aureol, in 1970

[Hugh Bond]

trips to Las Palmas, Freetown, Takoradi and Lagos ...good fun, but a an effort keeping smart and being polite .a fairly stable time for the west coast...last years of the passenger liners.

[Des Taff Jenkins]

Hi Hugh.
Welcome to the site, hope you get some fun and memories from the posts, let us know if you were deck catering or engine room, never know who you may get who remembers you.
Cheers Des

[Bill Campbell]

Hi,
I sailed on the last trip with the Aureol as we took her to Greece, sad to see her stripped and empty.

[Charlie Hannah]

I did four trips on the Apapa, Signed on 14/12/53 to20/4/54.Top job good crowed.

[cappy]

I did four trips on the Apapa, Signed on 14/12/53 to20/4/54.Top job good crowed.

###charlie on the apapa dont suppose you knew the chief engineer name of finch.......asking a daft question i suppose ....he came from shields....regards cappy

[Charlie Hannah]

###charlie on the apapa don't suppose you knew the chief engineer name of finch.......asking a daft question i suppose ....he came from shields....regards cappy

Sorry Cappy, never knew any of the ginger beers.We had a second engineer on her who lived in a cabin on the deck were we had the crew bar,he connected his cold water tap to the keg line,lasted quite some time wasn't greedy just couple pints a session.Cheers.

[Captain Kong]

For all Elder Dempster and Palm Line men who got to know the legendary Tombo Mary..--

Tombo Mary's.


Apapa was the venue for our lads run ashore,
On the coast of Africa where tourists never tour,
The bar was Tombo Mary's where she ruled the roost all day,
Customers were seafarers - keen to spend their pay.


In this one-roomed shanty, with hard mud for a floor,
Palm fronds on the thatched roof and canvas for a door,
Our black mama Mary - a wondrous female sight,
Would choose a handy sailor for her carnal joys at night.


Raised up on a dias just behind the bar,
The centre of attention from here to Calabar,
Was a huge four poster bed with linen and fine lace,
Imported from some far off land and taking pride of place.

It`s where Mary held her lover-boy for a torrid night of fun.
Piccaninnies and the bar staff - at the setting of the sun -
Would sleep below this raft of love, with tassels hanging red,
While the sailor did his duty - in Tombo Mary's bed.


I wonder what ever happened to her, last time I saw her was in 1953 when I was on the `TARKWA`, 62 YEARS AGO.
Brian

[Ivan Cloherty]

I wonder what ever happened to her, last time I saw her was in 1953 when I was on the `TARKWA`, 62 YEARS AGO.
Brian

I think she may have died Brian, as believe she was no spring chicken in '53!! and ye were but a lad!

[Captain Kong]

Thanks Ivan,
another legend has gone to join all the others in that great big Bar in the sky.
May Sullivan in B.A., Ma Gleeson in Auckland, Maria who really did have a wooden leg in the Scandi Bar in Valpo, Doris in Kingston, Mary Bassem in Sydney, Cadillac Kate in New York, Sadie Thompson in Pago Pago, Samoa.
and a host of other fine ladies who cared for Sailors........RIP.

Brian

[Charlie Hannah]

She probably gone adrift in her canoe Brian she used to come by loaded with the tombo, loaded up a few times,
always finished with a head like Birkenhead.