Discharge Book numbering from WW 2 to 1972 for British seamen

[John Onslow]

I'm R903926 issued Sept 1971

[Gregor Ross]

R905395 - Issued on entry to MN 8th May 1972 (51 years ago yesterday)

A new book was issued on 24th November 1972 but kept the original number. That was 3 days before I signed on the GLENLYON in London bound for the far east, round the cape. For some reason the GLENLYON trip is registered in the original book.

That was an interesting trip. On leaving the Thames we headed down the western approaches into the teeth of a force 10+. The Old Man kept her on full ahead slamming into some really heavy waves. I was on watch with the 2nd Mate - all I could do for 4 hours was hang on to the radar console . 2nd Mate left the bridge in disgust.

We passed Ushant and then rolled wickedly all the way down to Las Palmas. We had around 8 passengers on board. When we got to Las Palmas half of them demanded to be put ashore even though they had paid for a 3 month round trip.

[Gregor Ross]

Quite an experience. As an 'indentured' apprentice he would have had a Discharge Book issued, but there would be no entries in it until after his indentures were completed. The ships he served on during his apprenticeship would have been notated on the back of his indentures, or on a separate letter attached to his indentures.

My father was also indentured in 1939 . To "Hungry Hogarths" I believe. I would like if possible to trace his voyages during the war, they were mostly in the N Atlantic I believe. I have his discharge book number somewhere but from the sound of it that's not going to help. Anybody have any ideas where to start looking.?

[j.sabourn]

Well the old B.O.T . Would of had to confirm his seatime by the letter or Indentures produced as proof for being able to take the examination .But as both now don’t seem to exist will have to discover another approach .if he went up the expected way 2 mate , 1 mate , and master he would probably have a watchkeeping certificate issued by the master of every ship he was on in between certificates, Were they not in his personal effects when he died ?.These were apart from his voyages in his discharge book. I have a book called British Tramps and covers all tramp shipping during the war years and after , although I have had this book for many years I have never read it fully , only for a ref. To certain ships that I wanted to know about .If you have a list of your fathers ships I can have a look, but must warn you am a slow reader these days . Cheers JS
PS Hungry Hogarths or better known as the Baron Boats always during my time at sea had the reputation of being the real long trppers and the often 2 year Voyage was not too unusual . JS..

[Ivan Cloherty]

. 2nd Mate left the bridge in disgust.

.

Where did he go? he was still going to experience the bad weather whilst in his cabin, probably his last trip in the Company whether he wanted it or not

Personally, having experienced hurricanes, typhoons (a hurricane by any other name) cyclonic weather, I consider the bridge the safest place to be, at least you can see what is going on, well in some instances you can only see the foc'le head! and even that disappears into the briny more than you would like it to.

[Hugh]

My father was also indentured in 1939 . To "Hungry Hogarths" I believe. I would like if possible to trace his voyages during the war, they were mostly in the N Atlantic I believe. I have his discharge book number somewhere but from the sound of it that's not going to help. Anybody have any ideas where to start looking.?

Hi Gregor,
Name, date and place of birth of your father would help - even if you cant find his Dis.A

Regards
Hugh

[Bob Gawler]

Mine is R 639546 issued Dec 1955.

My discharge book number R781342 issued Dec 1962 Gravesend Training school

[Des Taff Jenkins]

Hi John.
They even carried the long trips on to the one tanker they had, I was out on the Baron Kilmarnock for twelve months.
Des

[j.sabourn]

Hi Des good morning, I have a feeling I sailed with a master from Glasgow when on a foreign flag ship and think he served his time with Hogarths and went all the way to the top. I maybe getting mixed up with the company’s but didn’t they sell out to Lyles the sugar people. Think he went with them then He was one of the first on the redundancy list when they folded , due to putting one of their ships on the reef coming out of one of the sugar ports in FNQ. I may be totally wrong here as memory over the years can be wrong, but that’s how I remember it. He had a chip on his shoulder about it and got a daily sermon on the wrongs done to him for the 6 months I was there with him. His discontent extended to his lack of interest on the ship we were on , I left in Montreal after 12 months and he shortly after . Being a foreign flag vessel money wise the ship was run on monthly portage account and when I was there used to do it for him or assist as necessary , after I left he didn’t bother . So he was met at Heathrow Airport by a delegation from the office wanting all the portage accounts he should have sent in but apparently had not , he handed in the ones I had assisted with saying there’s your so and so accounts , short of course . Don’t think he was asked back. His wife who he had on board during the Great Lakes run he sent home after coming out . When I got home I received a phone call from her saying on arrival London the customs found 100 rounds of pistol ammunition in her luggage belonging to her spouses personal firearm , he hadn’t told her it was there. Don’t think that marriage lasted too long after. Apparentlly was more disturbed man than I thought at the time. You always remember all the very good people but also those whose middle name was trouble . Cheers JS

This master was at least 10 years older than me which makes him born in 1927 so could well have been an apprentice during the war years , I will not divulge his name as apart from still being resident on this earth, others may know him and maybe too personal , stranger things have happened at sea. JS

[j.sabourn]

#382 Think it was the same bloke who I described in another post reference to Aden. He was master on some ship and may of even been one of Hogarths. They were at steamer point in Aden taking bunkers during the troubled era of Mad Mitch , all ready to sail pilot on board and singled up to the bunkering buoy. News came from the shore of riots and various other problems and was told to return ashore. Which he did. The master then told the mate on the focsle to chop the head line , he then went full ahead to get clear of the port and in the process sank the pilot cutter. Then told me he couldn’t go back to Aden as would be arrested . Quite an interesting career what with
Being in contact with reefs and pilot cutters . JS