SOy .RS OF UNITED TOWING

This interesting article traces the history of The City of Hull (or more properi:_ Kingston-Upon-Hull) has been one - the United Towing Company of Hull Britain's leading ports for centuries, ~ whose ubiquitous tugs will be familiar to many the birthplace of some of its finest seamec, Standing on the northern elbow of ~~ of our sea-going readers. broad Humber estuary in what was, unz; recently, the East Riding of Yorkshire, The company is linked to BSL through our joint venture Hull can trace its heritage of seaman "':;: United Towing (Star Offshore Services) Ltd. back to the days of Drake and Raleigh, While this pair of gentlemanly rogues were seeking fame and fortune on -:..~ Spanish Main, men from Hull sailed 0 flimsy wooden craft to search for the grea; schools of whales which inhabited U:= Arctic wastes around Greenland. Wbalin:::., however, was only one of the trades which the city's prosperity was found, - Timber from Scandinavia, wool fro=: Australia, wheat from Canada: all these and more helped to swell the seaborne traffic which rounded Spurn Point and headed up river towards the growing complex of docks clustering around if! Old Town. As trade increased dramatically during the industrial revolution of the 18th am: 19th centuries, Hull expanded and prospered. And with the ever increasing number of ships seeking a berth in *-~ Humber ports came a proportional in in the number of grimy little tugs, eager assist them. By the early part of this century ~ number of locally-owned tug fleets ~ grown to such a degree that it was :~ necessary for a Master to take his tug T'::.- into the North Sea in the hope of ~ out an incoming vessel and beating rivals to it. When no ship was to be fo s: tug men had little choice but to around in the vicinity in the hope picking up a damaged or becalmed Clearly, such a situation was to no advantage-except perhaps the Masters - incoming ships. The tugmen realised ~ too much competition was in no :.;- interest, and in 1914 an attempt was -'= to rationalise the business by forming == Hull Associated Tugowners. This 0 ~ sation sought to bring some sense _.~ operations by arranging towage conrr ~ and the like on behalf of its me Five companies were involved in == ~ loosely-knit association, operating between Dwarfed by her tow, the tug 'Scotsman' in SOS livery, shows her mettle during a recent jacket them a total of 42 tugs. Records show ~ move in the North Sea the organisation was relatively sue -

4 as both tug companies and shipowners were company history in 1925 when the vessel The confidence and experience gained able to make some definite financial savings. undertook to tow two small steamers from working in waters far away from home At any rate, it continued to operate well for Boston in Lincolnshire across the south was to stand them in good stead in 1939 several years, right up to the early 1920s, Atlantic to Buenos Aires, the first time that when war broke out. when a deteriorating situation made a total a vessel from the United Towing fleet had As in many other spheres, Britain was re-appraisal necessary. undertaken such a long-range ocean tow. not completely prepared. At the outbreak For her 124 days round-trip, Seaman of war there were only five ocean-going The birth of United Towing earned the princely sum of £3,400 for her tugs in the whole of the country and United For a start, most of the tugs in operation owners-less than £30 a day. Towing owned three of them. They, at that time were second-hand; Owners had Marathon Trek together with several smaller tugs from the never dared to invest heavily in new vessels company's fleet, were immediately requisi- and now they were paying the price. The This hardly compares with the marathon tioned by the Government. Managed and great depression of the twenties was also trek claimed as a record for the towing and crewed by United Towing, these tugs beginning to show its grim face and some- salvage business by one of the Company's played a brave and defiant part in Britain's thing had to be done quickly to improve on present Marine Superintendents, Captain fight for survival. Two of them, Englishman the loose union of 1914. So in 1921, several Bill Hopper and the crew of Tradesman. and Guardsman, were sunk by enemy Humber-based companies, able to muster Leaving Hull early in 1956, Captain action-but Seaman settled that score in 39 tugs between them, cemented their Hopper's first tow took him to Port part by shooting down the first four- futures solidly together by joining forces Moresby in New Guinea. He worked in engined German plane to meet its end in to form the United Towing Company. the China Seas for six months, and because the cold Atlantic ocean. The first priority of the new company the Suez crisis hampered his return, he Throughout the war, United Towing was to get its fleet into better shape. The continued to work all over the Far East. tugs continued their operations, frequently oldest tugs were sold and replaced by good, He came back to Hull 18 months later after rescuing stricken vessels and bringing them second-hand vessels, and at the same time, covering a distance of 56,000 miles, more safely in for repair. During these difficult an ambitious new building programme was than half of these with a tow following. times, United Towing management was started. Today there is a tendency to regard But it was the precocious little Seaman very closely involved with the Admiralty a vessel as being a bit 'long in the tooth' that set the pattern, and throughout the in co-ordinating the total operational after 10 or 15 years, so it may come as interwar years Masters and men from the pattern of the British salvage fleet. When something of a surprise to recall that Lady United Towing fleet undertook long and D-Day approached, the 'Men from United' Bute and the paddle tug Powerful, sold by difficult journeys as a matter of routine. were there again, helping to tow the huge United Towing in 1924 and 1925 res- pectively, were both built in 1857. But ancient was giving way to modern, and by the mid-twenties seven new vessels had arrived from the builder's yard. Six of them were steam tugs, but the seventh, Motorman, became the first diesel-powered vessel to fly the United Towing flag. It was to be another 42 years before United Towing could boast an all-diesel fleet, years during which the company's activities spilled out from the Humber ports to cover the globe, making vessels with the man suffix famous in harbours from New York to Singapore. As the power and size of its tugs increased, the company became more ambitious, gradually extending its zone of operation to include the North Sea and the Mad dogs and Englishman ... Well, one 'Englishman'-silhouetted here against Table Mountain Mediterranean. It was Seaman that made which forms a famous backcloth to the city of Cape Town

A much colder clime for the 16,000 hp Lloydsman as she goes about her fishery protection duties during the recent 'Cod War' 5 the name of United Towing has been strengthened by the addition of four ne linked with many a famous and successful tugs, specially designed for anchor handling 50YEARS salvage operation-like the stricken tankers work. Even now they are busy in the North Marathon, Carlantic, and Gallant Coloco- Sea flying the fiag of our joint venture tronis. And as the size of tows has increased, operation,United Towing (Star Offshore OF UNITED so has the scope and power of the United Services) Ltd. The Star Offshore Services Towing fleet. In 1914, Hullman at 1800 hp Supply fleet, at present manned an TOWING was the most powerful tug in Britain- operated by United Towing, and a purpose- almost insignificant when compared with built mooring vessel, have added to the Mulberry Harbours which were to form United Towing's present flagship, Lloyds- company's involvement, and a deter- Port Winston at Arromanches. man, a 2,000-ton ocean rover with a mination to stay ahead of changing patte By the time peace came, United Towing formidable 16,000 hp at her command. of demand has resulted in the recen; tug-men were the proud possessors of a With quarter-million ton tankers now a placing of a £3t million order for two George Medal and many other decorations commonplace sight, these high-horsepower powerful new tugs, scheduled for com- and commendations for bravery and tugs have become an absolute necessity. pletion in 1978. meritorious service. It was a time for But there are other areas where their great picking up the pieces and the Company strength has been put to good use. It was Family traditions set to work with a will. Several tugs built little more than a decade ago that Britain But despite the organisation's rapid gro during the war by the Admiralty-all first began to take an excited interest in and an ever-increasing level of sophisti- prefixed Empire-were bought by United offshore oil and natural gas finds in the cation and development, United Towing Towing and immediately rechristened in North Sea. The United Towing manage- still regards itself as being very much 2 the Man tradition. Their first task was to ment was not slow to spot the potential, for family company based on Hull. Friendli- clear the Normandy beaches of the 'block- the huge structures which were such a ness and informality is the general rule an . ships' and the other grim impediments of necessary part of offshore exploration had sons still take pride in following their war, before settling down to the new no power of their own. They had to be fathers into service aboard the Men. The challenges of the postwar years. moved from the builder's yard to their present Chairman, Mr Tony Wilbraham! locations, or from one exploration area to readily admits to setting great store b_ Change of ownership the next. Who better to handle the job these old family ties, strengthened b_ The postwar period has been one of than the powerful Men from United generations of employees who have taken tremendous activity, years during which Towing? a real and personal pleasure in the the company has grown and pospered, Well, they could and they did. Mr Cap, Company's success. They will tell you thzr undertaking a massive modernisation exer- the first rig ever to enter the British sector theirs is a family which is second to none cise involving every vessel in the fleet. In of the North Sea, was towed into history when it comes to tug handling: wheth 1960, when control of the company by tugs from the United Towing fleet. keeping an aggressive gunboat away fro= changed hands, the average age of a United Today, United Towing is still very much a British trawler in storm-force conditions Towing tug was 26 years. By 1967, the involved in the business of offshore oil and off Iceland, towing a 300-ft high OL number of diesel-powered vessels in the is proud of the part it has played in production platform, or gently easing a fleet had grown from three to 29 and the pioneering many of the handling nuclear submarine into her berth a fe last of the steam tugs had been sold. techniques. miles from Company headquarters over- Parallel with all this building activity In recent years the Company has been looking the Humber.

6 had no brakes! From the bridge they had. a first class view of the giant cranes lifting some of the 1200 containers out of the ship Schoolchildren Visit 'ACT 5' and were extremely curious to know what was in them and in which country the cargo had been loaded. Mr Nichols took Last November, a group of pupils and staff from Oaklands School in Hounslow paid a visit to the opportunity to explain the system of 'ACT 5', then in dock at Tilbury. Miss V Gillon, the class teacher, has provided us with the tidal locks operating in the docks. following account of ~n unusual outing which proved to be both educational and enjoyable. The party moved to the deck,where they saw the lifeboats and ship's compass and were able to look inside the enormous funnels or pipes, each expelling a different The recent visit to the Tilbury docks by never been 'behind the scenes' on a ship waste product. It was explained that the the group from Oaklands Special School before, and were amazed at the differences ship's electricity was generated by steam was extremely informative and interesting, between this and their homes. and the pupils were shown the battery not only for the pupils but also for the ,

Sydney Jones went into partnership with Alfred Holt and Co (he later became Sir Sydney [ones, Lord Mayor of Liverpool). Lamporl I Holt Line Memories George Melly and Arthur Cook became Joint Managing Directors of the new by [im Cavanagh Lamport & Holt Ltd, with Sir Owen Phillips as Chairman. First lady Reading [im Hopner's interesting re- First War days that there were separate In 1912, the Royal Liver Building having miniscences in the autumn 1976 issue of freight departures-River Plate managed been completed, the Company moved into Gangway has renewed my even earlier by RHJones and Brazil by W King. All palatial offices occupying the whole of recollections of the early days of Lamport sat at high desks facing the counter in the western half of the first floor. The & Holt. In 1909, at the age of 18, I left a the main office, and I remember seeing installation of an internal telephone solicitor's office for employment at King, still sitting on his stool, waving away exchange by the National Telephone Co Lamport's as a shorthand typist with a shippers at the counter clamouring for (before the GPO took over) brought the knowledge of Spanish. (Incidently, i was space. first lady in to the staff as telephone never called upon to use that knowledge!) At this time the Company was operating operator. The office then occupied the ground floor the following services: Glasgow and A number of the staff, including myself, of Drury Buildings, 23 Water Street. Liverpool to River Plate and return; were Territorials and on the outbreak of The Company was a very prosperous Middlesbrough, Antwerp, and London to war in August 1914 we were immediately one, privately owned by four partners: Brazil and River Plate and return; Glasgow mobilised. The patriotic George Melly WaIter Holland, George Melly, Arthur and Liverpool to Brazil, returning via New guaranteed us all full salaries until we Cook, and Sydney Jones. There was a Orleans to London and Antwerp; between returned. At that time everyone thought family atmosphere in the office with strong UK and West Coast of South America; the war would be over by Christmas- Unitarian overtones. I was placed in the between New York, Brazil, and River Plate nevertheless, the promise was kept. correspondence and cabling department. via West Indies; between New York and I'll end this fragment with a true story. As airmail was then unknown (all mail North Brazil; and one vessel trading There was a loud-voiced character in the going by sea) cabling was the only rapid between New York and Manchester. office named Crosthwaite. One day Mr means of communication with overseas I remember that Archimedes on her Melly heard a lot of shouting in the outer agencies. The cost of such cablegrams was maiden triangular voyage, UK/Brazil/New office and asked his secretary what all considerably reduced by the use of private Orleans/Antwerp in 1913 earned sufficient the noise was about. The secretary replied codes, specially compiled for use between freight to defray her building costs! that Crosthwaite was speaking to Glasgow. Liverpool and each of the principal over- In 1911, Sir Owen Phillips (later to 'Then why the hell', said Mr Melly, seas agencies. become Lord Kylsant) decided to add 'doesn't he use the telephone?' Lamport & Holt to his growing shipping (note: Jim Cavanagh, who retired in High desks empire and accordingly bought out the 1956, later served as Secretary of Lamport Such was the volume of trade in those pre- partners. WaIter Holland retired and & Holt Line).

7 year joined the Seagoing Staff of Lamporr' _. LAMPORT He made his first voyage to sea aboar Portia as 7th Engineer. Mr Berry served in several vessels in the & HOLT LINE fleet and in 1932 was appointed 2n· Engineer of the famous cruise liner Voltaire, later becoming Chief Engineer. News He then served as Chief Engineer on Balzac ; she was sunk by enemy action in Appointment 1941 and Mr Berry spent the rest of the war as a POW. In the postwar years he PL Gillespie was appointed Manager of sailed in Byron and Lalander, finishing his the Agency Department on 1 November long career with service in the Booth Line 1976. Laurie Gillespie first joined the Denis and Dunstan. Department in December 1974 after pre- Two members of the present BSSM staff viously serving with Liner Shipping enjoyed the pleasure of .sailing with M.:- Agency, Liverpool, and with Metric Line. Berry as young 2nd Engineers-and he Retirement of Muriel Field no doubt gave them some sound advice, Muriel pictured with friends from Freight They are the Chief Superintendent and Our best wishes to Murie1 Field, South and Telex Department, at her desk in Deputy Chief Superintendent Engineers, American Freight Department shorthand- Albion House, Liverpool Jack Low and George Mann. George typist, who retired on 31 December. Berry is remembered by them both, and Muriel, who had previously worked with indeed by all with warm affection. Russell and Co (Liverpool) Ltd, joined Death of George Berry J Bill Murray Booth Steamship Co in 1972 and moved It is with deep regret that we announce over to the joint BoothfLamport Freight the death, on 21 October 1976, of Mr Group at the Royal Liver Building in George Berry. August 1974. George Berry was the longest-serving Chief Engineer in the Lamport & Holt Departure Line Fleet, having joined the Company as We also extend good wishes to Christine Engineer's Apprentice in the Fulton Street Falrclough, Manifest Typist, who left us Engine Works about 1912. After war on 31 December to await the birth of her service in the Royal Engineers, he returned first child. to the Engine Works in 1919 and later that

·F C T Wood. Last year I journeyed to like. I sailed from Napier, NZ, on the Par. California on Hobart Star (Captain, G Sydney, and returned by the Port Caroline. Postbag Ferriday once again) and returned home While the Port Line ships may have had "- by the same ship, this time with Captain bit more room in the passenger accom- Happy voyages Dan Eckworth. ' modation, I found the Blue Star ships 'er: I am a Blue Star fan, and have made I think that I carried out some useful superior in meals and in the bars. several trips about the world aboard BSL work for BSL during my voyages for, Bob Parsons used to let me have copies ships. In 1966 I travelled to England via being a commercial artist, I did a lot of of your excellent publication, Gangioay ; South Africa on the old New Zealand Star signwriting on the lifeboats and lifebuoys. it is a very interesting and well-prepared (the Captain was G Ferriday) and returned The bosuns usually cleaned-up and re- magazine. The Fleet List tells me where on the old South Africa Star, via Suez and painted before I did the lettering. This all my mates are, so I can invite them up Australia (Captain, Gyles Aldridge). She work helped to fill the long hours at sea. my club for a drink and a chat about 0 . only went as far as Brisbane, but I managed On the insistence of Bob Parsons, the times. to find a berth back to New Zealand on then Passenger Manager, I also travelled I am enclosing a postcard which Barry California Star. The Captain was the late Port Line, just to see what it would be Byrne posted to me from South Ameri before he went off to Dar-es-Salaam. ~ wonder if anyone can recognise this B L ship. I think that she is the old Arandora Star which was torpedoed in 1940. Thanks to all concerned-officers an':' crews-who made my trips such happy ==- enjoyable experiences, and best wish all the staff in London and Liverpool. - RJ Haggerr Welli.ngu New Zealand The Port of Liverpool at war I piloted many Blue Star ships befo . during, and after the war, including tne two-funnelled passenger vessels. I wa las; pilot aboard Arandora Star when she leE:: Liverpool for the final time before faJJir~ victim to an enemy torpedo. After the war I was appointed Lamport & Holt Line and following ;f:z merger with BSL and Booths I worked : all three companies until 1957 when I appointed Pilots' Shoremaster. Since my retirement in 1965, I ha+e occupied much of my time writing _ 8 autobiography for Liverpool University so Just a few lines to say goodbye to all days at sea, this contact was rather that they may have the details oflife in the those I didn't have a chance of seeing shocking; the temperature was about 95°F pilot service from 1923 to 1965. I have personally before leaving England and also which was really unbearable in the direct completed a 52,000 word manuscript to express my thanks for all the help and sun. I spent most of the morning watching entitled 'The Port of Liverpool at War' hospitality I received from everybody in the loading and discharging operations and giving chronological data of all ships London and during my short stay in at midday we enjoyed an excellent lunch attacked, burned, sunk, destroyed, or re- Liverpool. ashore which gave us enough strength for floated with the assistance of the Dock The trip home was really pleasant as we the quick run to Copacabana and Ipanema Board's marine salvage staff. sat back and remembered the extraordinary in the afternoon. It was nice to meet As the MS stands, it is purely a historical eighteen months we had spent in England. Andrew Carr again, sporting an enviable work and I feel that it needs to be brought 'Eighteen months to remember', my wife suntan and speaking excellent Spanish. to life with accounts from men and women calls it, for many reasons which would be The next morning we arrived in Santos who can say 'I was there, this is my story'. too long to enumerate. England, with its where we spent part of the time walking So may I use the Postbag Column to invite streets, gardens, countryside, pubs, and around and ended the day enjoying a anybody who has a wartime incident to above all its people and the many good lovely barbecue at the English Club, as a relate to write to me? All contributions will friends we made there, will long live in our prelude to the Argentine steaks. We are be very gratefully received. memories. This probably explains our very much obliged to D G McKenzie and mixed feelings shortly before leaving: MBarker of CEM's Rio de Janeiro and Norman Morrison happy to go back home, and sad to leave a Santos offices for all their courtesies. (Liverpool Pilot 1923-65) country where so many wonderful things As we entered Buenos Aires, our hearts Trollstigen had happened to us. beating with all the tension and excitement Long Hey Road From the point of view of working it was of returning home after a long absence, it Caldy-Wirral also a great experience, as it gave me a was wonderful to see relatives and friends Merseyside really good chance to see how things work waving on the quay.Now after a few days L481LZ at the other end. This was especially useful everything is back to normal=-or almost! at a time when so many changes were 'Goodbye and thank you' taking place in the South American lorge Abossio, of Buenos Aires Office, services. jorge Abossio recently completed an 18 month secondment Our first port of call on the voyage home Buenos Aires to London and Liverpool.) was Rio. After eleven calm and peaceful Argentina Iue Star Ships ase Potato Shortage

Summer of '76 will long be remembered to call at Duluth and they created a good kept ships moving at a time of the year for the hot sun which shone relentlessly deal of interest with the local press and TV when the alternative might have been to and unceasingly from June to September; interviewing the crews and reporting on lay them up in the river Fal. for unprecedented restrictions on the use this new development in exports from the RC Glover of water; for the sweltering .heat on port. commuter trains; for the run on cold Freezing weather drinks from the office coffee machine; and, 1976 StaH Dinner and Dance believe it or not, for jacketless stockbrokers As with many of our reefer tramping in the City of London! activities, the potato business created quite Mecca's splendid Baronial Hall, in the But the hot dry summer with its resultant a few problems, mainly in the later stages City of London, was the venue for the drought caused a serious fall in agricultural when the weather began to get cold and 1976 staff dinner and dance. This is production, particularly of potatoes. The loading had to be restricted to times when traditionally the occasion for a friendly shortage meant that Western Europe the temperature was above freezing point. get-together of colleagues from Blue Star needed to import large quantities-and it We also had to make one or two minor Line, Liner Shipping Agencies, and other so happened that the potato famine here structural modifications to the ships to associated City companies. coincided with record production in the meet the requirements of the Seaway The excellent meal (which surpassed north eastern states of the USA. It also Authorities. most people's expectations) was washed coincided with the traditional off-season Ulster Star's bridge was cropped at down with liberal quantities of wine, for reefer ships, which operators like our- Montreal before entering the Lakes, and helping to put the 300 guests into a real selves look towards with a certain amount the offending protrusion was rewelded on party spirit so that they thronged the of apprehension, worried by the possibility the way out. Her second voyage was made dance-floor until the chimes of midnight. of having to lay-up vessels until the next even more difficult by the extremely low Comments from the guests were very peak season. temperatures (down to minus 24°C) while favourable, indicating that this had been she was loading at Prince Edward Island in the best annual dinner-dance so far. There 50,000 tons December. Because of the inhospitable have even been enquiries from members Blue Star Line were quick to seize the weather the loading took 31 days and by of staff wanting to reserve places at the opportunity this situation offered and over the time Ulster Star was ready to sail the 1977 function! a period of 3 months ten ships were fixed whole port area was covered with ice up lE to load a total of about 50,000 tons of to six inches thick. It took three and a half potatoes, onions, and frozen chips from a days for the ship, with the assistance of variety of ports in the Eastern USA and one of the most powerful icebreakers in News Afloat Canada. We even sent ships like Afric Canada, to reach the open sea. Star and New York Star up to Duluth, Our gross earnings on these cargoes Blue Star Line the eastern-most port in the Great Lakes amounted to just over three million dollars Congratulations to Captain and Mrs area. which after deducting all our costs left us Gordon Easton on the birth of their son, These were the largest reefer vessels ever with a small profit and just as importantly Angus David, on 19 January 1977. 9 by William Bones

When I mention (as I occasionally do) that and Auckland etc. With the latest ships unlike the Bank Boats, she was fully- for two years, two months, and two days, the style has changed once more. I suppose refrigerated in the modern manner. Unlike I sailed in a vessel called 'Saxon Star', the last ship to be named after a tribe (if most refrigerated ships before her, and even men who are now quite senior gaze that is the word) is Canadian Star. many built later, she did not have her cargo at me in astonishment-provided, of But Saxon? spaces lined with brine pipes, but had the course, they have not heard it all before. The name does indeed have a fine, sea- brine pipes in the nest in separate compart- 'The WHAT Star?' they ask, as though faring ring about it (unlike the names of ments, with electric fans to drive the cool I had said I had sailed in Captain Cook's some box boats I could mention). When air through her cargo. Endeavour. one hears Saxon Star for the first time, She had five hatches, only one tween They are not aware, these young fellows, the mind conjures up visions of tall masts, deck, two derricks to each hatch, and was that at one time it was customary to name elaborate clipper bows with figure heads, what many engineers referred to as a Blue Star Line ships after Trojans and tailboards, gilded scrolls. Yet the last ship steamship with a main propulsion diesel, Romans, Vikings and Normans-and of that name was not so ancient, really. for although her main engine was a Saxons. It was later that ships came to be She was built in Belfast in 1942 as the Harland Band W, all her auxiliaries; christened after the place they would trade Empire Strength, along the lines, I have steering gear, and cargo winches were to: Australia and New Zealand, Melbourne been told, of a prewar Bank Boat. But, driven by steam.

'Saxon Star' at Durban in 1953 At Circular Quay, Sydney, in 1954. The famous Opera House now occupies this site 10 _~eatlittle craft pains to lay down for me the very high much used, as paint rollers were not then in . standard of cleanliness that he expected me vogue. They may have been used ashore, e was a very neat, trim-looking little to keep it in. Though he was senior to me, but not at sea.These toilsome tasks were craft, of 7355 gross tons, flush decked with he was a bit younger, and not much bigger. not considered drudgery, and we never a raked plate stem, rounded bridge front, So after a certain amount of discussion on regarded ourselves as cheap labour. They and full cruiser stern. Far from having tall the matter, the work of maintaining these were a useful form of income, usually masts and yards, her two masts were very unquestionably excellent standards was undertaken in a light-hearted spirit, and stumpy, and did not even carry topmasts. shared by us both. I remember him making some of the yarns we heard from the Over her bridge she had the wartime signal a truly magnificent job of our small sailors whilst working with them made :nast known as a Christmas tree, from mahogany desk, which he stripped right off our hair stand on end. In addition, it was which her flags flew bravely, if sootily, as to the bare wood and then french-polished part of our education. they were very close to the top of her squat until it looked better than new. We bought little funnel.Her decks were all of steel, the french polish for it ourselves too. Friends for life , ut the bridge deck and the deck below- Our bunks were one above the other, I mentioned the entertainment of guests. the Captain's Deck-were covered with with blue curtains and bunklights which This was quite a feature of life in port, and lack bitumastic. we discovered were made of copper. These, I still think our greatest effort in that She hurtled around the oceans at twelve together with other bits of brass in the direction was when we entertained the knots on a good day, ten or eleven more room, we polished to a brilliant gleam, whole of the Port Curtis Sailing Club of often, eight or nine quite frequently, and often in our spare time, especially before Gladstone, Queensland, te an evening. almost nothing in a strong head wind and entertaining guests in port. The cabin floor aboard in the cadets' cabin. Cadets in those swell, But she carried her cargoes well, was composition, painted red, and I days were not officially allowed liquor, but and provided employment for what would remember a certain Chief Steward becom- this ruling could usually be got around now seem an enormous crew, usually ing incensed when my mate 'found' us a provided discretion was used, and on this about forty-eight men all told. Her naviga- carpet square-but after various alter- occasion our guests were more than ional gear was simple, consisting of two cations we were allowed to keep it. generous. I made friends then who are still magnetic compasses, an echo sounder There were no bars on that ship, no my friends today. The Port Curtis Sailing which rarely worked, and a DF set of films, no television; yet life at sea seemed Club had made us so welcome, and treated considerable antiquity and doubtful relia- to be lived at a much more communal us with so much kindness and hospitality, bility. No gyro. compass, radar, or any of level than it is today. Ships spent longer that we felt we must make an effort to your fancy modern gadgets. at sea and longer in port then, and people reciprocate, and our party was the result. Her accommodation, however, was not onboard provided their own entertainment. Happy days! at all bad for her time, and she even They spent a lot of time in each other's Saxon Star, as already mentioned, began boasted an Officers' smoke room. Air cabins, yarning, and hobbies were indulged life in Belfast as the Empire Strength, conditioning was provided by round port- in to a great degree. Socks had to be darned armed with a four-inch gun down aft and holes in every cabin, and at least one in those days, and mending, together with numerous anti-aircraft guns besides. Ten electric fan per room. The cadets' cabin, the ironing of whites, took a lot of one's years later the guns had long gone, but the which bore over its door the rather quaint spare time. magazines for the ammunition were still sign, 'Apprentices', was situated above In those palmy days cadets were able to there, as were the gunners' quarters, with somewhere rather hot, and as its one port- supplement their princely salaries (twelve notices on the doors saying that the door hole faced aft the cadets usually slept out pounds a month in the second year) by must not be shut when the vessel was in a on deck when in the tropics. This, of earning overtime at the rate of one and danger zone (in case it jammed shut with course, was very healthy-until the rains sixpence an hour. Many were the happy, the occupants inside). All the cabin doors came in the middle of one's slumbers. often hilarious, evenings spent cleaning had crash panels in the lower half, which and painting holds, repairing damaged could be easily kicked out if the occupant Pride and joy insulation, cleaning bilges, battening-out were trapped within, and each cabin port- Though tiny by modern standards this for future freezer cargoes, and painting hole had a hand-rail outside, to enable a cabin was our pride and joy. When I cabins and alleyways, for formica bulk- man to haul himself out if necessary. joined the ship for the first time, in heads were practically unheard of. Wads of One still came across grey wartime paint alford Dock, Manchester, I was the cotton waste, or a four-inch brush bent here and there, and the compasses were junior cadet, and my mate went to some on to the end of a bamboo manhelp, were surrounded by elaborate apparatus to

Headline going ashorefrom 'Saxon Star' at Tenerife in 1953 11

~------~--- -- shield them from the effects of the de- changed to Nelson Star in 1947, and again, retired, or left the Company-though Bob gaussing gear, the purpose of which was to Patagonia Star, in 1958. (The former Fielding, of the Liverpool Shore Gang, wa to protect the ship from magnetic mines. Patagonia Star reverted to her original her Bosun for a while. During the war she voyaged all over the name of Columbia Star about this time, Though the Company's trade routes in world, but she must have come through having been with Lamport & Holt's for a the early fifties were more defined than unscathed as she is not mentioned in spell in the meantime as the Dryden.) The they are today, she visited several port Taffrail's book, Blue Star Line at War new owner of the old Saxon Star, DL off the beaten track. Not many Blue Star (recently republished). At a time quite Street of Newport, Monmouthshire, named ships these days call at Manchester or early in her career, she was involved in a her the Redbrook, and she sailed as a Middlesbrough, where she loaded. Tenerife collision in Port Phillip, near Melbourne, general cargo tramp under- this name until was the port for bunkers, and she would with an Australian ship called Iron 1965, when she passed to the Greeks and then go out to the Cape, calling at all the Monarch. I have been told that one of the became the EEvangelia. She was wrecked ports from Cape Town to Beira. In Beira lawyers engaged in the subsequent court in the Black Sea on 19 October 1968, while she loaded copper for Port Kembla, and case was a brother of Mr (later Sir) Robert on passage in ballast from Rijeka to usually called at the full range of Australian Menzies, the distinguished Australian Contanza. She was declared a total loss. ports, often going on to New Zealand.We Prime Minister. It is surprising how many Blue Star Line called at Galveston in Texas once, and Masters (as they are now) passed through sailed from Hamilton, Bermuda, one Last Voyage Saxon Star whilst I was with her. Captain Christmas Eve, when that fairytale town The Empire strength was renamed Saxon R J C MacDonald was her Master the was bright with coloured lights and Star in 1949, the second Blue Star ship whole time; J G King and Captain W A Christmas trees. to bear the name. Unlike most others given Davidson were her Mates; Captain H K But how does this nostalgic little piece one of the old-fashioned names after the Dyer and J Calabrase were her Third get its title? Well, in the early fifties it was war, hers was not changed, until she was Mates; Captain A Kinghorn was at one considered humorous to say a name back- sold out of the Company in 1961. Her twin time her Fourth Mate; Mr Outrarn and Mr wards-and seamen are nothing if not sister, the Empire Castle of 1943, became Stubbs were her Chief Engineers. The humorous. the Gothic Star in 1946, but this was others all seem to have passed away, or launch 01 Almeria Slar, Ihe lasl 01 her Class

Left: 'Godmother'Mrs H E Tune, accompanied by Mr G HParker, prepares to christen 'Almeria Star'

Below: Moments later the champagne bottle smashes against the side of the ship, sixth and last of Blue Star Line's new series of 'A' Class vessels

The last of her Class dais by Mr G H Parker, Director and had been pleasant to build, for unlike General Manager of Smith's Dock. tankers and bulk carriers, they were fitted On 3 September 1974, Afric Star was Reception with four continuous decks, a feature launched at Smith's Dock in Middles- which eases construction problems. 1r brough, signalling Blue Star Line's further After the christening ceremony and a brief Parker hoped that Blue Star Line woul expansion into the competitive world-wide tour of the ship, the party transferred to the share the satisfaction of the builders and refrigerated shipping market. In the Dragonara Hotel for the reception. Mr that the vessels would show a handsome months that followed, Afric Star was Parker welcomed Mrs Tune and presented return on the company's investment. joined by Avelona Star, Andalucia Star, her with a white gold and diamond In his reply to Mr Parker, Mr Edmun and Almeda Star-all built at Smith's necklace and a pair of diamond earings. Vestey thanked him for his kind remarks. Dock-and Avila Star, built in Denmark. Mr Parker went on to say that the ship He then went on to say that although Finally, on 12 November 1976, Almeria christened today was the fifth and last of a Almeria Star might be the last of her CIa > Star was christened in Middlesbrough, series delivered over a period of some 20 the Group would maintain contact with the sixth and last of the new series of 'A' months, the contract for the first vessel the yard during the coming year wi Class vessels. The sponsor was Mrs HE being placed in January 1973. The con- Starman 3. Tune, wife of Blue Star Line's Chief struction of these five ships had provided Superintendent. She was escorted to the employment for some 1500 people. They W K Wishart 12 deal of flourish and sold us 'Zloty' with which we were to buy Polish visas. On rumbles the night. Polish-Russian Border, 16 April with Dutch friends in a vast apartment It was morning-2 am-when we arrived overlooking Hyde Park. The charm and in Brest. Polish officials banged on the ambience of the evening is not likely to be door to collect our recently purchased matched on the Trans-Siberian. We Polish Visas. Then there followed into our continue to revel while drinking our compartment an agricultural official morning coffee and watching horseback wielding a large knife and vigorously riders in the park at dawn. slashing away at all edibles remaining in We shall taxi to Liverpool Street our little larder. He was followed by the through a light, gentle drizzle. The train censor who ploddingly read through every to Harwich departs at 0900. fly leaf in every book we had with us. Then Hook of Holland, 14 April came customs who took a cursory look, kicked a few items with his boot, and went Bless our friend Kathy emerging beautiful away to make room for the money/jewel and breathless from the rush hour throngs official, an unattractive girl with a large waving a bottle of Gordon's gin in greeting unsmiling mouth and chipped purple and farewell at Liverpool Street Station. fingernails. Then the carriage doors slide to a close With this we had officially arrived in Solveig Hunter are now irrevocably on our way. Russia-exhausted. But we were to be The five-hour crossing from Harwich allowed very little sleep that night because Trumpers Cottage, Petworth to Pier 9, was smooth, and as uneventful as a drink underneath our carriage they were busily Brooklyn is usually for my husband and meal in any Trust House. The Hook and loudly changing the wheels to accom- .Captain T M D Hunter) a mere six appeared as three distinct environmental modate the different gauge Russian track. flying pills, six gins, six hour trans- strips: the sea, bordered by railway tracks, ETA Moscow noon tomorrow. atlantic flight: a commuting formula that bordered by pasture where sheep grazed has worked more or less successfully for overlooked by a row of light houses. Moscow, 18 April many years. A porter in a long beige canvas coat Happy Easter. It is not Easter here of In 1976 we decided to innovate a little beckoned us towards a train. We waved course. It is Sabotnik Day and all good on that pattern. When Ship Manager Mr goodbye to the sheep and got aboard-off Russians are cleaning up their city-a indass said, 'Hunter, Cuthbert, New and we to Berlin and Warsaw. timely act we think, having observed the York, 22 May,' Tom and I packed our East-West Express, 15 April nearly opaque glass in our hotel windows bags, one for the tropics and one for more on arrival yesterday. We have been placed arctic conditions, and got aboard a train It has taken us some time to settle into in the Hotel Metropole on Karl Marx at Liverpool Street Station, London, our little compartment, the dimensions of Square adjacent to the Bolshoi. The bound for Moscow. which, in contrast to ourselves, are mini- transfer from the train was quietly and Five weeks later, having crossed three- scule. In addition, we are badly encum- effectively handled by an anonymous quarters of the world, including Europe, bered with luggage, food baskets, and representative from Intertourist. He simply Russia, Japan, the Pacific, and the USA, bundles of bedding. appeared at our compartment on the train . y three trains, two ships, one ferry, four We have found one live porter aboard and took us away. airplanes, two rented cars, several taxis, but he speaks only' Polish and is fully After very quick baths in a very large one bus, and one rickshaw, we duly occupied with a bottle. We shall have to bathtub (they had to be hurried, because arrived aboard Cuthbert on 22 May. cope with the bed rolls ourselves. But Russian hotels do not supply plugs!) we It might appear from our itinerary and first a picnic of cold lobster and white wine. rushed on foot to explore Red Square at the general direction of travel that we You see we are doing our best to feed our- sunset. The streets here are very broad. were badly duped by our travel advisors! selves as we had been warned there were Fortunately there is little traffic, so one That, however, was not the case. We had no restaurant facilities between London manages to get across" the avenue un- :ong wanted a trip on the Trans-Siberian and Moscow. scathed. Railroad, and that wish determined our In spite of our housekeeping activities St Basil's Church, now a museum, is the direction eastward-albeit backward in we did sleep and woke up on arrival at most fantastically conceived piece of terms of our ultimate destination. Berlin Zoo Station. It was heartening architecture we have seen since the Mr Windass asked to be kept informed for both of us to see a US Army train and a Brighton Pavillion. Golden onion domes o our progress and if post got through British Army train on the sidings. Then the poke up at varying heights and the towers consistently, BSSM was assured of the train started up again and we held our and turrets are all painted in startling ollowing: breath a little apprehensively as we designs and colours, much as the harle- Petworth, 13 April approached the Berlin Wall. We cut quinned joker in a pack of cards. The through lines of barbed wire guarded by throngs of people in the Square and on the Our gorgeous neighbours, thoroughly sullen looking soldiers in boiler suits. pavements appeared to be a rather sombre, convinced of our madness, have found our The day started and remained grey- stolid, and heavily-clothed mass.It was as departure for Siberia an occasion for both the sky and the landscape. East if spring had taken them unawares. celebration. The only celebrant in our Germany appeared a dispirited and sombre Tonight we have tickets for the Bolshoi. tillage unaffected by this baccanal appears and strangely empty country. Poland The theatre has been refurbished to o be our dog, Eorpwald. He does not like looked cheerier. The countryside was rich, celebrate its bicentenary and, except for the parties. He is, however, grimly and undulating farmland, dotted with fruit Lenin medallion implanted into the soberly aware of our imminent act of trees whose branches were oddly weighed Grecian frieze, it looks very gay and desertion. down with bricks. Occasionally we would inviting. We shall have to abandon dinner We board the 14.02 for London in one see the decaying remains of a grand tonight after last night's effort which took hour. country house four hours to serve us roast partridge and London, 14 April Polish officials clambered on board chilled champagne. somewhere, suddenly, and asked for our Tomorrow the austerities of the Trans- Last minute shopping at Harrods for a visas. What visas? We had only our green Siberian. portable chess set and then across the Russian visas in triplicate. Never mind, street to spend our last evening in England another official came along with a great

13 14 I. i ' f - J i fI ' .' • • :i

Captions: H-

(A) St Basil's, Red Square

(B) The World-famous Bolshoi Theatrein Moscow A DH (C) 'Moscow-Vladivostock' (D) An old house in Irkutsk with characteristic beatifully-carved window frames .

(E) A garden scene in Tokyo DE] (F) A game of chess on the deck of 'Baikal' (G) Fishing boats frozen-in on Lake Baikal [][J '---- __ ...-1 (H) The Hancock Building in Chicago '------J D

15 and smile-sometimes. passengers all gathered up on the bridge, Getting to Lake Baikal entailed a two- led by an English-speaking officer/guide. hour drive by bus through the Taiga, the We actually saw more passengers than deep forest we had seen from the train equipment up there on the crowded bridge. window for mile after mile. Our guide, Anyway, all this equipment and the crew, alga, spoke of the many varieties of trees when not singing and dancing for us, have in the Taiga-Iarch, aspen, etc-but I'm managed to get us into Yokahama harbour. convinced that in all of Russia I saw only We must disembark. pine and birch, birch and pine. She said, too, that the forest was full of sable, ermine, Yokahama, 1 May bear, and wolf. When approached from the wastes of Although it was mid-April the lake was Siberia, Japan's Westernisation mania is only now beginning to thaw. We could see positively welcoming! The traffic jams, and the breaking edge and watched slabs of the glaring neon signs, and little people ice slowly drifting out down river. But in mini skirts and blue jeans rushing under fishing boats remained ice-locked in the miniature umbrellas through the narrow, village harbour. crowded streets. Khabarovsk, 27 April Our hotel, the Satellite, is very twentieth Aboard Trans-Siberian century indeed, but just around the corner 22 April Khabarovsk is an enforced stop where we is China Town where we can choose a meal change trains for Nahodka, the tourist from the tantalizing array of imitation We've been four days aboard this electric embarkation point to Japan. We are not dishes set out in the windows, prepared made-in-East Germany train which has allowed into the port of Vladivostock. in plastic a la Andy Warhol. We've propelled us in a spirit of unwashed Our hotel is hideous, and much as we need scrutinized all of them, and found to our camaraderie with our fellow Western a bath it is difficult to compete with the immense relief not one bottle of champagne passengers (Dutch, German, French, bugs living in the bath tub. After a brief and not one portion of caviar. Just lovely Swiss, British, and American) to this place tour of this relatively new city (100 years pressed duck, water chestnuts, butterfly called Irkutsk, roughly 4000 miles east of old) our guide said he felt sure that we had shrimp, barbecued pork, and bird's nest Albion House. found it all very interesting. (He resembled soup. Once piled aboard with the hundreds of a car salesman we know back in England.) We must eat. Russians with their bundles and soup pots We could not and did not enthusiastically crammed untidily into the 2nd and 3rd agree. Tokyo, 4 May class cars, and us Westerners into the 1st Following breakfast-juice of no identi- We found enormous Tokyo a mere class, the scene was set by our glorious fiable taste, cold fried fish garnished with extension of Yokahama, or I suppose the stewardess crying 'nostarovia' and bear- beet and cucumber, followed by pancakes other way round, as we travelled backwards hugging each of us to her ample bosom. stuffed with ground meat-we have been and forwards on their notorious subway. It It's been 'nostarovia' all the way, beginning taken back to the station, where we board remains a complete mystery to me how we with the tea from the samovar and nerve- the Trans-Siberian once again. ever got the right tickets out of the vending ending champagne. machines and ourselves on the right train, Our staple diet in this land of the pro- En route Nahodka, 28 April but navigationally Tom is trained and he letariat has of necessity been champagne This is a Cinderella train. We've switched managed it. and caviar. The restaurant car does feature from Khabarovsk pumpkin to Nahodka This was Tokyo in the springtime: fragile a rather elaborate menu-perhaps as many chariot overnight! We are now riding in ladies in kimonoes languishing among as 150 entries-but these items are not old world splendour-shiny brass, polished azaleas; banners and flags and paper available. So with our food coupons we wood, private bathroom with gleaming flowers fluttering along the Ginza; every- buy more and more champagne and caviar. etched-glass mirrors, tulip glass lamp one on holiday, including ourselves. We This diet tends to enhance the unrelieved shades in the corridor, and oriental carpet walked along the moat of the Imperial monotony of the view: thousands of miles underfoot. Palace enjoying its grey serenity. of thick pine and birch forests. Occasionally We bask in these nostalgic comforts as At the austerely grand Imperial Hotel we come to a collection of wood huts the train winds and plummets- its way lovely Geisha girls brought us gin and huddled together in the mud. The train through the mountains, close to the tonic, presenting the drinks to us, en- then stops for an alloted three, five, or 15 borders of China. Through the early sconced in deeply upholstered chairs, minutes, depending upon the size of the morning mist we see trees in bud and graciously like gifts. (Inflation in Japan place. Lenin greets us with outstretched rushing, sparkling mountain streams. And runs a close second to Britain's, making fist looming large next to each station with our tea we have been ~~ryed sweet these drinks a very expensive gift, how- clock (which always runs to Moscow time I). cherry preserve in a little white- porcelain ever!) But we passengers have no idea of the dish. . Tom has downed his flying pills. We are time. We stumbled along the corridors at Reluctant to get off, but Nahodka lies almost ready to fly the Pacific. all hours of the day and night trying not to below. hear the droning music bleating through Hawaii, 6 May the ubiquitous loudspeakers. But at last SS Baikal, 30 April A local strike in Tokyo delayed our take- we have arrived in Irkustk. Goodbye Through the red-star-studded customs off by five gruelling hours but eventually 'nostarovia' -we are off to take a bath and, shed and up the gangway of the ship to we were transported aloft on what appeared Intourist tells us, to see the world's the accompaniment of a five-piece band to be the midnight honeymoon special. deepest lake, Baikal. Sufficient motivation playing on deck-crew member musicians We were surrounded by handsome young to get off. we later learned when we saw our cabin Japanese couples holding hands and stewardess performing a tango for us in giggling. Reboarded on Trans- a torrid red dress. Each member of the This afternoon on Waikiki beach we saw Siberian, 24 April crew doubled as an entertainer it seemed. these couples again, immediately identifi- Three more days aboard the Trans- Second morning aboard Tom decided to able as pairs by the identical colours of Siberian-time to reflect on Irkutsk and its ask if professional courtesy might be their bathing costumes. unexpected charms. There it is in Eastern extended to him as a merchant navy officer We've been intrigued for some hours Siberia, and has been since the Cossacks to see the bridge. The answer was polite now watching the 'pedicabs' come and established a fort there in 1661. A rather and generous indeed:'There will be a tour go down the boulevard along the beach grand city with boulevards, plazas, parks, of the ship for everyone this afternoon at front. museums, and concert halls.A city where three'. An interesting sociological commentary in good weather the people promenade So captains and supernumeraries and here-Orientals as passengers, driven by

16 \\bite Anglo-Saxon Protestants! Another front apartment when the ferryboat docked Lord and Taylor, department stores which form of transportation here is the bus of in Sausalito across the Bay. Astern was the contrast with Moscow's GUM rather like course. The system is called quite simply modest and modern skyline of San Harrods does with Petticoat Lane Market. "THE BUS', but we don't particularly Francisco and abeam the Golden Gate That evening we were wined and dined want to go any place by either pedicab or Bridge. We spent the evening with friends in Chicago's proud new Ritz-an enormous THE BUS. Our setting at the Aloa Surf at Stamford University in their serenely yet muted and intimate restaurant. Every- with a direct view of Diamond Head and modern [apanese-style house-sliding thing printed on the menu, unlike on the me great blue Pacific rollers at our feet is doors provided the vaguest separation Trans-Siberian, was in fact available and quire enough. between house and garden and pool. what we chose was delicious. San Francisco, 10 May In the morning, a foot-tour of the We savoured the food, company, and campus which despite the student bomb- atmosphere until very late. We were the In America everyone says 'thank you, have ings of a few years ago seemed quiet and last party to leave, reluctantly shuffling out 2 good day', whenever you buy and pay for suitably academic now. through the thick, velvety carpets. On the something. We'd just paid for breakfast Tomorrow Chicago. street we were in the shadow of the . the gleaming, immaculate coffee shop massive Hancock Building which seemed in our hotel and in spite of another strike- Chicago, 21 May to spread its protection and strength over city transport this time-we did have a Within the confines of the Near North us all. good day. Side, Lake Shore Drive, and North Flying pills for a nightcap. Tomorrow We walked and taxied and ferried Michigan Avenue, this town is all glamour New York City. around this beautiful, self-contained, -from which we did not stray. Our cultural city but we feel cheated by the friend's apartment 19 floors up on the lake's New York, 22 May tnmobilised trolley cars. We lunch on crab edge afforded a view as from the bridge of One and a half hours flying time-just and sour-dough bread, sitting under an a ship. You looked out on the expanse of sufficient to admire the stewardesses' three umbrella in an open courtyard in Ghirar- Lake Michigan while the rush of traffic on changes of costume and eat our lunch Ielli Square (a renovated and revitalised the eight-lane highway below presented before arriving at Kennedy Airport. Tom factory-warehouse, now a setting for merely a vague hum. thought he got a glimpse of Cuthbert as restaurants and boutiques). Coffee and croissants until near midday we swooped in. We were greeted by the sight of an and then a brisk walk to Michigan Avenue, It's Sunday and the traffic is light. We'll enormous Union Jack draped over a water- lured by Bonwit Teller, I Magnin, and be aboard in 45 minutes.

Our organisation operates vessels of both kinds and will continue to do so for as far ahead as we can see. My opinion is that the container vessel will indeed increase in numbers but that The Carriage we will still need officers versed in the arts of carrying cargoes. Because you never-or hardly ever-see and Care the insides of the boxes which have been stuffed and stowed by someone else into the hold of a container ship doesn't mean that you have less to learn. Don't forget of Cargoes that the box ship evolved from the conventional vessel; without the skills acquired in the conventional trade, the Captain DJ Thomas was invited to address the 1977 contingent of graduate trainees and, not container trade could never have reached surprisingly, chose as his main theme the carriage and care of cargoes. His approach to the its present level of expertise. The people subject is tinged with humour, but the coherence of his message will enliven interest. He leaves who organise the boxes ashore and direct little doubt in the minds of our potential officers where the Company's future prosperity lies. them into the container ships are largely Captain Thomas in no way disguises the fact that he is a firm and unrepentant supporter of drawn from the ranks of men who learned tested and traditional methods and we believe that his paper, reproduced here in condensed their business in the conventional field- [orm, will have appeal, even for those who can claim longstanding experience in the carriage and this is not just because they happened of cargoes, to be around at the time that the new idea took off. E G George In the early days there was a definite I don't know what your reasons were for The money earned by loading it, carrying attempt to recruit people without deep deciding to take up a life-or a part of it- it safely, and discharging it in good order cargo skills, in the belief that these skills 21 sea, but now that you are here and pays your rent and mine, pays the salaries were rio longer needed, but opinions nave eeply involved in the business, let me of the hosts of employees in offices and since veered-as most of us knew they explain in the clearest terms what it all agencies all over the world, pays stevedores would- and the conventionally trained Ieads to: cargo and the carrying of cargo. and ship chandlers and repair firms. man is putting his knowledge to work, All. the other subjects that you study so The only true area for learning about very profitably, in the new field. It is often ieeply, all the navigation and seamanship, cargo is on the job and the best teachers said, rather bitterly, by a lot of older people, lead down one road-the successful will be yourselves and the experience you that in a decade or so more the skills loading, carriage, and discharge of cargo. will gain by using your eyes and minds- acquired in how many years-4000? 5000? There is no other source of income in a coupled with a lot of hard graft. -of cargo carrying, will have been wiped shipping company other than freight out by the advent of containers. Don't you earned by carrying someone else's goods. Container ships believe it! Although this may appear to put you in A mere decade ago, the container ship was As I said, we still operate conventional me same category as British Rail and the specialist ship and the conventional ships, and although the opportunities for Pickfords, the analogy is accurate-we are ship was the norm. But most people knew learning how to stow some types of loose Common Carriers in the strictest legal that the container ship would quickly make cargoes are indeed becoming less, they are :::leaning. It doesn't matter whether your great inroads upon the trades of the con- still there. In the enormously varied trades cargo is living, in the form of passengers, ventional ship, and we see the container in which our ships operate, you could be omething that doesn't answer back, as ship apparently-I say apparently-out- loading a mixed general cargo on the :::l the case of doll's eyes and stocking tops, stripping the conventional ship in all its Continent for South Africa or South frozen lamb, or 160-ton transformers. traditional fields. America and then picking up a load of

17 bagged rice or, sugar and then a load of all got tongues in your heads and if you aware that the men who are working the refrigerated fruit for Russia-all in a ship want to know-s-ask! gear in any port may have not studied the that was designed for the last-mentioned. Senior officers are reluctant teachers and finer points and if not properly supervised probably feel that they haven't got the from the start they are capable of some Variety knack or the time to pass on the things they downright dangerous practices. Even in the You are expected to learn, in our break know. But they are usually tickled pink to most enlightened ports labour will set up bulk trades, a cargo business that can take find someone asking for their advice. You gear in a manner that often pleads for an in the reefer trade and the general trade may have to winkle the knowledge out but accident and sometimes it is only the good and the bulk trade-each of which can be a I can assure you it's there. This doesn't condition of the equipment that prevents full-time speciality to men in other mean to say that you don't need to read all a disaster, shipping companies. And you not only about it. There are many books aboutcargo An accident due to failure of a piece of have to learn three or four types of cargo handling, all full of good solid stuff, and derrick equipment is usually dramatic, and business. You will also have to be very it is up to you to read them and absorb the frequently fatal and can often be traced good at it, because our organisation thrives knowledge thoroughly. back to the general misuses of the gear. on variety and it is not tied down to any For this reason it is up to you, as officers one trade for its livelihood. Cargo gear safety on duty on deck, to be constantly on your You are going to sea at the beginning of Now I want to change the subject and talk guard against the misuses of equipment. In another drastic change of scene, aim} tq about cargo gear. You will all know that order to be able to judge whether misuse is the change from sail to steam and, as in the our vessels are fitted with cranes and taking place, you must learn the proper 19th century, the two types of carrier are derricks. It is the derricks that I want to use of derrick gear as soon as possible. working side by side. Seamen have to learn dwell on. The deck of a ship loading or discharging the old and the new, and you have to do Too many officers take cargo gear for cargo can be one of the most dangerous the same. Where are you going to fi~d all granted once it is rigged and set for places to be if you do not exercise constant this knowledge? Seafarers are not f very worfing, assuming that the men who have vigilance. You can only come to a proper articulate folk on the whole but they all set it know what they are doing and that appreciation of whether what you see is have experience of something seen, done, the gear will continue to do the job without right or wrong by gaining experience at and noted that can be put to use. You've further' attention, You will soon become every opportunity .

.. , BRINGING THE SCOTSMj\N . HOME\

18 looking for a shore job

About a year ago, I decided to foresake the sea and return, as I thought, to civilisation. Pursuing this end, I finally ended up behind a desk in the Personnel Department at Albion House. You will surely be familiar with the sage remark: 'No man will be a sailor who has contrivance enough to get himself into a jail: for a man in jail has more freedom, better food and commonly better company'. Well, reflecting that an office is really only a rather inefficient sort of jail, which opens its doors at 9 o'clock in the forenoon and turfs its occupants out into the cold night air at 5 in the evening, I decided that this would suit me very well. In one respect, of course, life in an office is rather like life in a ship: if some- body is unsure of his facts, or even if he knows nothing at all about the subject under consideration, this certainly won't discourage him from expressing an opinion forcibly and at length. But there the comparison ends. Let me give you an example of what I mean. When I was at sea, I thought I knew- no, I knew I knew-how a screw propeller worked. I knew the relationship between ~ ,'.: The Flying Scotsman being lifted power and revolutions and slip and wetted e at Liverpool surface area and speed, and I knew what .c:: 'e:Home and dry was meant by all those hundred and one other things that are the day-to-day stock in trade of your better class of reader. Hopelessly lost

S= locomotive buffs among our readers hour ride to Bristol, one cannot help but Now, baffled by academic and esoteric -b.o saw the account and pictures in the reflect upon the supremacy of our design arguments about aerofoils and screws and ',,-: issue of Gangway of Lamport & Holt engineers in the early part of the century. resistance in treacle (to say nothing of fins Line's Debrett landing a locomotive in The Flying Scotsman was the last of 80 and threads and pitches and blade 3!!enos Aires in 1949, may well have been steam locomotives in its class, and in 1928 frequencies) I am hopelessly lost. The only ~ with the impression that this marked inaugurated the first non-stop passenger answer which seems consistent with all ~e last occasion when one of the Group's service between London and Edinburgh, the arguments and ideas on offer is to -::essels was singled out for this distinction. achieving controlled runs of 100 miles-per- imagine that the propeller remains However, readers of Blue Star News, the hour shortly after this event. stationary while the ship revolves around the shaft. . :: ~ runner of Gangway, will doubtless re- It would be unwise to berate our present- ;;2}} the occasion in 1973 when [ohnson day railway systems without confessing Then there's another thing: the filing Scan Star charged Blue Star Line with the that our own cargo-handling techniques system. In this place every piece of paper zesponsibility for repatriating The Flying show little sign of advance in some that is not actually gripped in the hand is Scotsman, which had just completed a respects; the lifting and handling methods whisked away unseen and filed in irretriev- _,000 mile tour of Canada and the United reflected in the 1949 pictures bear an ably secrecy. This, of course, renders rates, terminating in San Francisco. uncanny resemblance to those at Liverpool people like myself totally dispensable. Blue Star Line scored yet another first in 1973. How much better was the system we all __,' conveying the locomotive and her two Starman Limited deserve praise for en- used at sea, where everything is either zeaders in one of their modern cellular deavouring to break us of the habit of stuffed into one big drawer, or simply cemainer vessels, and it may be worth defying the basic rules of gravity by in- dumped over the side. ;:-iQing that spacious accommodation was dulging in the hazardous practice of But, I hear you ask, was that sage :_ vided for the Master without recourse raising heavy objects to great heights, remark right? Well, as for the food, I am the funnel. oftentimes with out-dated access equipment. undecided. When I creep out for half an Our pictures show the lOO-ton giant However, perhaps some credit can be hour at noon, clutching tightly my precious .ocomotive coming ashore at Liverpool claimed for success in tackling the man- luncheon voucher, I think with regret of .:...-.er an 8000 mile passage from Oakland, power problem. A close look at the pictures those other halcyon days. But then I reflect California to find a home at the new reveals that in 1945 at Buenos Aires a 57- that as for freedom, I get home every night. _- ional Railway Museum in York. handed gang was needed (excluding the George Crosthwaite Then and now dog). Their efforts were matched by a mere 14-handed gang at the Seaforth _~ a time when British Rail exhorts us to Terminal in 1973. - , their High Speed Train at Paddington savour the experience of a 100 miles-per- E G George

19 Garland laidley- 200 years in Anglo-Portugese trade Garland Laidley of Lisbon and Oporto, a business in 1909 and served in it until his firm whose activities embrace shipping The Company today death in 1956. The present Chairman agency work, forwarding, air cargo, travel, Today Garland Laidley has its head office started with the Company in 1937, and has and insurance, have a longstanding con- in Lisbon, occupying large premises in recently been joined by his son Bruce nection with the Blue Star Line Group. the heart of the shipping area of Cais do Errington Dawson and Peter Errington Garland Laidley were appointed agents Sodre, with branch offices in Oporto and Dawson [nr. in Portugal for Lamport & Holt Line as agents in all the main port areas of the Among the major ship owners repre- long ago as 1855; they have also repre- country. There are no longer any sented by the Company's Traffic Division sented Booth Line since the inception of members of the Garland or Laidley are Blue Star Line, Lamport & Holt Line, that Company's South American trade. families connected with the Company. The Booth Steamship Co, British Common- The association with Blue Star Line is of present Chairman is Peter Errington wealth Shipping Co, Cunard Lines, Delta more recent origin: the first BSL ship Dawson, whose grandfather left North Steamship Lines, Frota Amazonica, Fyffes handled by Garland Laidley was Andalucia Shields at the age of 16 and started work as Group, [ohnson ScanStar, Ocean Trans- Star when she called at Lisbon in February a clerk with Garland Laidley in 1867. His port and Trading Co, and Van Nievelt 1937. son, Alfred Errington Dawson, entered the Goudrian. It was in 1776 that the young Thomas Garland first set up business in Lisbon. He was an active banker and also pioneered the bacalhau trade, becoming the sole distributor for the cod fished off the Newfoundland seas. At the same time he developed the export side of the business by shipping wines, mainly Port from the Douro region, as well as exporting salt, cork, and textiles. The import side of the business handled mainly coal, meat, grain and general cargo through the representation of various foreign ship owners. Henry Laidley came out from England to join the staff in 1835 and when he was taken into partnership in 1841 the firm's name was changed to Garland, Laidley & Co. Throughout the 19f4 and 20th centuries the firm's business continued to develop, especially in the shipping world, and offices were opened in Oporto and Figueira da Foz. During this period the bacalhau trade had prospered and by now Garland, Laidley & Co were the largest distributors in Portugal.

The Garland Laidley Buildingin Lisbon, overlooking the riverside The Ship Manager The swing door opens, and the Ship clutching that piece of paper. Perhaps the 1don't want to know! 1don't want to hear! Manager strides into the office, clutching phone will ring before he gets to me, or the Why doesn't the floor open up beneath me the dreaded sheet of paper. 1 see him ceiling fall in, )or the world end. Every or, even better, him? There is a dull immediately and the attack starts-the moment he gets closer and it is obvious thudding noise in my head and 1am ready stomach churns, hands tremble, the heart- that he is not going to turn left or swing to believe anything. The hands are now beat quickens, legs go weak, and sweat right. uncontrollable, my stomach is in the back breaks out on my forehead, as he continues of my throat, the room is slowly beginning his inexorable march towards me. Breaking point to revolve ... My mind races into overdrive-what has Again the mind races, dredging up all 'He says that there are no problems on gone wrong now? Don't say those British manner of total disasters, crisis and doom. board. Everyone has settled in very well, ratings have commandeered the ship again My nerves are now at breaking point, 1 and he hasn't sailed with a better bunch of and converted It into the only 1O,000-ton begin to curse all Masters and senior ratings for a long time. Just thought I'd floating nightclub and gambling casino in officers. Why don't they keep their let you know'. the Pacific. Or, even worse, are the Chinese problems to themselves? Why bother us The room reverts to an even keel, the still celebrating their New Year in the ... me? What are we supposed to do 5000 stomach settles down to where it should middle of June? miles away from the scene! Why can't they be, the legs feel as though they will now He strides on, coming nearer and nearer. sort out their own shambles? Why bring bear my weight. 1 can even pick up my There is hope-perhaps only a slight hope, us into it? More importantly, why involve biro and force a weak smile. 1 had got but hope all the same-that if he turns me? through the day without anything going sharp left it will mean Alan or Bill will He arrives at last in front of my desk, wrong and without being hammered. receive the full weight of his wrath; if he towering over me as 1 quiver with fear. 1 Tomorrow is another day, but at least swings across to the right, then Mike will slump in the chair waiting for the inevitable today is going to be fine, and perhaps Ship be doing battle with him; either way 1 am beginning to the conversation: '1 have had Managers are fine after all. off the hook. But no, he still comes on, a letter from the Master of the ...... ' R CLee 20 Snatches Department 01 Trade Merchant • lory with Shipping Notice No. 1684 cood hall EXAMINATIONS IN THE YEAR COMMENCING 1 SEPTEMBER 1977 FOR CERTIFICATES OF COMPETENCY AS:

Itrick MASTER (FOREIGN-GOING) SECOND CLASS ENGINEER FIRST MATE (FOREIGN-GOING) MASTER (HOME TRADE) Five-a-side football SECOND MATE (FOREIGN-GOING) MATE (HOME TRADE) AvAEF Notice to Shipowners,Masters, Officers and Seamen in the Merchant Navy, and _"1 :rre--a-side football match took place at Nautical and Marine Engineering Schools ----eSobell Stadium, Finsbury Park, North Pattern of Examinations in the Year Beginning 1 September 1977 don on Friday 3 December, 1976. The teams were from Liner Shipping _""-5-enciesLtd and Anglo European Foods Month Week Commencing Master! 2nd 1st Class 2nd Class Master HT Monday 1st Mate Mate Engineer Engineer and =-.:cl. SS Shippers). Mate HT ick-off was at 6.45 pm. LSA were -;2yi.ng a team for the first time, and September 1 5th X .enced some difficulty in coordinating 2 12th 3 19th X _ at the start. They soon found them- 4 26th : ',es 1-0 down through a goal scored by _ ~ck Glennon in the eighth minute. October I 3rd X _-O.::::.F took the initiative, and continued to 2 lOth X 3 17th X :---e the pressure on LSA, gaining a penalty 4 24th X in the fourteenth minute after Paul dard had encroached upon his own November 1 31st X ry area. Patrick Glennon shot the (October) 2 7th X low and hard to the left hand side of 3 14th :::e net, to achieve his second goal of the 4 21st X ~ch. LSA fought back, and just missed 5 28th X . g when Chris Economou hit the post December 1 5th X --= me last minute of the first half. 2 12th X X Half time score: AEF 2 LSA 0 3 19th X Paul Roach of LSA kicked off for the 4 26th d half. The LSA squad were now in 1 _ .::.a:ermined mood, scoring their first goal January 2nd 1978 2 9th _ the thirteenth minute when Chris 3 16th X -= omou took a throw-in near the AEF 4 23rd X :;=lty area. The ball found Dave Fisher February '1 30th X ~o flicked it into the net with a neat (January) .. - ooter. 2 6th X _ A were now on the offensive. Some 3 13th X --=- it interchanging passes between Paul 4 20th 5 27th X idard and Paul Roach brought the ball again to Dave Fisher who levelled March 1 6th X =e score with another left foot shot. AEF 2 13th X - unred an attack, but could not get past 3 20th X 4 27th X ----e LSA goalkeeper, David Mizen, who as in outstanding form. April 1 3rd X ith three minutes to go, Chris 2 10th X omou took command of the ball in his 3 17th X 4 24th half, and made a marathon run, .ering the full length of the pitch. Dave May 1 1st X :- er took the pass and then slammed the 2 8th X --=---- home, gaining a hat trick and giving 3 15th X 4 X - .-\ a 3-2 lead. Despite constant 22nd 5 29th X zarassment in the last minutes, Paul Roach -=- Paul Goddard managed to hold off June 1 5th X _~ attack, ensuring an LSA victory. 2 12th X X 3 19th X :inal score: AEF 2 LSA 3 4 26th X

July 1 3rd X 2 10th X 3 17th X X 4 24th X Walker, Patrick Glennon,Tom on, Bill Clarke, David Salter, Mike ~ y (Sub). Notes: (a) It is usual to attribute weeks commencing 30th or 31st to the following month. In the year beginning 1st September 1977 the 30th falls on a Monday on 30th January 1978 and the zvid Mizen, Paul Goddard, Paul Roach, 31st falls on a Monday on 31st October 1977. "- e Fisher, Chris Economou. (b) Where examinations are affected by Bank Holidays they will run at the nearest possible dates. 21 People Mullins, and David Wills on-retired from the Company. Rex McCashney, of ACTAMelbourne, Zillah has been operating our telephone has transferred to the Marketing Division. switchboard since early 1955, whilst His duties in the operational side at Doreen, having served continuously with Melbourne are now being handled by Port Line (since 1950) and Joint Cargo Doug Fletcher. Services, joined us as head accounting Stan Jackson, who has attended to the machine operator in 1973. Pat has been day-to-day operation of the Eastern Trades operating the filing system and David the operated by Austasia and Guan Guan, mailing system. They also joined us from left us on 21 January to take up a position Joint Cargo Services. in Armidale, a country town in the north At our office Christmas party, Graham of New South Wales. We wish Stan the Lightfoot paid tribute to their valued very best in his new endeavour. service to the Company, and all four were Doug Whyte recently spent several presented with farewell gifts from the weeks in hospital. He is now fully re- management and staff. They will be sadly covered. missed by their colleagues, and we wish News trom Christmas retirements them many happy years and the best of health for their retirements. At the end of 1976, four of our colleagues- Australia Zillah Blair, Doreen Dargan, Patricia

Zillah Blair (left), Pat Mullins, Doreen Dargan, and David Wills on, David Willson (right), on behalf of the four retirees, responds to Graham photographed at the office Christmas party Lightfoot's tribute

observation came the name of the new tonnes of cargo every year. The almost SYDNEY territory-New South Wales. landlocked deep water harbour provides Travelling further northwards, Captain excellent shelter for shipping. Its average Gateway to Australia Cook sighted a bay or harbour in which width is slightly less than 1.5 kilometres, The city of Sydney, capital of the State of there appeared to be good anchorage. He and although it OI1Jyextends 21 kilometres New South Wales, is served by two ports. named it Port [ackson, after George inland it has 245 kilometres of foreshore The main port is Sydney Harbour, in Port Jackson, a secretary at the admiralty. bordering the various arms, and many jackson, known as the Port of Sydney, on sheltered bays. The harbour covers a total the shores of which the city was established. First settlement area of 54.4 square kilometres. Ten kilometres to the south of the metro- Botany Bay was originally intended as the politan area lies the port of Botany Bay site of the first settlement. Captain Famous landmarks which handles petroleum and chemicals. Phillip, however, was disappointed with The north and south sides of this city of Discovery the location because of the sandy terrain three million inhabitants are linked by the and lack of fresh water. famous Sydney Harbour Bridge, officially Botany Bay was discovered by Captain He determined to find a more suitable opened on 19 March 1932. The bridge has Cook during his voyage along Australia's site and setting out with a small party from a total length of 4 4 kilometres (including east coast in 1770. The explorer described Botany Bay he found and explored Port approaches) and a width of 48.8 metres. it as 'a capacious, safe, and commodious Jackson. On 26 January 1788, the First The length of arch span between the harbour'. He first named it Stingray's Fleet was brought round into Port Jackson pylons is 503 metres, the highest point Harbour, but later renamed it Botany Bay and landed at Sydney Cove. This date is being 134 metres above the water. because of the unique plants found by the now known as Australia day and celebrated Another 'more recently built landmark botanists Joseph Banks and Dr Daniel as a public holiday. which now enhances the beauty of the Solander. The two botonists found .harbour is the Sydney Opera House.This hundreds of plants completely new to them The Port of Sydne~ today controversial building was opened on 20 as well as species similar to those found in Sydney is one of Australia's leading ports October 1973 by Queen Elizabeth, accom- South Wales, Great Britain. From this in volume of trade, handling 20 million panied by the Duke of Edinburgh.

22 ipping facilities the rapidly expanding industrial and com- mercial requirements of the City of ~ number .of commercial vessels using Sydney. -= ?Ort during the year 1975-76 was To date Botany Bay has been used ,_=_"xirnately 3000, with a total gross solely for the handling of petroleum and aze of 31 million tonnes. Principal chemicals. Its development for other bulk, "'_~-Lagoe is conveniently and centrally container, and general cargoes will probably within six or eight kilometres of take place in the not too distant future. :=.e sea and within 1.6 kilometres of the = of the city. J K Doherty ~mufage facilities in the port cater for _ type of sea trade: container, unit, - oil, coal, timber, grain, and the tional packages of general cargo. Below: An aerial view of Sydney. The white -=-::"erecent completion of two container sail-roofs of the Opera House can be seen in coupled with the three already in the bottom left hand corner.In the background. z- 'on, has lifted Sydney into the front to the south of the city, is Botany Bay -=- 0: international container ports. (photo courtesy Maritime Services Board of NSW) Right: 'Montivideo Star' and 'Auckland Star' . Botany Bay in Sydney Harbour (photo courtesy Maritime Services Board of NSW) ~ Port of Sydney and Botany Bay serve

,

Visitors couple of months with their friends Jean and Cecil Crocker. Since Mr Cooper Mr EH Vestey paid a brief VISIt to retired as Purser/Catering Officer a few Pretoria and Cape Town in October. years ago, he and his wife have paid an Mr J G Payne and Mr R C Glover, annual visit to the Crockers. Cecil is with together with Mrs Glover, visited Cape Durban Agents, Freight Services Ships Town in October for discussions with the Agency Company Limited, and he has Perishable Products Export Control Board been associated with Blue Star Agency and Deciduous Fruit Board, about arrange- work for nearly thirty years. His uncle was ments for next years' deciduous fruit a Master with Blue Star Line. loadings. Mr Glover later visited Pretoria, Welcome accompanied by Mr G G H Jeft"erys,to see the Citrus Exchange about their 1977 We are pleased to welcome Mrs Maureen business. Weeden who joined our Freight Depart- -ngbok column Mr & Mrs A G Cooper visited Durban ment in November. towards the end of February to spend a 23 Farewell dinner member of the Hawkes Bay Harbour Board. A farewell dinner was held in Wellington At a farewell dinner held in Napier, and on 20 December so that senior colleagues attended by Mr K H Churchouse and and their wives could pay tribute to Mr Mr R C Whyte, Mr Apperley was Churchouse, and despite the drop in presented with a grandmother clock as a attendance caused by a freak torrential token of appareciation from his many rain storm which cut the city of Wellington colleagues throughout New Zealand. off from its suburbs, the warmth of those We trust Mr and Mrs Apperley will present was such as to ensure that the enjoy a very long and well-earned retire- spirit of the occasion was not lost. ment. Mr A W Apperley Mr R C Whyte, General Manager of Kiwi column Blueport ACT (NZ) presented Mr Churchouse with an engraved silver tray. Retirement of Mr K H In his reply, Mr Churchouse outlined the Churchouse sequence of events leading up to the latest On 31 December Mr KH Churchouse developments in our organisation and retired from the position of General expressed his confidence in the future of Manager of Blue Star Port Lines Manage- our operations. ment Limited, having served Blue Star At the staff Christmas party, held on 23 Line interests for a period of 42 years. December, a magnificent rug was presented Mr Churchouse joined the Thames to Mr Churchouse by Mr Whyte, on behalf Stevedoring company in London in 1934, of all staff members. and two years later became Personal Mrs Churchouse, who has always been Assistant to the General Manager of Blue held in the highest esteem and who has Star Line Limited. In 1938 he was trans- given her husband the fullest support over ferred to New Zealand as Assistant the years, was thanked and farewelled by Manager; during the war he served in the the wives of senior members of Wellington New Zealand Navy and on his demobilisa- staff at a luncheon held on 7 December. tion was appointed Manager of Blue Star The Churchouses retire to their Christmas party Line Limited. Waikanae home where, we understand, A Christmas party was held on 23 In 1969 the managements of Blue Star their intention is to garden, fish, play Line and Port Line Limited amalgamated, bowls, and look after some 'minor business December at the overseas passenger terminal at Wellington for all members of and Mr Churchouse was appointed General interests'. We all wish them the long and the newly-amalgamated company, Blue- Manager of the new company, Blue Star happy retirement they so richly deserve. port ACT (NZ), together with their Port Lines Management Limited. Around Retirement of Mr A W partners. A very enjoyable time was had by the same time he was appointed to the Apperley all and tribute must be paid to the Social position of chairman of the new container Committee for the efficient way in which development company then being set up We also record the retirement of Mr they organised this successful event. under the now familiar name of Associated A W Apperley on 31 December after 48 I Container Transportation (NZ) Limited. years with the Company. Unusual cargo At the request of the London Board of A true New Zealander, Mr Apperley is Recently Fremantle Star carried an out- Directors, Mr Churchouse delayed his the grandson of pioneering families. He rigger canoe, the from Fiji to retirement for one year so that he could started work in 1928 at Nelson NZ Limited, Taratai, Wellington for exhibition in the New assist in the formation of Blueport ACT Tomaona Office, moving up through the Zealand National Museum. This canoe was (NZ) Limited during 1976 (see Gangway ranks of the meat industry until being built from hand-hewn timbers lashed no 10). Mr K H Churchouse transferred to the shipping department set together with string made from the husks up to' deal with Blue Star Line vessels of coconuts. loading in Napier. The canoe was sailed by a New In 1945 he took over the management Zealander, Jim Siers, from Tarawa in the of Nelsons' Napier Office and on 1 January Gilbert Islands to Fiji, a distance of some 1950, when Blue Star Line NZ opened 1500 miles, in order to prove that long- Napier Branch, he was appointed as distance migration of Polynesians was Manager. In 1969, on the amalgamation of possible in such hand-built craft. Blue Star Line and Port Line, he became the Napier Manager of the new joint Births Company. During his long career, Mr Congratulations to Ross Durham of Apperley has taken a v.ery active part in the Auckland (2nd officer, Fremantle Star) and local shipping scene and is currently a his wife Lyn, on the birth of their daughter, Lisa Marie, on 2 pecember.

turned out a great success, and during the evening a number of presents were raffled News from Ihe and distributed. New Manaus Office Amazon We recently moved our Manaus Office to the dizzy heights of the 15th floor of the Christmas Party 'Manaus Shopping Centre'. The records This year's Christmas Party, held on 16 show that we occupied our old building December, was for the first time a 'family' for 75 years, and while we feel sorry to affair, held at home. We decided to break a tradition we are enjoying our new combine both office and workshop parties surroundings. The new office has been into one and as we were rather dis- planned to meet our requirements, with appointed last year with the service of one central air-conditioning-and we can of the local restaurants, we opted for an assure any visitor a superb view of the outside 'barbecue' at our sports centre. It waterfront. We hope to show some photo- 24 of the office in the next issue of Nickels. His second visit was to attend the Belem and Manaus on their way north. It NBA Freight Conference Principals is a pity time did not permit them to see a Meeting which took place at the Tropical little more of the Amazon. However, we Hotel, Manaus.It is the first time a hope they will come and see us again tulate Sr Gilberto Sena conference of this nature has been held sometime. - ~ _ Department) and wife on the birth in the North of Brasil, and Manaus has Gil Douglas, on 17 September, already been chosen as the venue for IAFC-Inter American Freight Con- ors ference-Principals Meeting next year, Mr & Mrs David Habgood visited us tly enjoyed two visits from Mr in November and spent a day in both

rts news _ ::..e-a-side football team have conti- - :0 train hard and a number of Right: The Agencias Mundiais barefoot soccer - _ matches have been played. Two team in particular against Alban ~were Below: The Amazon Port of Obidos with the r:::.:=::;_gh)y enjoyed by all, and though we river at high water. Obidos is situated halfway between Belem and Manaus at one of the rh by a comfortable margin, Alban narrowest points of the Amazon. Booth Line " that despite (understandable) lack . ships call regularly to load Brasil nuts practice, they had plenty of talent. tae first game, the visitors kindly " us aboard for snacks and drinks _ unded off a very pleasant evening. satisfied with just a five-a-side, we ·..c:~zu -0 field a regular team and enter a ,:::J::;:en":ti'onrun by one of the local news- The competition is called 'Cam- ,;e=<=o de Peladas' which unfortunately .:r.~::o;t:ranslate. However, it is interesting much that the participants have to _ ::zefoot or in plimsols; otherwise the are the same and the games are ~=-==rlby qualified men. e won our first game 6-1, which __ =0 . us with considerable enthusiasm. -- y the initial success went to our . for we have since played three more and lost 1-9, 2-3, and 1-2 '-""'~""ely. Nevertheless, moral is still 7"">d what is more important we have congratulated by the organisers for manship and. discipline on the

tball report Newcastle Brown the number of enquiries about English- Portuguese dictionaries and phrasebooks .a.I..lTC1U' V Agencias Mundiais From the kick-off, the game was played at a I'm sure it will be! - owing report has been extracted very fast pace which, on a hot evening, (Translated by AllanJones, Electrician) e sports page of the prestigeous boded ill for the visitors. But they stuck Sunday Companion and House to their task, and inspired by some brilliant ~..d.. Under the headline 'Alban goalkeeping from Roger Swift (proudly ..:...-.:::c..:.-=.::S on local ground,' the columnist wearing the emblem of 'Newcastle Brown' . --;go do Onca writes: on his jersey-what strange names these ~ visiting squad of the British ship British teams have!) they managed to close came to grief last night against one an exciting first half trailing by just one er local sides, Agencias Mundiais. goal. a limited capacity crowd, amongst Unfortunately Alban's team had given Pe1e, Tostao, and Silvio Santos of their best, and early in the second half ~~ ? ticeable by their absence, the the locals broke through. Despite a fine I ~ _ showed aU the qualities one has goal by Mackereth, the locals ran out . r expect from representatives of that winners 7-1. A fine game, played in good " _ sporting nation. Contrast their temper, which made Captain Matthews' f;;' ) =.!iry in arriving ready to play, some denial, after the game, that these men es before the advertised kick-off were from his ship so hard to understand; . with the local side's 30 minutes late or was it this famous British sense of .' ~ ~thereby missing some of the best humour once again? football of the evening). During The party which the Captain hosted on .:.txlSelm·LI1g-upperiod, their old British board Alban after the game, to which the s: adventure showed through as opposition and their wives were invited, after player cheerfully scaled the was a very happy affair. Despite the " wire enclosure to recover balls- language barrier (which was soon breached . into the near-jungle outside the anyway) it was a most enjoyable evening, well worth repeating in the future. From

25 - FLEET·LI T

Blue Slar" line

AFRIC ALMEDA ALMERIA AMERICA ANDALUCIA AUCKLAND STAR STAR STAR STAR STAR STAR Captain W T Pitcher FP McGuckin N D T johnson D T MacKillop P A Stevens A W Kinghorn Chief Officer I H Mockett I A H Gray H N Owen G S Copley K.D Pykett I A MacMartin 2nd Officer A I Norman K Wadia A I Brown I A Saunders M A Frascr M S Clare 3rd Officer N J Hamer I S Black K Lumby C J Robilliard K M Chester S P Harrison Deck Cadets M T Gaudion C I Furness T G Lopes P B Dixon RC Green ROwen C R Parker R M Self Trainee Officers HR Wells N M Bower Radio Officer I Ramsey E Carr M S Greatorex I Cully NE Scott F Huggett Chief Engineer Officer G Owens A Curry F McKrnzie D Russell D Brown J Stables 2nd Engineer Officer I Roby P Button E F White A Pender D Milligan J Mclntyre 3rd Engineer Officer C Haddock E I Green N A Cornford D Peck H Stringer D Hamilton I Morecraft W Gilroy 4th Engineer Officer K Alexander D K Smith M Marinovic L Taylor, MS Scott B Gibbs 5th Engineer Officer R Stennett D K Cameron K E Alien CS Pickard I Halacziewitz M Cryan 6th Engineer Officer R T Wood Junior Engineer Officer I Thorpe D Coils Engineer Cadet I Blake A D Frost I D Blackstan P McArdle Chief Refrig. Engineer Officer D Dalton G Roebuck R Puddicombe D Scammell D Boyd W Lauahlin 2nd Refrig. Engineer Officer L S Bell C Sherrif Chief Electrical Officer I Walton D Curry K Gates I Mulhall J Parry 2nd Electrical Officer G Horrocks Purser/Catering Officer R Barnett G Lucas A Snowden W Bishop J Burns M Brown Carpenter R Horsewcll C Thomas F Spencer L Laing M Gatt Bosun C Forde I Dadd N McKenzie E Richardson W Cruickshank Mechanic R Stecle N Green Donkeyman B Clissold I McLennan J O'Riordan J 1\1cGivern M McLaughlan 2nd Steward A Gregory R Savin A O'Keefe K Wetherill M Wills Chief Cook , R Buss I Wee I Mayoz I Donaghue P Kelly

AVELONA AVILA BRASILlA BUENOS AIRES CALIFORNIA CANTERBURY STAR STAR STAR STAR STAR STAR Captain I G Reeve J G King E GBee R M Burns D M McPhail P Daniel Chief Officer R G Murch D A Ganderton C Bufton I R Webber M K MacGilray I S Gee 2nd Officer I H Meyrick K L Holden I P Spencer S M Kabir ID Peake SI Martland 3rd Officer @D Brown BM Campbell M A Barker L C Ridgeon D P Cross R V Barbooram Deck Cadet D I Schultz P D Chadwick C R Bartleet A I Delaney P Balding Trainee Officers I A Simpson MP Harris K G Warmisham SMack B RCondon Radio Officer R S Routledge D A Ward I Redfearn G Martin D F O'Halloran I Higganbotham Chief Engineer Officer E Welch F C Inskip CA Nixon R G Taylor K Wardle I I Ritchie 2nd Engineer Officer MS Bowen A Gough G Mintern W Grierson B I Wilson NCobb 3rd Engineer Officer A LWise SD Meech' I Iones RAHills K Doxford W Mullen 4th Engineer Officer G S Holmes A Cockram I Beckton S Barren S Ramsden P W Blathwayt 5th Engineer Officer P Turnbull K Wallace A Stooks S Mason D Coe I Charlton B N Murphy M Nicholson Junior Engineer Officer A R Healy K Gladman I Dyas Engineer Cadet P Pearson R Hossack P Simpson Chief Refrig. Engineer Officer W Davis C Salters LP Noble A Scott HRowe 2nd Refrig. Engineer Officer T Thornton Chief Electrical Officer I E Pocock ER Cowie I Runcie D Smith I Hind D Barber 2nd Electrical Officer T Marshall D Short Purser/Catering Officer P Wareham R Bartlett I Speers A Pears on CHind S Dastur Carpenter C Donnelly R Robson R Surtees I KiIleen Bosun R Grist D Shepherd KKarle C Burton I Moore Mechanic S Yip PAllen A Dale H Skuja Donkeyrnan P jones A Musgrave M Hodder A Fox W Dunbar 2nd Steward W Firbank C Young R Haley A McFadyen I Rogerson Chief Cook P Czyprynka V Coker C Lorne H Blair E Bolton

COLUMBIA FREMANTLE GLADSTONE HALIFAX HOBART MONTREAL STAR STAR STAR STAR STAR STAR Captain DNewlin D S Gilmour S M Williams PWHunt D I Eckworth R Brownbill Chief Officer C [ackson A R Redclift D MacKinnon M R Hardheat J M Rendle CRMundy 2nd Officer A L Hurrell NB Meek R I Middleton RP Ruegg CA F Ledsam R A Hampshire 3rd Officer I H Venables D G Turner E Buick R J Tucker E A Barrimond Deck Cadets B G Stockdale H H Trompert NI Brierley L M Colam A Littleton WE Burke N Mollkin D I Dawson Trainee Officers PC Mitchell C I Holmes B Henshaw I G Sheard I M Ayre Radio Officer N McClean E Connell D Miller A Murphy lAbel D Ward Chief Engineer Officer B Lewis P Smith I E Lineham R Coult I Guild A A Garnett 2nd Engineer Officer A Wilkinson H W Callins P A Peters en G K Wilson CEllis S Astorina 3rd Engineer Officer C F Simpson H .jepperson P Kennerley I Frost D R Plester P A Dickinson 4th Engineer Officer R Langford M W Sturdy W Evans D Price B Kilgcur J G Doherty 5th Engineer Officer L A Matusiewicz D Chisholm C R Thumwood R Hickey D Rogerson D R Heath 6th Eng-irreer- Officer G Douglas S Driver Junior Erigfneer- Officer K O'Shea DC Fox D R Wainwright Engineer Cadet A G Smith L Hughes Chief Refrig. Engineer Officer D Littlewood J Edgar J Santi K Champ D T Whenray Chief Electrical Officer S Poore B Nelson I Leech HE Eastharn ID Cogdon I Lang 2nd Electrical Officer D Houldsworth J T Brigharn Purser/Catering Officer R Draper I Hooper E Weihs T Heffernan H Plummer L McKinley Carpenter D Ieffrey B Mills Bosun G Chorlton .TSpinks D McKinnon Mechanic B Powis I Irvine F Page RPatt-ick Donkeyman A McCormack K Swift I Skeldon 2nd Steward I Ginnity J Roberts HLim Chief Cook P Marcar I Banks P Hall 26 NEW YORK NEW ZEALAND ROCKHAMP- SOUTHLAND TIMARU TOWNSVILLE STAR STAR TON STAR STAR STAR STAR RA Young WA Wilson P Mathews G H Stubbings HDWindle DA Van Der Merw P Hurlock TH Lloyd-Tones R D Henderson M F Chinn AS Whittard JK Wilkinson D H Smith JRMoxon RH Foden R J Smith A Osman MJHaines G Thorburn D Leech S J F Cutler T M Kershaw CJ Hallt JGKay CHPrior-Willeard I Gater A Parker T V Noble D Darlington M J Bower TA Lowe Officers MA Knight RE Tallis A Campbell EM Moffatt G Barnes C Scrimshaw S Ashbrook S Ringer \VI T Ashley R Greaves P Lunt OH jones D A Norris L SPawn R Craig FFrech PEarl TPHolley J Partridge A J Kemp M 0 Hart RAshley P Catchpole R WBanks R W Taylor J R Cron G Curry P McMahon DIackson P Os borne ITurner KOstle PHolgate W Hutchison DJ Hall A Dunbar PC Jennings G HRawlings M J Calvard P Seaton R Knox T Cakebread o JBennett W Trickett D McPhee D A Aashton J A Devlin W Bernard G Goffe J Standheld MGeeves D GWilson Tobutt D McGregor R Bushell B McArdle DSellers V Farrar AD Stamper J Humble T Bristow WMilligan ARice B Bowler PRattigan P Holdroyd FAllen A MacGaskill D Pull en JMcCleary ,DRcberts N Morrison RBolstridge JHodgson P Morgan KMawson D Vary

TROJAN TUSCAN ULSTER ACT I ACT IV ACT V STAR STAR STAR ICMacKintosh JHutton J C Harris W A Davidson EA Sparks E J joner C EElms GR Henderson J W Botrwood A R P Geels RWG"y N JBarr GJ Rawding AM WBoyes TC Kelsey M Watson BC Penrose TV Daymond P Richards RC Page I J Sheffield A D Smith C P R Clarke CD Waddingham P Dawson E Van Proojie RF Callaghan L Mitchell . RJ Gill DStratford D Turney I BLuff C Godden JLodge J N McConnell D Owen ACT Roskilly CW White WO Sharples AT Bramley PBallingall DBentley D Bourne C Purser A Carr (ex. Chf.) Officer PWBodden D Hamilton T Fleetwood E G Rae AS Newell C A Walker Officer GJHolland A V H Gulvin T Somerville J M cClafferty I C Towers M A Richard T W Mahon WH Tan K Chicken Officer PKBowden G Drury MJWilmot CH Hunter E S Edwards Officer DRSevern A SWatt G Blackford A E Davies JRTaylor Ez:gineer Officer IMaronovic J Aplin Cadet A G Brown 00'. Engineer Officer C R Parry JESergeant T S Roberts J Bonner J E Taylor J S Mullett E!ettrical Officer EG Gibbs T LD Horne J Massey P Hoyland MO'Niel R Stevens G Clarke LMcQuillan B Murnane PFilmer WA Harper PSimpson DReid RSibson JPorter DStewart I Ross WWatts PHoar RBurns KAdams Howard P Chaprnan FHoldroyd P Coil ins G Serrano J Freeman Booth line ALBAN CLEMENT CUTHBERT CYRIL N F Sharp J Atkins J D Igoe DA Norris P F Lamb BA Chowdray J WCubbon J M Jarrett G N Steedman C Lunn C M Nazim MJWalker FJHansen RC Lauder PM Moore G Smith D McNaughton CJJones R Holland WDunn ABarrett M Russell T McLaughlin SRadford E Carnegie H Hoogenson D Latham RHaig G Walkden J Ousey GM Copsey D Smith D Marsden ~~~~(~~~tfficer RA Swift ::lIaI!::El=ttical Officer A Jones GWade D Bourne K E Brookes Canring Officer R Ward W Deary RHowell ~Bage

27 lamporl I Hall line Slarman line RAEBURN ROLAND ROMNEY RONSARD STARMAN Captain J 0 White J K Schofield R K Bilton J I Jones P \V Hutchinson Chief Officer I LMoist AMilligan B Luke DJ Jones D Barnicoat 2nd Officer M Moorhouse TJRiley DP Marsh WF Hughes 3rd Officer I Maxwell B George PM Ashton DM Nicholson GB Pole Deck Cadet J Clayton J Grayson DPAshton Trainee Officers A W Weaver' Radio Officer FBlythe M Stokes MBlout R Prole B Vickers Chief Engineer Officer AA Kelly T D Scott B Pugh N Pearson G Harrison 2nd Engineer Officer J J Thompson SGormley HB Ong T Crammen I Downton 3rd Engineer Officer J Kitney S Muldowney C Bailey D Darrah DB Geekie 4th Engineer Officer RHVic B Boettger RFrost 5th Engineer Officer PAnderson RF Thompson J Sponswick NO Grieve Junior Engineer Officer P McWhirter A Plummer J Husband P Williams G Cooper DP Sheehan WB Jenkins RA Flynn Engineer Cadet G Cowan J Warren P Mickleburgh Chief Refrig. Engineer Officer C Wheeler Chief Electrical Officer PAlderson E Morris FE Thomas M Davies R K Thomas Purser/Catering Officer G Burghall RCook R Taylor A McKinley Carpenter JRichardson MTodd E Sorrell R Gilmour Bosun AWinter WGreener DCrowley PHarkin J Moore Mechanic V Drezins Dunkeyrrran J Sasinski J Ryan M McKeown R Hughes NWilliarns 2nd Steward HBurrows PDyer J Henderson M Savage Chief Cook R Edwards P Cully L 0 K Hau P Cully JFoo

Appointments as at 31H January 1977. Thd list does not include officers on other duties or on leave. Fleet Personnel News

DECK OFFICERS ENGINEER OFFICERS Recent Promotions JC Harris to Master Recent Promotions P Daniel to Master F Frech 1<' Chief Engineer MMoorhouse to Second Officer C Purser to Chief Engineer C E Gibson to Second Officer MA Oliver to Second Engineer GGD Pole to Third Officer A Pender to Second Engineer J V Sloman to Third Officer GK Pedder to Second Engineer PM Ashton to Third Officer J M Kitney to Third Engineer M Griffiths to Third Officer J Ovsey to Third Engineer E I Green to Third Engineer R W Parker to Third Engineer Certificates Obtained .TFM Ftost to Third Engineer D F Peck to Third Engineer C E Gibson First Mate's Certificate J V Fenton to Third Engineer RC Page Second Mate's Certificate A V H Gulvin to Third Engineer BM Campbell Second Mate's Certificate CW Bailey to Third Engineer GG DPole Second Mate's Certificate G JHolland to Third Engineer R J Tucker Second Mate's Certificate RMFrost to Third Engineer I S G Black Second Mate's Certificate WE Adlard to Third Engineer J V Sloman Second Mate's Certificate BWGibbs to Third Engineer M Griffiths Second Mate's Certificate I B McCall to Third Engineer K G Alexander to Fourth Engineer G S Holmes to Fourth Engineer Joined Company PKBowden to Fourth Engineer J Marsh Third Officer A Cockrarn to Fourth Engineer A Peeters Third Officer KOstle to Fourth Engineer S Barron to Fourth Engineer D Price to Fourth Engineer C Corter to Fourth Engineer Returned to Company J G Doherty to Fourth Engineer D S Fforde Chief Officer BBoettger to Fourth Engineer J R Beckton to Eourth Engineer RT Czachur to Fourth Engineer Certificate Leave E W McFarlane to Fourth Engineer I H Turner to Fourth Engineer P J Newton Master CH Hunter to Fourth Engineer MJ Locke Master D W Rogerson to Fifth Engineer MB Roberts Master CR Thurowood to Fifth: Engineer PE Tann Master J R Taylor 10 Fifth Engineer W I Lang Master A Richardson to FIfth Engineer M JPower Master D Price to FIfth Engineer MG DSharif Master NO Grieve to Fifth Engineer J Sarat Kuroar First Mate G H Rawlings to Fifth Engineer RC Corfield First Mate CS Pickerol to Fifth Engineer D G Maidment First Mate PJ Craddock to Frith Engineer TP Green First Mate A Mason to Fifth Engineer AG Milner First Mate D R Carneron to Fifth Engineer J EClayton First Mate D A Coe to FIfth Engineer PM Bielawski First Mate A S Watt to FIfth Engineer R J Smith First Mate J Charlton to Fifth Engineer PR Maudsley First Mate R Hickey to Fifth Engineer G S Hart First Mate PC Jennings to Fifth Engineer R S Downie First Mate A E Davies to Fifth Engineer P J Milton First Mate R S S Wilkie to Fifth Engineer N Shilhto First Mate G G Salters to Chief Refrig: Engineer LP De Lezameta First Mate P J Drury to Chief Refrig: Engineer PH Harding First Mate ID Cogdon to First Electrician RHill First Mate K J Gates to First Electrician W J K Copland Second Male DWBarber to First Electrician M RAtkinson Second Mate D A Smith to First Electrician B Newberry Second Mate S G Astorina to Second Electrician NA Wright Second Male PM Ashton Second Ma" 28