# Brian Plaice



## Grayson (Sep 16, 2013)

In the very late 50's early 60's a school friend of mine, Brian Plaice, joined the MV "Monmouthshire". Since leaving Aberdare Boys' Grammar School in south Wales, we have lost contact. I am writing to see if there is someone out there who knew Brian from his Navy days!?
Thank you in advance for your help!


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## John Rogers (May 11, 2004)

Welcome to SN Grayson, nice to see another Welshman out there educating the flock.
Spent a lot of time in Aberdare,had two female cousins that lived there and visited often.


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## Tom Inglis (May 3, 2007)

Grayson said:


> In the very late 50's early 60's a school friend of mine, Brian Plaice, joined the MV "Monmouthshire". Since leaving Aberdare Boys' Grammar School in south Wales, we have lost contact. I am writing to see if there is someone out there who knew Brian from his Navy days!?
> Thank you in advance for your help!


Hello Grayson,
I sailed on Monmouthshire from London on 3rd November 1957 as a first trip Middy [cadet] to the Far East . Do you know what your friend Bryan did at sea? Was he an engineer or a deck cadet? We had six cadets on Monmouthshire but Bryan was not one of them. That voyage was Voyage 1 of Monmouthshire so he must have been after that date. It was not a new ship but had just been transferred from Blue Funnel line and renamed. I am in touch with a lot of guys from that time and may be able to track him down. But it would help if you could give me any other clues. Monmouthshire was a vessel of Glen and Shire Line which was closely linked with Blue Funnel Line and we could be posted to Blue Funnel ships or Glen/Shire [red funnel] ships.
I will do some searching in this cold wet weather we are now experiencing.
Regards
Tom Inglis


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## Grayson (Sep 16, 2013)

*Tracing Brian Plaice*

Hello Tom,

All I have is Brian Plaice's forwarding address:
M.V. "Monmouthshire"
c/o Alfred Holt & Co
India Buildings,
Liverpool 2

Is it possible to find his name on the crew during this period of time via the archives of the company? I might then be able to step-by-step follow his whereabouts up to the present day!?
Thanks for your help!

Best regards,

Grayson


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## Tom Inglis (May 3, 2007)

Grayson said:


> Hello Tom,
> 
> All I have is Brian Plaice's forwarding address:
> M.V. "Monmouthshire"
> ...


Hi Grayson,
Well the address is Liverpool is correct. 
I have spent some time today going through old copies of the company magazine for cadets.That magazine used to give a list of list of the ships and the names of the cadets who were on board for each voyage. I have details of the cadets on Monmouthshire for Voyages 1 to 7 with exception of Voyage 5 which would have sailed from London in mid 1959 . Your friend is not sailing as a cadet on any of these voyages.
I then searched the lists of people commencing indentures from 1957 to 1960 and found no trace of Brian Plaice. This is all very strange and has me puzzled. If he was straight from School he must have been a cadet [either Deck or Engineering] All ratings on Glen ships were Chinese.
Your thought of searching the archives of Alfred Holt & Co will not be possible I fear. The company was wound up in the late 1980's and no longer exists. India Buildings in Liverpool, which was owned by Holts has also been sold and I have no idea where the archives would be now. The National Archives at Kew will have details but you will need more than just the name and ship name to gain access. Kew have a pouch for every person who sailed in merchant Navy but to gain access you would need the person's "Discharge book number" since these are personal files.
Does anybody in Aberdare know anything about Brian which might shed a light?.
Sorry I can't be of more help.
Let's hope that some other ex Blue Funnel /Glen Line guys on SN might be able to throw some light.
Best regards
Tom Inglis


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## oilkinger (Dec 17, 2008)

I see on Google that there was a "Brian's Plaice" fish & chip restaurant in Cyprus. Now Closed.


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## Tom Inglis (May 3, 2007)

Tom Inglis said:


> Hi Grayson,
> Well the address is Liverpool is correct.
> I have spent some time today going through old copies of the company magazine for cadets.That magazine used to give a list of list of the ships and the names of the cadets who were on board for each voyage. I have details of the cadets on Monmouthshire for Voyages 1 to 7 with exception of Voyage 5 which would have sailed from London in mid 1959 . Your friend is not sailing as a cadet on any of these voyages.
> I then searched the lists of people commencing indentures from 1957 to 1960 and found no trace of Brian Plaice. This is all very strange and has me puzzled. If he was straight from School he must have been a cadet [either Deck or Engineering] All ratings on Glen ships were Chinese.
> ...


Further to above message, I contacted the Association of ex Ocean [Alfred Holt & Co ] people and they have no person by the name of Plaice on their data base.
regards 
Tom


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## rcr (Sep 18, 2013)

Hi Tom, I'm Grayson's brother and have checked Brian Plaice's records at Aberdare Grammar School and his correct name was Brian Deason Place. I don't know if this would help in tracing him. I think he was a radio officer.

Thanks, Clive


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## Tom Inglis (May 3, 2007)

rcr said:


> Hi Tom, I'm Grayson's brother and have checked Brian Plaice's records at Aberdare Grammar School and his correct name was Brian Deason Place. I don't know if this would help in tracing him. I think he was a radio officer.
> 
> Thanks, Clive


Hi Clive, 
thanks for that lead ref Radio Officer , I have contact with a couple of R/O's and will fish a bit more.
I also googled Brian at Aberdare Grammar School and found the correct spelling . Also noted the school photo of Brian and Grayson together [171 &172] in 1957. He was not the 2nd R/O on Monmouthshire voyage 1 when I was there.

Regards
Tom


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