Recycled old news

[j.sabourn]

That’s the way I saw your post as well Fouro when I quoted time zones. Longshanks was the thirteenth century , we are now in the 22 nd. Century some others are still at the level of and the thinking and living and moralistic age of the thirteenth and other centuries and quite oblivious to later living conditions , most are quiet willing to jump the gulf in time to receive all the goodies of the modern world , but not willing to give up their way of life to pay for it. The world today will never be harmonious unless unaminious agreement on a simple thing like old folklore like man made religion alone , the last thing which any religious person should think of fighting for. Let’s face it the world is made up self gratifying human Morons . JS
PS Today Longshanks would probably be nicknamed Lofty , such is progress in our world. JS

[Fouro]

Re #5.
Hi Bill,
It would appear that the 'bright spark nobody' you mention is no other than Steve Rae, himself a survivor of the disaster and who is now chairman of the Pound for Piper Trust.
Many of the families who lost loved ones and who were never consulted about the redesigning of the Memorial in Hazlehead Gardens are not very happy about this idea, therefore I would think Steve Rae has a problem to deal with.


Regards from
Fouro.

[j.sabourn]

He will I assume in that case have had contact with the other survivors those who are still alive and discussed it with them at least , So would have their reactions to go on , but should have also kept the families of those dead in the picture , for decencys sake. It is not a decision for one man , it is a decision to be taken as a group of dependent relatives of 167 men with over 20 with no graves but the sea. That is the way it looks to me , but I don’t have full knowledge of the story , only what one is told by other sources . Cheers JS..

[Fouro]

Re the redesigning of the area, I would say the ring of cement surrounding the Piper Alpha monument is completely out of proportion, it is far too vast and worst still it has a cold open and bare look to it. Not the sort of place I would like to visit.

Fouro.

[j.sabourn]

I believe there were 2 ladies who started the works going for the pound for Piper to build the memorial and it was built from public contributions . Reading that piece at the start of this post via the media no doubt , the most that was contributed by one of the oil companies was 2000 pounds , whether that was true or not I don’t know , the oil companies themselves will be the only ones who do. There may have been a reason for their skinflint approach at the time as due to the massive claims put in to Insurance company’s etc. it may have been they did not want to show any what might be taken as fault as to the occurrence in the first place ,and this is understandable. During such times everyone is looking for scapegoats to sue. Today it appears more money has appeared to make alterations to the park itself as I read it. However the original setting of the sculpture and the sculpture itself was built up mainly by the efforts of the people of Aberdeen and it has a history of its own , that they may want to keep intact. Aberdeen Council who own the land I don’t think they would be so untactfull to go over the heads of the family’s of those lost , if they go against public opinion then I can’t see them being in the council chambers after the next election. I don’t see much in Nelson’s Column as is too high to see properly , but try and change it and there would be riots . Cheers JS

[Fouro]

A petition is taking place at present time, the result of which will eventually be sent to the Lord Provost and Councilors of Aberdeen.
The message to them being:-
Stop the redesign and renaming of the Piper Alpha Memorial Gardens.
At the moment, over 5000 people have signed the petition.

Fouro.

[j.sabourn]

#27 Fouro I went to the official first service for the PA at the end of July 1988 before returning to sea , I was up in Aberdeen as had to appear at the head DOT surveyors office to make a statement . He gave me two tickets for two seats in the Kirk of St.Nicholas for myself and wife otherwise we wouldn’t of got in , the church was packed with every senior dignitary you could imagine and all those who had lost family . The church was as full as it is ever going to be. It was a very sad occasion. A lot of those spectators 32 years later will not even be here today , but most I would imagine would have contributed to the Piper Alpha Memorial Gardens . Today they are it seems asking people who were not even alive at the time who know nothing about that time. The original PA gardens in my opinion should be left open to what any survivors or family of those lost want , and have kept a vigil on their monument dedicated to the tragedy. I had to go to the 30th. Anniversary to show my respects both to the dead and to those who erected the centre piece and was very impressed with the numbers there. However I am an onlooker like most today , and all I can say is I hope the family’s and Those living survivors get the outcome they so deserve. Those who erected the monument should be the deciders of any future it has. Cheers JS.

[j.sabourn]

Let me just add to this post. Someone gave me a book called Rescue the book of the major itv Documentary Series by Paul Beaver and Paul Berriff the first name I don’t know but the second I do. The book contains what the public was told about the Piper A. It also contains all the radio communications between all the aircraft used latterly too much to put on here , and also the Nimrod way up in the heavens and also HMS Blackwater. Think the Silver Pit is mentioned by name 3 times in the few hundred radio transmissions. However the least said the better. I have had this book many years and only just now reading parts I only glossed through. Paul Berriffs cv is in the book and I found him a very honest person and good at his job , he received a well earned OBE last year, for those who don’t know his lineage the following is it …. Began his career as a photo-journalist on the Yorkshire Evening Post before joining the BBC Television news team as a cameraman in 1968. His first award was in 1968 for sports , followed by a dozen over the next 20 years . He has worked on location in Arctic Canada , Russia, the USA for such series as Panorama, The South Bank Show , Newsnight, Horizon and Tomorrows World. He filmed and directed such Documentaries as Lonely Sea and Sky, the life story of Sir Francis Chichester , Pilot Royal about HRH Prince Charles helicopter pilot career in the RN, and lifeboat about the crew of the Humber lifeboat. He later developed a talent for the full gambit of television documentary production and was responsible for Animal Squad about the job of an RSPCA inspector, for BBC 1 , Motorway about the M62 police, for ITV network. And fire at Britain’s busiest fire station, during which time he took a fireman’s course.
Paul is a former lifeboatman and is or was a HM Coastguards Auxiliary- in- Charge of the Humber near his home in Hessle. When not working with his cameras could be found as coxn of the Humber Inshore Boat.
Not a man to my mind to be found twiddling his thumbs . JS

[j.sabourn]

Belated but better late than never if not already in Print.
Paul Berriff …Started his career as a journalist on the Yorkshire Evening Post before joining the BBC in 1968 as a cameraman. His first Award was for Sports followed by a dozen over the next 20 years. Has worked in the Arctic Canada , the Soviet Union and the USA. Among many of his filming is the Lonely sea and the sky, ( Chichester ) and the crew of the Humber lifeboat. Paul was a former lifeboatman and was HM Coastguard Auxiliary-in- Charge of the River Humber. When not filming or producing he is or was found as coxn of the Humber Inshore Rescue Boat. One journalist I found morally and ethically correct. JS
I think that recent head scan I had missed something as the previous post to this says all that and I never noticed or remembered , thought I had missed mentioning , apologies for using up space. JS.

[j.sabourn]

I was replying to #26. JS