# United Towing Society



## Ant P

We would like to announce the setting up of United Towing and Salvage Society in May this year. For some years now several lads from United have been meeting up at the Kingston pub, Trinity House Lane in Hull on alternate Wednesday lunchtimes. As you can imagine the lamp is well and truly swung and the yarns were as full of memories as they are of the history of a largely bygone age. 
United Towing supplied ships and crews during WWII and were imperative to the success of the D Day landings with their handling of the Mulberry Harbour components and the PLUTO pipeline. Even less well known maybe is the fact that they provided tugs to accompany convoys as rescue vessels. Lives were lost and medals won by men of United.
Much is known, especially in Hull, of the Cod Wars. However less prominent is the contributions United Towing’s tugs made that were sent to defend them from Icelandic gun boats. Again, later in the Falklands Conflict, once again United’s ships were some of the first taken up to assist. And assist they did being involved in retaking South Georgia and Southern Thule and even managing to the get the burning wreck of the ‘Atlantic Conveyor’ undertow before she sank along with contributions continuing for several years at the conflicts conclusion. Fortunately only medals were won this time. United Towing were at the forefront of opening up the southern gas fields in the North Sea and then the oil exploration further north around 1965 when each job was the first of its kind and the manuals were rewritten weekly. The development of the massively powerful and manoeuvrable vessels in use today can be traced back to the United vessels of that time.
As you can see there are many stories to be told, and as we are all getting older, there is a danger that they will be lost for ever. The Society was set up to ensure that the stories of these times and endeavours will be recorded, along with photos and artefacts. We would love to hear form anybody that worked for United Towing or subsidiaries afloat or ashore, or family members, or anybody interested in tugs and towing or even the History of Hull.
Membership is mere £10 a year for which a unique enamel badge, a membership card and two copies of the Society’s magazine ‘Bollard Pull’ will be sent. Please contact us if you have any photos or artefacts of the Company’s vessels so we can build up our data base. Please also pass this information on to anybody else you think maybe interested. 
The Society is still young and still growing but we have big plans and ideas and would love to have as many as possible along for the ride with us. To obtain a membership form or get further details please email *[email protected]*

We also have a fledgling Facebook page, just type in United Towing and Salvage Society. And please don’t forget that there is always a warm welcome in the back bar of the Kingston pub that has the bulkheads covered with photos of tugs and their crews. The next one will be lunchtime Wednesday 16th September and then alternate weeks. You are all cordially invited to our next Reunion ‘do’ which is to be on Thursday 24th September, 1930 start. We take over the pub for the night so the more the merrier and we would love to see you down there and feel sure there will be warm welcome.


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## Boatman25

I wish you and your Society the very best of luck, I know when I was at sea UTC were always known as the best in the world and the tugs were great looking vessels, may you grow from strength to strength


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## Ant P

Thanks Boatman. There is precious little to show for any of the Merchant Navy since the WWII and almost nothing of UT. We aim to change that and preserve something of it for future generations.


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## Ant P

Grateful thanks to a member that has sent us some photographs of the trials of the 'Lady Stephanie' that was built in Portugal for Humber Tugs side of United Towing. I actually did the delivery trip of the sister tug, also built there, 'Lady Susan'. That is just the sort of things that we are looking for.


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## Paulh54

Hi Ant P, 
Being an ex tuggie, I would like to join and will send an e-mail shortly. I had a look at your facebook page and saw a few faces I recognised. Brought back a few memories.
I read a post somewhere on this site where someone could remember all the crew from their first trip. I remember lots of people from various trips, but the only full crew I can remember was my first trip. So here goes.
Towing Master: Charlie Noble
Navigating Master: Capt Gough
Mate: Tony Iverson
R/O: John Taylor
Cook: Tom ?/Bill Good
Chief: Charlie Boxhall
2nd: Pete Yeoman
3rd: Alfie Dales/Dave Hoe
DH's: Keith Bryant, Mike Selkirk, Barry Share, Tom Turner.
We relieved the crew of the Englishman in Singapore during June 1970. Unfortunately the company couldn't get a relief for the 3rd engineer Alfie Dales. He had to wait until we towed a tanker to Japan and he then got relieved by Dave Hoe. 
I cannot remember the cooks last name. Tom was an ex big boat chief cook/steward. His wife passed away a few months into the trip and he returned home for the funeral. The company could not get a replacement straight away and we had to attend a salvage job in Vietnam. (Seatrain Washington) Mike Selkirk and I took over the cooking until Bill Good could join us when we returned to Singapore.
Quite an eventful experience for a 15 year old. We got relieved on the 30th Dec 1970, my 16th birthday. 
I know from various posts that some of these guys are still around. Would be nice to know the others are. 
Regards, 
Paul.


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## Erimus

Spent the late 70's based in Immingham & Grimsby mainly....knew the staff in Grimsby well ( well we all drank in the pub next door)...and the tug crews were first rate...best of luck with the Society.
geoff


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## Ant P

Hi PaulH,
Thanks for getting in touch. You certainly had a good start in the company with that first trip and yes I can confirm that some of those guys are members. Charlie Noble, MBE is our President! We only started up in March and our numbers are slowly increasing and we are always looking to add stories etc to our archives. I was a fair bit later than you in the company but I have passed on your information to some that were around then. Please get in touch on [email protected] and we can pass on details etc. I wish that I had the foresight to remember ships crews. I only started much later in my career. Looking forward to hearing from you soon.
Best regards, Tony


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## Ant P

Hi Geoff,
Thanks for the good wishes, and it is good to hear from you. It should be stressed that we are including the Humber Tugs part of the Company in the Society. Humber Tugs were created in the 1950's for the river and docks, and near continental work but were a big part of the start of the North Sea also. We will be holding an exhibition about Humber Tugs towards the end of 2016. Any photos or information/stories etc would be greatly received. We also have an ex ship's agent from Falmouth has joined the Society if you are interested?
Thanks again for getting in touch.
Regards, Tony


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## sternchallis

*Statesman*



Ant P said:


> Hi Geoff,
> Thanks for the good wishes, and it is good to hear from you. It should be stressed that we are including the Humber Tugs part of the Company in the Society. Humber Tugs were created in the 1950's for the river and docks, and near continental work but were a big part of the start of the North Sea also. We will be holding an exhibition about Humber Tugs towards the end of 2016. Any photos or information/stories etc would be greatly received. We also have an ex ship's agent from Falmouth has joined the Society if you are interested?
> Thanks again for getting in touch.
> Regards, Tony


Prior to joining the MN with BSL I worked in Ship Repair in Hull.
When Statesman was bought by UT all of the ship repairer companies (Brigham & Gowan, Drypool Engineering and Humber St. Andrews, perhaps a few more) got a piece of the action for a full overhaul of the tug. I believe she was the largest in the world at the time early '70's .
Humber St. Andrews got the job of o/hauling all the cylinder heads and fuel valves as we were set up for that in our Diesel Shop, and were there some cylinder heads.
She was twin screw with two diesels on each shaft (via a gearbox), each diesel was a 'V' 8 or 16 cylinder not sure, but typical US criteria more cylinders (but only small ones) more power. Then there were the D/A's not sure of the configuration but a bunch of cylinder heads. Being small and also made of alloy, not a lot of weight. 

Thumbnail (by Herbert Ballard Industrial Photographers) shows her on speed trials in the Humber, looking almost like a yacht than a tug.
I believe she was owned by the Japanese (with some unpronounceable name) but built by the US, hence the GM's or Detroit Diesels.
If you want a jpeg of the Statesman for your exhibition, PM me.
It is a scan of the original B&W photo taken by a childhood fried who worked for Ballard's at the time.
I will add to the Gallery also.


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## Bighenners

Well,that is all good news.I will be visiting Hull just in time for the reunion,as I am now domiciled in Brisbane Australia. I served as a deckhand,on Merman and the Yorkshireman in 1955/56. Jack Linford was a neighbour of mine and took his brother Les and myself under his wing.Great days. Joined the Royal Navyshortly afterwards and said goodbye to Hull. See you at the reunion then.


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## Paulh54

Hi Bighenners,
The date for the reunion mentioned in the post was for 2015. The group meets every other Wednesday in the Kingston pub from 1pm until late afternoon. The meetings for this September are for the 14th and the 28th. 
I have not been for a few months due to personal reasons, but will be going this coming Wednesday, the 31st of august. I will mention your post and let you know if any other events are planned. 
Regards, Paul.


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## Bighenners

*Utcss*

Thanks Paul. Looks like I will miss out then. I will be in Hull 15th to 26th September,so I will visit the pub anyway and have a look at the memorabilia on the walls. I will visit Les Linford an old shipmate from the early days who brother Jack skippered a few tugs in the 60's.
I do remember one of my Dutch skippers Jan Van de Vaart from the 60's,but he would have crossed the bar many years ago.
All the best for your gatherings in the future.Sorry I missed you all.

Regards Keith. 55/56


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## Bighenners

Lets Get Together Anyway.meet And Greet, Any Day.any Time. This Is On My Bucket List. 15th To 25th September Please Come.


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## Paulh54

*Utss*

Hi Keith,
Mentioned your post last Wednesday and was told that they had sent an application form off to you. Shame your visit falls between our meetings, but if you let us know what date you will be visiting the Kingston, then maybe someone will pop in for a jar or two, I will.
I remember Jack Linford, never sailed with him, but sailed with his son John, who I believe is a member. I also worked on a docking tug for a few weeks in 1970, and I am sure the skipper was the Dutch skipper you mentioned.
Regards, Paul.


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## Bighenners

Thanks Paul. Will be in Hull 15th-25th, how about somewhere in between, the following Friday after your normal get together.
I can get around easily so it will be no problem to me. Hope to see you soon.


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## sam2182sw

Big Thank you to all who have worked to get the Society on line thanks sam 2182sw


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## EdScott

Erimus said:


> Spent the late 70's based in Immingham & Grimsby mainly....knew the staff in Grimsby well ( well we all drank in the pub next door)...and the tug crews were first rate...best of luck with the Society.
> geoff





EdScott said:


> Hi
> I was a trainee deckhand and joined Humber Tugs in Nov 1977 with Pete Nesvick. In May 1981 I transferred over to the southbank tugs which in the long run was one of the biggest mistakes I ever made!
> 
> I don"t know what they"re like today but too many over at Immingham had the attitude that if the company employed you ---- they owned you.
> 
> And Roy Sanderson, deck superintendant???, was more than willing to abuse a culture like that and did. Eventually, with a combination of 10th rate management and a spineless workforce, the company was ran into the ground. Sanderson replaced Pete Willingham around 1983. As far as I am aware he had no qualifications to justify a promotion like that and Willingham was a master mariner and a decent bloke.
> 
> Sanderson on the other hand was a devious, deep, progress chaser who regarded lying and deceipt as being a legitimate part of management and if that didn"t work veiled threats were his plan b.
> 
> But he was not working alone, as I stated above there were no shortage of suckholers and yes men who would cooperate with him.
> One such was a tug master, Peter Gel. This invertebrate eventually played a hand in getting me dismissed after I refused to go out to the Rough field, my argument being that it must be sea work, which was "voluntary"
> The company came up with the response that it was only sea work if the hirer agreed to a "daily" hire arrangement and this was "hourly"
> although they never showed me any evidence and I knew of no one else who had ever seen this.
> 
> Almost certainly Sanderson was probably lying about this as was his speciality but proving it was easier to say then do. The ludicrous implication with this argument was any where on the planet was the port of Immingham. In other words there is no such thing as sea work.


I was dismissed on Thursday 14 of March 1985 with no written confirmation of this (they never liked putting anything in writing) then within a few weeks the TGWU branch filed an application with the local industrial tribunal for an unfair dismissal hearing against Humber Tugs.
They enlisted the help of Andrew Marvel Jackson a Hull based solicitor of whom I can find no reference on the internet --its as if the man never existed. From late March out to the following November the company came up with a littany of excuses as to why their witnesses could not attend, Sanderson was on holiday, then a few weeks went by and it was Gels turn to conveniantly be away, next was Jacksons turn not to be there and these delays were always announced after a new appearance date was offered by the courts service.
They were abusing the system but legally. I on the other hand was ready to go within a few weeks.
After they ran out of holidays we got an appearance in late November 85 and about 2 weeks before the union sent me a letter from Jackson offering £500 to drop the case, later increased to £750, which I refused. This was a "without prejudice" letter meaning I could not mention its existence in court. However I could have legally circulated it around the work force ---pity I did not think of this at the time!


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## EdScott

*[email protected]*



EdScott said:


> Hi
> I was a trainee deckhand and joined Humber Tugs in Nov 1977 with Pete Nesvick. In May 1981 I transferred over to the southbank tugs which in the long run was one of the biggest mistakes I ever made!
> 
> I don"t know what they"re like today but too many over at Immingham had the attitude that if the company employed you ---- they owned you.
> 
> And Roy Sanderson, deck superintendant???, was more than willing to abuse a culture like that and did. Eventually, with a combination of 10th rate management and a spineless workforce, the company was ran into the ground. Sanderson replaced Pete Willingham around 1983. As far as I am aware he had no qualifications to justify a promotion like that and Willingham was a master mariner and a decent bloke.
> 
> Sanderson on the other hand was a devious, deep, progress chaser who regarded lying and deceipt as being a legitimate part of management and if that didn"t work veiled threats were his plan b.
> 
> But he was not working alone, as I stated above there were no shortage of suckholers and yes men who would cooperate with him.
> One such was a tug master, Peter Gel. This invertebrate eventually played a hand in getting me dismissed after I refused to go out to the Rough field, my argument being that it must be sea work, which was "voluntary"
> The company came up with the response that it was only sea work if the hirer agreed to a "daily" hire arrangement and this was "hourly"
> although they never showed me any evidence and I knew of no one else who had ever seen this.
> 
> Almost certainly Sanderson was probably lying about this as was his speciality but proving it was easier to say then do. The ludicrous implication with this argument was any where on the planet was the port of Immingham. In other words there is no such thing as sea work.


I was dismissed on Thursday 14 of March 1985 with no written confirmation of this (they never liked putting anything in writing) then within a few weeks the TGWU branch filed an application with the local industrial tribunal for an unfair dismissal hearing against Humber Tugs.
They enlisted the help of Andrew Marvel Jackson a Hull based solicitor of whom I can find no reference on the internet --its as if the man never existed. From late March out to the following November the company came up with a littany of excuses as to why their witnesses could not attend, Sanderson was on holiday, then a few weeks went by and it was Gels turn to conveniantly be away, next was Jacksons turn not to be there and these delays were always announced after a new appearance date was offered by the courts service.
They were abusing the system but legally. I on the other hand was ready to go within a few weeks.
After they ran out of holidays we got an appearance in late November 85 and about 2 weeks before the union sent me a letter from Jackson offering £500 to drop the case, later increased to £750, which I refused. This was a "without prejudice" letter meaning I could not mention its existence in court. However I could have legally circulated it around the work force ---pity I did not think of this at the time!


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## Erimus

Wow,never heard anything as bad as that.

Geoff


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## howardang

EdScott said:


> I was dismissed on Thursday 14 of March 1985 with no written confirmation of this (they never liked putting anything in writing) then within a few weeks the TGWU branch filed an application with the local industrial tribunal for an unfair dismissal hearing against Humber Tugs.
> They enlisted the help of Andrew Marvel Jackson a Hull based solicitor of whom I can find no reference on the internet --its as if the man never existed. From late March out to the following November the company came up with a littany of excuses as to why their witnesses could not attend, Sanderson was on holiday, then a few weeks went by and it was Gels turn to conveniantly be away, next was Jacksons turn not to be there and these delays were always announced after a new appearance date was offered by the courts service.
> They were abusing the system but legally. I on the other hand was ready to go within a few weeks.
> After they ran out of holidays we got an appearance in late November 85 and about 2 weeks before the union sent me a letter from Jackson offering £500 to drop the case, later increased to £750, which I refused. This was a "without prejudice" letter meaning I could not mention its existence in court. However I could have legally circulated it around the work force ---pity I did not think of this at the time!


Just one point about Andrew Jackson. They certainly do exist and
Have been in existence for a very long time. Among other things they have always specialised in Marine legal issues, and if you have ever had a salvage award while serving with United Towing or Humber Tugs they were the lawyers who handled the Procedures for the North British Group. They are located very close to the Green Bricks at the corner of Castle Street and Humber Dock side.

Howard


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## EdScott

howardang said:


> Just one point about Andrew Jackson. They certainly do exist and
> Have been in existence for a very long time. Among other things they have always specialised in Marine legal issues, and if you have ever had a salvage award while serving with United Towing or Humber Tugs they were the lawyers who handled the Procedures for the North British Group. They are located very close to the Green Bricks at the corner of Castle Street and Humber Dock side.
> 
> Howard


Howard[/QUOTE]
Good afternoon Howard, thank you for your time. I am aware of the solicitors and their practice but I can find no mention of Marvel Jackson himself. His legal background, university, nothing.
My representative at tribunal, John Ibbot, told me the company paid him as much as £1000 a day in court over the 2 days which does not surprise me when you consider what was at stake for the company.
Whats that in todays money? --£2000/£2500 per day!
The afore-mentioned Peter Gel admitted under oath that he was "up in arms" about not getting sea pay for a Rough field voyage that he was sent on only a few weeks after my dismissal because it was outside of the "box" ---the very reason why I lost my job!
But then went on to explain that after an "explanation" from the company "in all fairness it wasn"t sea work".
What Gel really meant was "in all fairness I don"t want to join Grimsbys ever lengthening dole queues" and was clearly scared.
The "explanation" was, in reality, a threat.
Its also worth mentioning that the location was about 30 miles NE of the bull light float so how many miles out to sea did you need to go before you were at sea --- fifty, a hundred, a thousand?
In the agreement between the company and our branch of the TGWU it stated "sea work is voluntary" yet no one apparently knew the specific definition of the term and therefore the declaration was legally worthless.
After the very brief protest from Gel--- Jackson visited the sth bank office and took a statement from him. He signed it and this then equalled an affidavit which could be used against him in court if he decided to stand up to them which, of course, he was never going to.
As I said earlier the absence of a company recognised geographical line at which port work ended and seawork started meant you could be a thousand miles nth of the Orkneys and still be in the port of Immingham therefore you had to go! I said this at the tribunal
Regards, Ed.


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## EdScott

Erimus said:


> Wow,never heard anything as bad as that.
> 
> Geoff


Howard[/QUOTE]
Good afternoon Howard, thank you for your time. I am aware of the solicitors and their practice but I can find no mention of Marvel Jackson himself. His legal background, university, nothing.
My representative at tribunal, John Ibbot, told me the company paid him as much as £1000 a day in court over the 2 days which does not surprise me when you consider what was at stake for the company.
Whats that in todays money? --£2000/£2500 per day!
The afore-mentioned Peter Gel admitted under oath that he was "up in arms" about not getting sea pay for a Rough field voyage that he was sent on only a few weeks after my dismissal because it was outside of the "box" ---the very reason why I lost my job!
But then went on to explain that after an "explanation" from the company "in all fairness it wasn"t sea work".
What Gel really meant was "in all fairness I don"t want to join Grimsbys ever lengthening dole queues" and was clearly scared.
The "explanation" was, in reality, a threat.
Its also worth mentioning that the location was about 30 miles NE of the bull light float so how many miles out to sea did you need to go before you were at sea --- fifty, a hundred, a thousand?
In the agreement between the company and our branch of the TGWU it stated "sea work is voluntary" yet no one apparently knew the specific definition of the term and therefore the declaration was legally worthless.
After the very brief protest from Gel--- Jackson visited the sth bank office and took a statement from him. He signed it and this then equalled an affidavit which could be used against him in court if he decided to stand up to them which, of course, he was never going to.
As I said earlier the absence of a company recognised geographical line at which port work ended and seawork started meant you could be a thousand miles nth of the Orkneys and still be in the port of Immingham therefore you had to go! I said this at the tribunal
Regards, Ed.


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## EdScott

*[email protected]*



EdScott said:


> Howard


Good afternoon Howard, thank you for your time. I am aware of the solicitors and their practice but I can find no mention of Marvel Jackson himself. His legal background, university, nothing.
My representative at tribunal, John Ibbot, told me the company paid him as much as £1000 a day in court over the 2 days which does not surprise me when you consider what was at stake for the company.
Whats that in todays money? --£2000/£2500 per day!
The afore-mentioned Peter Gel admitted under oath that he was "up in arms" about not getting sea pay for a Rough field voyage that he was sent on only a few weeks after my dismissal because it was outside of the "box" ---the very reason why I lost my job!
But then went on to explain that after an "explanation" from the company "in all fairness it wasn"t sea work".
What Gel really meant was "in all fairness I don"t want to join Grimsbys ever lengthening dole queues" and was clearly scared.
The "explanation" was, in reality, a threat.
Its also worth mentioning that the location was about 30 miles NE of the bull light float so how many miles out to sea did you need to go before you were at sea --- fifty, a hundred, a thousand?
In the agreement between the company and our branch of the TGWU it stated "sea work is voluntary" yet no one apparently knew the specific definition of the term and therefore the declaration was legally worthless.
After the very brief protest from Gel--- Jackson visited the sth bank office and took a statement from him. He signed it and this then equalled an affidavit which could be used against him in court if he decided to stand up to them which, of course, he was never going to.
As I said earlier the absence of a company recognised geographical line at which port work ended and seawork started meant you could be a thousand miles nth of the Orkneys and still be in the port of Immingham therefore you had to go! I said this at the tribunal
Regards, Ed.[/QUOTE]
Hello Geoff. Howards name is there because I copied and pasted onto you to save time regards Ed.


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## EdScott

Bighenners said:


> Thanks Paul. Will be in Hull 15th-25th, how about somewhere in between, the following Friday after your normal get together.
> I can get around easily so it will be no problem to me. Hope to see you soon.


Hello I saw the profile and remember Jan who died in 1980 of cancer. He was on the Workman. Please see attached. Yours, Ed. 

I was a trainee deckhand and joined Humber Tugs in Nov 1977 with Pete Nesvick. In May 1981 I transferred over to the south bank tugs which in the long run was one of the biggest mistakes I ever made!
I don"t know what they"re like today but too many over at Immingham had the attitude that if the company employed you ---- they owned you.
And Roy Sanderson, deck super intendant?, was more than willing to abuse a culture like that and did. Eventually, with a combination of 10th rate management and a spineless workforce, the company was ran into the ground. Sanderson replaced Pete Willingham around 1983. As far as I am aware he had no qualifications to justify a promotion like that and Willingham was a master mariner and a decent bloke.
Sanderson on the other hand was a devious, deep, progress chaser who regarded lying and deceipt as being a legitimate part of management and if that didn"t work veiled threats were his plan b.
But he was not working alone, as I stated above there were no shortage of suck holers and yes men who would cooperate with him.
One such was a tug master, Peter Gel. This invertebrate eventually played a hand in getting me dismissed after I refused to go out to the Rough field, my argument being that it must be sea work, which was "voluntary"
The company came up with the response that it was only sea work if the hirer agreed to a "daily" hire arrangement and this was "hourly"
although they never showed me any evidence and I knew of no one else who had ever seen this.
Almost certainly Sanderson was probably lying about this as was his speciality but proving it was easier to say then do. The ludicrous implication with this argument was any where on the planet was the port of Immingham. In other words there is no such thing as sea work.
I was dismissed on Thursday 14 of March 1985 with no written confirmation of this (they never liked putting anything in writing) then within a few weeks the TGWU branch filed an application with the local industrial tribunal for an unfair dismissal hearing against Humber Tugs.
They enlisted the help of Andrew Marvel Jackson a Hull based solicitor of whom I can find no reference on the internet --its as if the man never existed. From late March out to the following November the company came up with a littany of excuses as to why their witnesses could not attend, Sanderson was on holiday, then a few weeks went by and it was Gels turn to conveniantly be away, next was Jacksons turn not to be there and these delays were always announced after a new appearance date was offered by the courts service.
They were abusing the system but legally. I on the other hand was ready to go within a few weeks.
After they ran out of holidays we got an appearance in late November 85 and about 2 weeks before the union sent me a letter from Jackson offering £500 to drop the case, later increased to £750, which I refused. This was a "without prejudice" letter meaning I could not mention its existence in court. However I could have legally circulated it around the work force ---pity I did not think of this at the time! 


Howard.
Good afternoon Howard, thank you for your time. I am aware of the solicitors and their practice but I can find no mention of Marvel Jackson himself. His legal background, university, nothing.
My representative at tribunal, John Ibbot, told me the company paid him as much as £1000 a day in court over the 2 days which does not surprise me when you consider what was at stake for the company.
Whats that in todays money? --£2000/£2500 per day!
The afore-mentioned Peter Gel admitted under oath that he was "up in arms" about not getting sea pay for a Rough field voyage that he was sent on only a few weeks after my dismissal because it was outside of the "box" ---the very reason why I lost my job!
But then went on to explain that after an "explanation" from the company "in all fairness it wasn"t sea work".
What Gel really meant was "in all fairness I don"t want to join Grimsbys ever lengthening dole queues" and was clearly scared.
The "explanation" was, in reality, a threat.
Its also worth mentioning that the location was about 30 miles NE of the bull light float so how many miles out to sea did you need to go before you were at sea --- fifty, a hundred, a thousand?
In the agreement between the company and our branch of the TGWU it stated "sea work is voluntary" yet no one apparently knew the specific definition of the term and therefore the declaration was legally worthless.
After the very brief protest from Gel--- Jackson visited the sth bank office and took a statement from him. He signed it and this then equalled an affidavit which could be used against him in court if he decided to stand up to them which, of course, he was never going to.
As I said earlier the absence of a company recognised geographical line at which port work ended and seawork started meant you could be a thousand miles nth of the Orkneys and still be in the port of Immingham therefore you had to go! I said this at the tribunal
Regards, Ed. 07817 011910.


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## howardang

Ed,

I am not aware of the details of your issue but if you have a grievance with Humber Tugs, may I respectfully suggest that you are not doing your position any good by continually posting the same story over and over. 

Most people who read this web site are not familiar with the ins and outs of Humber Tugs/United Towing and it may now be time to move on.

Howard


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## EdScott

*[email protected]*

Howard,
Thank you for getting back to me. My applogies for replicating the same thread to you but I thought I was copy/pasting only subsequent paragraphs as I progressed. In regard of Humber Tugs they were wound up as a firm in the early nineties and I have never worked for United.
The principal aim of these communications was to find out if anyone else had experienced a similar injustice where "sea work" had no geographical definition. I think it is worth pointing out that "nostalgia" is not neccessarily always happy and as for moving on I did that years ago. I later trained as an electrician and have since become involved with HV electrical maintenance on the rail network which takes me all over England.
Regards, Ed.


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