William (Billy) Turner

[Pam Turner]

SHIPS NAME AND SERVICE RECORD

Full Name

William (Billy) Turner

Discharge Book Number

R660197

Department

Engine Room

Your Rank/Rating

3rd/2nd engineer

Which Ships were you on and When

British Sincerity 1955-56
British Supremacy 1956
Laganbank 1956-57
Eastbank 1957
Northbank 1957-59
Crosbian 1959-60, '66, '67
Flaminian 1960-61, 1963, '64
Streambank 1962
Malatian 1963
Catanian 1963, '64, '65, '66
Arcadian 1964
Darinian '65
Florian 1963-64, '65, '71Mercian '64, '66
City of Eastbourne '68
Cambrian Coast '69
Ripon '69
Siglion '69
River Niger '69
King Jaja '70
Castilian '70
Tagus'70, '72, '73
Minho '70, '73
Athenian '71, '72
Arcadian '71, '72
Tronto '71, '72, '73
Tormes'71, '72
Tiber '72
Tua '73
Rapallo '73, '74
City of Famagusta '75
City of Limassol '75
City of Florence '75, '79
City of Izmir '75
City of Corinth '76
City of Genoa '78, '79
City of Lisbon '78
City of Oporto '79
Rosethorn '80
Quickthorn '80

Notes:[INDENT][I] Trying to find out more about my Dad's trips and his life at sea. He passed away on 01/03/83 and I know nothing much at all about his working life. Mum passed his record books to me only fairly recently. Anything at all would mean a lot. Dad would have been 82 this year had he lived. Born in Liverpool, and worked mainly for Ellermans and sailed out of Liverpool mostly especially in the '60s.

Meant to say any memories/recollections good, bad, indifferent would be appreciated. Might have been called Bill as well as Billy, but probably not William! His favourite pub when home, was the Liver in Waterloo, Liverpool. The only work colleague's name I remember from the '70s was Alan Birkenhead who worked in the office in Liverpool.

[j.sabourn]

Pam was never on any of the mentioned vessels, however knew people who were, especially Bank line ( Eastbank and Streambank). Your Dad no doubt was away from home a long time on these vessels as amongst Tramp Vessels they had the reputation of doing even longer than the average. Hope you attain your goals Regards PS If in your Dads discharge book he has the signature of a Master called Young I knew him he however died about the same time as your Dad , after the Falklands war and up the Persian Gulf on the deck of a supply vessel. Good luck in your search. JWS

[Pam Turner]

So pleased to get such a quick response. Can you tell me what is meant by a Tramp vessel? I realise that I have a lot of slang to learn. Thank you JWS.

[j.sabourn]

Opposite to the liner trade which were more or less on fixed runs. A tramp ship did just that tramped all over the world picking up cargoes where and when necessary. They were usually about 28/29 feet draft loaded and carried about 10,000 tons in your Dads days. The smaller draft enabled them to get into ports that bigger vessels couldn't or in starship enterprise terms to go where no man had been before. Regards JWS

[Doc Vernon]

Hello Pam
Welcome to the site and thanks for listing your Dads Records etc.
I hope that you will get some good replies as that of JS
Hopefully there will be a few old timers here who may have sailed wiih him,its quite a possibility with all the Crew we have here!
Good Luck!

[Pam Turner]

Modern day equivalent 'zero hours contracts'?? Sounds grim. And I'm sorry, but what is draft loaded, and is 10,000 tons a ridiculous load. Bet you're sorry you posted?? And thanks again.

PS In Dad's record books it says more often than not, 'Fgn for foreign, I assume, in the column 'description of voyage', but later it says 'Foreign RA' what does RA mean? HT = Home Trade. Does 'run' = a trip?

[Pam Turner]

Me too. Thanks for the welcome. I'm so pleased that I have some responses, I appreciate it's a long time ago that Dad sailed. Can't ask Mum anything now as my lovely Mum has Alzheimer's Disease and can't recall Dad full stop. I do though remember her telling me that Dad was often away for long periods and she would be washing his boiler suits and also be knee deep in washing our nappies between trips, Can't have been easy for her. Also, I don't think Dad divulged too much to her about his life at sea. I know I'm on one this evening but for what reason in a record book would it say 'VOYAGE NOT COMPLETED'?

[j.sabourn]

Pam I am about your Dads age and served during the same period he did. It is only since retiring in 2002 that it came to roost. How long I spent away from home. A year at a time was nothing out of the ordinary. I have two children and four grandchildren who I saw very little of their growing up, and if I have any guilty consciences that alone is enough. A seaman has to be married to the right woman to be able to get a wife's support for such long absences and some of us were luckier than others. I too never talked at home about different voyages preferring to leave the ships in the water. Only spoke to other seafarers in the same position usually in the pub. I never took any trouble or complaints home with me, a wife doesn't deserve that. JS

[j.sabourn]

Articles of Agreement ... every ship had them and was in your terms a contract between the owner or the master as his represenative laying down terms and conditions. They were open on your fathers earlier life at sea for2 years.
Running Agreement ... came out later and was a bit more humane and was usually for a term of 6 months and if a ship arrived back in Uk limits could hand your notice in prior to the termination of the agreement. The only thing was if that you did so before the 6months was up you were liable to pay your own travel expenses home.
Home Trade ...used to define the trading limits between the Elbe and Brest. Today the areas are divided differently and have different names. Others may give you extra info on this. As may be further educated in the facts. I have tried to. Make it not too complicated and just given the basic facts. Regards JS. PS 10,000 tons is a lot of tooth brushes if that was all you carried, 10, 000 tons of anything even cheap tin trays. If you have read the poem by I believe John Masefield, Dirty British tramp ship with a smoke caked smokestack ploughing up the channel in the mad March gales. With a cargo of sandal wood, tooth brushes and cheap tin trays, says it all, although have had to improvise with the tooth brushes as can't rememberer the words. Marian if she sees this post will no doubt find and post on site. Regards JWS.

[Pam Turner]

Thanks JS. Blimey, it's complicated isn't it? So were merchant seamen kind of self employed/freelancers to an extent? In his record books there are details about income tax and NI payments recorded if haphazardly. Struck me that they didn't use PAYE in the 60s and 70s? Finally, how do I find out where the voyages actually went to? Remember Dad asking Mum when he was home on leave did you get your allotment? Was that part of his pay sent home? Anyway, you've been very patient,. Thank you and goodnight.