# Need help finding my father (if at all possible) on the Portland Bay



## BrooksieNZ (Jun 17, 2016)

To be honest I don't think I'll ever be able to locate him, as the information I have is VERY limited (and possibly wrong) and I have not been able to locate shipping company records as there was no law at the time saying that the company had to keep them for more than 10yrs. I am trying to find my father whose name is Gary (unfortunately I have no last name for him) and he was from Liverpool. He was a deck hand on a ship called the Portland bay in 1983. The ship was contracted out to P&O to catch up on shipping. He had a friend called Terry Kirwin? (my mothers memory is not so good, so this last name maybe wrong) who was also from Liverpool and on the same ship. My mother tried to keep in touch with Terry, after the contract with the ship had ended. I have tried to find information on the ship and both men but have hit many dead ends. Was anyone on that ship, or know someone who was? I would be grateful for any information.


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## tsell (Apr 29, 2008)

Hi Brooksie, welcome to this great site. Perhaps some of our many members may be able to help you with the information you seek. I can't assist much, but if it's any help his ship was the Ellerman Line's City of Durban before it was renamed for charter by P & O from 1983 to 1984/5. It may be possible that he was aboard before the name change, in which case it would widen the possibilities of finding him.
Here is a little info on the ship with photos:

http://www.plimsoll.org/resources/SCCLibraries/5107.asp

http://www.shipspotting.com/gallery...snostalgia.com/archive/index.php?t-56554.html


Good luck

Taff


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## kauvaka (Oct 11, 2009)

BrooksieNZ, If your dad was on the Portland Bay in 1983 and the vessel called into NZ or any other country for that matter, the ship's agents will have lodged papers, manifest, quarantine and CREW LIST with Customs at first port of arrival. Those papers would have been uplifted by the agent on departure and put aboard the ship at each coastal port. At finalNZ port Customs would have retained the papers and presumably they, including the CREW LIST with any amendments would finish up in an archive somewhere. If your mum met your dad in NZ then I suggest you contact in writing NZ Customs Head Office in Wellington and ask what happened to old ships' manifests. Don't let them fob you off by telling you it's for the too hard basket. If they do so, tell them your request is made under the Official Information Act. They are then obliged to assist you and may themselves pass your request to the appropriate office. You can start off your request by asking dates and ports for the Portland Bay during 1983 then Crewlists for those dates. Good luck mate.


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## D1566 (Sep 7, 2009)

Have you tried doing a search on Mr Kirwin (try different combinations of spelling) + Liverpool, on Google, Facebook etc?


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## BrooksieNZ (Jun 17, 2016)

Thank you. I will send them an email today.


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