ranging from Club
37 business, forthcoming events, news of members and apologies from members unable to attend that evening.
As the meal ends Coffee, mints and Decanters of Port are placed on the tables. The President will order the Port to be passed until all wishing to drink their toasts in port have filled their glasses. As a point of etiquette the Port is passed immediately to the left by the person it is in front of and round the table and back to where it began each member filling ONLY his own glass; the person passing the Port then fills his own glass. When ladies are present it is usual for a member/guest to pour the Port for the Lady on his left. The Port should not be drunk until the first toast. The Hon. Secretary and Mr Vice will stand to inform the President that the Port has been passed in order that the dinner may continue.
This is instituted by the President using his Gavel and after the company has fallen silent calling out, ‘Mr Vice’. Mr Vice rises to his feet and invites the company to stand. Then raising his glass he intones ‘THE QUEEN’; the company reply with ‘THE QUEEN’.
The Company resume their seats. (No other toast may be drunk in conjunction with that to the Sovereign). Should a Dignitary from another country be present it is customary to toast also the Sovereign/Head of that Country
After a suitable pause the President will again rise and Gavel and the Company will follow him to their feet. He will propose ‘The Seven Seas Club Australia, The Seven Seas Club South Africa and absent friends’. This is repeated word for word without additions by the Company after which we resume our seats.
The President will then send the Laristan Fund collector round the members and he will point out that a contribution from guests is NOT expected. Permission will then be given to leave the table to ‘Pump Ship’ and a time given for all to resume their seats for the address of the evening by our Distinguished Guest. The Club has long had a flexible attitude to leaving the table prior to the Loyal toast. (In a Service Mess or Wardroom no one may leave the table before permission is given.) Due to the advanced years of some of us the privilege of leaving the table if required is permissible.
The Seven Seas Club has hard and fast rules in respect of our speakers…they will be heard politely and quietly, members may ask questions but may NOT make statements and must avoid political issues. Members wishing to ask a question will attract the President’s attention and being invited to speak, stand, give their name and ask their
38 question. Please bear in mind that we all wish to hear the question and acoustics can be difficult in the dining room.
Following questions the President will again gavel and call out, ‘Mr Vice’. Mr Vice will rise and propose a vote of thanks to the Speaker and the company will show their appreciation in the usual way. The President then makes a small presentation to the Guest on behalf of the Club and a photograph will be taken. The President again Gavels and calls the company to their feet asking the Hon. Secretary to propose the Last Toast, which is drunk in silence. During this toast the lights are dimmed and the Secretary calls out ‘The Lights are burning bright Sir’
And after a pause the President replies ‘And all’s well.’
The lights go up and the Secretary calls out ‘Please remain standing while our President and Distinguished Guest leave the room’. They are piped ashore to the applause of those present.
Members and guests may wish to remain at table and finish any port or repair to the NLC Member’s Bar which closes at 11.00 pm allowing fifteen minutes to leave the premises.
Pen Picture: Sipho Wanliss
This item has been sent to us by Mr. Mike Pinner. This young man has been assisted by the Seven Seas Baxter Grimshaw Trust in the past (not directly on this trip) and this is his diary covering a recent trip to South Africa.
I was born in Cape Town, South Africa on the 18th May 1995 and moved to the UK at the age of two. I have one sister, Landa, who lives in London with her partner and their child. My father, an ordained minister, joined the British Army. I lived in Kingston-upon-Thames in London, where I was a member of the Hampton Court Palace choir. In 2005, my father and I moved to Northern Ireland as he had been posted there to work. I attended the Royal School Armagh as a boarder until 2011. I also became a member of St Patrick’s Cathedral choir. In 2008 my father retired from the Army due to medical reasons, and so we moved to Armagh. In 2011, I attended the Southern Regional College Armagh to complete my A-Levels. I hope to join the Merchant Navy as a Deck Officer.
39 Joining the Sea Cadets was one of the most significant events of my life! I have amassed a large number of qualifications in boating (rowing, power and sail) and qualified as a Dinghy Instructor. Whilst a Petty Officer Cadet I was selected to attend a leadership course at Britannia Royal Naval College, as a result of which I was short- listed to be interviewed for the Cadet of the Year South Africa Exchange. I was selected and spent a fantastic month in South Africa with the SA Sea Cadets. During my time there I met Admiral Piet Potgieter of the Cape Winjammers Education Trust, who has links with Mr Michael Pinner.
The highlight of my Sea Cadet career has been the various offshore voyages I have undertaken in the power vessels, TS John Jerwood and Jack Petchy, in the SCC Yacht, TS Vigilant and the flagship, TS Royalist. That I was able to have these fabulous experiences is largely due to the generosity of the Baxter & Grimshaw Trust Square Rigger Club, to whom I am most indebted.
I am an now an adult volunteer with the Sea Cadets and relief watch officer on T.S. Royalist and the Sea Cadet Power Vessels; thus helping the next generation of Sea Cadets share the experience.
I continue to enjoy sailing. My shore based hobbies include playing rugby at Armagh City Rugby Club and singing in the Armagh Cathedral choir.
South Africa 2013 Report
Day1
I arrived at Cape Town International Airport at 0800 on the 26th June and was met by Lieutenant
40 Jacobs, the CO of T.S. Woltemade, who then took me to the unit. I was then met by the staff and cadets of T.S. Woltemade. The first thing I noticed about the cadets (bar the fact they were South African) was there utmost discipline. They were the most well behaved set of teenage children I had encountered, and the same went for all the Sea Cadets I met. After meeting the cadets I was taken on a tour of SAS Simonstown, the headquarters of the South African Navy. I was taken on a detailed tour of their facilities, and shown around their ships, including their submarines. This included a tour of the South African Naval Museum. After my tour of Simonstown, I was taken back to the unit to participate in some activities with the cadets.
Day 2
The Thursday was spent doing boating activities with the cadets. We sailed and rowed on 16 foot Saldanha dinghies, which are fibreglass boats purpose- built for the SA Sea Cadets. We also kayaked to an island with a bird sanctuary. All this was done on the Zandvlei Lake, where the unit is based.
Day 3
The 28th involved an expedition to with some of the staff members to the Cape Point Nature Reserve. This is the point where the Atlantic Ocean
current and the Indian Ocean current meet. Indeed, many mistake this as the most southerly point of Africa, but this is actually Cape Agullhas, some 100 or so miles east of Cape Point. Still, it was a magnificent experience to be there. That evening, I departed T.S. Woltemade to stay with Captain Coetzee, a retired port Captain of Cape Town Harbour.
Day 4
On the 29th, Captain Coetzee took me on a tour of Cape Town Harbour, and
41 on a tour of Cape Town Waterfront. I visited the old Port Captains offices, and also the Peace Square, where statues have been erected of South Africa’s four Nobel Peace Prize winners. I then went on a boat tour of Cape Town Harbour, where it was explained to me how the harbour area is built on reclaimed land. Captain Coetzee then took me on a trip outside Cape Town to Hout Bay, then on a drive up the coast to Chapman’s Peak and to Kommetjie, before bringing me to his home in Wynberg.
Day 5
I set off on the 30th at 0600 to Knysna, a journey of nine hours, arriving in Knysna at 1500, where I was met by Lieutenant Commander Erickson, the Commanding Officer of T.S. Knysna. I was taken to T.S. Knysna, where I was introduced to the cadets and staff of T.S. Knysna and given a tour of their unit. Knysna has to be one of the most beautiful places on earth, and the unit is situated in the most idyllic of spots on the Knysna Lagoon.
Day 6
On the Monday I was given a tour of the Knysna Heads Nature Reserve. This is the headlands that culminate at the entrance to the lagoon, the result being a narrow channel to the sea, flanked on either side by two dramatic cliff faces. It is truly a beautiful sight to see. After this I went back to the unit, where I chatted with the staff and cadets and sat in on a seamanship lesson.
Day 7
On the 2nd of July, the CO and his wife took me to the Kango Caves, where I was given a tour of the caves. The caves were enormous, a truly spectacular sight to see. After this, I was taken to the Oudtshoorn Nature
42 Park, which is owned by the CO’s brother. There, I had a fantastic time viewing all the animals, culminating with a chance to stroke a cheetah, and an exhilarating ride on an ostrich! This day was by far one of the highlights of my trip in South Africa, and the experience I had on this day will stick by me for ever.
Day 8
The Wednesday morning was spent participating in drill practise with the cadets. Their drill is different to ours, but was easy to pick up. For this we had taking the practise a WO1 Van Rensburg, who was the SA Navy’s chief drill instructor for many years. The afternoon was spent sailing on a 27 foot Gunter-rigged Montague Whaler, a boat which I had only seen in copies of the Admiralty Manual of Seamanship! I learnt a lot on this day, from some new drill movements to the intricacies of sailing a 27 foot dinghy.
Day 9
On the Thursday morning, I attended the Bondi Commemoration Ceremony. Bondi was the ship’s dog aboard HMS Verbena, and passed away when the ship was in Knysna. In the afternoon I went with the cadets to help finish of the decorating of a crèche which they had helped to build in the nearby township of Hornlee. This was a steep learning curve, as I had never been in a township before, and it was a good opportunity to chat with some of the local people as well as to do something for a good cause.
Day 10
On the Friday morning I participated in kayaking and rowing activities with the cadets. This included eight of us rowing the previously sailed Montague Whaler. In the afternoon I was asked to take a class on The UK Sea Cadets and the Royal Navy. This I found a bit daunting at first but really the cadets just wanted to
43 know more about what we do in the UK Sea Cadets – more of an informal chat rather than a lesson. In the evening I attended the Admiral’s Ball. This was one of the culminating events of the Knysna Oyster Festival, which had been running throughout the week. This took place on the MS John Benn, which is a commercial paddle steamer. The Admiral attending was Vice Admiral Qubu, who is the Director of Naval Personnel. I attended the event with the staff and with the Master at Arms, a title given to their most mature and senior cadet. The event itself was thoroughly enjoyable, and it was a good opportunity to meet and interact with more of the people of Knysna.
Day 11
Saturday the 6th of July was the Anniversary of Knysna Sea Cadets. This involved a parade at their unit attended by Admiral Qubu, who spoke highly not just of T.S. Knysna but of the continued link between the South African Sea Cadets and The UK Sea Cadets. After the parade the cadets performed a precision drill performance. This is something I have never encountered before and involved the cadets performing complex drill movements with Lee Enfield rifles, all to the beat of a drum – no orders were given throughout. It was a fantastic thing to view and is definitely something that I would love to introduce in my unit.
Day 12
On the Sunday morning I attended a Sea Sunday Church service at the local Church, also attended by Admiral Qubu. I then went for a visit to the local yacht club, which has been active since the early 19th century. In the afternoon I went on a tour of Knysna Town, which included the town centre, and the historic sites such as the old jail and old naval buildings.
Day 13
On the Monday I went on a boat tour of the Knysna Lagoon. This did not include the whole lagoon, as the lagoon stretches 70 kilometres, but of the Lagoon which
44 encompasses Knysna Town. After this I said my goodbyes and departed T.S. Knysna and spent my last evening with the Commanding Officer and his wife.
Day 14
I left Knysna at 0600 on Tuesday the 9th for Cape Town. I had been scheduled to visit Port Elizabeth, but the staff at the Sea Cadet Headquarters in Port Elizabeth had to be sent to Pretoria in case Nelson Mandela passed away. I arrived in Cape Town at 1500 and was met at the bus station by Captain Toms, the former Captain South African Sea Cadets, who took me to his home in Fish Hoek, close to T.S. Woltemade. Indeed, that evening I had a braai (barbeque) with the staff of T.S. Woltemade.
Day 15
On the Wednesday Captain Toms took me on a visit to Table Mountain. Table Mountain is one of the seven natural wonders of the world, and Cape Town is situated at its foot. The views from the top are sublime, and it’s only once up there that you realise just how flat the mountain is. This was one of the highlights of my trip, and a great way to end such a fantastic trip.
Day 16
Thursday the 11th culminated my time with the South African Sea Cadets. In the morning I departed Captain Toms to spend a week visiting family in Cape Town. During my time spent with my family, my uncle was able to organise for me to meet with Rear Admiral (JG) Piet Potgieter SAN (ret.), the Chairman of the Cape Windjammers Youth Trust, who has links with Mr Michael Pinner of the Seven Seas Club.
My time spent with the Sea Cadets in South Africa was really fantastic, and there wasn’t a thing that I would change (except the daily run at 0500). The opportunity to visit a South Africa is something I will never forget, and it couldn’t have happened without the support and kindness of the UK Sea Cadets, whom I thank.
PPO (SCC) Sipho Wanliss
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THE SEVEN SEAS TROPHY
Vice President, Mr Bill Murray, is seen here presenting the trophy to the winning crew at Cowes. The Jolie Brise was skippered by Toby Marris from Dauntsey’s School Sailing Club.
The photograph has been reproduced by kind permission of ASTO and copyright remains with them.
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