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Thread: MV Waipawa

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    David Thomas's Avatar
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    Default MV Waipawa

    I am doing some research for my mum who sailed out to Australia in the MV Waipawa in June 1946. She believes that there were only a dozen or so people on board and yet the passenger list that I have found lists 24 people. I believe that I have also found some link where it stated that the MV Waipawa only had capacity for 12 passengers. Can anyone confirm how many passenger cabins the MV Waipawa had and what her capacity was for passengers?

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    Default Re: MV Waipawa

    According to this,it seems that it had capacity to carry quite a few!??
    Not sure though.

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    Ship name:WAIPAWA

    Official Number:163657

    Master's name:W G West

    Date of departure::1 June 1946

    Port of departure:Liverpool

    Steamship line:Shaw Savill Line

    Where bound:Australia

    Where bound route:Australia

    Square feet:

    Registered tonnage:7649.8
    Report transcript error
    This passenger list consists of 2 pages
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    R697530

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    David Thomas's Avatar
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    Default Re: MV Waipawa

    Yes, I have looked at those, and they typically have a passenger list of about 24 people. But, my mum, who is 92 (Lynda Thomas on the 15/June/1946 passenger list) is certain that there were on 11 or 12 people on Waipawa when she went to Australia. When I showed mum the passenger list (expanded so that she could easily read it, thereby excluding the destination column) she picked out the names of those who were going to Sydney but none of those going to Melbourne. The closest people to mum and dad's age were the Beeching family who were going to Melbourne and mum has absolutely no memories of them. I t just seems a bit curious.

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    Default Re: MV Waipawa

    Further to my earlier two notes, I have now had a look at 'Merchant Fleets: Shaw Savill and AlbionNo 10' by Duncan Haws and that clearly states that in 1945, the MV Waipawa had accommodation for 12 passengers. Yet, when I looked at the Passenger list for the next departure of MV Waipawa from Liverpool (November 1946) there are 24 passengers listed. The mystery deepens.

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    Default Re: MV Waipawa

    I sailed as a engineer on the Waipawa for her last couple of trips. Where the cabin were had been stripped to form what they called a "Bridge Space". It was usually loaded with cars outward bound and wool homeward bound. I wandered thru this space when it was empty and on the Deck Head there were written names of the War Brides she carried out to Aus and NZ after the war.. The Waipawa was probably the dirtiest but happiest I had the pleasure of sailing on. Many a story could be told of life in her engine room.

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    Default Re: MV Waipawa

    Hi Ray. I never sailed on the Waipawa though I knew a few who did. This from my collection. Hope it brings back memories.
    British Flag "Waipawa" (1934)
    10,702 grt, Leaving King George Dock, Hull Circa 1967
    Photo R.H. Myers.

    Bill
    Attached Images Attached Images

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    Default Re: MV Waipawa

    From the photograph I would say she was definitely a typical 12 passenger type vessel, the passenger accommodation usually on this type being on the boat deck. Other 12 passenger vessels normally had an extra deck below the boat deck, known as the promenade deck to, The passengers had the starboard side of the Prom deck and Officers accommodated on the port side of Prom deck. The passengers had the run of the Prom Deck and boat deck, but never the main deck. Although on one run from UK - NZ we had passengers painting on the foredeck where the OOW could keep a weather eye on them. The painting was at their request being bored to tears with just a library and bar on a 30 day passage. In the 40's - 70's era any vessel carrying more than 12 passengers had to carry a doctor, to have this added expense for an additional 12 passengers was probably uneconomical

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    Default Re: MV Waipawa

    If my memory is right we had unloaded some race horse the Queen Mother had brought over from NZ. The seaman strike was either on or about to happen. We spent quite some time swinging on the hook in the Thames Estuary before moving up to the Royal Docks. Prior to berthing at Hull we lost a anchor while sitting awaiting to berth. During the strike we tied against the Sydney Star where us engineers from both ships could compare the state of both ERs.

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    Remember the strike very well and can say with all honesty the crowd on the ship I was on didn’t want it to happen. In fact a lot of them came and said if they were called out they wouldn’t be back and the Bosun came and gave me a list of names which included himself. A lot of good seamen went ashore to stay from that day forth. And that was the day of the real decline of the British Merchant Navy as such. Within the next two weeks the wheels were already in motion and the ship I was on was already receiving visits from what would be called Time and Motion men . It was the early days of reduced manning. Not quite sure but was this the time that the AB/Handyman appeared on the scene??? Cheers. JWS

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    Default Re: MV Waipawa

    With all due respect John.Regarding the impending 1966 Strike.

    Were the Bosun and others responding to the "Are you coming Back ,next Trip.?

    If so,the answer given ,had no
    option.
    The Deck and Engine Room Crews , were most active in support.

    The Passenger Ship's Stewards were very reluctant ,owing to the Perks .Tips and Fiddles,Which more often than not exceeded their nominal wage.
    For instance,the Best Paid,member on the Himalaya ,for example ,was the Barman.

    The late Master of the Queen Mary , Capt.Donald Sorrel ,was well aware of the situation .
    Every few Trips or so .A notice placed by the Chief Stwd.On his First class.Board.Indicated that a Collection was being conducted.On Behalf of "The Missions to Seamen." Donations .will be acknowledged ,in writing By the Master

    just one of the many kind little deeds,He was responsible for.

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