# Ken Holding. Master TOT (Texaco)



## Split (Jun 25, 2006)

I found out, recently, that Ken crossed the bar in 1999. We were close friends but I had not seen him since the early seventies when he and his family came to visit us. 

He would have been 70. I can't believe it, he was so fit, not overweight at all. I know that we are not getting any younger, but still....

Did anyone else know him? If so, any details would be welcome.

Split


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## John Campbell (Aug 30, 2005)

Yes Split, I releived him once as Master on a Texaco VLCC. He was a very clever fellow - good with his hands and loved sport. He sadly passed away not many years after retirement - much loved and sadly missed Master Mariner
JC


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## Split (Jun 25, 2006)

John Campbell said:


> Yes Split, I releived him once as Master on a Texaco VLCC. He was a very clever fellow - good with his hands and loved sport. He sadly passed away not many years after retirement - much loved and sadly missed Master Mariner
> JC


Thanks fo answering . I have just popped into this site after a very long absence.

I was a Mate in Caltex. Came ashore in 1962 (I think....) Ken was a very close friend and, after visiting us in Barcelona, in the early seventies, we lost touch. This really shattered me. He was 3 years older than me and to go at 70 is unbelievable. In fact, I was hoping that I had been wrong before you answered.

As you say, he loved sport, cricket especially. A dance, anywhere, and he had to go--I went, too, of course, and I hated it! Two left feet.

I've heard of you. We've never met but my name is John Davies. 

Regards Split


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## John Campbell (Aug 30, 2005)

Split said:


> Thanks fo answering . I have just popped into this site after a very long absence.
> 
> I was a Mate in Caltex. Came ashore in 1962 (I think....) Ken was a very close friend and, after visiting us in Barcelona, in the early seventies, we lost touch. This really shattered me. He was 3 years older than me and to go at 70 is unbelievable. In fact, I was hoping that I had been wrong before you answered.
> 
> ...


Yes I agree John - Ken was a fine fellow and an excellent Master, I last saw him, with his wife, at a TOTA reunion about ten years ago. 
Yes he loved Deck cricket and had the Indian crew in a team on the wide expanse of a VLCC deck before the inert gas pipes went in. He loved deck tennis too. 

He left a good carving of a City of Westminster coat of arms on the Texaco Westminster.

Ken and I served on both the Westminster and Great Britain both huge problem ships for all concerned
Best regards
JC


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## Split (Jun 25, 2006)

An anecdote about cricket. When we were studying for Master, I was invited to his home for the weekend---we weren't married and lived with our parents, then. When he opened the front door to me he had two black eyes. Before I opened my mouth he said "Yeah, a cricket ball hit me full in the face yesterday. I don't think that we'll go dancing tonight, after all." They say that it is an ill wind, etc!


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