# Discharge book terms



## mikematthews

Hello
Just flicking through dads discharge book and wondered what the differance is between voyage not completed and engagement cancelled?

I suspect voyage not completed was dad deciding to find a better ship from the pool.

Any help welcome.

Mike


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## Pat Kennedy

A VNC was normally entered in your discharge book if, for any reason, you had signed on the ship, but left before the end of the voyage. for example, if you jumped ship in the Antipodes, as many did, your book would be emblazoned with a VNC.
I got one when I missed the ship in Avonmouth due to an accident ashore.
Ive never seen 'engagement cancelled' but I imagine that would occur if for some reason, the ship did not sail and the crew were released without having started work aboard.
Regards, 
Pat(Thumb)


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## Jardine

mikematthews said:


> Hello
> Just flicking through dads discharge book and wondered what the differance is between voyage not completed and engagement cancelled?
> 
> I suspect voyage not completed was dad deciding to find a better ship from the pool.
> 
> Any help welcome.
> 
> Mike


One must already be engaged on articles to warrant a VNC. An engagement cancelled will be endorsed in the discharge book if for some reason you decide not to sign on after the name of the ship is entered in the discharge book.


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## Cutsplice

Engagement cancelled is a new one to me, a VNC normally meant one could be in a spot of bother trying to sign on another ship, it would be looked upon as a sort of bad discharge. Now with Engagement cancelled in ones discharge book, what would be the repercussions when signing on the next vessel, I would expect an explaination would at least be required.


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## David E

Cutsplice said:


> Engagement cancelled is a new one to me, a VNC normally meant one could be in a spot of bother trying to sign on another ship, it would be looked upon as a sort of bad discharge. Now with Engagement cancelled in ones discharge book, what would be the repercussions when signing on the next vessel, I would expect an explaination would at least be required.


The Engagement Cancelled was used when the Company moved you to another ship after the Articles for a voyage had been opened.I was in Fyffes "Tortugero" in '55 when a NUS strike started.The ship was moved from Avonmouth to Newport (Mon) and there we stayed.When the strike finished I got moved to the "Manistee" and signed on her in Southampton.The entry was signed by the Master and the Newport Shipping Master.


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## John Rogers

When a person Jumped Ship and VNC was entered in the book there was no way that person had his discharge Book with him. It was sent to the shipping office or left with the ships agent to send it back.


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## TonyAllen

I got my VNC from the Windsor Castle, signed on in Birkenhead, then the seamans strike happend so never really stashed my gear aboard before she sailed, so never started the voyage ony


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## Cutsplice

I signed on an Elder Dempster vessel "Daru" in one of the Queens dock graving docks. The next day she was leaving but could not complete the crew due to lack of availability of deck ratings, the company transferred the African deck ratings of another vessel that was in Grayson Rollo Clovers drydock Birkenhead.
I was signed off in the normal manner with masters signature and shipping masters stamp etc, the voy was designated foreign going and I never even left the graving dock except by foot. PS got two VG,s.


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## tom.d

*tom.d*



Cutsplice said:


> Engagement cancelled is a new one to me, a VNC normally meant one could be in a spot of bother trying to sign on another ship, it would be looked upon as a sort of bad discharge. Now with Engagement cancelled in ones discharge book, what would be the repercussions when signing on the next vessel, I would expect an explaination would at least be required.


in 1956 if one got a iDR in your book it would normally be. no one would touch you in the normal companies, which left only the tramp or flagged out agencies


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