Blue flu and memories

[j.sabourn]

Maybe you complained too much about the droughts when you had them and someone thought to give you a bit of water for your garden . You should show your gratitude and get a surf board like Louise and get the practice in. Just leave the car in the garage and away you go down the street. I had to turn the reticulation on this morning in The back garden what I thought were weeds are starting to droop, but the wife reckons there plants. Have you got your 40 days and 40 nights in yet. ? Cheers JS

[John Arton]

Getting back to blue flu,
The day I was interviewed and offered a cadetship with Canadian Pacific, I had also had an interview with blue funnel for a cadetship. That interview had consisted of the personnel officer telling me that blue funnel was the premier British shipping company, and possibly the world's one as well. All blue funnel staff were considered to be the crème de crème of seamen and only the very best were ever offered a chance to be employed by them. He then pointed out to a picture of a Priam class new build, saying that not all of the fleet were that modern and on many ships I would be expected to share a cabin with a number of other cadet's, or midshipman, as they called it, having said that he then went onto ask me me if I had any homosexual leanings!!!!.
Two days later I joined my first ship as Canadian Pacific's newest cadet. In the first mail I received, off Cape town, en route to the Persian gulf, I received a letter from blue funnel telling me I had been accepted for their cadet training program and I was to inform them when I would be able to start at their training college. I had to write back letting them know I would not be taking up their kind offer of employment as I was already at sea and employed by Canadian Pacific.
Later I got a very snotty letter back from blue funnel, basically saying no one with any sense who wanted to work with the best, ever turned them down and irrespective of any future development I would never ever get the opportunity to work for them!!!
Rgds
J.A.

[j.sabourn]

They were known in my time as the Welsh Navy Like Ben Line was the Scottish Navy. Cheers JS

[Tony Taylor]

Getting back to blue flu,


Later I got a very snotty letter back from blue funnel, basically saying no one with any sense who wanted to work with the best, ever turned them down and irrespective of any future development I would never ever get the opportunity to work for them!!!
Rgds
J.A.

At least you got a reply John! In the autumn of my last year (64) at school, I wrote to Doxford engineering regarding how to go about applying for apprenticeship - no response,
I then wrote to NZSC for information regarding apprenticeships, as the person who inspired me was an ex Chief Engineer with them and recommended them - no reply/response.
Next choice was Ben Line - no reply/response.
Esso - replied saying I was too late for that year, try next year. This despite explaining the reasons for writing.
BP - same as Esso
Shell, thank you for your letter, please find enclosed information pack and application form which we suggest you send in early in the New Year.
Finally, someone actually read the letter and translated the request correctly.
Subsequently, got my wish with them and started in September of 65.
A couple of weeks before starting my apprenticeship with Shell, I got a letter from Doxfords saying that with regard to my "recent interview" I had not been successful.

[Des Taff Jenkins]

Many of us have tales to tell about our attempts to get ahead. Mine is the time on my second trip as deck boy the Captain asked me if I would like to learn alongside the two Cadets, I said that unfortunately my schooling was that poor I couldn't accept, an action I was to regret all my life, for who knows?
Des

[j.sabourn]

#44 Tony did you do a. Pre sea course at South Shields ? if so did Bill Sabourn not give. Any advice on such. Although he served his time in the Ship Yard he went to sea with the RFA where he got all his certificates. I have often wondered how they recruited their men , does anyone know. E.g. did they carry apprentices ,cadets , midshipmen or whatever ? JS

[j.sabourn]

#45 Des if you had taken him up on his offer you would have received more than I ever did . It’s a fallacy put out about the poor education. A large percentage of ships officers are ex council school boys leaving at 15 . One starts their education themselves on leaving school . Anyone could go up for a 2 mates certificate as long as had 4 years seatime in . Even the galley boy. Aftrr that sea time had to be as a watchkeeper. It was more important not to be colour blind. JS

[Des Taff Jenkins]

Ah John, you are now talking to a very well" Wife educated man, in those days I was an uneducated Welsh Country boy, well versed in Welsh History which didn't include seamanship. Still I loved my time at sea.
Des

[j.sabourn]

The same applied to an apprentice , he gained his seamanship from the bosun and the deck crew. Anything else from Reeds Seamanship. Volume 1 . JS

[happy daze john in oz]

Des, in most industries in life no matter how bad or good you may have been at school there is no replacement for experience.
I was not a particularly good scholar, did well in English and Economic history, not so good at maths.
But my education at sea set me up for a bountiful life.
Some 50 years in hospitality with never a day out of work.