# London Wine Trade



## R396040 (Sep 30, 2008)

I have just been watching a do***entary on french TV TF1 about Bordeaux and there were some old shots of loading wine casks onto ships very dated methods,ships and dockes clothing even.
It brought back memories of one of my old ships in the early 1950s GSNCs WOODCOCK. Nice little weekly trip between Bordeaux and the London Docks/St Katherines when the greater majority of the cargo was wine mainly in casks or the empties. Even remember the name of our nearest bar in Bordeaux the Halycon Bar also known as The seven Sisters. In London we locked in very near the well known Prospect of Whitby pub and I recall me and my mate getting chased by Customs into the pub because we had umped off in the lock and the ship hadnt been cleared by Immigration/Customs & Health authorities. Well we had been anchored off Southend because of fog, good enough excuse ?? London Docks was the m ain centre for the wine trade,huge cellars and stockrooms all around the dock.
Now I believe the docks are closed except for the museum part near TOWER bridge. CAN ANY BODY TELL ME if the wine trade still operates from there or did they relocate after the docks shut ?
GSNC,MacAndrews,Currie Line had several ships regularly sailing from there in those days. Great days.
Stuart
France[=P]


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## David Davies (Dec 11, 2006)

Stuart great memories The barrels all stowed on quoins, bung up and bilge free with chippie splining the leakers. I sailed as mate on Pacheco, Palacio and Pozaricoin the early 60s. Mac's ships were awash with red and white Spanish Rocomar and Panades especially the bulk wine tankers Palacio and Pacheco. The lads from the Navee boats and Curriesfrequently came over to fill their empty bottles.Our generosity did not extend to Pozarica and the sherry which was closely guarded by the shippers LG&S. Known as Lloyd George & Scrutons


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## stores (Apr 8, 2007)

*Wine Trade*



R396040 said:


> I have just been watching a do***entary on french TV TF1 about Bordeaux and there were some old shots of loading wine casks onto ships very dated methods,ships and dockes clothing even.
> It brought back memories of one of my old ships in the early 1950s GSNCs WOODCOCK. Nice little weekly trip between Bordeaux and the London Docks/St Katherines when the greater majority of the cargo was wine mainly in casks or the empties. Even remember the name of our nearest bar in Bordeaux the Halycon Bar also known as The seven Sisters. In London we locked in very near the well known Prospect of Whitby pub and I recall me and my mate getting chased by Customs into the pub because we had umped off in the lock and the ship hadnt been cleared by Immigration/Customs & Health authorities. Well we had been anchored off Southend because of fog, good enough excuse ?? London Docks was the m ain centre for the wine trade,huge cellars and stockrooms all around the dock.
> Now I believe the docks are closed except for the museum part near TOWER bridge. CAN ANY BODY TELL ME if the wine trade still operates from there or did they relocate after the docks shut ?
> GSNC,MacAndrews,Currie Line had several ships regularly sailing from there in those days. Great days.
> ...


 HI, I was on MV CORNCRAKE GSNC. running down to bordeaux on the brandy run, used to tie up at St Catherines Wharf , our bow almost uo to tower bridge. STORES.


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## john fraser (Jul 29, 2005)

I was on GSN,s Laverock 64-65 also did the wine run.Leixoes.Oporto and the Italian coast back to London.Plenty free samples.I know that later there were wine tankers on the run to the UK. mainly Spanish vessels


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## price (Feb 2, 2006)

I sailed on the Lucian 1963 until her sale in May 1964, we were on Coverly and Westrey's charter, wine trade from Oporto, Leixoes and Cadiz to the London Dock, great run, we were replaced by the Lingleigh.
Bruce.


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## R396040 (Sep 30, 2008)

London Wine Trade 
Thanks David ,Stores John & Bruce for your input to this post, they WERE Good Old Days. 
I also sailed on Drake to Tonnay Charentre for cognac run and Seamew on the Oporto port wine run. I suppose its no wonder I got a taste for it ........
Cheers
Stuart/ france


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## stores (Apr 8, 2007)

*wine run*



R396040 said:


> London Wine Trade
> Thanks David ,Stores John & Bruce for your input to this post, they WERE Good Old Days.
> I also sailed on Drake to Tonnay Charentre for cognac run and Seamew on the Oporto port wine run. I suppose its no wonder I got a taste for it ........
> Cheers
> Stuart/ france


 when on the corncrake at tonnay charente we used to swap i bottle of 4 bells rum with the agent for a bottle of remy martin cognac, they were the good old days, STORES.


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## tsell (Apr 29, 2008)

R396040 said:


> I have just been watching a do***entary on french TV TF1 about Bordeaux and there were some old shots of loading wine casks onto ships very dated methods,ships and dockes clothing even.
> It brought back memories of one of my old ships in the early 1950s GSNCs WOODCOCK. Nice little weekly trip between Bordeaux and the London Docks/St Katherines when the greater majority of the cargo was wine mainly in casks or the empties. Even remember the name of our nearest bar in Bordeaux the Halycon Bar also known as The seven Sisters. In London we locked in very near the well known Prospect of Whitby pub and I recall me and my mate getting chased by Customs into the pub because we had umped off in the lock and the ship hadnt been cleared by Immigration/Customs & Health authorities. Well we had been anchored off Southend because of fog, good enough excuse ?? London Docks was the m ain centre for the wine trade,huge cellars and stockrooms all around the dock.
> Now I believe the docks are closed except for the museum part near TOWER bridge. CAN ANY BODY TELL ME if the wine trade still operates from there or did they relocate after the docks shut ?
> GSNC,MacAndrews,Currie Line had several ships regularly sailing from there in those days. Great days.
> ...


Stuart

The "Seven Sisters' bar, that wouldn't have been the 'Two Sisters' bar by any chance?
Was there in 50/51 and that was our nearest bar. I was madly in love with Terese who said she owned the bar with her sister. She was, I think, in her late 20's and I was in my late 16's! Good times, I did four or five trips there and she was always good for a cuddle!!

Taff


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## Stumps (Aug 5, 2009)

Blimey , some memories from this thread . Living as a "nipper" in Wapping and shadwell I knew all those ships and the wine trade too! The wine vaults were in Pennington Street which was the quay that ran parallel to the Highway and nearly opposite St. George's church. Underneath were literally miles of vaults populated by what the other dockers called "The Trogs" , men who only worked there. They were a white than white colour as never came out during the day, hence the nick-name and when they did come out they were so "three sheets" they did'nt know if it was day or night. McAndrews led the way in the wine trade by having bulk tanks fitted on the , I believe the 'PACHECO' and 'PALOMARES' and it was pumped ashore into underground tanks at Pennington Street. As a kid I used to love watching the ships coming in and out of the Shadwell entrance , and often would be on the pierhead on the non-working side watching the ships coming in and out. Unfortunately could not afford a camera , otherwise reckon I would have had one of the best collections of photographs by now , especially as I used to nip over the water to the Surrey Docks. My favourite of all the "Navvies" was the 'HERON' , smart , beautiful proportioned ship. Amazingly when I went to sea , the Navvies" never crossed my mind to join them. there you go.


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