Great Story,those were the days.
Stuart H
France
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Great Story,those were the days.
Stuart H
France
Hi shipmates' was any one on the "PATIA a lovely ship ,but the food was bad but not brown stew bad , The crew were all young, no one over 30 on deck or stewards, we all payed off in Naples' and flew home. great time party ever night .:D:cool::cool:
Did one trip on the Sinaloa in the galley about 1956. Twelve passengers (one of them the MD of fords.) A pretty forgettable month or so, but I did get a stalk of bananas, and got some funny looks on the train from Bristol to Newcastle. Did enjoy the couple of weeks working by in Avonmouth before we sailed, The Royal and the Miles were pretty lively at times. Anyone remember any of the characters from those places? Remember a couple of Stewarts on board at the time were ex British airways, and were lying low till things cooled off a bit, after a gold smuggling racket between India and UK was rumbled. Cheers , Albi.
I sailed on the Ariguani, Bayano and the Cavina in the early 1950s, also I did two trips on the Corrales in 1952 one as Fireman and the other as Greaser,Oh yes the garden spot Tiko:) I sailed out of Avonmouth while sailing on the banana boats.
John
Hello one and all, I think I mentioned on the Elder Fyffe link that I signed on the "Golfito" a skin boat in Trinidad May '61, did three trips. 100 bloods, lots of bananas but we did not get given a stalk, I suppose that trad had long since passed. The "Golfito" was a really great ship, not to big, not to small, sounds similar to the others mentioned on this link purpose built for the job.As a public room steward on my last trip I met many celebs most of whom came aboard for the trip home from Jamaica. No names no pack drill but one or two of the " starlets" were a bit willing and I believe they got a few stalks. Cheers for the good old days Mort !!!:cool:
Reading the names of the old skin boats is quite nostalgic. I did a trip in three of them - Bayano, Nicoya and Golfito. I'm sure some of the names of the old boys in Avonmouth will be remembered Like Frank Yard, Alec Campbell Joe the Greek, the Dorrington brothers, Johnny Grech, David Valentine etc. etc. They were happy days; chewing the fat in the old Merchant Navy club and across the road in the Royal
. I wonder how many are still around! - R 289123
Hi terry just seen your post. I sailed with the most of those men from Avonmouth,great bunch of shipmates. I sailed with Johnny Grech four times on the City boats, Montreal City.They tell me that Johnny was found dead in his room in one of the Seaman's Missions,they said it was murder.
hi albai iwas on the sinaloa as second cook and baker 13\ oct \59 the chief cook was john but was not from lierpool !!! the voyage finished in avonmouth 8\nov 59 i remember the md well because he asked me to make him some brown bread breakfast rolls!!! he also sent me a case of beer!!! he also offered me a job at fords of dagemham when i retired from the sea !!! and he said that it was his first trip . the second steward
was called billy the ch cook was from bristol and as you say was not a nice man !!! i was from liverpool
i thougt the steward who spoke of gold smuggling told a good story !!! and i was 22 at the time
so you did sail with me !!!!!!
best wishes and happy memories ron
I was on the sinaloa in 59 docked in avonmouth when a american destroyer came in . that evening went ashore with shipmate to local pub next to table with two yank sailors and two women ...there was a row over one woman and one yank pulled out a knife and stabbed the other to death .....we left quickly !!!!
the next day the destroyer left port with flag at half mast .....does anybody remember
Ron
Hi Nev remember tiko well ,rememember the petrol driven rail buggy three sitting on each side and the driver I use to go to the water tank terminal and walk to the club for drinkies,always missed the last train back and had to walk dodging all the very large land crabs along the track they where the days hey,I was chief refridge on the reventerzon.