Derek Marshall

[Janet Marshall]

SHIPS NAME AND SERVICE RECORD

Full Name

Derek Marshall

Discharge Book Number

R 549615

Department

Engine Room

Your Rank/Rating

Chief Engineer

Which Ships were you on and When

Laurentian Valley
Hendonhall
Daltonhall
Kepwickhall
Apsleyhall
MV North Sands
Notes: Dates of Service were from 1951 to 1964

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[Doc Vernon]

Hello Janet
Thank you for posting the details , could we have his DOB and place so as possibly can look up his Discharge Number to add.
Thank You


APSLEYHALL - IMO 5400865 - ShipSpotting.com - Ship Photos and Ship Tracker

[Janet Marshall]

Hi,
His DOB was 4.4.30 at West Hartlepool. I have a Seaman's Record Book and Certificates of Discharge which has a list of all the names of ships and dates he was at sea. The ships are:

Laurentian Valley
Hendonhall
Daltonhall
Kepwickhall
Apsleyhall
MV North Sands

All varying years between 1951 and 1969. One of voyages (fgn) was between February 1963 and December 1964, do you think he was at sea for the whole time or would he have had any shore leave?

Thanks.
Janet

[Doc Vernon]

Hello Janet
I dare say that that Trip although quite a long one , would have seen many Ports of call on her journey, so like most he would surely have had some leave at some of the Ports of call, possibly not long but at least a break.
It was not unusual for many Ships to have long Trips, with a few here i am sure could verify that.
Thank you for the list of his Ships.
At least you have his Discharge Book so it seems!

If there is anything else that you may want to know please do just ask, and we will try and assist where we can
Cheers

You have this but just for info
https://discovery.nationalarchives.g...ils/r/C8358075

[Janet Marshall]

Thank you. There are so many things I would love to know, its all so interesting. I also have some letters that I presume are reference letters that are sea service statements of some of his voyages when he progressed from his apprenticeship as fitter and turner 1946 - 1951, when he started as junior engineer and worked up to chief engineer.

Thanks
Janet

[Doc Vernon]

Questions !! Fire Away we will try and assist where possible!
Cheers

[Janet Marshall]

Hi,
Hope I'm not bombarding you with lots of questions, but one question I have is about the voyages, as mentioned one was for almost two years. It has engagement as Sunderland and discharge as New York. I was just wondering how would he get home from there? Would it be by plane or ship, if ship why was this not documented? Also other voyages are e.g. Hull to Dundee, Dundee to Manchester, Manchester to Newport, Newport to Tilbury, Tilbury to Hull, Hull to Poplar. The dates for these voyages seem to run on with no gaps in time so why is this journey listed as six different voyages and the Sunderland to New York listed as one. Also some of the other voyages have a gap of a few months, would this be time at home or would he be working in dock somewhere? I have put an image of part of his book below.

Discharge book.jpg

Also, the copies of statements/references I have, would they be given when left from one ship to another ship? I have put an image of a couple of them for you to see.

Avonmouth.jpg
Hendonhall statement.jpg

The ships that he was on, some of them have MV in front and some haven't do you know what the difference is and why some have that and some don't?
Also, do you know about crew lists, were they always the same crews on ships then and are there any crew lists anywhere?

Hope I haven't asked too many questions.
Thanks for the help.
Janet

[John Arton]

Janet
M.V. stands for motor vessel as opposed to S.S. Which stands for steam ship.
As for his Sunderland to New York voyage lasting almost two years, look at the date and place of engagement on the next entry down. If it is for the same ship and on the same or next day, it could be that the articles of agreement (basically his contract of work and conditions), were closed and a new set opened, this could account for the length of the voyage.
If there is a gap between discharge date in New York and engaging on his next ship then that means he was home on leave on leave earned pay and would be spending his time at home with family, catching up on the jobs around the home that his wife had waiting for him.
If he did come home from New York, then it could be that the owners chartered an aircraft to fly the whole crew home, not an uncommon experience and cheaper than using scheduled air lines, or they could have come home on one of the regular liners that plyed the route at that time.
Rgds
J.A.

[Ivan Cloherty]

Hi,
One of voyages (fgn) was between February 1963 and December 1964, do you think he was at sea for the whole time or would he have had any shore leave?

Thanks.
Janet

I did a 22 month trip in 1959/61 and he certainly would have got ashore on many occasions in many different countries and also spent many weeks at sea between ports. Some ports the ship would have been in port only a couple of days then 3 weeks at sea then 2 weeks in port, then 3 weeks at sea, a week in port, then at sea for 2 weeks and so on until your 22 months was up, the countries and ports you visited would be numerous. The crew would be the same throughout the 22 months unless someone became seriously ill and had to be replaced, if the ill person could not be replaced the vessel would sail shorthanded and the extra workload would be shared by those in his department and they would be compensated with shorthand money, equivalent to the missing mans monthly payment shared between them. To find out what ports he visited on his long voyage time, you would need to consult the vessel's voyage card and where this can be found will be advised by others,

[Janet Marshall]

Thanks John,

I have had a look and his next ship voyage was six months later so he must have been on leave after New York till the next one. Thanks for the information about the travel home it all helps me to learn his career and fill in some blanks with his life in the Merchant Navy.

Janet