# Nostalgia from my era at sea.



## John Briggs (Feb 12, 2006)

Not sure if this has been posted before but it brings back some great memories of when there were many British shipping companies and many, many fine ships.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NhZIQqv_Omg

The part 1 video is pretty good too.


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## tsell (Apr 29, 2008)

Ah,John! Some tingly memories there! A time of real ships and real men who manned them.
Thanks for the post mate!

Taff


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## spongebob (Dec 11, 2007)

Thanks for that John, kept me off the streets on a hot afternoon. 
It certainly brings back the memories of about my month in the Royal Albert Docks in 1957. 
The cargos , the dockers, the stevedores , the steam tugs and locomotives and the multitude of ships compared with any of today's facilities.
I noticed the change of work dress over twenty or more years, the forties dockers wearing collars and ties while they heaved sacks or barrowed cargos while in the seventies the sweatshirt and jeans became the vogue . Nothing like these day to day little things to provoke the memory buds and make you realise the changes we have lived through.

Thanks again

Bob


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## tsell (Apr 29, 2008)

My granddad was a coal trimmer on the ships loading at Cardiff Docks and he always went to work in a suit and tie. It was funny to us kids to see him cycling home, in his coal dust covered suit, black face, lunch tin and tea can swinging from his handlebars. But he always had his tie on and went to work next day in a clean suit. Poor granny. 
Sadly the coal dust eventually killed him. No compo then!

Taff


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## Brian Brown (Nov 18, 2007)

Thank you guys a real shot in the arm


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## woodend (Nov 23, 2009)

Nice one John. What an era! Oldest sailed on built 1921, newest maiden voyage 1965. Always loved the 'Blues'. Blue Star and Blue Funnel and the Port boats were up there as well. So many 'characteristic' ships.[=P]


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## jmcg (Apr 20, 2008)

Wonderful! Glad I was part of that era albeit at the end.

Reminds me of my fairly recent job completion in Puerto Quetzal where for the first time in 35 years I have not any of my ex seaman colleagues in my team. Must be getting old!

I think of how it must be to-day with little or no drivers for a life at sea for these young blades seeking adventure.

Thanks for sharing this John

BW

J(Gleam)(Gleam)


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## R58484956 (Apr 19, 2004)

Thanks for the posting, I enjoyed it immensly


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## Rogerfrench (Feb 25, 2010)

woodend said:


> Nice one John. What an era! Oldest sailed on built 1921, newest maiden voyage 1965. Always loved the 'Blues'. Blue Star and Blue Funnel and the Port boats were up there as well. So many 'characteristic' ships.[=P]


Agreed, nice one indeed, and I'm pretty sure you can see one of my old ships, the Onitsha, in Gravesend Reach with a barge across No. 2 hatch. What do you think, fellow ex-ED man?


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## Ystradgynlais (Nov 2, 2013)

Nostalgia at it's best! The 1940 to 1949 era belonged to me! As a 14 year old, returning to London from South Wales, where I was a London Evacuee, commencing work at Harland and Wolff as an office boy in the structural drawing office - coming to work on that 101 bus from Manor Park, having to stop for a "Bridger" at the Royal Albert Dock or further on, at the KG V bridge, adjacent to Harland and Wolff - was a daily gamble! Seeing the ships departing, or arriving through the lock into the Thames or into the shipping berth! Visiting ships which had been damaged due to enemy action, with the Chief Draftsman to arrange repairs, with me handling the 100 or 200 ft measuring tapes, whilst Bill Wittering copied down the important measurements! - on departing the ship, little old me, filling my pockets with spilt peanuts! (dead worried that the PLA policeman would see my bulging pockets! They never did!)

I recall having to board the Ille de France, as it was being converted to a hospital ship, visiting the radio room where the French radio officers showed me around their domain - it was at that instant of time, my career path was laid before me - I was off to sea as a radio officer! I did learn the morse code at the age of 7 - I did train a group of Home Guard soldiers in South Wales how to send messages with a flag, using morse code when my age was 12! A Home Guard uniform was loaned to me, cut down to size, and I led the group at a small home guard tattoo, sending "Home Guard, Treorchy" in morse! 

But back to the Thames! Gravesend Reach; the collier - with only the funnel above the deck line, which was pulled down to go under the London bridges. Later, I joined the m.v. Ac*** on sea trials in Grangemouth, and thence became a Coastie between the Tyne and London. The top of the funnel only reached the super-structure, so did not require lowering! Eventually, as I came from the south, the Captain asked me to shipkeep when in the Tyne, so that most of the crew could go home for the night (or the weekend) and in return he sent me ashore at Gravesend River Pilotage, when going up the Thames and picking me up at the same place on the way down! (I had only just married!) 

Sorry, Nostalgia leads one to sit and dream and examine the past, never realising you take a wrong turning to the main subject! On June 6th 1944, I was due to sign indentures to become a structural draftsman! It never happened! I commenced training at the L.T.T.C, Earls Court for the "Special Ticket" and eventually joining DEMS Clan Chisholm as 3rd R/O, in KG V dock! - My Chief R/O was R.F.Cole, MBE, Lloyds Medal for Bravery and eventually the Queen's Medal! (I have found a article relating to him in the "Clan Line" chronicles. His service as an R/O was from 1935, retiring in 1965)

It was quite usual in Harland and Wolff to see R.N. and M.N. Officers wandering around the offices of H & W, I visited my previous office where I had been the office boy, in my M.N. uniform, white silk scarf and leather gloves! What a commotion it caused! How did you manage to do it - Ah well! It started me off on a wonderful career, and seeing the London Docks circa 1940 to 1949 brought back the most vivid memories of London maritime history! Thank you all for allowing me to indulge in reality, rather than fantasy! Best wishes to all the members of Shipsnostagia!


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## Hugh Ferguson (Sep 4, 2006)

Great video, John: my, weren't they big?!?!


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## spongebob (Dec 11, 2007)

Ystradgynlias, you do go back in time. I read that you came from Manor Park way, my dad was born in Romford Road and my grandfather lived for a time in Silvertown way so to visit the Albert Docks in the fifties was nostalgic for me to start with.
I went down to the area again in 1998 but all was gone, the Grannery Tower and London Airport were hogging the scene and there was little to remind me of the early days.

Bob


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## John Rogers (May 11, 2004)

Proud ships and Times, great video John.


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## TOM ALEXANDER (Dec 24, 2008)

spongebob said:


> Ystradgynlias, you do go back in time. I read that you came from Manor Park way, my dad was born in Romford Road and my grandfather lived for a time in Silvertown way so to visit the Albert Docks in the fifties was nostalgic for me to start with.
> I went down to the area again in 1998 but all was gone, the Grannery Tower and London Airport were hogging the scene and there was little to remind me of the early days.
> 
> Bob


Memories!! I was born in West Ham, but got bombed out when I was two years old and moved to Romford with an Aunt. My 
Dad was away in Kenya at the time, but after the war worked for many years at Tate's (local pronunciation "Tatesess") in Silvertown. My Uncle Charlie and Auntie Florrie lived right beside the King George V dock in North Woolwich. B\)


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## Wismajorvik (Dec 29, 2011)

woodend said:


> Nice one John. What an era! Oldest sailed on built 1921, newest maiden voyage 1965. Always loved the 'Blues'. Blue Star and Blue Funnel and the Port boats were up there as well. So many 'characteristic' ships.[=P]


and one of the Royal Mail 'A' boats heading off for South America....


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## spongebob (Dec 11, 2007)

TOM ALEXANDER said:


> Memories!! I was born in West Ham, but got bombed out when I was two years old and moved to Romford with an Aunt. My
> Dad was away in Kenya at the time, but after the war worked for many years at Tate's (local pronunciation "Tatesess") in Silvertown. My Uncle Charlie and Auntie Florrie lived right beside the King George V dock in North Woolwich. B\)


Tom, my great grandmother lived in several addresses in Odessa road West Ham according to the ten yearly British census' . Her father was a developer or spec builder who spent some years building in the road opposite the Jewish ? Cemetery. Who knows or forebears may have crossed paths or had a pint in this small world.

Bob


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## spongebob (Dec 11, 2007)

I am still soaking up the film from the old days, there are hours of watching on this site. Memories galore , dockers in their cloth caps, sack trollies laden with everything from carcasses, bags and boxes to cheese crates and banana bunches. 
I was a relatively late visitor in 1957 but most of the films bring back all sorts of recalls. Even the colour of the dock water , they used to say that if you fell into the dock you wouldn't sink because it's more dense that the Dead Sea but you would have to go to Plaistow hospital for multiple jabs .
Look at up to date photography on Albert docks and it seem to be all multi rise, multi million pound apartments and business premises in park like grounds.

Bob


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## spongebob (Dec 11, 2007)

Notice the many photo shots of the tally man with his little note book. 
They seemed to do it with unerring accuracy and if the count didn't tally , watch out.

We were loading oranges in Adelaide for Auckland and as cargo loading was beginning on the after hold the second engineer went up to lock the propeller shaft tunnel escape hatches, one which let on to the after deck , the other into the floor of the after hatch .
The cargo workers were about to stack into the corner by the door and the second , being a good negotiator, managed to persuade the workmen to ignore the case or two as they were fed down to the tunnel plates.
At this stage the fourth and I were only innocent bystanders, in unhitching each case , a dozen in all , before storing same in the spares locker.
Once away to sea we devised a quick and simple squeezer. A new , thoroughlycleaned , generator cylinder liner placed a new bucket and sat on the table of the engine room Denbiegh drill press. A rod with a wooden plug matching the cylinder bore was placed in the chuck and hey presto we had a powerful squeezer that produced gallons of juice, a quality product once the pips were stained out .
All mess rooms enjoyed an icy glass for breakfast for most of the trip home before we ran out of stock.

We were amazed when the Mate told us that the off loading tally showed an unexplainable short fall of 12 cases but a mere drop in the bucket considering the many thousand cases carried

Bob


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## Graham Wallace (May 6, 2006)

Thanks for that John a real shot of nostalgia and ( for me) not just on big ships. At the beginning is a view of a 'small' vessel with an awning over her bow section and passengers seated over the aft cabin section perusing all the berthed ships as they sailed past

she looks remarkably like one of the 'Salters Bros' steamers that plied the Thames from her lower reaches to Oxford on a regular schedule. And they were 'steamers' I remember one trip by myself from Henley to Windsor around 1951.

Another comment, a bow shot of a very special ship Dominion Monarch which I belive was fitted with 4 Doxfords. Now that would be a sight to see, I only sailed on one Doxford ship, British Empress 1958/59. First view of the engine room look liked controlled mayhem. To possibly view 4 at one time at full speed ahead.....impressive!

Graham


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## ninabaker (May 4, 2012)

Thanks, John.

Although it isnt clear when the film was made, that is exactly how I remember the Port of London and the ships in it in the 60s when I was a kid and my indulgent dad would take me there to just gaze at the ships. Those lovely cargo boats are what ignited my ambition to go to sea.

The Youtube Look at Life series is also very good on the London River.

nina


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## John Jarman (Sep 17, 2009)

ninabaker said:


> Thanks, John.
> 
> Although it isnt clear when the film was made, that is exactly how I remember the Port of London and the ships in it in the 60s when I was a kid and my indulgent dad would take me there to just gaze at the ships. Those lovely cargo boats are what ignited my ambition to go to sea.
> 
> ...


Nina, In the part featuring Gravesend Reach, there is a view of Tilbury 'A' power station, which was commissioned in 1956. The Tilbury 'B' station (not in the pic) was commenced building in 1962, so the film was between those dates approx.

Regards, JJ.


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## alaric (Feb 27, 2012)

Wonderfull to sail around the Royal Docks again, starting right in front of Shaw Savill's Dock office, where I signed my Apprentceship Agreement, over a Six Pence stamp on 19th August 1957.
To narrow JJs dates further, BI's Bankura entered service in mid 1959 and Dominion Monarch sailed from London for the last time in early May 1962. Can other ships and or features narrow the time window even further?


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## TommyRob (Nov 14, 2010)

Alaric - you've nailed the main clue, Bankura loading maiden voyage - its only visit 1959. The Royal Docks visits are several dates Ulster Star is seen discharging KGV then later loading RAD. The Gravesend Reach footage is by C R Coles probably 1960 - all four diesel Sun Tugs and a Royal Mail A are seen.


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## KYRENIA (Aug 10, 2007)

This is a five and a half minute snippet of the latest one hour DVD from the Snowbow collection "The Great Liners episode 36", "The Great Port of London (Part 2 )"
It contains a number of rare archive film shot over a number of years so a timeframe for only certain parts of the video can be predicted but not from start to finish.
Cheers, John.


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## Hugh Ferguson (Sep 4, 2006)

Two years in the Glen boats, 1951/52, took me in and out of those docks more times than I can remember. To me, it was the most beautiful manouvre, into K.G v lock, of any and all of the many ports visited during ten years deep-sea. 
See HERE


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## Wallace Slough (Mar 21, 2009)

Hugh
Your reference to a most beautiful manouvre makes me think of this one which was regularly accomplished by Captain Jack Frost on the San Francisco waterfront. The slips between the piers along the waterfront are very narrow and barely allow enough room when two ships are berthed for a tug to back in between them. The tidal current runs at velocities of up to three knots and is perpendicular to the piers. The maneuver Jack told me about was with the Nedlloyd Kimberly and Kembla, nice handling motorships of about 565 feet in length. The ship's agent wanted the vessel berthed without tugs, so Jack set up the job as follows. He would stem the flood current and steam past Pier 17 which was the destination. When he got up to Pier 27 which sticks out into the tidal stream, he would put the bow of the ship out into the tidal current. He would then back and fill with hard right rudder using the flood current on the port bow to assist the 180 degree turn to starboard. When the ship had completed the turn, he would slowly proceed downtide until just off Pier 19. At that point he would back the ship and the starboard anchor would be let go with about one shackle at the water's edge. The ship would swing to starboard on the anchor and at the appropriate time he would use hard left rudder and the ship's engines to drive the ship into the slip and safely land her alongside Pier 17 port side too. When he was describing the maneuver to me, I asked him "half and full ahead" to drive the ship into the slip?? His reply was "sometimes." My next inquiry was, "two anchors" (the second anchor at short stay slows the ship)?? Again the reply was "sometimes." I then said, "my God, what if you're not making it." His reply was, "You'd be surprised how far you can get in and still back out. I had the center of #1 going by the corner of the pier and still managed to back full and back clear."

A person would have to witness the narrowness of the slips and strength of the current to recognize how difficult this maneuver was. This was shiphandling at its finest in my opinion. A pilot would have to be working the waterfront area on a regular basis to have the timing, skill, and GUTS to accomplish a maneuver of this difficulty.


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