Discharge Book

[John Arton]

All my entries in my discharge books from 1967 onwards for both signing on and off have been signed by the ships captain. The only signature from a shipping master is the signature in my first ever discharge book when it was issued in Liverpool in September 1967 where a certain Mr. Williams signed it as issued on entry into the Merchant Navy.
As master I used to sign all my crew members discharge books (or continuous service Record Book as they are more commonly called in many countries) when they joined and left the ship along with my own Discharge Book.
rgds
JA

[Red Lead Ted]

May be true in a lot of cases Ted----- in the same company

Ivan, There was always one that slipped through the net, In every walk of life. I knew some right miserable buggers in every department a lot of them were scousers. And i knew a few that claimed to be scousers. You either have the ingredients for scouse or you don't. I only sailed with them who new the ingredients. I remember a scouse steward with a very broad scouse accent he actually came from North Wales. There was nothing special in being a scouser at sea, But I new a lot of guys from the country over who where happy to have them aboard the skipper you sailed with would have got a 72 hour notice of me as soon as I met him failing that I would have missed the ship. Regards Terry.

[Ivan Cloherty]

Unfortunately Ted they don't show their true colours until after you've sailed, but it makes you appreciate the good Masters and I was blessed with serving under some true gentlemen in all respects