# Sailing schedule and passenger list - SS Tarkwa



## Biafra (Jan 21, 2012)

Hello everyone. I'm trying to find the sailing dates of the SS (MV?) Tarkwa, an Elder Dempster vessel, from Liverpool to West Africa (Port Harcourt) in 1959. I'm also interested in passenger lists/ manifests for those voyages.

I'd appreciate help/info. Thank you!


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## woodend (Nov 23, 2009)

Hi Biafra: the m.v. TARKWA was on the Port Harcourt run, alternating sailings with the m.v.TAMELE for many years. The schedule was built round a 7 weeks rotation calling Freetown, Takoradi, Lagos and Port Harcourt. This never seemed to be kept to though as they both handled a lot of cargo and the rainy season played havoc. I hope ELDERSUK picks up on this as he may be able to help better than I. I was on TAMELE for a couple of trips.


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## Biafra (Jan 21, 2012)

woodend said:


> Hi Biafra: the m.v. TARKWA was on the Port Harcourt run, alternating sailings with the m.v.TAMELE for many years. The schedule was built round a 7 weeks rotation calling Freetown, Takoradi, Lagos and Port Harcourt. This never seemed to be kept to though as they both handled a lot of cargo and the rainy season played havoc. I hope ELDERSUK picks up on this as he may be able to help better than I. I was on TAMELE for a couple of trips.


Thanks a lot Woodend!


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## eldersuk (Oct 24, 2005)

I only have dates for 1957/58 in my discharge book but will try to obtain 1959 dates within the next few days.

Derek


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## eldersuk (Oct 24, 2005)

1959 sailing dates m.v. Tarkwa as follows-

Depart Liverpool Arrive Liverpool
23.12.58 18.02.59
06.03.59 29.04.59
19.05.59 ??. 07.59
23.07.59 14.09.59
06.10.59 27.11.59

Regretfully it is impossible for me to find dates at intermediate ports. Any records of these may be in the archives section of Merseyside Maritime Museum.

Regards
Derek


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## Biafra (Jan 21, 2012)

*Tarkwa to Port Harcourt*



eldersuk said:


> 1959 sailing dates m.v. Tarkwa as follows-
> 
> Depart Liverpool Arrive Liverpool
> 23.12.58 18.02.59
> ...


Thanks a million, Eldersuk. These dates are useful. I'm looking for the outbound journeys ( Liverpool to Port Harcourt). Do you know where I can find passenger manifests? I am trying to confirm the travel dates for a group of Irish Catholic missionaries: Liverpool - Port Harcourt.


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## eldersuk (Oct 24, 2005)

On the break up of the Ocean Group many of the records were shortsightedly destroyed, among them Elder Dempster's passenger (and crew) lists.

I have it on good authority that there are now none of these records still in existence. Sorry to be unable to help.

Derek


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## Julian Calvin (Feb 2, 2011)

Hi Biafra,
Am currently alternating between Port Harcourt and Lagos. As Derek rightly says, all records destroyed but if you have any thread you need chasing, drop me a line


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## Biafra (Jan 21, 2012)

*Tarkwa passenger list*

Thank you, Eldersuk. That's very sad.






Biafra said:


> Thanks a million, Eldersuk. These dates are useful. I'm looking for the outbound journeys ( Liverpool to Port Harcourt). Do you know where I can find passenger manifests? I am trying to confirm the travel dates for a group of Irish Catholic missionaries: Liverpool - Port Harcourt.


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## compass1 (Sep 30, 2005)

I served on the Tarkwa from 8/7/57 to 4/9/57 and have a recollection of putting down competitive rugby scrums on the passenger deck between some catholic priests and us (midshipmen and others?)


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## capkelly (Feb 13, 2006)

I sailed on Tarkwa in 1960 with 6 Irish priests for Port Harcourt, they were Holy Ghost Missions, Kiltegan. Attached is photo of three of them with the ships doctor, also a Dublin man. The senior one was going to the new University at Enugu, if I remember rightly, a linguist who spoke a dozen languages plus many dialects. Great fun, though some of the other missonaries on board were very straight laced


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## Biafra (Jan 21, 2012)

*'Sailing schedule and passenger list - SS Tarkwa'‏*



compass1 said:


> I served on the Tarkwa from 8/7/57 to 4/9/57 and have a recollection of putting down competitive rugby scrums on the passenger deck between some catholic priests and us (midshipmen and others?)




Thanks a lot, Compass1, and please excuse my tardy acknowledgement. Who won? And was there much swearing?


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## Biafra (Jan 21, 2012)

capkelly said:


> I sailed on Tarkwa in 1960 with 6 Irish priests for Port Harcourt, they were Holy Ghost Missions, Kiltegan. Attached is photo of three of them with the ships doctor, also a Dublin man. The senior one was going to the new University at Enugu, if I remember rightly, a linguist who spoke a dozen languages plus many dialects. Great fun, though some of the other missonaries on board were very straight laced


This is fascinating, Capkelly. They'd have been, I suppose, from the Holy Ghost community at Kimmage, near Dublin. Would the ship's electrician have been a drink-loving Irishman?


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## capkelly (Feb 13, 2006)

I do not believe that there was an Irish electrician there during my time, but the memory isnt what it used to be. Not much drinking they were into singing and cards, all long time west coast men.


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## Biafra (Jan 21, 2012)

capkelly said:


> I do not believe that there was an Irish electrician there during my time, but the memory isnt what it used to be. Not much drinking they were into singing and cards, all long time west coast men.


Oh, interesting. Thanks.


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## miscott (Sep 13, 2012)

eldersuk said:


> 1959 sailing dates m.v. Tarkwa as follows-
> 
> Depart Liverpool Arrive Liverpool
> 23.12.58 18.02.59
> ...


 A couple of extra dates for 1960
Depart L'Pool 20/9/60 Arrive L'Pool 9/11/60
Depart L'Pool 28/11/60 Arrive L'Pool 20/1/61


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## miscott (Sep 13, 2012)

The Senior Electrician could well have been an Irishman called Jack Campbell and no relation to the Bosun Jock Campbell.


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## Biafra (Jan 21, 2012)

miscott said:


> A couple of extra dates for 1960
> Depart L'Pool 20/9/60 Arrive L'Pool 9/11/60
> Depart L'Pool 28/11/60 Arrive L'Pool 20/1/61


Most useful. Thanks a lot.


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## Biafra (Jan 21, 2012)

miscott said:


> The Senior Electrician could well have been an Irishman called Jack Campbell and no relation to the Bosun Jock Campbell.


Thanks, Miscott.


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## Biafra (Jan 21, 2012)

Julian Calvin said:


> Hi Biafra,
> Am currently alternating between Port Harcourt and Lagos. As Derek rightly says, all records destroyed but if you have any thread you need chasing, drop me a line


Sorry this escaped me, Julian. Much appreciated.


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## miscott (Sep 13, 2012)

It is possible Jack had to leave the ship early 1961 due to an incident when Jock Campbell ended up in the water. Jack got the blame but my understanding it was the Bosuns fault as he was a little well oiled and slipped when boarding the Tarkwa at PH and Jack Campbell really assisted him back on board---not the way the ole man saw it though!!


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## The Goose (Apr 5, 2015)

Biafra said:


> Hello everyone. I'm trying to find the sailing dates of the SS (MV?) Tarkwa, an Elder Dempster vessel, from Liverpool to West Africa (Port Harcourt) in 1959. I'm also interested in passenger lists/ manifests for those voyages.
> 
> I'd appreciate help/info. Thank you!


I've only just signed onto this page so just seen the message re MV Tarkwa passenger lists. I found one passenger list for a sailing on 29 November 1960 to Port Harcourt on Ancestry.co.uk - while I was trying to locate a WW2 soldier who sailed from Liverpool on the ship - His name was Afiog Udo Okon and he fought with / for the British army between 1942 and 1947. 
Hope this might still be of use.


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## Seamus Seamus gbrennan (Jul 31, 2021)

woodend said:


> Hi Biafra: the m.v. TARKWA was on the Port Harcourt run, alternating sailings with the m.v.TAMELE for many years. The schedule was built round a 7 weeks rotation calling Freetown, Takoradi, Lagos and Port Harcourt. This never seemed to be kept to though as they both handled a lot of cargo and the rainy season played havoc. I hope ELDERSUK picks up on this as he may be able to help better than I. I was on TAMELE for a couple of trips.


Hi I was a passenger on mv tarkwa liverpool to port Harcourt in 1964 I wonder if anyone seeing this was a crew member on this ship


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