The Role of Conductor on a Cargo Ship

[Doc Vernon]

Just Re Reading part of the comment in the Original Post

Re"
In Calcutta, my relative was given a letter stating "To whom it may concern. Conductor S G Hirst is to be allowed access to the vessel at all times ....."

I am wondering perhaps if the Letter did in fact refer to him being a Musical Conductor of sorts,and was just given permission to go aboard the Ship as stated!
So it could just have been an introductory letter, he possibly seeking a position on Board Ship???

Thus if we have his name , Date and Place of Birth, may be able to clarify this !
Cheers

[Ivan Cloherty]

I would doubt that 'Bank Line' (Andrew Weir SS Co Ltd) who were basically tramp ships would have a musical director Doc, but strange things happen at sea, but as mentioned earlier when trading out in the Indian sub continent and the Far East they did carry deck passengers on coastal trades, quite common in India in those days. Bank Line, like Ropners were noted for their trip lengths 18 to 24 months not being unusual and deck passengers were a good source of revenue, the only service the ship supplied was fresh water and thunder boxes. The passengers provided their own food, stoves and cooks.

[j.sabourn]

The main ranks on an Indian crewed ship. Are Serang, Tindal, and Cassab, that is bosun , bosuns mate, and storekeeper, kalassi one and two , that is seaman 1 or 2,
Winch wallah , winch driver, Bhandari cook. Topaz the bottom of the heap usually an untouchable deck and engine room sweeper upperer
The other were mainly English words like the stewards were called as such. Also the carpenter was called as usual. Then you usually carried 4 quarter masters and they were the only helmsmen on the ship ,their name slips me at moment as too early in the morning. Must be waking up the name was secunny. JS

[j.sabourn]

#11 maybe the letter is a shore pass to get in the gate with his violin Vernon ? Cheers JS

[Des Taff Jenkins]

I know life was cheap in India when I first went to sea, but I hope he wasn't there to climb the mast and hold up a metal bar in the air when there was a storm.
Des

[happy daze john in oz]

Conductor on a cargo ship????

Bloody hell when I first read it I had visions of him asking to see my ticket!!!!!

[j.sabourn]

#15 Maybe someone told him that was what a fid was for , splicing in an electric storm. ? JS

[j.sabourn]

#16. Every ship had conductors on board John , they were attached to the ends of all wireless room aerials. Maybe they needed a spare just in case like Harry. JS. Sorry was thinking of insulators. What the heck. JS

[Steve Peacock]

As a similar answer and knowing that Bankline would carry whatever they could that paid, I would think this was related to some kind of deck passengers. Bank boats took "round the World" passengers on its Copra runs in the 1970's / 80's. I'm sure they could get a lot more on deck around India at the expense of providing a couple of Thunder boxes.

[Mike Hall]

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