# van Ommeren London/Langleclyde



## teb

Van Ommeren London operated ships under british flag in Medomsly S.S Co and Crawford Shipping co. m/v/Langleclyde was under Medomsley and on period charter to Holland Africa Line she carried about 24 passengers but was unique in that her catering dept (apart from Ch.Steward )were all female!!! anyone out there with experience of her?


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## R58484956

Who the ship or female. LOL


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## ROBERT HENDERSON

teb said:


> Van Ommeren London operated ships under british flag in Medomsly S.S Co and Crawford Shipping co. m/v/Langleclyde was under Medomsley and on period charter to Holland Africa Line she carried about 24 passengers but was unique in that her catering dept (apart from Ch.Steward )were all female!!! anyone out there with experience of her?


In 1951 I sailed as AB on the La Cordillera, which at the time I though was the first ship under the UK flag to carry a full female catering staff. I was also under the impression that the Langleclyde was operated bby the same group, i.e. Buries Marks.

Regards Robert


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## teb

R58484956 said:


> Who the ship or female. LOL


TOUCHE!!!! Mind you would be very interesting to hear from either!!! Regards Teb.(==D)


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## teb

ROBERT HENDERSON said:


> In 1951 I sailed as AB on the La Cordillera, which at the time I though was the first ship under the UK flag to carry a full female catering staff. I was also under the impression that the Langleclyde was operated bby the same group, i.e. Buries Marks.
> 
> Regards Robert


Robert- thanks yours the other day I did not realise Buries Marks were the instigators of female cateringstaff. Obviously VanOmm. continued the tradition when they took over management from BM.Other vessels under VO Management /Ownership at the time did not carry female catering staff.They were Dunkery Beacon, Crowborogh Beacon, Hereford Beacon,Melbury Beacon,Ivinghoe Beacon Regards Teb.


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## Rai

My first trip to sea was the crowborough Beacon 1960.
definitely no females We left Hamburg for Norfolk USA,during the night we were blown off the mooring and just
managed to get the engine started and get the ship swung round broadships before hitting the concrete railway bridge supports. There was a big write up in the local papers about excellent seaman-ship by the master, then they gave him a fine for not having enough lines out


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## teb

RAI-Hi I never sailed with VO but was in their Ship Management office for a few years before moving to Glasgow still in SM. Bythe time you did your first trip I was already in Glasgow. My original thread was posted in the hope of making contact with anyone who had sailed on Langleclyde= Regards Teb


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## cameraman

*Van Ommeren and the Langlee Clyde*

I sailed for nearly a year as a deck apprentice on the Langleeclyde,both to South and East Africa and to Australia.I remember her as a very happy ship,with excellent relationships between the fare paying passengers,the female stewardess,s and the crew in general.
After we docked in Liverpool in either 1950/60 the passengers through an appreciation party for the crew anf hired no others but the "SILVER BEATLES" as the band. As the senior officer left on board it fell to me to see that our guests were suitably "bedded" and there-in lays some other stories that you will not find in "official" biographies of that group.
the other apprentice was a David Pither who I have been trying to trace for more years than I care to remember.
Geoff Clarke,now in Brisbane, Queensland


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## Marcus C. Smith

I too sailed with Van Ommeren (London), who managed both Medomsley and Crawford Shipping Companies. I knew several personnel who had sailed on the "Langleeclyde" Among them, Trevor Morris, who was my first Chief Officer, and Chris Smith who I believe was an apprentice on her, (later Captain RFA), who told many stories of "good relations" between crew, stewardesses and passengers.
Some of the stories I heard are not for publishing, but it was true that she was a happy ship and gathered that she was a pleasure to sail on!
Not sure if she carried more than 12 passengers though as I don't recall that she carried a doctor.
In my time she was on long term charter to United Netherlands S.S. Co. (VNS) and did their south and east African run.
I joined my first ship, "Crowborough Beacon" as an apprentice at Christmas 1960 in Bolnes shipyard, Rotterdam where she was re-commissioning after having completed "Jumbo-ising". She had been cut in two and a new 60 foot section was fitted between Nos. 3 hold and the midship/engine room section, being named No. 3A hold. The eventual freeboard was very low, something akin to a loaded tanker.


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## averheijden

teb said:


> Van Ommeren London operated ships under british flag in Medomsly S.S Co and Crawford Shipping co. m/v/Langleclyde was under Medomsley and on period charter to Holland Africa Line she carried about 24 passengers but was unique in that her catering dept (apart from Ch.Steward )were all female!!! anyone out there with experience of her?


Do you mean the females?
I sailed on her as LOOSDRECHT, but no females than!
She had a 6 cylinder "Barclay & Curle" Doxford, 67LB6 , 6800 HP, and it was my second ship as Chief Engineer, 29/6/1963 - 4/9/1964 (Good Engine)
Regards
Alfons
http://users.telenet.be/doxford-matters


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## averheijden

L.S.
Once I ordered a lever driven scavenge pump for Continuous Survey Machinery
See the story:
 *C.S.M. Lloyd's*
Kind Regards
Alfons
http://users.telenet.be/doxford-matters


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## averheijden

*mv LANGLEECLYDE*

(According MIRAMAR SHIPPING INDEX)

September 1964 from Dieseloil to HFO as LOOSDRECHT.
1968: SPALMATORI SEAMAN (Greek Owner)

Regards
Alfons
http://users.telenet.be/doxford-matters


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## schooner mike

*hurricane Donna Norfolk VA. 59*



Rai said:


> My first trip to sea was the crowborough Beacon 1960.
> definitely no females We left Hamburg for Norfolk USA,during the night we were blown off the mooring and just
> managed to get the engine started and get the ship swung round broadships before hitting the concrete railway bridge supports. There was a big write up in the local papers about excellent seaman-ship by the master, then they gave him a fine for not having enough lines out


I was the deck apprentice ordered to secure the ship with Insurance wires and extra mooring lines! I think the Skipper was either Tom Pearson or Mike Diggins It took the whole day and I thought that we had done a good job. We also had a tug on standby pushing us into the jetty. All to no avail!! 
Mike Walder now in Smedstorp Sweden


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