Duquesa the one i refused (By Mike Hall)
by Published on 16th August 2016 08:19 PM
DUQUESA THE ONE I REFUSED
It was September 1960, and I was still at home waiting for the seaman’s strike to end.
I had just celebrated my 18th birthday. The strike had started way back in July, just as I paid off the Port Halifax. I had heard on the news that the strike was about to end, and after I phoned the pool office, I was encouraged to report as soon as possible. I would then get one of the best ships and jobs going. So I started to prepare myself for sea again.
Early one morning on Saturday 10th September, I caught the local bus into town and made the short walk to the railway station, where I caught the train to Woolwich, from there I made my way to the ferry then onwards to the docks.
I had reported to the federation offices in the Royal Group Docks and was given the ship Duquesa of Houlder Brothers Ltd, and the job of galley boy.
The ship was lying in the Albert dock and she looked quite large, she carried twelve passengers. When I got on board, it was lunch time, and I was asked to put my cases to one side and start straight away with the washing up in the galley. They did not even give me time to change. My immediate answer was “no”. I would like to unpack and get changed first. I was told that was not an option. I then said that I was sorry that I could not comply with their request and that I was going back to the federation offices to explain the situation. The reply was, “you do that then”.
When I got to the shipping federation offices I managed to see the person who detailed me the ship, and I explained to him what had happened. He stated they should have given me some time before I started work, meal time or not.
He then offered me a job on the Royston Grange. He also said he would send someone else down to the Duquesa, later in the day. His words, I’ll make them wait a bit longer.
CONSTRUCTION NOTES
BUILDER-------------HAWTHORNE LESLIE & CO
YARD NO------------995
ENGINES BY--------By builders
YEAR BUILT--------1949
PROPOLSION-------Pametrada steam turbines
LAUNCHED---------10/05/1948
TYPE------------------Cargo
TONNAGE-----------6564
LENGTH-------------479ft
BREADTH-----------
REGISTERED AT--London
SPEED----------------
OFFICIAL NUMBER 182978
HISTORY
1949 Completed for Furness Houlder Lines
1950 Sailing delayed due to problems in Argentina.
1950 Diverted to New Zealand but delayed due to dock strike
1951 After three months loaded by the New Zealand army.
1965 Transferred to Furness Withy
1968 Transferred to Royal Mail Lines
1969 Arrived at La Spezia for demolition
Last edited by Doc Vernon; 16th August 2016 at 08:28 PM.
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