Hadley Shipping Company

[Bev Summerill]

My last trip to sea was on the Corato as c/o aug 85 to april 86. A bulk carrier

[AJ Hawker]

Richard, I worked for the dry-dock for a number of years, also tugs and as lock keeper. Seen the Cerinthus, Corato a few of Houlders, Clutha River, Newbury, Imperial Transport and Denby Grange always dry-docked at Barry always loved to see them all coming back from a 10 or 12 month trip. But being a tanker graveyard i do not think so think the chap maybe talking about the steam locomotives that were at Barry at the time hundreds of them, most of them sold to all parts of the world.
Cheers AJ

[Richard Harding]

AJ You have jogged my memory. Come to think of it the guy did mention the locos in quite some detail, but so much was discussed during our 30 mins chat including the redundant tankers which were laid up at the time, that l probably thought, albeit wrongly, that the tankers were awaiting a similar fate. We got onto the subject of trains after l described my train journey from London to Barry Docks as a mere 16 year old - couldn,t remember for the life of me whether l had changed trains at Cardiff or not !

[j.sabourn]

#27... Going back in time I have checked my discharge book . No signatures under what was I beleive L.Welch , so must have been as an apprentice who didn’t get any discharges in book. Thinking back to 1953 think it was the master with that name who on passage to Cuba one of the. Motormen died. His body was laid out on a hatchboard in the steering flat and a continuous watch maintained on same for nearly a week. The 4 apprentices being highly involved in this . Before committing his body to the deep L Welch said to the crew standing around, are you all satisfied that this man is dead. The usual entries were made in the OLB. The first dead body up close and personal at sea , age 16 at the time. Could not have been the same man, but maybe kin. Cheers JS

[Richard Harding]

Bev This was after the "original" Corato, a tanker, had been scrapped - similarly the current Cerinthus, still operated by Hadleys is a bulk carrier. l say the original Corato, but not necessarily so, as certainly the ship l voyaged on was not the first Cerinthus. The current Hadley SC website is of interest - just go into the site, and click "history" for further info. Cheers, RICHARD

[Richard Harding]

JS. You have confirmed one thing for me - that as Apprentices ,we did not get voyage details entered into our Discharge books. Other info.you have given regarding L.Welch is of interest, and l will delve deeper when l get home in a few weeks time. Watch this space! RICHARD

[Richard Harding]

AJ. When l get back home and can access my logbook of the 1960 voyage l will send you a list of the crew members who had a South Wales connection,ie Barry,Cardiff, The Valleys, including their christian names and job titles. For the most, they had all sailed on Cerinthus previously, hence the regard they had for the ship and Capt Clifford Welch. It would not surprise me at all that there could well be a few names on the list that were still on the ship when you joined it in 1963. We shall see. Best regards, RICHARD

[j.sabourn]

#36 I have one discharge in my book as an apprentice and it was made in error by I think the master who followed L. Welch. Your voyage details. Should be on the back of your indentures. This was the proof for the DTI as to your seatime for 2nd. Mate. Cheers JS.

PS after saying that I should look on the back of mine to see if there are signatures there. However I have them framed on the study wall and means taken out of frame etc. They are there to remind me of my youth. I try to forget the bad parts. Like under steam open deck winches scraping the oil and other nasties off the deck plates. A burlap sack with head and arm holes cut out to fit the body. Where were all these orange boiler suits you see flaunted around these days. JS

[Richard Harding]

JS. Thanks ! l only did the one voyage, and Houlders fully understood my thoughts and sentiments at the time, ie Feb.1961, and released me from my apprenticeship terms without any financial penalty, and therefore no longer have my apprenticeship documents. Looking back on life, l would say it was probably one of the most memorable and enlightening 12 months of my life, and one experience l have never regretted. Cheers. RICHARD

[Richard Harding]

JS. If l were you, l would leave the App.document on the wall, you might not be able to get it back together again!! Ha Ha, regarding your Burlap waistcoat, l bet you all looked great. RICHARD