Memories of Houston

[Archie Coulter]

I visited Houston many times in the 70s, first as cadet then as Third Mate. A few times in LOF, but mainly in Bank Line on the US Gulf to Aussie and NZ service. (Great run!)
The docks in Houston are a long way from town and when you get into the centre there was not that much to do.

A nice memory:

The seaman’s club in Houston is very close to the port and was one of the best I have visited in my time at sea. There was a nice swimming pool and a lovely football pitch, which could be floodlit if seaman wanted to play at night time. The restaurant served great food and I remember enjoying a perfectly cooked succulent steak there. A real treat as the food was not so clever on board (Bank Line).

One night I was recruited into a football team. A Norwegian ship was one man short, so I offered to make up the numbers. Our opponents? A Yugoslav ship!!! There were some serious footballers amongst the Yugoslavs’. They went into tackles like there were in the last minute winning 1-0 in the world cup final. A bruising encounter and it’s lucky no one was injured. Anyway although the Yugoslavs’ won 8-2 in the end, it was still great to participate and play on such a nice pitch.


Not such a nice memory :

Another time in Houston whilst on the a ship called the Meadow bank around eight of us decided to go ashore and visit some bars just outside the dock gate. It was about ten o’clock at night and as we walked along a brightly lit road close to the port all chatting away merrily, no one noticed that a beat up car had stopped close by.

The next thing I knew, I was starring down the barrel of a gun. This small scrawny Negro stood in front of me and threatened to shoot unless I handed over my cash. His hand was shaking so I did not argue and duly handed over thirty dollars, which I had only got from the captain an hour previously. He then went down the line and took money off everybody. The whole encounter lasted just a few minutes, then he was back in the car and roared off with his accomplice.

We were all quite traumatised by the event. But the really worrying factor was we had no money left for beer! Fortunately the Third Eng had kept some money in his shoe so when we reached the bars at least we could have a couple of beers each.

I don’t think we even reported the matter to the Police. But I wrote an article which was published in the MN Telegraph warning seafarers of the dangers of going ashore in Houston.


I was wondering if any other members had been held up at gun point or similar harrowing tales of nights ashorte.

[Red Lead Ted]

hi Archie i have very fond memories of the mission early 70s i was with Harrison's lpool we were there a few times while i was with Harrison's i recently emailed the mission as i like you remember the L shaped swimming pool and the football area. I missed my ship the m.v.Linguist in houston fell asleep in the mission the next morning i was frantic the padre asked me were the ship had sailed for i said up the river to Brownsville. The great old guy drove me to Brownsville to rejoin her i emailed them recently you can easily find the mission online run mostly by woman now but i explained and thanked them for the great hospitality which i will never forget nice to be nice archie Regards mate Ted.

[Stuart Henderson]

Regular visitor on Cunard cargo ships early 1960s. The bar just outside dock was the IT Ill Do ,not sure correct spelling. Could be rough but nice pitchers of ice cold beer.
Stuart

[Archie Coulter]

Hello Ted,
Nice to meet you. That was a very kind gesture of the Padre taking you
to the next port when you had missed your ship. The Yanks could be very kind and
generous from time to time.
The closest I came to missing a ship was in Melbourne back in the 70s. I met a
girl at a party on board and wound up back at her place. She had great difficulty
trying to wake me and when I eventually came hurrying along the quay the the pilot and tugs were already there. A lucky escape ! as the Old man a very dyed in the wool old fashioned type would not have been impressed had I missed the ship!!!

Best regards,

Archie

[Archie Coulter]

Hello Stuart,
I remember now. The bar was called the Harbour Lights. As you say rough but
good pitchers of beer. Pitchers are something they still do in the US. People wouldnt dream
of asking for a picher in the UK unless they were students I suppose,

Best regards

Archie

[Stuart Henderson]

Hello Stuart,
I remember now. The bar was called the Harbour Lights. As you say rough but
good pitchers of beer. Pitchers are something they still do in the US. People wouldnt dream
of asking for a picher in the UK unless they were students I suppose,

Best regards

Archie

Hi Archie,
Name must have changed over the years. Talking about the cold beers though I recall another occasion aboard old Athel crest in the mid fifties in yet another American port. We had loaded molasses in Cuba and discharge port was ALBANY NY a very picturesque run up the Hudson River passing amongst other places Sing Sing and West Point but it was mid winter and weather was getting colder and colder.
Nevertheless myself and couple of buddies hotfooted it immediately the gangway was down to find the nearest bar. Not very far along the riverside road. Asked for beer, no pitcher thanks just a glass.....
The barman reaches under the bar and into a freezer and comes out with three really heavy tankards white with frost and fills them for us. The beer was so cold it went straight through and your hand stuck to the tankard. Just what you needed with snow outside after leaving sunny Cuba. But another memory of old but happy times.
Cheers make mine a Scotch/
Stuart

[Archie Coulter]

Hello Stuart,
Thats an interesting tale about the ice cold glass and ice cold beer in the dead of winter.
Its funny how beer is served differently in different parts of the world. In Aussie you could get, a mini
a maxi or a schooner. A mini was a very small glass just a couple of mouthfulls. The maxi was probably less
than half a pint and the schooner slightly more than half a pint.
I could never understand the point of the mini till I realised it was to ensure you were at alltimes drinking
ice cold beer. The larger glasses could warm up by the time you had drank them.

Where do you live ? I would guess with a name like Stuart and liking whisky you may be Scottish like me.

Best regards,

Archie

[Stuart Henderson]

Hello again Archie,
Yes different countries different ideas methods very true. Remember my first trip to Oz early fifties on Maloja P&O very old immigrant ship £10 Brits. Discovered on arrival to my horror all pubs shut at 1800hrs,pretty basic places anyway but when they were open they served the cold stuff, Did Fremantle, Melbourne,Sydney and work finishing at 1900hrs with passengers aboard. Final turnaround port Brisbane- Hurrah...... pubs closed 2200hrs in Queensland, First night rushed ashore couple of buddies as always, first well lighted wooden hotel in we go. No bar all table service one harrassed waiter, ordered beers,quickly disposed of,ordered more and after three quick rounds the waiter made what we thought was a snide dy remark about is beer all we wanted. Ordered shorts & beer and thought cheeky sod. Decided to move on and asked for bill, he said crikey arnt you guys guests ? This is a wedding reception..... We hurriedly retreated via toilets without having to pay blessing the happy couple of course.
My name is very Scottish Stuart Henderson from my fathers side, he was raiding across border when he met my mother in Gloucester. All his family live near Edinburgh and I went to school in Leith during war.
Developed a taste for whisky especially when sailing out of Yorkhill quay Glasgow on
whisky run to USA, Cunqrd cqrgo boqts;greqt ti,es:::: Stuqrt

[happy daze john in oz]

The days of six o'clock swill are now long gone thankfully and we now have sensible trading hours, mainly from ten in morning until maybe one or two in the morning depending on the area. Glass sizes have now gone pretty much standard, pot, or schooners is the go with a few serving pints. Same size different name in different states.

[Ron B Manderson]

After a visit up the canal you don't need the hull cleaned.

On the Markor we thought a nice piece of grass to pla footey on.
On thing that still gives me the creeps is snakes.
Joe soap me , was the goally.

I stopped the game while I checked the sign post near me.
Yes the sign said "beware of snakes on this patch of grass.
I moved QVD like a ballet dancer off that grass.


The old man the famous and I say the best brocklebanks had" Phil Pembridge. ", sent the 3rd eng and I up to that famous bar to collect NICE LADIES for a party.
Boy! they were big girls .
One told us her name was moby dick. And she was big.
Mind you brill party was had by all after Pem (still iin uniform ) told us unless these woman were removed from his ship we would all be logged. He then dissapeared and returned with an old tee shirt etc.
Turned to me and declared " Who does he think he is" the owner of Brocklebanks. May I have this dance young lady."
Pem as he was called would be standing in the bar ,then shouts "minty tee shirt time" you had to return to your cabin and dress in the mintyest tee shirt you had.
At 1 Shilling a pint you were ok .
If any other people know Phil Pembridge they will understand this story

Ron
Batman.