Ben Line list

[diverdavid]

hi there i sailed on the ben avon and the ben hope (last british crew) in 1985/86 i was a deck boy my name is david bayne

[Captain Gordon Whittaker]

I sailed with Ben line in 1960, after leaving Cunard, as apprentice at £9 a month for 16 hour days, no leave, etc, sheer exploitation, but I learned my trade by working on deck with great Scouse "proper" ABs, and became an expert at splicinig and rigging. I was on the old Ben Lawers, ex"Woolworth's" carrier, and the sleek Ben Doran, which did London to Singapore in 19 days. The "Old Man" saw my discharge book and adopted me to stand bridge watches with the Mate, where I did all the star sights and general chart work. I experienced great animosity from the messroom crowd, who sent me to Coventry, but a single cabin meant I could study in peace. Captain Harvey gave me all his text books. which are worth a fortune now and I went straight to Leith Nautical College, at my own expense, and passed 2nd Mates, never looking back. I sailed with several of the surly Aberdeen and Leith ABs, on later ships, as Mate and Master, and they had the good grace to apologise for their narrow minded attitudes. As Master, I went on deck and showed some of the so - called "Sailors", how to splice quickly and easily by working with two spikes and tucking against the open lay. If we had a late, "All hands", work out cleaning holds at night I led the way and rewarded the lads with a case of Tennents and a bottle, plus a hot meal at 2 in the morning. Not all "Officers" are arrogant or distant. but the standard of crew has declined so much that it is impossible to sleep safely whilst trusting the ship to incompetents, who would never have survived with a decent Bosun and Lamptrimmer and Chippy. I owe all my deck expertise to these guys who were, "Old School" graduates of decent training establishments. I am just sorry that there is no longer an opening for my grandsons to go to sea, without advanced qualifications. In those days we all worked hard and played hard, and took a pride in a job done professionally. Please do not begrudge those who worked hard and gained the hard earned "Tickets", despite messroom resentment. I never forgot the encouragement that I had, and always tried to pass it on, with several of my crew attending College and attaining Board of Trade tickets. Tolerance is an admirable trait, in my opinion.

[happy daze john in oz]

Well Captain I did a few voyages as an officers steward and found the engineering officers to be a great crowd, as were most of the junior deck, but the senior ones, forget it. That was on liners, though I found on cargo ships they were a bit more human.

[salvina]

Hi, I sailed as 2nd lecky on the Benvrackie and Benvenue coastal trips and the Benalbanach (heavy lift ex Empire Athelstan) coast and deep sea between April and December 1961. I was asked back on the Albanach but after 3 generator fires in the boiler flat and old Jeff Jeffries as chief lecky I declined and went on to bigger and better things!
Now living in North Cyprus after 34 happy years in South Africa.
And believe me North Cyprus is really a 3rd world place (I won't dignify it by calling it a country!)

Ian Mundie R731308

Any Shelties aboard???

[Nigel J]

Hi Gordon

Havn't logged in for some time and have only just read your May entry.
I too sailed under that gentlemanly Old Man J.C Harvey between March and July 1960 as 3rd mate and still have my "Strictly sober at all times" reference to proove it!

Altogether I was with Ben Line, frst as a very green Cadet in 1953 on Benlomond (ex Leith Nautical College) to 2nd Mate on Benmacdhui before leaving the sea in 1961.

Now retired from my second job, I'm again involved in a minor way with William Thomson. This time to erect a memorial to men of the Merchant Navy in Leith. More of that anon, once things have become more finalised.

Nigel Johnston

[Brian Westgarth]

Hi, I seem to remember Arthur doing the "Eastern Sisters" , a promotional film made on the Benloyal I think, he was the Engineer looking for paint cracking on the prop-shaft couplings. I think I did a couple of coasts with him (and Ivan Lloyd the " Fang" if you knew him)
I have a copy of BEN LINE Fleet List and Short History which you would be welcome to have a loan of.
If you are still in No Shields I'm only in Wallsend.
Cheers, Brian Westgarth

[Wully Farquhar]

Hi Salvina,I sailed with a few Shelties in the Ben-Line,that was in the mid sixties so some of the names fail me now,one or two i remember,Jeemie Irvine fae Whalsay,Lourie Laird from Hillswick,Jimmy Dalziel think he was from the west side someway,sorry i don't remember the other lads namesa long time ago.Sailed on a few of the Ben boats,the Venue,Loyal Lomond,and the Arty which was heavy lift job,the "Beast was bosun aboard there.She was a motor ship which had a lot of bother with her engine,broke down one trip in the Red Sea for two days,that was an experiance on it's own,thought we were all going to get cooked with the heat.

[Alan Bland]

Hi Brian .
please forgive me for the delay in answering your message. and your kind offer of loan of copy of book entitled (BEN LINE HISTORY).

My daughter managed to obtain a copy from E/BAY which has lots of info about BEN LINE history,with photos of ships Arthur recognised, He is still in care & is very ill with Althsimers & can not remember lots things .but he still likes to (swing the lamp) like we all do
Thank you once again for your offer .(yes we both still live in North Shields )
Regards Alan Bland.

[James Watt]

I started with the ben line in 1962 on the benattow (ex pegu) built 1942, as 7th engineer my newest ship was the bendoran, I did quite a few trips on the benrinnes and bennevis, I left the company as they kept putting me on the older ships I was 3rd eng. on bennevis when I left in 1974.

[David Kirke Thomson]

I joined my first ship straight from the T.S.Dolphin on DEC 14 63, the Benloyal a truly beautiful ship.only did the coast about 3 weeks.I then joined the Bengloe on jan 8 64 coast & 3 voyages paying off 11 dec 64.Bendearg coast 11-01-65 to 01-02-65,Benvorlich coast 04-02-65 to 04-03-65,Benlomond coast & voyage from 16-03-65 to 08-07-65.Sadly my last Benboat.I left as j.o.s.& learned so much in my 19 months & loved it & have great memories of my time as a (Benboat man).Even though I was only turned 17 when I moved on. Good times never to be forgotten.Davy Kirke Thomson fae Saltcoats Ayrshire.