Help needed please - Ellerman Line 1970

[Bryan Portwig]

allen good story ! re the airplane incident - it brings to mind when a small plane crashed into a slightly bigger plane all this in front of the cruise ship norway - 15 folk killed - over quiberon bay brittany all because a passenger had spotted the liner and the pilot though he would make a fly around the ship

quiberon bay brittany.jpg

[Doug Hardie]

Sir John Ellerman was always considered to be a tad eccentric. Stories abound of his various voyages to Capetown for the British winter period. He usually sailed on the City of Oxford a small 12 passenger Cargo ship on the SA run . He reputedly often boarded the ship in London via the aft crew gangway rather than the main G/W , one over exuberant QM is alleged to have refused to let him aboard because he looked a bit unsavoury dressed in an old rain Mac and shabby hat. The Old man is said to have corrected the QM’s customer facing attitude.
It is also said he preferred to travel on the C of Oxford as it was a Steam ship. The City of Glasgow was built with him travelling on her in mind he had a suite on board just below the Bridge . It is said he never sailed on her as when the started the Sulzer engines he hated the vibration and said it would spoil his sleep so continued to use The Oxford.

Doug

[Peter Hesketh]

Hello,
I am trying to find out whether Ellerman Line ships would have been travelling to South Africa in January-April 1970, and if so which ships.
Many thanks to anyone who can help with my question.

Hello Katia,

I can help a little with your request for information about Ellerman ships sailing to the Cape in the period January to April 1970. As has already been written, that route to the Cape was served by the 4 cargo passenger ships (City of Exeter / City of York / City of Durban / City of Port Elizabeth) These ships did not serve any other routes. All the passenger cabins were First Class and the level of service provided was exceptional. We carried diplomats travelling to or from their postings and many other important people.

However, many of the company’s other ships also followed the UK / Cape / Beira run.

One of the other ships, apart from the passenger vessels mentioned, that served that route was the City of Birmingham. This ship took 12 passengers but was principally a cargo vessel with passenger accommodation. I joined her in November 1970 sailing out of Liverpool to Cape Town and round the South African coast. As far as I remember we had a full compliment of passengers. I didn't complete the voyage as I was landed in Walvis Bay after leaving Cape Town (homeward bound) with acute appendicitis. I wasn’t expected to survive the operation so the ship was directed to wait at anchor until the operation was over. The Walvis Bay authorities did not want my body in their morgue, so had I died, the ship would have brought my body home.

Very few people in Walvis Bay spoke English (they mainly spoke Africaans or German) so the padre from the Flying Angel seamen’s centre in Walvis Bay was a very welcome visitor in hospital and even looked after me by inviting me to his home when I was discharged. Eventually, when I was stronger, the company flew me to Cape Town where I joined the City of Cape Town to return home as a supernumerary.

I hope that helps with your request and I apologise for swinging the lamp with what is probably more information than you needed!

Peter Hesketh

[Peter Hesketh]

Just a note to follow from Doug's post. Sir John did in fact travel on the City of Glasgow but because of the vibration from the engine, he took to travelling on the top deck of a double decker bus that was on the foredeck as deck cargo. The pneumatic tyres, and probable because he was away from the engines, meant he had a peaceful, vibration free, passage to the Cape!
My info is from a purser who was his (JRE's) chosen purser for his trips back and forth to the Cape.

[Allen James Jones]

Doug, spot on with the dress of JRE. I thought he was a down and out when I spoke with him. Slightly posh accent though. Allen.