Passenger Ships

[j.sabourn]

It’s amazing what sticks. In the memory banks nearly all of it outdated and useless today. Reading on this site alone the designation of various types of shipping alone proves that. My memories of swotting up on possible examination in the orals for example re passenger ships is still there and no doubt well outdated as was circa 1953 MSA.
Passenger ship ...Those carrying more than 12 passengers on International or H.T. Voyages.
Emigrant ship...Any vessel which leaves the UK carrying more than 50 steerage passengers or any steam vessel which carries more than 1 steerage passenger for every 20 tons of her registered tonnage ( 33 tons if a sailing vessel )
Penalty for carrying more passengers than on the passenger certificate A fine not exceeding 20 pounds , together with an additional fine of 5/-per passenger above the number allowed. When fare does exceed 5/- additional fine , additional fine shall not exceed twice the amount of fares of total numbers carried in excess calculated at the dearest fare charged on board. I can see now why they carried pursers . Not many people knew that. How many backhanders were you slipped on tbe Shields Ferry Cappy. ?
JS

[cappy]

[QUOTE=j.sabourn;406498]It’s amazing what sticks. In the memory banks nearly all of it outdated and useless today. Reading on this site alone the designation of various types of shipping alone proves that. My memories of swotting up on possible examination in the orals for example re passenger ships is still there and no doubt well outdated as was circa 1953 MSA.
Passenger ship ...Those carrying more than 12 passengers on International or H.T. Voyages.
Emigrant ship...Any vessel which leaves the UK carrying more than 50 steerage passengers or any steam vessel which carries more than 1 steerage passenger for every 20 tons of her registered tonnage ( 33 tons if a sailing vessel )
Penalty for carrying more passengers than on the passenger certificate A fine not exceeding 20 pounds , together with an additional fine of 5/-per passenger above the number allowed. When fare does exceed 5/- additional fine , additional fine shall not exceed twice the amount of fares of total numbers carried in excess calculated at the dearest fare charged on board. I can see now why they carried pursers . Not many people knew that. How many backhanders were you slipped on tbe Shields Ferry Cappy. ?
JS[/
WELL JOHN IN THEM DAYS EARLY 50S......IT WAS THE PENNY FERRY .....SO NOT MUCH MONETARY GAIN .......BUT DID CONVINCE A FEW LADIES I HAD TO SEARCH THEM FOR CONTRABAND ....AND TO CHECK THEY WERNT SMUGGLING HEDGEHOGS IN THERE KNICKERS SURPRISING HOW MANY KEPT ON THE FERRY FOR THE RETURN JOURNEY BUT IT DIDNT GIVE ME MUCH TIME AS THE TRIP FROM NORTH SHIELDS TO SOUTH SHIELDS ONLY TOOK 5 MINUTES......I MADE MY MONEY BY GIVING A BUSMANS SHINY PEAKED HAT TO MY MATES AND A SLEEVEBAND MARKED CONTRABAND OFFICER .....THEY PAID ME THREEPENCE FOR EVERY SEARCH.....WE HAD ONE BIG LASS SPENT 23 SHILLINGS A WEEK ON FERRY CROSSINGS....LOL.....R683532

[j.sabourn]

I had a pass for the ferry in 1952 . Think it was still Northumberland then north of the River. All my travel South of the River I had to fork out for , think it was tuppence on the trolley or bus to Westoe. Think any youngster today would get it free on both sides of River as it is now Tyne and Wear. Rather think Northumberland cuts in about Seaton Delavel , Blyth and Morpeth are definetley in Northumberland . Think when they changed the boundaries that’s when all the expensive councils came into being . Previous Whitley Bay councillors were all volunteers and not paid , everyone wanted the job when film star wages appeared. Still not for me to reason why. Cheers JS

[Doc Vernon]

cappy the only Penny Ferry i recall is the one that used to Ply in Cape Town Harbour! It was a real Penny Ferry! LOL
cHEERS

Used to love going back and forth as a Kid in them days! Penny a ride!

Old Pennt Ferry CT.jpg

[j.sabourn]

Another one which would of referred also to passenger vessels as regards their lifeboats and crewing was before I forget it was boats with less than 41 had to have 2 certificated lifeboat men, 41 to 61 persons 3 lifeboatmen, 62 to 85 , 4 lifeboatmen, over 85 persons 5 lifeboatmen per boat.
JS

[Keith Tindell]

This post reminds me of the old Hamble river ferry, this used to run from the humble side to the Swank side of the river, a distance of perhaps a hundred yards, but saved miles around the top end. A family called Sedgwicks ran the ferry for years, and it originally consisted of just a rowing boat of about 16 feet , the ferry service had run from 1480s, Ray Sedgwick when we entered the EU, was the ferryman at the time, having come down from granddad and Dad. For a while the EU stopped the ferry running, as Ray did not have any Marine passenger qualifications !!!, safety etc. I remember the uproar at the time, and i don't recall how it ended, but the Sedgwick family still run the ferry to this day.

[j.sabourn]

That sounds like here in WA Keith . When I went into 50% ownership of a partial cabin cruiser I thought no problems and away we went , not too long after purchasing this craft they brought in the small owners licence , my mate went and got it and was told I had to have as well this consisted of being asked various questions and proving you could handle the boat. It cost my mate $600 . I went up to the yacht club and saw the commodore and asked them who they had to examine me. He said to fill in the form and pay the money and they would get one of their members . I said I am a retired seafarer and have lifeboat certificates and FRC cox’n certificates
before your examiner was probably born. He said just give me $5 dollars for the paperwork and I’ll send it to you. My mate wasn’t chuffed when he knew he had to pay $600 , I just said to him that’s because your dopey and can’t drive a boat. Poor beggar is dead now just died recently , he died of natural causes not in any boat disaster though . JS

[Alan Mcdougle]

I john there used to be a penny ferry across the river Blyth -Cambois it used to pull it self over by cables

[j.sabourn]

There used to be one at General Terminus on the Clyde as well Alan ,also on cables.used to bring all the tarts from Betty’s bar back and forwards . Believe Cappy applied for a job on but was found unsuitable with his record of cargo pilferage . JS

[j.sabourn]

Getting back to passenger ships at sea. I always tended to think that most of them did not follow the Rules and Regulations for Preventing Collision at sea . Those that know the Rules and after describing the masthead lights ,sidelights , stern lights , said these lights shall be shown from sunset to sunrise and no other lights shall be exhibited except such lights that may not interfere with the visibility of prescribed lights shall be shown. Most passenger ships I encountered at sea were just one blaze of lights and to be able to pick out a sidelight was very rare even the masthead lights were sometimes hard to pick out. JS