Adams Cyril Stanley

[Keith Adams]

Hello JS. I never thought i would be able to discover anything about Cyril, Stanley Adams, my Dad’s sea service as it began at 16 on a Norwegian ship and didn’t know his birthday date. He was out of my life since 1941 until finding him alive 55 years later in 1996.
When we met he related about many things, especially his early sea life and gave me a copy of an article he wrote about his rather epic first voyage on a Norwegian ship ss”GRO” (Sunk 1941, he in Army by then). I intend to post it on this site but it is seven pages long and will take me whole day to type out.
Although he joined the “GRO” in Manchester in 1925, he was aboard for 4 years, before arriving back in Blighty, although she had been back to Norway after the first year. I had heard he had been a Steward with Cunard but he didn’t discuss that and did not have his Discharge Book anymore — thought i had no hope of determining his MN service. However, yesterday i found my brothers’ first of two Books and inside were two Lifeboat Certificates !
One was my brothers and the other, my Dads’ WOW ! Has his Registration # R 69918, dated 12 Dec. 1929 !
Furthermore, my Half Brother had our Dad’s birthdate of 11 July 1909 Sheffield.
If I follow up on this site’s instructions i ought to be able to locate his MN Catering service 1929 through 1931 or 1932 or so. The question is — How do i find the exact dates of his Norwegian service as a Deck Boy and Sailor?
In his story, which i will post, he called himself ‘Dekagut’ for Deckboy. If you JS or someone out there likes a challenge, please go for it ! Thanks and Cheers ! Keith Adams.

[j.sabourn]

The nearest I could come to a similar story was a Ships carpenter who I sailed with called Axel Lindberg a Norwegian who took up residence in South Shields during the war and lived there and still went to sea after the war and was in his 70s when I sailed with him .Cappy May know more about his background than me , also Marian who researched a bit on him if I remember correctly , anyhow briefly when in a lifeboat in the North Atlantic he held on to a survivor over the gunwales of the boat for days and all his arm muscles were pulled out of shape. It was Marian I believe who found out he was awarded the BEM for this incident alone. I knew and sailed with quite a few from the war years , some ex prisoners of the Altmark and the Narvik episode , and some ex prisoners of the japs In the Far East . They mostly all had one thing in common they seldom talked about it and only came out in short sharp bursts usually when under the influence of alcohol. I sincerely hope you can extend the history of your family not only for yourself , but for those coming up behind. The Geordie Norwegian as said would of been of the era you are looking at , I can’t tell you any more perhaps Cappy will know more and Marian if she can remember one enquiry among the many hundreds she fantastically does in her spare time. Good hunting .JS

[Doc Vernon]

Good idea Marian

Hopefully there may be more that can be found and added to this Thread in time .
I will also look around and see if there is any other info i may be able to add later!
Cheers


Furthermore, my Half Brother had our Dad’s birthdate of 11 July 1909 Sheffield.
If I follow up on this site’s instructions i ought to be able to locate his MN Catering service 1929 through 1931 or 1932 or so. The question is — How do i find the exact dates of his Norwegian service as a Deck Boy and Sailor?

Full name DOB if possible please !

Dont know if this would help in any way??

Maritime inscription - registers of seamen (norwayheritage.com)

I have not used the Following site before so dont know what they may have , but just looking through it, seems it could possibly assist as well ???
Good Luck

National Archives (arkivverket.no) You should get a Prompt for Translation when the page Opens.

record-image_.jpg

[Keith Adams]

Marion, You are really amazing ! That is 100% of his MN seafaring as must have swallowed the anchor after my brother was born in 1931 in Wallasey. He was a Tram Conductor in Sheffield when i was born in 1934. Will locate my brother’s Birth Certificate to confirm Dad’s profession for then.
My Half Brother Roger has completed an exhaustive Family Tree research of the ADAMS TREE (20 legal pages plus a Chart) and traced down all false leads and wrote many letters to verify facts. No, we were NOT on the “MAYFLOWER” and only go back to 1771 — merely a Woodworking Family with no connection to OLD USA Adams.
Oh, thank you for the Waiter rank confirmation as he told me he was a Steward and ended up as a Barman.

[Keith Adams]

A BIG “WOW” to you DOC as well. Sure looks like a good bet ! Will get on it early this week and let you know how it all works out in case anyone else needs to do a follow up for a family member. My Dad told me the Scandinavian ships sailing from Manchester and Liverpool often filled their BOY Ratings from Liverpool with eager Runaways, or boys cast out to find their own way during the early Depression years. Seems an active Ships Agent visited living spaces around the Dock area to recruit boys, mostly for the short sea trades as Scandinavian Coasters were very active bringing in Pit Props. My Dad said he wanted Deep Sea and waited longer for a ship.
Many, many thanks. Keith Adams.

[Bob Montgomery]

Enjoyed this thread so had a look and found this Gro-01.jpg SS Gro

[Yvonne Foley]

Hello, I have a contact in Norway who possibly be able to assist regards being a Deck Boy & Sailor on the Norwegian ships. If you have the name, dob etc.
I am happy to check if he can assist you.

You can contact me direct by getting my details through the site manager.

Yvonne

[Paul Racine]

Having served in the Norwegian Merchant Navy as a deck boy myself I was very interested in the post and did some research through a website I have used in the past.( warsailors.com) This site is managed by Siri Lawson in Norway. Unfortunately the postings that I could access were not current and I am not sure if the site is still in operation. However It may be useful in getting some more info re your father. I will attach a brief description of the "Gro" that you may find interesting. Good luck with your searching.
Paul2021-10-20 (4).jpg2021-10-20 (1).jpg

[Doc Vernon]

Home of Siri (Holm) Lawson/Warsailors.com

Seems to be still up and running!
Cheers