# Thessaly



## Redhead6 (Oct 12, 2005)

Anyone know anything about this vessel? She was owned by "Royal Mail Lines" (Furness Withy). One of my old vessels from 1965/66. Would like to know her history and what became of her.

Redhead


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## gdynia (Nov 3, 2005)

Built: 1957 by Harland & Wolff, Govan. 
Tonnage: 7, 299g, 4, 036n. 
Engine : Single Screw, Single Acting Opposed Piston Turbo-Charged 6 Cylinder. 4, 500 BHP. 13 Knots. 

Entered service in 1957 routes unknown, sold to the Union Steamship Company of Monrovia renamed Japan in 1971. In 1976 sold to the Lina Shipping Company of Singapore renamed Liho, in March of 1979 she was broken by Chi I Enterprise at Kaohsiung, Taiwan. 

Photo of her at www.merchantnavyofficers.com/rm4.html


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## Redhead6 (Oct 12, 2005)

gdynia

Thanks for that info. I will hop on over to the website with the picture.

Redhead


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## goldie (Nov 7, 2006)

Hi!,
A great little ship, sailed in her 1962. General cargo outbound to West Indies then loading in U.S. Gulf ports (sulpher) usually for Hull U.K.


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## Redhead6 (Oct 12, 2005)

The cargo was sulphur when I was aboard her in 1966. Was only with her for about a month as 5th engineer. Nice little vessel. Got transferred to a heap of crap called the "Darro"

Redhead


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## goldie (Nov 7, 2006)

After Thessaly I went to Tuscany, Arlanza and Eden ( all good ships ).


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## widget (Jan 22, 2009)

*Widget - RMS Thessaly*

I did 6 trips on Thessaly 1961/62 5 General Cargo to West Indies/Caribbian returning with Sulpher and 1 General Cargo out finally loading general cargo in New Orleans and retuning to Hamburg, Rotterdam, Esjberg and one other continental port finlly signing off in Middlesborough.


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## Sailtie (Jan 23, 2008)

*First Ship*

Thessaly was my first ship. Joined her in London October 1960 and did three trips as cadet. Captain (Polly)Perkins, Leo Fraine C/O. Shipmate on the first couple was Don Pearse from Portsmouth who, in one of those coincidences I sailed with three times (Thessaly, Loch Avon & Andes.)
Thessaly was a tidy little ship on which pretty much everything worked and I remember her with affection.


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## Malcolm S (Aug 20, 2008)

I also sailed on the Thessaly, as you say a nice little ship. I was a cadet on her in 1963 and 1964. Captain Whightman and "Charlie" Chester.
Did the sulphur run as well as Chile and Peru but also did one trip up to Vancouver on her.


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## Anthony Holmes (Jul 5, 2010)

Anthony (Tony) Holmes

I joined the Thessaly June 1960 as a deck boy along with Ken Frankland from Whitby, both of us straight from Vindi.I did 3 trips leaving March 1961 to become a JOS which wasn't part of the crew make up. I later rejoined as a SOS in Jan 1962 and was glad to find it was still a happy ship. The skipper was still Mr Perkins and the First Mate was still Mr Fraine.At the end of my first return trip Mr. Fraine got his own captaincy of another ship, the ship wasn't as happy after that and a lot of the crew left at the end of the next trip (June 1962) including me.


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## Sailtie (Jan 23, 2008)

Hi Tony, You and I must have been on the Thessaly at the same time. I was a first trip cadet in October 1960 and remember we paid off in Immingham the day before Christmas.
Do you remeber the bosun? Big guy from London, reckoned he was a real hard case.


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## Anthony Holmes (Jul 5, 2010)

Sailtie said:


> Hi Tony, You and I must have been on the Thessaly at the same time. I was a first trip cadet in October 1960 and remember we paid off in Immingham the day before Christmas.
> Do you remeber the bosun? Big guy from London, reckoned he was a real hard case.


Hi Salti Yes I was , the bosun was Cliff ,I can't remember his full name. (Dobson I think) The trip before he had disagreement with the chief cook was knifed in the stomach when we were in Cuba. Another crew member was Frank Mulligan., from Middlesbrough. I was a Deck Boy, Ken Frankin (from Whitby) was also a Deck Boy. I lived in Scarborough then.I live in York now.

Regards 

Tony Holmes


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## Sailtie (Jan 23, 2008)

Hi Tony,
You've got my memory going now. I think you are right about Cliff Dobson. About a year later I was on the Loch Loyal up the west coast of the USA and he was bosun on one of the other Loch boats. I heard he got banged up in the USA for stealing cargo. Don't know if that was true but it was a pretty strong rumour at the time.
Do you remember the Lampy on the Thessaly? Little thin guy, another Londoner and a bit older than the rest of the crowd. I used hism as a character in one of my books many years later.
I was one of two cadets on the ship. The other one was Don Pearse, a nice bloke from Portsmouth. The bosun used to call me Lofty because I was (am) six foot two. A bit strange because I'm sure he was bigger than me.
Swing the lamp there, Jack.


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## Anthony Holmes (Jul 5, 2010)

Hi Salti

Yes I remember the lamptrimmer, but not his name. Are you in touch with anybody else who was on her at that time? What is the book you have written. I served on the Potaro early 63 and Tuscany 64. Between them I was on a iron ore carrier and a Shell tanker. After the Tuscany I pitched my hook and stay ashore.
Am now married and a father and grandfather, retired and enjoying it.

Regards

Tony


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## Sailtie (Jan 23, 2008)

Hi Tony,
My real name is Richard Masson and the book is called Dodger's Lot. It's the story of what happens to the Artful Dodger after Oliver Twist. Not in print any more but plenty of copies around I think. I've got a new book coming out in January called Boonie but no Lamptrimmers in it I'm afraid. I write books for young adults so my stories mught be more suitable for your grandchildren.
No, I'm not in touch with any of the old Thessaly crowd I'm afraid. I stayed with Royal Mail until 1966 when I was second officer of Loch Avon. Finished up with P&O Bulk Shipping as Chief Mate of Ardvar, a 215,000 ton black oiler with less than half the crew of the old Thessaly!
Back to Lampy. I remember him being a real cockney with all sorts of funny sayings. One morning we were all turning to early. It was pitch dark and freezing cold, we were probably going into Immingham or some god-forsaken place and Lampy turned up rubbing his hands against the cold and proclaiming: 'Bloody hell, it's cold enough for a fur-lined walking stick.'
I'll see if I've got any photos of those days. If I have I'll scan them and put them up on the gallery.
Nice to remember those times.
Cheers,
Richard


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## Nudger (24 d ago)

Redhead6 said:


> Anyone know anything about this vessel? She was owned by "Royal Mail Lines" (Furness Withy). One of my old vessels from 1965/66. Would like to know her history and what became of her. Redhead


 1957 Sailed on her maiden voyage to Caribbean with gen cargo and loaded for grain in Galveston, Texas. 10000+ tons for Lands End for orders. Very happy ship and big party at turnaround in Galveston when I met my wife of 62+ years. Homeward ran into heavy storm off East Florida and hove to for 3 days losing a lot of stuff off deck and lifeboats stove in. Arrived Bristol Xmas Eve and paid off Liverpool late Dec. Off on ticket leave in '58 and married in May. Also did maiden on Eden and PIcardy during my time at RML.


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