Capt.John Eggelstone.

[JoeWhelan]

Sadly my friend and shipmate John Egglestone crossed the bar last night after a battle with cancer. John served his apprenticeship with Chapmans. Later served as tug master with Lamnalco, Grey Macs and others.

[Doc Vernon]

Sorry to hear about the loss of your Friend Joe!
Always sad to loose anyone but more so when it is one of the (as we say) Family !
Condolences to all his immediate Family Friends and you!
Cheers

May he now RIP.

[Charlie Hannah]

Sincere Condolences to Family & Friends of John Egglestone.R.I.P.

[j.sabourn]

Joe where did John Eggleston hail from. Knew an Eggleston who lived in West Monkseaton Whitley Bay in 1952. Was nicknamed Englebert or Eggy. Regards JS

[JoeWhelan]

John, Not sure if he lived in Monkseaton in 1952 but he was resident there when he died. Will contact his family and let you know the result. Regards Joe

[j.sabourn]

Joe if he lived in Monkseaton in 1952 it will probably be the same one, and used to get the same ferry and bus from the market (in South Shields) up to King Edward Road to an old youth hostel, which in those days was the pre sea school. Am very sorry to hear about John as is also another of old aquaintances come to anchor. Although I didn't know him too well he was another very quite one, and as usual kept himself to himself as a young man. I particularly remember the usual bullying at him by two bullies who achieved nothing with their own lives as bumped into them years later, one did not even finish his time and his father was mate with King Line. The other an ex Private School boy saw him in a pub in North Shields as a bookys runner. John together with a bloke called Charlie Briggs must have gone into Chapmans the same time as self and two others were picked up by Runcimans. My condolences for John and his family, what I remember of him he was a very stalwart man and succeeded with his career and his family have much to be proud of, as it certainly wasn't easy in his era. John S PS I say West Monkseaton as this is where I assumed he came from but never checked, any where in the Whitley Bay area would suffice , so quite often all finished up on the same transport to King Edwards Road. Charlie Briggs who he would also have known came from Sunderland, and was told by someone on this site he finished up as Harbour master at Blyth. Cheers JS

[JoeWhelan]

John, From your description I am sure we are speaking of the same person. He was a loner with few friends but when he made a friend he was a friend for life. We spoke to each other by phone every Sunday morning since we retired. The conversations did not vary much ,the weather , health, moans about the way the world was changing and reminisce about past times . I will miss our conversations. I am sure he is enjoying a good rest in "Fiddlers Green" with a good bottle of rum. Regards Joe.

[j.sabourn]

Joe going back a few years ago was his name ever mentioned on this site. I have vague recollections of getting someones address from the site and when across in Whitley Bay tried to make contact with, I finished up at the door of the old house for bad girls as it used to be known nearly 70 years ago, and think they had been converted into apartments or retirement venues. However couldn't get an answer to the bell and no one else in the other apartments showed their face. My time was limited so left and never went back. The school for bad girls was opposite Monkseaton Railway station at the top of Norham Road. They weren't bad girls but just from dysfunctional family backgrounds but went to the same day school as self which was Byegate Secondary. However some were really tough and scared me at times. It may thinking back it was John I was trying to see, I followed his directions to where he lived but left it up in the air when was going. Sorry if it was him, that I missed seeing. Cheers John S
PS if he ever spoke to you about the Pre Sea school Joe he would more than likely have mentioned Capt W. (Bill) Moore who was the head of. Punishment was writing out Article 9 or Article 15, anyhow the two longest at the time, either 10,20 or 30 times whatever. There was a going trade of people writing these out and selling was a going trade in such, most of us had a good grounding in the Rules and Regulations for Preventing Collissions at Sea. JS

[JoeWhelan]

Hi John, Yes John had an apartment there so it appears we are speaking about the right person. If and when I get more details I will contact you. Joe.

[j.sabourn]

Just to add in that case some others who would have known John. Apart from Charlie Briggs who would have been in Chapmans at same time. Apart from myself there would have been Craig Walwyn and Carl Davison. Craig only did one trip and on return to UK his father took him off and the whole family emigrated to Canada, I remember Craig as was in the same class at school and fancied his sister. Carl is still alive as see him whenever in UK although he is more or less chairbound or so he says, he still likes his tipple, maybe he stays there in case he falls over with the tipple. He lives in Seaton Delavel. Craig and Carl joined the Cragmoor and self the Avonmoor in 1953. Charley Briggs as far as I know joined the old Geneton at same time so maybe John did as well. Another two reprobates who were inclined to take the urine from anyone they thought could get away with it. Was a bloke called Atkins, already mentioned his father mate with King Line at the time, and another from Whitley Bay, called Atkinson ( the Bookies runner) John may have gone to school with him and maybe that is where some of the ribaldry came from, know John didn't think he was the flavour of the month. Another bloke from Blyth used to be on same bus but he went with one of the more posher companies Blue Funnel or B.I. forget which. There were many others who would have known John in the same area. If they had kept in contact by means of the likes of this site would I am sure have tried to attend his funeral, maybe they did I hope so. Another from Tynemouth maybe it was him that went with B.I. was David Langton. That book entitled a Flock of Ships, had nothing on the likes of us as a Flock of Snotty Nosed Kids. Regards JS