# Stephen Sutton Shipping Co



## Schochy (Jan 16, 2012)

I an trying to find some in formation on this Tyenside company which operated in the 1960s. My father F W Schoch sailed as chief engineer on one of their ships, of which my memory fails me. Any help at all would be very much appreciated. thanks


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## oceantramp (Jul 16, 2005)

A history of Stephen Sutton by John Lingwood and Leonard Gray has been published by the World Ship Society.


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## IAINT (Mar 31, 2008)

Schochy - Sailed on the 'Riseley' as R/O from 1965-1967, but am sorry don't think that was name of the Chief Engineer. All Stephen Suttons vessels were tramping ( long trips).

Iain T (A)


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## Schochy (Jan 16, 2012)

*Stephen Sutton Shipping co*

IAINT - Thanks very much for responding.


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## Schochy (Jan 16, 2012)

Oceantramp - thanks very much for the info

Schochy


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## teb (May 23, 2008)

Stephen Sutton were a small tramp shipping co.controlled by the Renwick family.(hence the ships names began with R) .They had a close working relationship with another NE Coast Company-R.S Dalgleish/Watergate Shipping Co- they did all the Fixing(Chartering) for Stephen Sutton thro their London office being Members of the Baltic Exchange.


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## Schochy (Jan 16, 2012)

ten -


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## Schochy (Jan 16, 2012)

teb - Thank you for the information on Stephens Sutton. It is getting me nearer to finding out which of their ships my father sailed on.

Schochy


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## teb (May 23, 2008)

Schochy said:


> teb - Thank you for the information on Stephens Sutton. It is getting me nearer to finding out which of their ships my father sailed on.
> 
> Schochy


I'm sure your father must have done a few trips to & from Australia as SS ships were fixed quite often on the sugar trade between Aus/UK
Regards Teb.


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## Schochy (Jan 16, 2012)

*Stephens Sutton Shipping Co*

Teb - He wasn't with SS very long. Prior to that he did about 25years on Shell Tankers which included getting caught up in the Suez Crisis. After Shell he did a course on Sulzer engines and joined SS. I visited the ship as a child when it was in dry dock on Tyneside but can't recall the name.
Regards
Schochy


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## Gattina (May 4, 2012)

*Jim H*

Joined MV Riseley in Auckland Jan 1966 as ships carpenter. Visited Adelaide - Wallaroo - Ceduna - Port Elizabeth - East London - Inchon - Sasebo - Taiwan - Yokohama - Sydney - Vancouver - Sydney - Melbourne in roughly that order. I paid off in Melbourne about a week before Xmas 1966 on health grounds. It was rumoured next port would be Chittagong. Capt'n Larry (deep sea) McArdle did his best to always keep the next port secret as long as possible to stop crew from "jumping ship". He generally failed. Does anyone remember the name of the AB who died in Khoashung Taiwan? Have not been able to locate photos of the ship although I remember a commercial ship photographer selling prints to the crew in Auckland or possibly Sydney.


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## vangooler (Nov 7, 2005)

I did a year long voyage on the Reavely in the mid-50's. I still have a photo of some the deckhands. Funny I've never seen any of them in any posts. They were a good bunch, Although we didn't quite finish the trip with the same ones we started with.


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## A.D.FROST (Sep 1, 2008)

Schochy said:


> Teb - He wasn't with SS very long. Prior to that he did about 25years on Shell Tankers which included getting caught up in the Suez Crisis. After Shell he did a course on Sulzer engines and joined SS. I visited the ship as a child when it was in dry dock on Tyneside but can't recall the name.
> Regards
> Schochy


Could it be the RADLEY'63-68/RILEY'65-68 both had Sulzers(Ouch)


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## A.D.FROST (Sep 1, 2008)

Schochy said:


> Teb - He wasn't with SS very long. Prior to that he did about 25years on Shell Tankers which included getting caught up in the Suez Crisis. After Shell he did a course on Sulzer engines and joined SS. I visited the ship as a child when it was in dry dock on Tyneside but can't recall the name.
> Regards
> Schochy


Could it have been the RADLEY'63-68/RILEY'65-68 both had Sulzers.The RILEY brought the company to its knees(Ouch)


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## IAINT (Mar 31, 2008)

*Riseley*

Hi Gattina

Sorry cannot remember the AB's name - he was in his late 60's - and a big man - think he joined in Auckland - went to his cremation in Kaoshiung - could not get a coffin big enough - so it was not properly closed - brought home his ashes.

Regards
Iain T


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## Gattina (May 4, 2012)

Hi Iain T,
Yes thats right he was a big man. Fell into the drink while boarding a Sampan back to he ship after an evening ashore. It was said they got him onto the wharf & he had a heart attack whilst sitting on a bollard recovering. Very sad. Can't remember where he last joined as he joined then "jumped" then joined again! He was from Millport on the Isle of ***brae & went to the same school
( only) as my mother, but not at the same time as he was younger than her. Trying to remember you, tall & skinny?

Jim H


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## IAINT (Mar 31, 2008)

*Riseley*

Hi Jim H,

Description about right + spectacles. Sure after Auckland sailed for Durban to load pig iron for Inchon, then dry-dock in Sasebo, onto
New Westminster/Vancouver Island (dockers strike) to load timber for Aussie. 

Regards
Iain T(Thumb)


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## Schochy (Jan 16, 2012)

*M V Radley*



A.D.FROST said:


> Could it have been the RADLEY'63-68/RILEY'65-68 both had Sulzers.The RILEY brought the company to its knees(Ouch)


Thank you A D Frost on your comment and apologies for my late response. This indeed must have been the ship (the last ship in fact) that my Dad sailed on and confirms that there were 2 MV Radleys.
My Dad was friendly with the Radio Operator on that ship.


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## Gattina (May 4, 2012)

Hi Schochy,
Dont remember the Chief Engineers name, but in my time on the Riseley 1966 up to December the chief was a bald man, about 5ft 6, round glasses, who would briskly walk endless laps of the boat deck at least twice a day carrying a rolled up newspaper. Rumour had it this was his retirement trip. Does this help?
Jim H


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## Schochy (Jan 16, 2012)

*M V Radley*



Gattina said:


> Hi Schochy,
> Dont remember the Chief Engineers name, but in my time on the Riseley 1966 up to December the chief was a bald man, about 5ft 6, round glasses, who would briskly walk endless laps of the boat deck at least twice a day carrying a rolled up newspaper. Rumour had it this was his retirement trip. Does this help?
> Jim H


Hi Jim H, Thanks for your reply. Have narrowed my search down to the Radley as the dates fit. My Dad was on this ship in 1965. Thanks again, Schochy


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## Irvingvet (Oct 25, 2013)

Schochy said:


> Hi Jim H, Thanks for your reply. Have narrowed my search down to the Radley as the dates fit. My Dad was on this ship in 1965. Thanks again, Schochy


I joined the Riley in August '67 in Vancouver B.C. and the CE was not named Schoch, I'm sure. That CE left in Moji, Japan and was replaced
by a CE from India. The whole crew was paid off in Rotterdam in December '67 because the ship had been sold to some other country.
Regards, John


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## Schochy (Jan 16, 2012)

*MV Radley*



Irvingvet said:


> I joined the Riley in August '67 in Vancouver B.C. and the CE was not named Schoch, I'm sure. That CE left in Moji, Japan and was replaced
> by a CE from India. The whole crew was paid off in Rotterdam in December '67 because the ship had been sold to some other country.
> Regards, John


Thanks John for your info. Pretty sure my dad sailed as CE on the Radley in 1965.
best wishes
Schochy


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## Jedo_03 (Dec 12, 2013)

Hello Schochy...
Can't help with your query as I was on Deck...
But if it helps:
I joined the RADLEY in Bremerhaven 22/3/67...
Master was Go. Smith.
Fertiliser to Tsing Tao (via Suez C.)
Ballast to Australia (Mackay, Townsville)
Sugar to Liverpool (via Panama Canal)
Had a beautiful "singing" Sulzer...
Never missed a beat...







Joe R779727


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## Schochy (Jan 16, 2012)

Thanks for your response Joe. Sadly my Dad passed away before the date you mentioned you were on the Radley. I believe it was his last ship. Maybe his magic touch helped towards your singing Sulzer engine not missing a beat, regards, Schochy


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## joemack (Jun 5, 2009)

*MV Radley*

Signed on the Radley in Liverpool July 1967, paid off in Birkenhead May 1968, great trip, I was pantry boy, mainly geordie crew, got on great with all of them. One of my best trips. 2nd steward was Billy Trotter.


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## Schochy (Jan 16, 2012)

*MV Radley*

Thanks Joemack for your response. I think my dad was on ship previous year. I think he enjoyed his trip. As a 15 year old visiting the ship in dry dock on Tyneside it was magical! My experience 6 years later at sea in the N Atlantic on board a Weather Ship, an ex-naval Castle Class frigate, was not so magical! There was no Sulzer engine to help us steam away from the monstrous waves at 59N 19W Station India. 
Regards 
Schochy


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## Jedo_03 (Dec 12, 2013)

Found this pic of the Radley after running aground in the River Weser at Bremerhaven in 1967. She freed herself on a falling tide.
No idea who took the photo - but looks like it was someone on the vessel flying the german flag (tug / pilot)?


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## Schochy (Jan 16, 2012)

Thanks very much indeed Jed_03 for this photo. I do appreciate your help.


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## joemack (Jun 5, 2009)

Great pic of the Radley, 1st time I've seen this one, thanks for posting.


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## ianhildreth (Jan 15, 2015)

*mv riley*



Irvingvet said:


> I joined the Riley in August '67 in Vancouver B.C. and the CE was not named Schoch, I'm sure. That CE left in Moji, Japan and was replaced
> by a CE from India. The whole crew was paid off in Rotterdam in December '67 because the ship had been sold to some other country.
> Regards, John


My name is Ian Hildreth I was second stwd on the Rileyeighteen
month on her lots of trouble in China we were not aloud to go back
hense paid off in Vancouver 10.8.67 flew to Holland yhen home.
I was also catering boy then asst/stwd on the Reaveley. November
62/mAY 63.


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## Schochy (Jan 16, 2012)

Thanks Ian for your reply. I started this thread as I had forgotten the name of the
last ship my dad sailed on. I knew the ship was owned by Stephens Sutton. At my dad's funeral I think the Radio Officer, he was friendly with, attended. 
Thanks again, Schochy


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## ianhildreth (Jan 15, 2015)

*mv riley*



Irvingvet said:


> I joined the Riley in August '67 in Vancouver B.C. and the CE was not named Schoch, I'm sure. That CE left in Moji, Japan and was replaced
> by a CE from India. The whole crew was paid off in Rotterdam in December '67 because the ship had been sold to some other country.
> Regards, John


my name is ianhildreth I was 2nd stwd on the riley paid off Vancouver 10.8.67 joind her north shields 25.3.66 four days before
my 21st birthday


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## waughb (Dec 31, 2009)

Hello Schochy,
Found this thread by accident.
I sailed with your dad on Radley. I was a cadet and have a personal log which shows we sailed from the Tyne on Nov 16 1964, then to Flushing for bunkers, then to Dunkirk to load grain for Shanghai, arriving there 25 12 64. then to Newcastle and Sydney in Oz to load back to China. Back to Oz again, this time Geelong and guess what, back to China again. After that across the Pacific to west coast Canada and USA and loaded timber and paper for Oz again. Up the coast to Mackey and Townsville for a load of sugar getting back to UK Sept 8 65 .Not sure if this was his last voyage. There is a note also in that log that says sadly, he passed away in May 67. Hope this helps...regards.......Brian


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## Schochy (Jan 16, 2012)

*Radley*

Hi Brian, many thanks indeed for replying to my thread and confirming that my dad did indeed sail on the Radley. Thank you also for the details of the trip. By coincidence he passed away 50 years ago to this day!
Regards
Schochy


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## Schochy (Jan 16, 2012)

Hi again Brian - my brother who recently moved to PEI wondered where you are in Canada? He has been constructing a family tree and wanted to add the names of all the ships our dad sailed on, hence the thread being started. I actually visited the ship when it was in dry dock on the Tyne sometime late 1965 but couldn't remember the name. Many thanks - Ken


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## waughb (Dec 31, 2009)

Hi Ken,
Actually, your brother and I are not far apart. I am in Fredericton, New Brunswick. PEI is a really lovely province, they call it the 'gentle island'.
Brian


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## Schochy (Jan 16, 2012)

Hi Brian - sorry I missed your reply. No you are not too far from my brother. They like PEI but not last winter!
Regards
Ken


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## Schochmeister (Jan 21, 2016)

Hi Brian,
I'm Ken's brother, Richard.
I live in North Rustico. Strange coincidence there. As Ken told you I have been putting together a family tree and obviously my Dad was the centre of it all. Getting the names of all the ships he was on has been a long slog, and I'm still missing a few I'm sure.
Not sure how much you knew our father but anything you can give would be most appreciated.

Richard


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## Schochy (Jan 16, 2012)

*Stephens Sutton*

Hi Brian - do you remember the name of the Radio Officer who sailed on the Radley at the same as you? He was a friend of our Dad and I met him when we visited the ship in drydock. I think he attended our Dad's funeral. 

Did you spend all your working life at sea? The fact that you kept a personal log from your first years intrigues me. Have you written anything about your time on the waves?

I thougt the Radley was a beautiful looking ship! 

I spent some time at sea on a Weather Ship in my early 20s, OWS Reporter, an old Castle Class Frigate built in 1947. There is a greatwebsite - just Google Ocean Weather Ships.
I have contributed a few stories of life on board this small rolling vessel.

Regards
Ken


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## waughb (Dec 31, 2009)

Hi Ken. Afraid I can't remember your dad. I was just a lowly deck cadet and he was the senior engineering officer so fraternizing was not an option.!
I did keep a log, one of the requirements of a cadet. I have names of all the crew and where they were from. The radio officer was Andy Beaman and he came from Delph, Oldham. Maybe you can track him down.
I spent 12 years at sea with various companies and yes, I thought the Radley was a fine looking ship. She was a SD14 type ship.The last photo of her was as Komarine#9.
I use to go golfing to North Rustico some years back, stayed at Rustico Resort which was, I seem to remember was run by an expat.
Don't mind a winter like this one. Anything would be better that the last one.
Looked at the Weather Reporter site and saw your picture. 
Gotta go now..........Regards.....Brian


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## Schochy (Jan 16, 2012)

Hi Brian - thank you very much for your reply and the name of the Radio Officer on the Radley. If he is still with us he will be well into his 80s as I think he was in his 30s when I met him on board the ship. At least we now know which ship was the last one our dad sailed on. 
My brother Richard in North Rustico might get back to you about the golfing place you mentioned.
I live on the sea front in Whitley Bay, a once very popular seaside resort, and I see a few ships from the bay window facing northeast.
I see plenty of large car transport ships taking the new cars from the Nissan factory near Sunderland to wherever.
Whitley Bay is mentioned in the famous Dire Straits song Tunnel of Love from their Making Movies album. 
Best wishes - Ken


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## waughb (Dec 31, 2009)

Hi Ken.
Just an update. Saw this posting
http://www.merchant-navy.net/forum/...-built-1963-shorts-sunderland.html#post233088
and saw that the radio officer was Anthony not Andy Beaman. You might want to get in touch as the posting was quite recent.
Hope all well with you. The big referendum today!!.
Brian


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## Schochy (Jan 16, 2012)

waughb said:


> Hi Ken.
> Just an update. Saw this posting
> http://www.merchant-navy.net/forum/...-built-1963-shorts-sunderland.html#post233088
> and saw that the radio officer was Anthony not Andy Beaman. You might want to get in touch as the posting was quite recent.
> ...


Hi Brian - many thanks for the update. I shall try and chase up Anthony Beaman. Referendum? I wish it had never taken place!
Ken


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## bruce mac (Jul 1, 2009)

waughb said:


> Hello Schochy,
> Found this thread by accident.
> I sailed with your dad on Radley. I was a cadet and have a personal log which shows we sailed from the Tyne on Nov 16 1964, then to Flushing for bunkers, then to Dunkirk to load grain for Shanghai, arriving there 25 12 64. then to Newcastle and Sydney in Oz to load back to China. Back to Oz again, this time Geelong and guess what, back to China again. After that across the Pacific to west coast Canada and USA and loaded timber and paper for Oz again. Up the coast to Mackey and Townsville for a load of sugar getting back to UK Sept 8 65 .Not sure if this was his last voyage. There is a note also in that log that says sadly, he passed away in May 67. Hope this helps...regards.......Brian


I joined Radley in Greenwells dry dock Oct 65 obviously after the sugar from Oz discharged and then to Norway loaded fertiliser for China. Then various ports and cargoes around the Pacific finshing with a cargo of tapioca from Bangkok to Rotterdam, where I paid off March 67. Total trip 16mths 28days. Great crew and great trip


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## bruce mac (Jul 1, 2009)

*hello waughb*



bruce mac said:


> I joined Radley in Greenwells dry dock Oct 65 obviously after the sugar from Oz discharged and then to Norway loaded fertiliser for China. Then various ports and cargoes around the Pacific finshing with a cargo of tapioca from Bangkok to Rotterdam, where I paid off March 67. Total trip 16mths 28days. Great crew and great trip


 Bruce Mac


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## joemack (Jun 5, 2009)

Jedo_03 said:


> Hello Schochy...
> Can't help with your query as I was on Deck...
> But if it helps:
> I joined the RADLEY in Bremerhaven 22/3/67...
> ...


Hiya Joe, this was the trip I was on, joined in Liverpool, sailed from Gladstone dock. Paid off in Birkenhead, pretty sure we went up to St John, New Brunswick this trip?


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## joemack (Jun 5, 2009)

Jedo_03 said:


> Hello Schochy...
> Can't help with your query as I was on Deck...
> But if it helps:
> I joined the RADLEY in Bremerhaven 22/3/67...
> ...


Hi Joe, looks like we could have been on the same trip. '67 to '68,


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## Devans47 (Apr 24, 2013)

Jedo_03 said:


> Hello Schochy...
> Can't help with your query as I was on Deck...
> But if it helps:
> I joined the RADLEY in Bremerhaven 22/3/67...
> ...


Hi just found this thread by pure accident, the voyage that you described above brought back memories, some good some not so much. I was the radio officer on that trip, first time on my own, remembered Bremerhaven and loading fertilizer for Tsingtao. The captain was Geo. Smith and the chief engineer was German and so we relived the 2nd world war at each meal, the electrician was also German and my auto alarm would go off in the middle of the night and wake him up, he got peed off that he cut the wires to the alarm bell in my cabin (next door to his) took me quite awhile to repair and give him a good verbal bollocking as well. Not a happy voyage and was glad to get off when we got to Liverpool.


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