# Lady Master with Carisbrooke Shipping



## Alan Parsons

Does anybody know/remember the lady whose christian name I think was Debbie who was a master with Carisbrooke Shipping in the 1980's? I can remember meeting her once when she brought her ship (name forgotten but I think possibly a former Everard ship) to Dunball Wharf on the River Parrett in Somerset. At the time a female skipper was something really unusual and I wonder what became of her?


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## Brian Locking

Can't help. But there was another around the same time with Arklow Shipping . Could be the same one.

Brian


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## Tony Breach

I don't know that lady but worked with two fine captains - Barbra Massing & Barbara Jung in the Leonhardt & Blumberg Hansa class reefers. Fine proffessional seafarers.

Tony


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## gdynia

She ended up working in North Sea as a Second Mate on Supply Boats her name was Denise I think


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## Ray Mac

Could be Molly from Great Yarmouth she was skipper on some coaster before she had a pub in Yarmouth? name of the pub I think was the Gall and Can.


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## duquesa

*lady master*

Her name was Denise and I met her a few times but cannot recall her surname or the ships.


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## timo

Molly had the Gallon Can in Great Yarmouth, after that pub shut she had the Ship Inn also in Yarmouth, last I heard she had retired to Spain a few years ago.


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## Bill Davies

It would be interesting to hear from those who experienced a woman in command (hopefully that is not going to stimulate the over active imaginations of the membership) meaning Ship Master. In all my time at sea I only experienced several wives at sea and they were wives of the top four and in the main they were foreign and hardly came into the Saloon.


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## Ray Mac

We had a female Skipper in Tidewater (Class 1) masters. No need of dispenations for this lady. (Thumb) Sailed with here from 2/mate to master a great lady to sail with.(Smoke)


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## Alan Parsons

Thanks Duquesa and Gydnia, yes her name was Denise. Anybody here who sailed with Carisbrooke when they were coaster owners and who knew Denise?


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## gdynia

Alan
Her surname was Bradley-Bonner I sailed with her on Angelique V


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## Tony Crompton

Bill Davies said:


> It would be interesting to hear from those who experienced a woman in command QUOTE]
> 
> There was a woman in command on Large Finnish Tankers ( 100,000 dw +) in the early 90's. I piloted her ship the "Finny" in 1992. She was a very capable "Middle Aged" lady.
> 
> Best wishes,
> Tony


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## duquesa

*Lady Master*

The very one Gydnia. She also appeared on another vessel on which I was the pilot but without digging into boxes of dusty records, have no idea of the name.


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## bunkerman

> Could be Molly from Great Yarmouth she was skipper on some coaster before she had a pub in Yarmouth? name of the pub I think was the Gall and Can.


molly was never skipper, she sailed as uncertified mate with her husband Ian Jones on Lapthorn ships, on the old Hoofinch ex springfinch..


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## Brian Locking

Does the name Heather Chapman ring any bells. I don't know whether she was with Carisbrooke?


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## Pete Legg

Have sailed with 2 Female Masters in various Sail Training Ships. Barbara Campbell & Claire Cupples. both very able seamen and good ship handlers.Barbara was ex P&O and I believe is one of the first 3 females to be made a Younger Brother of Trinity House. 

Regards. Pete


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## Alan Parsons

Many thanks to all of you who have contributed to this thread. I am pretty certain now that the ship Denise was master of was the Heleen C which looked pretty good when I saw her at Dunball, Port of Bridgwater. There is a phot of the ship in the coaster gallery


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## advara

You are looking for Denise Bradlaugh-Bonner. She sailed as mate with me in Carisbrooke in 1982. She went on to become master with Carisbrooke, Arklow and also spent time with Union Transport.


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## Capt Cliff Roberts

Burned Toast said:


> Could be Molly from Great Yarmouth she was skipper on some coaster before she had a pub in Yarmouth? name of the pub I think was the Gall and Can.


Its the Gallon Can Pub near the market place Good Pub.
Capt Cliff Roberts.


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## Ray Mac

Just off South Quay I think(EEK)


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## Pat McCardle

(EEK)


Burned Toast said:


> Just off South Quay I think(EEK)


Closed & converted into a house.........With concrete furniture outside(EEK)


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## Denise Bonner

Alan Parsons said:


> Does anybody know/remember the lady whose christian name I think was Debbie who was a master with Carisbrooke Shipping in the 1980's? I can remember meeting her once when she brought her ship (name forgotten but I think possibly a former Everard ship) to Dunball Wharf on the River Parrett in Somerset. At the time a female skipper was something really unusual and I wonder what became of her?


Presently living in Spain after two voyages to Shanghai - the last in terrible weather, decided enough was enough!


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## Sister Eleff

How lovely to hear from the one that was being looked for and with fond memories too. What took you so long to find us?? A warm welcome to the site Denise.


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## Oz.

Welcome Denise, I hope we hear more from you. Where you known as 'The Old Woman'


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## Denise Bonner

*Hi*



Oz. said:


> Welcome Denise, I hope we hear more from you. Where you known as 'The Old Woman'


Quite probably worse, although Lady Prendergast in Arklow


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## Denise Bonner

*Carisbrooke Shipping*



Alan Parsons said:


> Many thanks to all of you who have contributed to this thread. I am pretty certain now that the ship Denise was master of was the Heleen C which looked pretty good when I saw her at Dunball, Port of Bridgwater. There is a phot of the ship in the coaster gallery


It was the GRETA C that time.


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## Kevin Davies

Details of a current lady harbourmaster and pilot can be found at www.byport.com.au/staff/c_manage.html


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## Denise Bonner

*Carisbrooke Shipping*



advara said:


> You are looking for Denise Bradlaugh-Bonner. She sailed as mate with me in Carisbrooke in 1982. She went on to become master with Carisbrooke, Arklow and also spent time with Union Transport.


Hi, that is interesting because I didn't work for Carisbrooke until 1983.


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## Billieboy

Denise Bonner said:


> Hi, that is interesting because I didn't work for Carisbrooke until 1983.


Bristol Channel years are counted differently from Irish ones!

Welcome aboard Denise, from the Flat bit of Europe; enjoy the trip. I always wondered, if those smart young girls joining BIG ships as apprentices, in the seventies, ever got to where they wanted to be.(Thumb)


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## duquesa

*Lady Master with Carisbrooke*

Might be an interesting reply!(==D)


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## Denise Bonner

*Lady Captains*



Billieboy said:


> Bristol Channel years are counted differently from Irish ones!
> 
> Welcome aboard Denise, from the Flat bit of Europe; enjoy the trip. I always wondered, if those smart young girls joining BIG ships as apprentices, in the seventies, ever got to where they wanted to be.(Thumb)


Hi, didn't think it was a possible on BIG ships anyway the ships I was on looked big enough to me for some of the tiny comedy berths they sent us to! Thanks for the welcome from sunny Malaga.


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## NoMoss

It says something about the English usage of words that we couldn't call a qualified woman captain a 'mistress' without being misunderstood.


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## Denise Bonner

*Englaish usage*



NoMoss said:


> It says something about the English usage of words that we couldn't call a qua) of course lified woman captain a 'mistress' without being misunderstood.


True, but (overheard) of course the Captain will want a pilot, she's bad enough in a car could be misconstrued although it was for the berth at Dean Quarry, Falmouth which was not for the faint hearted.


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## NoMoss

Denise Bonner said:


> True, but (overheard) of course the Captain will want a pilot, she's bad enough in a car could be misconstrued although it was for the berth at Dean Quarry, Falmouth which was not for the faint hearted.


Don't get us started on women drivers!


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## Billieboy

I've met plenty of Male dock wallopers too NM!


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## NoMoss

Billieboy said:


> I've met plenty of Male dock wallopers too NM!


So have I but I was thinking of women car drivers.


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## billyboy

Shouldnt knock the lady drivers till you experience the Philippine drivers...LOL
No training required here. If you got the money you get a licence. the sight of a very young guy driving an 18 wheeler scares me.
No one seems to have any road sense at all here. Glad I spent some of my earlier years on the "Dogem" cars. its stood me in good stead


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## Sister Eleff

NoMoss said:


> Don't get us started on women drivers!


Careful here NoMoss! My Dad used to say that women were either very good or very bad drivers, no in-between. I tend to agree with him. Here it is more a certain ethnic type (I won't say which one!) that we have to be wary of, rather than the gender.


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## Orestes

Suzannah Vaughan was master on tankers out here, and was OIM on a platform in the Indian Ocean.
Sadly she died last year aged 35, whilst Master on a ship off the West coast of India. The cause of death was not given, but evidently she had been ill a couple of years before.
According to a few people I have met who sailed with her had nothing but good to say of her.
Orestes


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## Denise Bonner

*Lady Captains*



Alan Parsons said:


> Thanks Duquesa and Gydnia, yes her name was Denise. Anybody here who sailed with Carisbrooke when they were coaster owners and who knew Denise?


Many miles sailed since then, now retired and aften feel glad I am, although on the odd day...........


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## charleymn

*Lady Captain*

Hi there, it,s a bit late but I have only just read your post, are you sure she worked for Carisbrooke because I was Cpt in that company and do not remember her there but when I was in Union Transport there was a lady cpt. there by the name of Denise Bonner, I believe she lived down at Rowhedge in Essex at the time and the last time I see her she was crewing a yacht out of Falmouth, I always got on well with her and she was one of the lads, hope this might help, charleymn.


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## duquesa

*Lady Master with carisbrooke*

Charleymn, you had better read back over the last few posts!! The lady is speaking to you herself. I suspect she knows who she worked for.(Jester)


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## skiboo

denise bradlaugh boner sailed with me as mate on the old 800ton betty/c she then went master on gret/c everards old actuality last time i saw her she was master on arklows serenell she married an engineer called scully and went to live in port leache in ireland rgds skiboo


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## skiboo

denise sailedwith me as mate on betty/c then relieved me as master on greta/c ex everard actuality in1984/5 regds skiboo


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## Joe w

*Remember the Wegro*



Denise Bonner said:


> Presently living in Spain after two voyages to Shanghai - the last in terrible weather, decided enough was enough!


So you are still about all be it retired.
Do you remember the Wegro or however it was called many years ago.
Tommy Houndsworth owned it at the time. I was master on there with you for a very short time.


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## Everton

Ray Mac said:


> Could be Molly from Great Yarmouth she was skipper on some coaster before she had a pub in Yarmouth? name of the pub I think was the Gall and Can.


Yes deffo molly,we used to call in when we were on the supply vessels.


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## Bill.B

Sadly Denise Bonner passed away a few years ago. I knew her from my sailing barge days in the 70s. She was well known in Malden and I believe was married at one time to a local shipwright. very down to earth girl.


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## Carruthers

bunkerman said:


> molly was never skipper, she sailed as uncertified mate with her husband Ian Jones on Lapthorn ships, on the old Hoofinch ex springfinch..


You are right. met her and her husband a few time in port. Also worked for Lapthornes in the 70s


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