blue star line.

[DeepSea]

Hello Mike,

Not sure if you are just making a statement about the ships or making an inquiry.

[Captain Gordon Whittaker]

Should have gone to "Specsavers. Waveny with an "N" or Waverley, a very famous vessel, still visiting Great Yarmouth in the Summer months! My specs do let me down at times, also. As my old Granny said, "Old age does not come alone".

[alf corbyn]

sorry lads, just testing. i was on blue star and some of them felt like paddle boats at times. alf.

[John Gill]

joined a coaster January '56, named Foch Rose, somewhere on the East coast, here today here tomorrow. My rating was galley boy, but soon found that i did everything except join the Lascars down below shovelling coal. we had a cook/steward who i used to accompany ashore to do the shopping, usually at a local Co.op shop- (feeding was not mentioned in the Articles) She was crewed with skipper and mate, chief engineer and second and the above catering staff. I think there was a deckhand but like the down below crowd i never did see them. My first duty in the morning was to light a coal fire in the saloon- honest- could'nt believe it myself, (i hope someone out there might back me up on that one) The skipper and chief engineer dined together in the saloon at lunchtime- they loathed each other, did not speak a word to each other during the meal
Part of the meal deal allowance was dessert on only three days a week, always on Sunday but the other occasions depended on what was on offer in the shops. I served lunch one day and after serving the main course went below for my afternoon nap. An hour later my door burst open and the skipper stood there demanding his 'pudding'. i had laid the table with a dessert spoon in error. ' You laid pudding spoon-i want my pudding-now'. I was sacked soon after and after deductions did'nt have enough money to get back home to Liverpool from Hartlepool, had to go cap in hand to the local nus who grudgingly issued me with a rail travel warrant. They took your subscriptions every week plus political levy but gave little back in return.
gilly

[Gulliver]

Hi John
s.s.FOCH ROSE(ON 145960) ,1,135 grt , didn't last long after you'd been on her.
She was built by John Fullerton & Co,Paisley in 1922, and owned by Robert Hughes,Liverpool,then ownership being transferred in 52 to Hughes Holden Sg.Co,Swansea until 1956.She was broken up at Blyth 6/12/56. Total of 34 years .I often think that the longevity of such vessels is attributable in many cases to having the same 'company' men i.e.Master and Chief Engineer and perhaps a regular crew aboard for many years-.Agood thing for the Owners no doubt ,but not necessarily a good thing for the 'non-regular' crew members -as I think you found out.......

Best Regards
Gulliver

[alf corbyn]

just a quicky. they were all named after east coast rivers.

[Mike Hall]

Back in jan/feb 1962 i worked on a blue star passenger ship in the royal group docks
the ship was one of the following
ARGENTINA STAR
BRASIL STAR
PARAGUAY STAR
URUGUAY STAR
How can i find out which one i was on.?????

Mike

[Tony Morcom]

Silly as it may sound, have you looked in your Discharge Book?

[Bob Cheeseman]

No discharge with a work bye

[Tony Morcom]

I had mine completed and stamped in the middle section for a 2 month work by and was able to claim it as sea time. Comes under "Record of Service other than Sea service"