What happened onCastilian in 1960?

[casso]

I'm interested in finding out what happened on the Castilian in 1960 that resulted in a 1 Month jail sentence.

I have googled it but the only mention of it was by George Foulser in an article he wrote and then it did not give any details. It's like it never happened which only makes me more curious.

Cheers.

Casso R710335.

[Doc Vernon]

Possibly the only way to find out casso, is to get the official Ships Logs for that Period! Dont know if the National Archives, or perhaps the Maritime Museum may have such on that Ship as i gather its the Newer one you are referring to. Then there is the University Archives of Canada Newfoundland that may also be able to help at a cost though!
Researching Crew Agreements and Official Logbooks (mun.ca)
Cheers

Screw Steamer CASTILIAN built by Alexander Stephen & Sons Ltd. in 1955 for Westcott & Laurance Lines Ltd., Liverpool. , Cargo (clydeships.co.uk)

[casso]

I think it was an incident related to the 1960 strike and unfortunately if it ended up in court the minimum sentence allowed by law was jail time.

Even if all you said was "Up yours!" to someone higher up the ladder, that's the equivalent of the Deck Boy saying it to the ships cat, it could instead of a logging be taken to a court as insubordination and the minimum penalty would be jail time. Looking back I think I have been lucky.

I think seeing as it was 1960 the log book would be in TNA so, one day when I get round to it I will visit TNA and try and look it up.

Casso R710335.

[Doc Vernon]

Just of some Interest perhaps !?
Cheers
Unholy alliance - The seamen's strike: an analysis - George Foulser | libcom.org

[casso]

That was the article that I read the other day. I found it while trying to get more information so it really tweaked my interest who ever was involved will be into their 80's by now if not older.

Casso R710335

[Keith Tindell]

Ref 4 Doc, Just read that article, and indeed some of the others attached, i am very pleased that i had bailed out by the time that lot took place, not because i was smart, but my circumstances changed. It seems about the time i bailed out, signed off in Hamburg March 1964, was now leaving a dying job. I missed the sea terribly for some time after, and reading that article is very sad. I still sit on the beach hear and watch various ships sailing outbound and wonder who mans them now, and what conditions.

[Hugh]

I think seeing as it was 1960 the log book would be in TNA so, one day when I get round to it I will visit TNA and try and look it up.

Casso, go with the information given by Vernon #2. The logbook/crew agreement for CASTILIAN will not be held at TNA Kew.
There may be information in his book available at Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Seamans-voi.../dp/B0000CL6P1

George Foulser was born in October 1919 and passed away in March 1975. He joined ss EASTLEA in 1938, previous service was by Dis 1. He is also known to have served aboard REGENT PANTHER, EMPIRE RAZORBILL in 1944 and SAMOKLA and IVOR RITA in 1945. Seems he also had some involvement in a strike aboard IVOR RITA too according to this article: https://libcom.org/article/foulser-george-1920-1975

Regards
Hugh

[casso]

Hi Hugh, Thanks for your suggestions, it's funny you should recommend Seaman's Voice, it's been sat on my bookshelf since at least 2017, maybe longer, and I thought I had read it, apparently not. I pulled it out to refresh my memory and could not remember any of it so I have just finished it and enjoyed it. I must have bought it with a few other books meaning to read them all and got side tracked before I got to it. Anyway the only mention of the Castilian is on page 186 where I found one sentence "The case of the Bastilian's crew had raised the Labour Movement to help us in every way." It was spelt with a B not a C but we know which ship he is talkiijg about.

I tried looking for the Castilian in the Maritime History Archives but there is nothing on her for any year. The only Official Number for her that I can find is 5410717 and that is not recognized by anyone, it seems like it is one digit too long. Also looking in my Discharge book all my ships official numbers started with 18**** so I don't know where the 54***** comes from.

Cheers

Casso R710335.

[Doc Vernon]

CASTILIAN

187107

Liverpool, 24/1955, Steam, 3803 tons

Closest Number that belonged to a Ship of that name casso!
Possible Typo error or a Number taken from ????
Cheers

[Hugh]

I tried looking for the Castilian in the Maritime History Archives but there is nothing on her for any year. The only Official Number for her that I can find is 5410717 and that is not recognized by anyone, it seems like it is one digit too long. Also looking in my Discharge book all my ships official numbers started with 18**** so I don't know where the 54***** comes from.

Hi Casso,
The number beginning with 54 is her IMO number which is the way ships are registered nowadays. It doesn't help much for research - we still need the ship's Official Number.

Remember also that when looking in the MHA in Canada there will be no lookup for that ship as the Logbook/Crew Agreement will not have been indexed. You will have to email them asking if they have the documents for CASTILIAN official number 187107 for 1960. They are probably held off site but they will check for you.

Regards
Hugh