Pennyworth.

[Jim Brady]

Joll,for some reason I was not able to access the Crew List,Isee you were on the Pennyworth.I was on this ship about 1959.I can only say that although the accommodation was good it was the most miserable ship I sailed on.It just had no atmosphere.It was a funny ship the Chief Steward used to make jelly every Sunday and also slice the bacon each day.I hated turning to every day going along that tunnel from aft to for'ard there just was'nt a ship feeling to it.There was just nothing about it like a ship!!!
Regards.
Jim.B.
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[j.sabourn]

Sorry to hear your time on Pennyworth so miserable. The Pennyworth was my first job as 1st. Mate in 64.
I was there about a year and enjoyed the short trips, the longest being 6 weeks, ship was on a running agreement then so anyone could leave on giving the proper notice. The bulk of the crew if I remember correctly were there the total time I served on vessel. I was working in Australia and assossiated areas since 1991, and had as a Ch. Cook with me out here who did his first trip as a galley boy on same vessel and he had no complaints about vessel, unfortuanetly his name escapes me at the moment. Anyhow I had always been used to long trips usually about a year or so, so maybe I saw the Pennyworth through Rose tinted Glasses. Cheers John Sabourn

[Jim Brady]

Hi John,I suppose the trip across the North Atlantic to Seven Islands with a two hour turn around without a run ashore would,nt help matters.Back to cardiff where we had a good couple of days then a trip to Bone which was not much of a run ashore back to the N.E.Coast Middlseboro i think and paid off.The Captain was from the N.ECoast a small man always wore a beret.A very fair man,he was about to dish out eleven single D.R.'s and two double D.R's for our escapades in Cardiff(Delayed the ship by about two hours taxis sent outlooking for us,found us in the North Star club.)The Shipping Master was about to stamp the books when the Captain stepped in and said"O.K give them all V.G's"He then warned "Tell your mates in Liverpool if they join this ship and cause any trouble I wont be so lenient next time.
"Regards.
Jim.B.

[j.sabourn]

Hi Jim, the old man was Ian Gault from the NE and C/Eng. was something Candiotis out of Athel Tankers.
I was sent down to Middlesborough to have a look at ship (didnt even know what an ore carrier was then) at time was trying to get a job on the NE colliers with no luck. However Ian Gault I had sailed with in Runcimans when I was 3 mate and he was mate, so he got the old beer out and I was signed on within the first hour, so had to go back to Newcastle and get my gear. Another Master that was there was Jordan from S.Shields also out of Runcimans, think he died a number of years back. I was married with a young family by then so the short trips were a bonus. However after the seamans strike 1966?? I went back to the long trips again and finished up on foreign flag ships a whole different story. I came back into British ships in 71 in John I Jacobs messed around for a few years saw the writing on the wall, and went into the N.Sea oil Industry in 78 another different story and way of life. Any how all the best. Take care. Cheers John Sabourn

[Jim Brady]

John,I can see why you enjoyed your time on the Pennyworth,1st trip as mate with a captain you knew well also short trips so you could be home more often with your family.You had everything going for you.
I've been trying to think back why I thought it was a mjserable ship.I think most of the time I was on her it was inclement weather so the only time I would've gone out on deck would've been to empty the "Rosie" over the wall.I was officers steward and as I said I used to use the tunnel to go midships,once up there I was on my own away from the rest of the boys.
I remember the Chief Steward,we called him "Torchy" (The Battery Boy)because he had a hearing aid.
Regards.
Jim.B.

[Louis the Amigo]

hI SHIPMATES. I was on the PENNYWORTH a iron ore wagon in 1969 but not for long!!!!! harrtlepool was a very nice place then the young ladys were very nice there. I wa far s too young for the ship, I had too much newcastle exbition and that lovely brown ale to go back on that one?

[j.sabourn]

Can see your point of view re weather, we did 2 trips to Murmansk in the winter, the first around the North Cape, bad weather wasnt the word. The second trip we went through the fiords but at this time we had a Polish 2nd.Engineer and had to land him in Norway and pick him up on the way back, as he reckoned the Ruskis would have arrested him. Anyhow he got a nice holiday in Norway out of it. The weather was I believe about minus 28 degrees in Murmansk, frozen ballast and all the other problems, battening down the hatches we worked it in 3 or 4 shifts about 4 minutes on deck at a time. The locals up there were used to it and just carried on as if the weathe was ok. The Vittoria (Brazil) trips were the best 6 week all round and back to Cardiff. Anyhow the tunnels were certainly used going around that N.Cape. Regards John S.

[john burroughs]

hi,my dad who sadly has now passed away sailed on the pennyworth from around july 1959 his name was charles james burroughs and i know very little about his days when he was younger i would love to know if anyone remembers him or if they served at the same time.thankyou

[Jim Brady]

Hi John,I was on the Pennyworth from April to June 59.
Regards.
Jim.b.

[Keith Tait]

Hi,
My Grandfather was Chief Engineer on a Ship called Pennyworth and was badly burnt in an explosion in the engineroom in August 1965....could it be the same Pennyworth? I have been researching family history and would welcome any information about the ship and the accident. My Greanfather was Henry (Harry) Tait and he was about 65 in 1965.
Keith