Empress Of England Old Bosun

[John Yates]

No disrespect Jim but think I'll wait for "John the Writer" to respond and clarify his duties.


Overtime for deck was kept by the Bosun and checked by C/O

So just what did the C/E and 2/E do on these passenger ships, no disrespect intended, just curious

Hi Ivan. Chief Engineers Writers served on all the Empress ships in the 50's through the 70's. The job was to record log books from the engine room.....from that we had to create an abstract of log. I worked directly for the Chief Engineer, and had an office between the Chief and Asst. The job also meant I had to do all wages for all Engineering Officers and Ratings. If I remember correctly this would have been some 80 plus in total. I guess my second job was to keep the Chief and Assistant Chief SOBER !!!!! Regards to all who served on the Empress of England. John Yates PS only wish I could find members that served between 1956 and 1961 ????????????

[Shaun Linton]

I knew a John Tomlinson. Empress of England. He was a 'baby purser' then. I have an old photo someplace. Shaun.

[William Turley]

I never got around to going in the Beehive, .
Cheers
Brian.

Brian,there are two Beehive pubs one in Paradise Street, and the other the bottom of Mount Pleasant. I think it was the later one. Kelly and Skelly drank there.

[George Girven]

I was an Engineer on both the Empress of England and Canada in 66/67 then went onto the Beaver Fir

EmpOfCanada01.jpg

EmpOfEngland06.jpg

Beaverfir.jpg

[John Arton]

George
Nice pictures
I was 2nd trip cadet on the Beaverfir in 69 (painted the whole of the stbd side of her by myself one day in St. Johns N.B.) and 5th Mate on the Canada in around 1972, the last year of her C.P. life. Stayed with C.P. up until 1989.
rgds
JA

[stanley waters]

I was also on the Canada at that time.As I remember it.We were actually in dry dock.Tods yard in Brooklyn.Having broken down coming into NY for the start of the winter season of cruising.Prior the ship had been in drydock in Liverpool.Of course all of the crew were broke.A cash advance was refused.Reason given no money in the ship.Various other requests were refused,ie a couple of TVs in the messes a supper late at night.We had many meetings and many representations were made to Capt Jeavons all fell on deaf ears.
Eventuall the last resort.Withdrawal of labour and yes we did have support of the longshoremen and riggers.CPR people did come out as did NUS reps who of course sided with the company as they always did,remember.I was in the 55 and the 60s strike.Oh happy days.Eventually something they said would never happen did.Captain Jeavons was removed from command and sent home.Captain Wallgate took over and we went on to complete the cruises.On the way home he Captain Wallgate called a metting of all crewmembers and brought the whole thing up again.We almost had more trouble.He in turn was removed on arrival in Liverpool.Captain Jeavons sailed in Beaver boats after that unfortunate episode which never would have happend had the crew been given a cash advance.I was in the Canada for ten years and remember it all vividly.

[Joseph farley]

Hi lads,
I was at Malaga airport last week and I was sitting next to an old boy who had trouble getting out of his chair as he was very bad on his legs and needed crutches to get about.
.
Ian.

I was on the England from 1964 and sailed from Liverpool to Canada on 10th Aurgust 1964 . Saw the Beatles live a week later in Montreal.whete you on board for that trip.

[Christine quilliam]

I sailed on the Empress of England in the early 60s.--another Capt, flown out.

Hi I think Martin Quinn was my grandad a tough man lol ...my dad was also in mn his name is George Quilliam born 1936

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Hi my dad did George Quilliam

[Doc Vernon]

Hello Christine
Could that be possibly Born 1935 .as there is one at the NA with that date,but many old Seamen changed their DOB on joining for some reason or the other!
Cheers


Reference:
BT 372/1593/77

Description:

R580133 QUILLIAM G E 20/12/1935 LIVERPOOL

R580133 QUILLIAM G E 20/12/1935 LIVERPOOL | The National Archives

[Captain Kong]

Hi Christine,
Martin was a hard man, But if you were a good seaman you were OK.
We were in Montreal in the Liverpool House pub across from the ship.
Martin was sat with the Carpenter and Bosuns Mate, He then went to the Gents and was followed in by four French Canadian Dockers, with Hand Hooks over their shoulders, They didn't like Martin,
Then there were all kinds of screams and banging going on in there, We thought Martin was getting killed.
Then it went quiet,
and Martin walked out and sat at the table again and carried on drinking, The Dockers did not come out.

He was on the EMPRESS OF CANADA when she burned in the Gladstone Dock in January 1953 and was nearly in tears in the CARADOC pub across the road.

A man wrote on this site a long time ago and said he was Martins grandson, I think,
Cheers
Brian