Merchant Seaman Numbers.

[jimmys]

Yes Jim I have it on google satellite now in Newsham Park. It is a very large and imposing building. The road that runs in front of it is called Orphan Drive. Looks worth saving.
There must have been a large number of orphans in the building.As well as the sea I think disease took a large number of the fathers. The orphanage was evacuated during WW2 and never really got going again and was then a hospital. No wonder it is not remembered.
These good buildings are better flats than rubble.
I had ties to the Fraserburgh area near Aberdeen and in the fifties out of a population of just over 12,000 approximately 3000 males were seafarers. Huge fishing fleet plus Merchant and Royal Navy.
Large numbers involved with the sea.

regards
jimmy

[Jim Brady]

Hi Jimmys,there is interest going on here at the moment regarding the building so it has just been mentioned on our local radio station.A man of 89 has just been on he was there during the war years as an orphan and he was relatinig some of his memories.During the war a couple of bombs dropped close by,so the orphans were moved to the Wirral to some estate owned by a Lord.He said they lived in army type billetts but they were central heated and the food was very good.He never had a bad word to say about the place so unlike some institutions they were very well looked after.At 14 (school leaving age )they got him a job as a bank messenger and at 15 years of age he went away to sea.
They reckon some guy from the Middle East now owns the place he has applied for planning permision to convert the place into flats but has had his application turned down a number of times the last time being 2007.So now the place is falling into a place of dereliction and decay.
Regards.
Jim.B

[Neville Roberts]

Hi Jim , I dont remember where the orphanage was , but I lived close to newsham park just off shiel road , I seem to recall that in the 50,s and 60,s that we had 20,000 seamen sailing out of Liverpool, so however many there was in britain we as scousers had a large amount of them .

[Jim Brady]

Hi Neville,if you lived in that area you must remember Newsham Park General Hospital,that was the old orphanage.
I think your figure of 20,000 seaman in Liverpool 50's60's could be right that would make it just around a fifth
of the whole U.K. figure of 90,000 that I mentioned.
I might call into the Maritime Museum and see if the have any figures for that period in their good archives and library.
Regards.
Jim.B.

[Neville Roberts]

Ok Jim now I remember newsham general , my brother did his internship there I did not know it was an orphanage before that , was,nt it across wavertree road at the bottom of shiel r oad . as I remember newsham parks main entrance at shiel road and boaler street, thats where I first went too school in 42

[Jim Brady]

Hi Neville,the orphanage was down Orphan Drive,I dont know how long it has been since you have been back here but things have changed a lot.One thing that I dont think would've changed is the railway bridge across is it West Derby Road or Rocky Lane.Thats where Orphan Drive is.That webpage you gave you will get it up on that,if not google Street View.
By the way I sailed on at least two of the ships you were on the Britain and the Salinas.
Regards.
Jim.B.

[Neville Roberts]

Hi Jim I only did one trip on the britain in june to july 61 but did a couple on the salinas jan 59 too may 59,

[Graham Griffiths]

Hello All,

I believe the Newland Homes in Kingston Upon Hull, was set up as a seaman's orphanage. We used two of the houses as residences whilst doing college time.

Big grounds and at least ten homes, a swimming pool near the entrance that nearly cost one of my fellow students his life, on his birthday.

Happy days

Graham

[Jim Brady]

Hi Neville,I did two trips on the Salinas 1959 I did two trips because I enjoyed that coast so much,from Cristobel from then on it was just a dream(we forget the bad times)Reg Brookes or Fred Archer was Chief StewardI can't remember which because I also sailed down there as pantry man on the Cotopaxi.I've had my Disharge Book in the same place for about 30 years I came to look for it a couple of months ago,not there!!!!I'm sure its been dumped and I'm scared to look to hard fot it because if it has been dumped I'l go bananas.I'd love to confirm dates that I was on the Salinas.
Did you check my message regarding the Seamans Orphanage and were you able to locate it?
Regards.
Jim.B.

[Jim Brady]

Hi Neville,I know this is getting off the subject what the post was about but this may be of interest.PSNC was the only Company where I saw this,and it was worth a few bob to the lucky guys that managed to get on it.This was the first copying machine before copying machines were invented.I'm sure it was called "Fatting".What happened was the Purser did the manifest or whatever on the typewriter and there was like a block of putty or fat or something like that,the Purser would lay what he had typed onto this and the idea was there was a copy of this on the fat.The job then was to lay plain paper on top of this thus getting a copy.I remember a couple of my mates saying of a night "I'm going Fatting for the Purser"
Guys that had been in the ship before knew about it and would get their name on it from the start,it was worth a few extra bob overtime for an easy job.Anybody else come across this system?
Regards.
jim.B.