canadian pacific.

[Annlouise2010]

i know this may sound like an unusal email, but im currently looking for my biological grandfather, and need as much help as i can find. and was wondering if you may be of any help.
I have been given very limited information on the mentioned man.
I believe he is called FRANK SWEENEY,and also believe he served on CANADIAN PACIFIC (empress of canada), around the 1960's. im not sure what exactly his role was upon this ship, but i also believe he originated from SPEKE - LIVERPOOL.
My grandmother also worked on this ship around the same time. her name is PATRICIA ASPIN. if anyone knows or remembers these 2 people, please do not hesitate to get in touch.
I know this is very limited information, but if you have any information, no matter how big or small, i would be very grateful.
Well thank you for taking your time to read this email. i look forward to hearing from you.
Thank you once again
Yours sincerly
Annlouise

[Carl Leckey]

I served on the Liverpool tug Prairie Cock as AB and Mate She was formerly the CPR tug Moose.
She had quite a history since she was built in Grayson Rollo's yard in Garston !915, I am trying to trace the history of her sinking in WW1 alongside HMT Kingstonia torpedoed off Sardinia 1918.I can find no record of the Kingstonia troop ship or the names of the crew lost on the tug Moose. The Moose was raised continued her war work and was returned to the owners CPR after the war. In 1945 she sank again losing her six man crew. I can find no record of their names. Any assistance would be most welcome. carl Leckey.

[leratty]

I did two trips on the Beaver Ash late 64/early65 I think? London & up the Gt Lakes, must say she was a top as well as beautiful little ship with great food best of any ship I served on. Crossing the Atlantic though was hairy as she rolled appallingly had to keep our ports shut at all times as if you did not you came back to a flooded cabin, she was like a laundromat washing machine. Those trips were sublime for the beauty of the St Lawrence R & its small ports Three Rivers etc, Quebec, Montreal, then the Gt Lakes. Have some great as well as hilarious memories of those trips. Terrific crew all way round. The lakes are just amazingly beautiful the trip through the locks an experience never to be forgotten, especially as I was youngest as well as lightest, ergo had to do the swing out in bosun's chair coming into locks landing on the lock side run forward/aft to secure the lines. Looking back scary as well as seriously dangerous! No H&S though then (: & we were to dumb to recognise the seriousness of it, ah the bliss of youthful ignorance & bravado. Often wonder if anyone ever got killed or injured doing that? Getting back aboard as we exited the lock was just as dangerous too. Best wishes to all who sailed at that time on the Beaver boats great Co.

[Ivan Cloherty]

On the ships I sailed on they had an inverted "T" bar and you stood with your feet on the bottom bar and hung onto the vertical. This enabled you to jump off quickly as you were swung over the lock on a special boom at the break of the foc'le. Anyone remember these, wot appens now as them elf n safti wud ave a blu fit mate innit! whateffer.

[John Arton]

Went up the Lakes on the Beaverfir in 68/69. Who can remember the painted note (in huge letters) on the first American lock tie up wall with an arrow poiting towards the fence enclosing the locks and the slogan "the cook went thataway", or the famous incident on the Beaverelm, I believe, wher one hot summers day going into the Eisenhower? (where there was a viewing gallery) and the Chippy leapt up onto the capstan aft, dropped hiskecks and stark naked in front of hundreds of yanks, struck the "Eros" pose whilst the capstan was being rotated. Happ, Happy days.
rgds
JA

[Mike Howden]

In my opinion the 'Ash' was the best of the five white beavers. She had a very warm feeling to the accommodation and an excellent reputation as a party ship. I sailed on her as Ch. Officer on her last seven trips for CP including the trip to the West Indies where the only reason she was not re-hired was the fact that she had hatch coamings in her tween decks which made it difficult for fork lift trucks to work in the tweendecks. She had originally been registered as an "open shelter deck" when she was owned by the Norwegians.
I can honestly say that my time on her was just about the best time I spent at sea and the only way they got me off her was to sell her in 1969.
I well remember the arrangements in St John mentioned in previous posts and it was Ralph Potts who put me wise.
It has been mentioned with reference to the arrangements for putting, usually an O/S, ashore on the layby berths in the Seaway. The booms on the Ash were rather long and one time we swung the lad out too far and he completely missed the jetty, the rope ran out and he ended up swimming!!
Happy days, never to be repeated.
Mike Howden

[leratty]

JC Mike on my two trips thank de Lord no one went swimming whilst doing that job. I was I think an EDH then but from memory it was the smaller deck party they sent to do this job? I agree she was a terrific ship & very pretty, I guess as she had good crews all round, friendly, no bull & the food + of course the trips. I would have enjoyed doing the WI on her though can not recall if is she was air con or not as we did not require it. Who was she sold to do you know of her latter years?
The other small ship I was on with the same ambiance was the Mendoza Star, most unlike a usual BSL vessel.

[Tony Morcom]

The Beaverash was sold to Friendship Shipping Co., Greece and renamed Zanet.

[Sharon Germain]

Hi Ted. My Dad was on the Beaverlake at around that time - he would only have been or 17. I wonder if anyone he sailed with is on this site (his name is Keith Germain) ?

[Dennis McGuckin]

Did several trips on the Beavercove and the Beaverdell.
Nice ships, even in heavy weather.