Issue 2/2016 Volume XXIII No. 014 The Journal of the Honourable Company of Master Mariners Livery Company of the City of London Founded 1926, Incorporated by Royal Charter 1930 Contents Court of the Company Wardens and Court from 1 May 2016 MASTER Captain F K D'Souza SENIOR WARDEN Captain M Reed MNI RNR RD* IMMEDIATE PAST MASTER Captain H J Conybeare WARDENS Captain R B Booth MNI ; The Honourable Company Captain W J Barclay AFNI; Captain D Chadburn of Master Mariners COURT OF ASSISTANTS Commander P R F D Aylott MNI RN; Captain R F A Batt; PATRON Mr M F Burrow; Commander L Chapman RN; Her Most Gracious Majesty THE QUEEN Captain G Cowap FNI; Captain B A Cushing; ADMIRAL Captain G English AFNI; Captain I C Giddings FNI; His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, Captain P T Hanton RFA; Mr J Johnson-Allen FRIN; Lord High Admiral of the United Kingdom, KG KT OM GBE Captain J K Mooney AFNI; Captain R Nosrati BA(Hons); Captain T Oliver; Commander D G Phillips MVO MNI RN; FOUNDER Captain M R Powell FNI; Captain M M Reeves MNI; Sir Robert Burton-Chadwick, Bt. Captain R S Richardson FNI; Captain N F Rodrigues; b. 1869 d. 1951 Captain I A Smith FNI FRNI; Mr I P A Stitt MSc FRIN; Mr T Starr MNI; Captain J R Freestone MNM; Captain J W Hughes FRIN FNI; Captain S S S Judah MBE FNI CLERK OF THE COMPANY – 0207 845 9871 Contents Commodore Angus Menzies FCMI MNI RN – [email protected] BUSINESS MANAGER – 0207 845 9872 Company News Page 881 Mrs Alison Harris BA (Hons) – [email protected] FINANCE OFFICER – 0207 845 9875 Latest News Page 892 Mrs Penny Burningham – [email protected] Ports News Page 898 RECEPTIONIST Mrs Phyllis Holder – [email protected] Features Page 903 HONORARY CHAPLAIN The Reverend Reginald Sweet BA RN Obituary Page 907 CORPORATE MEMBERS *Birchtree Limited; J&J Denholm Limited; Fairdeal Group; Furness Reviews Page 908 Withy (Chartering); *International Maritime Pilots' Association; John Swire & Son Limited; Maritime Underwater Securities Merchandise Inside Back Cover Consultants Limited; P&O Ferries; PCA Maritime Ltd; Star Reefers; Stephenson Harwood; The Baltic Exchange; Witherby's Publishing Group; X-PRESS Feeders. (*Tenant company) Produced by Copyprint UK Limited. Unit 5a Canterbury Court, HQS WELLINGTON, Temple Stairs, Victoria Embankment, Kennington Park, 1-3 Brixton Road, London, SW9 6DE. London WC2R 2PN Published by The Honourable Company of Master Mariners, HQS www.hcmm.org.uk Tel: 0207 836 8179 Fax: 0207 240 3082 Wellington, Temple Stairs, Victoria Embankment, London WC2R 2PN. Email: [email protected] Company News The next day was one of the highlights of From the Immediate the year for every Master and Mistress, The We are sorry to re cord the death of Past Master Lord Mayor’s Banquet at Mansion House, the following members of the where you meet so many friends made Honourable Company of Master Captain H J Conybeare during the year, as well as many other City Mariners: Dignitaries. This was followed by the United •Captain Geoffrey Percy Parish, Guild’s Service in St Paul’s, a really moving May 2015 service of tribute to the Livery that you •Captain William Henry Cook, really should attend, even if you may have January 2016 been before. •Captain J C L T Lee, At the end of March Miki hosted a May 2016 Mistresses and Consorts luncheon on board Wellington, to show our home to the other •Captain Sir Miles Wingate, KCVO, Liveries and also to raise some funds for May 2016 the Wellington Trust. This was well attended and very well received by all, as We wish Flavian and Mina every happiness the letters of thanks confirm. and success throughout their year, and look A totally unexpected addition to the forward to having a bit more time to chat Master’s diary was when ITV Morning Show when we next meet at Company functions decided to hold a live, on TV, wedding on throughout the years ahead. board. This created a lot of work for those on board, but did generate a lot of publicity From the Master for the ship, which we hope will pay off. My Captain F K D’Souza role in this was to greet the Bride from her car on the Embankment, dressed in full robes and chain of office, and escort her to the ceremony. It was with some chagrin that I read an online report the following day that ‘the bride had been escorted by a As expected the year in office for Miki and member of the Wellington staff’, but as myself has flown by, and now our new Mariners we know needs must! Master, Captain Flavian D’Souza and his One of my final most enjoyable duties was lovely “Mistress Mina”, are firmly in to attend the Cenotaph in Whitehall on position and enjoying their year. ANZAC Day and lay a wreath on behalf of When I last wrote we were looking forward the British and Commonwealth Merchant to our visits to the NE Scotland area and Navies. This is both a great honour for the the Clyde. Well both visits were made and Master personally and also for the Company, were very interesting and different. as it keeps our raison d’etre high in our Aberdeen managed to arrange some snow external profile and constantly reminds us and road works which meant the time from internally of our duty to do our best to airport to hotel was longer than from maintain the Merchant Navy presence and London to Aberdeen, so we did not get the recognition for our past and future. City viewing we had planned for, however I have mentioned in my previous articles our welcome over lunch was wonderful many of the things I have been privileged and it was a pleasure to have our small to do over the past year, and in closing, group enjoy each other’s company, at a would just like to draw your attention to I am very honoured and privileged to have time when the economics are not at all the fact that although we are a proud fully been elected as Master of the most favourable for the local marine industry. fledged Livery Company and the first of the Honourable Company of Master Mariners. Modern Companies with an establishment Our visit to Glasgow was trouble free in all My profound thanks to Immediate Past story better than most, the things reported ways, no flight delays, a good well Master Jim Conybeare for installing me on on have by no means been all Livery. attended lunch, which included several of 29 th April 2016. I am grateful to my mentor those all-important apprentices, which In fact, the role of Master is one of Past Master Sam Judah for being there when ensured that a good time was had by all. representing the Company and the I needed him. I look forward to working Between the two outport visits, we had a Merchant Navy at many non-Livery closely with the Senior Warden, Wardens and very busy three consecutive days of functions of great note and importance. Court Assistants with the continued help and significance. The first was our well attended Miki and I have had a very enjoyable, and guidance of our gallant Clerk. and very successful Court Lunch, with we hope successful, year, representing the I was born in Mangalore, situated on the Alderman Peter Estlin as our guest speaker. Company within and without the Livery, West Coast of India, a small City with a For those attending Common Hall on June and we thank you all for allowing us to hinterland of plush coffee estates from 24 th , you will find him standing for enjoy this opportunity and for giving us which most of my family and friends make election as an Aldermanic Sheriff. heartfelt support throughout. a living as coffee planters. I was educated at www.hcmm.org.uk The Journal • Issue 2/2016 • Page 881 Company News Gladia Hills. I participated in a vast range of I met my sponsor Past Master Captain Keith Congratulations to the following extracurricular activities with a special Hart in 2003. At that time we were on on being sworn in as: affinity for the sea. Whilst at university in opposite sides of the table with Keith 1964 I was selected from a nationwide representing Underwriters, and myself Freeman: competition to join the prestigious training representing Owners pursuing unfortunate Captain Sanjay Bhasin, Captain Sean ship DUFFERIN, which you could say was hull damage to one of our jack up rigs in Cresswell, Captain Alan Glover, Cdr India’s equivalent of CONWAY or the Persian Gulf. To cut a long story short, Philip Harper RN, Captain Michael WORCESTER. I came away with a well settled claim, and Johnson, Captain Andrew Jordan, Mr he came away instead with a new Freeman Grant Laversuch, Mr Miles Lewis, Mr She was a troopship in the First World War of the Honourable Company! Andrew McDonald Mr Robin Paine Mr and subsequently commissioned as a British Jonathan Powis, Cdr Derek Stoyles training ship in 1927. I completed my But enough of me. In 2013, as part of an RNR, Captain Martin Swaffield; Sir apprenticeship and junior officer sea time amendment to our 1932 Royal Charter, the Christopher Benson, Captain Benjamin with the South India Steamship Honourable Company was granted the Holden, Captain Arne Loland, Lt Cdr Corporation, a P&O joint venture. Later to right to offer Chartered status Stephen Monk RN, Captain Adrian gain broader experience, especially in to appropriately experienced and qualified Sadler, Captain Malcolm Tindley, heavy-lift vessels, I joined the West German Masters.