# David Simpson



## norm.h (Dec 8, 2009)

I'm looking for David Simpson, originally from Barry, South Wales.
He joined Blue Funnel Line mid-fifties, as a Deck Officer Cadet, and I did hear that years later he was some sort of cargo superintendent, but don't know where, or even if that's right.
Any news will be welcome.


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## Billieboy (May 18, 2009)

Hello norm.h, I lived in Barry at the time in question, Davit would have been born in 1938/40, he did NOT go to High Street or Romilly School. May I suggest that you have a look on Friends Reunited where there may be a chance that he is a member. It was in 1956 that I started my apprenticeship in Cardiff docks main workshops.


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## antjon2 (Sep 26, 2005)

Hi ! Norm.h I don't know if this is the same guy, had a tea room in the High Street in Barry for many years, I remember there were photos of Geest Line vessels on the wall together with show biz cebs he had been involved with, he is very vocal in trying to get the local authorities to set up a museum dedicated to the Merchant Navy. Will try to locate him and report back.


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## Tony Breach (Jun 15, 2005)

No, Antjon, The Dave Simpson who had the TAKE 5 coffee shop in High Street & now 86 years old, joined Coast Lines as an apprentice during WW2 & later sailed as an AB in various companies prior to getting a second mates ticket after the war. I still visit him about once a fortnight. He was port releiving officer for Geest during the 1960s & 70s.


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## norm.h (Dec 8, 2009)

Billieboy said:


> Hello norm.h, I lived in Barry at the time in question, Davit would have been born in 1938/40, he did NOT go to High Street or Romilly School. May I suggest that you have a look on Friends Reunited where there may be a chance that he is a member. It was in 1956 that I started my apprenticeship in Cardiff docks main workshops.


Hello Billieboy
Couple of things to ask /mention.
David was about my age, so would have been born 1934/5.
He went to Hereford Cathedral School, but can't remember which junior school. May have been St Baruch's in Park Road.
I've tried Friends Reunited and Sagazone - no luck.
Which Cardiff workshops? Was it the Docks & Inland Waterways or one of the ship repairers?
My Dad was Ted Hopkins, D&IWE maintenance foreman on Barry Docks at the time. Perhaps your paths crossed.
I served my time in the Barry Loco Repair shops, 1950 - 55.
Regards 
norm


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## Billieboy (May 18, 2009)

norm.h said:


> Hello Billieboy
> Couple of things to ask /mention.
> David was about my age, so would have been born 1934/5.
> He went to Hereford Cathedral School, but can't remember which junior school. May have been St Baruch's in Park Road.
> ...


Hi Norm, 

1934/5 would be too big a gap for me as I was born in 1940. 

I don't remember Ted Hopkins. The dock engineer was Billy Windsor and his brother was the foreman of the fitters. I was at D&IWE Cardiff from '56 to '62 with a break in Barry from '59-61 after the workshop burned down. My best mate Robin Jenkins, served his time at the loco shops, from '56, he sadly passed away last year. 
Whilst at Barry I was up the new dock on the banana elevators, and also at the Hydraulic power station at Barry with Ernie Roberts, next to my cousin's scrap yard. You would have been serving your time with ****** Hughes? A mate of mine was with Blue Star Ray Nelson, his uncle was a blacksmith at the Cardiff shops and he sailed on the Tasmania Star a few trips in 1960


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## Tom Inglis (May 3, 2007)

norm.h said:


> I'm looking for David Simpson, originally from Barry, South Wales.
> He joined Blue Funnel Line mid-fifties, as a Deck Officer Cadet, and I did hear that years later he was some sort of cargo superintendent, but don't know where, or even if that's right.
> Any news will be welcome.



I joined Blue Funnel as a midshipman in Nov 1957 and remained with them until 1973. I do not recollect the name David Simpson. Can you tell anything else you know about him? The only Midshipman i remember from Barry was a lad with surname McKay, being a Scott I thought that a bit of an odd name for a Welshman. I see that you think he went to Hereford Cathedral school. Strangely enough I now live in Hereford.
Regards
Tom Inglis


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## norm.h (Dec 8, 2009)

Tom Inglis said:


> I joined Blue Funnel as a midshipman in Nov 1957 and remained with them until 1973. I do not recollect the name David Simpson. Can you tell anything else you know about him? The only Midshipman i remember from Barry was a lad with surname McKay, being a Scott I thought that a bit of an odd name for a Welshman. I see that you think he went to Hereford Cathedral school. Strangely enough I now live in Hereford.
> Regards
> Tom Inglis


Sorry, don't have any more, except I _know_ he went to Hereford Cathederal School
norm


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## capt jim martin (Jan 2, 2008)

*Query re David Simpson quoted below:*



norm.h said:


> I'm looking for David Simpson, originally from Barry, South Wales.
> He joined Blue Funnel Line mid-fifties, as a Deck Officer Cadet, and I did hear that years later he was some sort of cargo superintendent, but don't know where, or even if that's right.
> Any news will be welcome.


I was at King Edward VII Sea Training School September1957 to August 1958. I was Cadet Captain of one watch and there was a Simpson Cadet Captain the other watch. As Cadet Captains we were both sent as applicants fdor apprenticeship to "one of the better companies", in my case Port Line and his case Blue Flue. He subsequently joined the latter company to the best of my knowledge. I remember him as being very tall, blonde-headed and well-spoken.

Jim Martin


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