Page 1 of 6 1 2 3 ... LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 54

Thread: Lost

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Location
    Sunbury Victoria Australia
    Posts
    24,991
    Thanks (Given)
    8300
    Thanks (Received)
    10126
    Likes (Given)
    106523
    Likes (Received)
    45653

    Default Lost

    He was tall and looked very like any of the other crew who joined the Windsor that voyage, nothing special to note and was a first class winger.

    But this man was one of the 'girls' having chosen the name of Agatha.
    Nothing different from the others of the same ilk, went about her business in a very professional manner.
    Like so many other at the time had taken a female name very often from an older generation. There was the usual Aggie, Georgina, and even one who went by the name of Jean Harlow.

    But like all the others kept to them selves never bothering those who were not interested.

    At the end of any working day they would be seen in the 'Pig' enjoying a well earned pint .
    many would join in the 'banter' of the other crew and good times were had by all.

    Agatha was no different and was a friendly 'girl' who would chat freely with any one on many subjects and often seen to disappear with some other 'trade' person into the night.

    Agatha had been seen by the Master at Arms on his rounds at around 2350 hours that night, siting at a table in the Well deck with a pint and speaking with a deck hand. We were about five days out from home.

    At 0600 hours the peak steward did the rounds waking all and sundry with his usual calls, he did not take nay notice that Agatha's bunk had not been slept in. Nothing new for any of the 'girls' as often they would be busy with a client in another bunk overnight.

    A tourist steward doing the beer run had noticed the pint pot, now half empty and a shoe on the deck close by but took no notice, nothing odd here he thought.

    But by 0700 hours Agatha had not emerged from any other bunk, missing in action.
    By about 0730 hours the Second Steward had been notified and a search for Agatha went out, but no sign.

    By 0800 hours the Chief Officer Charnley had been notified, he then notified captain Smythe.

    During this time the tourist winger having heard of the search spoke with the head waiter telling of the pint pot and shoe.
    The Master at Arms then came forward and spoke of what he had seen the previous night.

    The decision was made that the obligatory search had not found the missing person so it was concluded he may have gone over the side. The ship was turned and sailed back for two hours, but no sight of Agatha.

    Suspicion then swung to the deck hand the Master ta Arms had seen the previous night.
    He was sent for by the Chief officer and asked if he knew anything and why had he been with Agatha at that time.

    It eventuated that he was engaged to the sister of Agatha and that is what the conversation was about, when he left Agatha he was still sitting at the table.

    It was eventually logged that he had been lost at sea, either by the means of suicide or the possibility of falling from the Well deck rail.

    I was officers steward at the time and Bob Rae the officers steward in charge was responsible for looking after the Chief Officer, I recall him telling us how distressed he was at the events that had occurred.

    What ever happened to Agatha we will never know, but maybe like so many others of his kind depression maybe got the better of him, but what ever the reason it was the loss of a good worker, friend to many and no doubt a much loved family member.
    Happy daze John in Oz.

    Life is too short to blend in.

    John Strange R737787
    World Traveller

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Location
    Blue Mountains NSW
    Posts
    24,237
    Thanks (Given)
    45047
    Thanks (Received)
    13126
    Likes (Given)
    52440
    Likes (Received)
    39396

    Default Re: Lost

    What a sad story John
    And as you say they were always but on their best behaviour,nice People at the best of times.
    So sad when you think that circumstances could have lead to this tragedy!
    Many a good party had with the likes of some of the best in the business ,and I mean that I the nicest way! They were the tops in the Catering Dept.
    Cheers
    Senior Site Moderator-Member and Friend of this Website

    R697530

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jul 2009
    Location
    Waterlooville Hampshire UK
    Posts
    7,068
    Thanks (Given)
    1693
    Thanks (Received)
    3689
    Likes (Given)
    3684
    Likes (Received)
    13348

    Default Re: Lost

    In the year that I was o passenger ships , we were blessed with an engineer's steward , who was part of the "sisterhood " ,best steward ever , his activities would have seen him jailed in those days , when talking to him you realised that coming to terms with a different sexuality often carried a sad / depressive story with it . I was never a fan of the over the top camp behaviour , but it always seemed an escape mechanism to dodge the oppression of the big wide world
    Rob Page R855150 - British & Commonwealth Shipping ( 1965 - 1973 ) Gulf Oil -( 1973 - 1975 ) Sealink ( 1975 - 1986 )

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Location
    Sunbury Victoria Australia
    Posts
    24,991
    Thanks (Given)
    8300
    Thanks (Received)
    10126
    Likes (Given)
    106523
    Likes (Received)
    45653

    Default Re: Lost

    So many at that time Rob joined up to avoid prosecution for what was not their fault, just a defect of birth and for some to escape the threat of conscription.

    Thankfully the world has now come to understand the true facts about this dilemma that many men, and women find themselves in.

    But in some respects it has now gone full circle, and where at one time they were percecuted we now have some shoving it in our face.
    Happy daze John in Oz.

    Life is too short to blend in.

    John Strange R737787
    World Traveller

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jul 2009
    Location
    Waterlooville Hampshire UK
    Posts
    7,068
    Thanks (Given)
    1693
    Thanks (Received)
    3689
    Likes (Given)
    3684
    Likes (Received)
    13348

    Default Re: Lost

    You might get it shoved in your face John but I was never that pretty
    Rob Page R855150 - British & Commonwealth Shipping ( 1965 - 1973 ) Gulf Oil -( 1973 - 1975 ) Sealink ( 1975 - 1986 )

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jun 2015
    Location
    Essex
    Posts
    2,196
    Thanks (Given)
    1849
    Thanks (Received)
    2420
    Likes (Given)
    7367
    Likes (Received)
    9364

    Default Re: Lost

    Quote Originally Posted by happy daze john in oz View Post
    So many at that time Rob joined up to avoid prosecution for what was not their fault, just a defect of birth and for some to escape the threat of conscription.

    Thankfully the world has now come to understand the true facts about this dilemma that many men, and women find themselves in.

    But in some respects it has now gone full circle, and where at one time they were percecuted we now have some shoving it in our face.
    Just been reading a letter of complaint in my local paper, it seems the Girl Guides are now set to allow boys who believe
    they are female to join, they are probably good lads but different in other ways but once in , they will share the same
    facilities that the girls use i.e toilets & tents etc, I know attitudes are changing but I do struggle to get my head around
    it when children are involved, I do understand that some people are born to be different and life can be very unfair to them
    Alan Turing is a very good example of that, when it was illegal to be homosexual it was all done very much in private, I think
    it was Elton John who changed all of that when he "came out" and now like it or not it is in our faces, to see two men kissing
    each other on the mouth on the TV is revolting, as far as I'm concerned it should not be done in public, JFC

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Nov 2010
    Location
    South Shields
    Posts
    5,203
    Thanks (Given)
    480
    Thanks (Received)
    6080
    Likes (Given)
    4096
    Likes (Received)
    14782

    Default Re: Lost

    The engineer's waiter on the Canada was as gay as a " gay Gordon".he wore a different hairstyle every serving much to the annoyance of some of the first class female passengers. He was, without doubt, not only the best waiter in first class but also the cleanest as I'm sure that some of the others never showered from one week to the next, just washed their hands and face and then dowsed themselves in deoderent. He fell in love with the night master at arms ( who was straight as a die) and every night round's we would be accosted by him in tears complaing that the crew would not allow him to wear his favourite pink dress in the crew pig and whistle at night time.
    Happy day's.
    Rgds.
    J.A.

  8. Likes cappy, happy daze john in oz liked this post
  9. #8
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Location
    Seaforth L'Pool Merseyside
    Posts
    0
    Thanks (Given)
    635
    Thanks (Received)
    4648
    Likes (Given)
    8886
    Likes (Received)
    10743

    Default Re: Lost

    Engineers eating in the 1st class restaurant,they always lived up on the boat deck on the Empress boats (and other company's like Cunard) they had a big saloon up there as well.
    Regards.
    Jim.B.
    CLARITATE DEXTRA

  10. #9
    Join Date
    Nov 2010
    Location
    South Shields
    Posts
    5,203
    Thanks (Given)
    480
    Thanks (Received)
    6080
    Likes (Given)
    4096
    Likes (Received)
    14782

    Default Re: Lost

    Jim B
    On the Canada, which became the Mardi Gras, all deck, engine, radio, purser's, ate in the first Class saloon in a raised area opposite the lifts and across the dance floor at the forward end. It was railed off from the rest of the saloon and it made us feel like we were in a display for the passengers view. There were huge warnings throughout our accommodation regarding being sober and wearing full dress uniform when passing first class tables to reach our seating area. Although eating in 1st. Class we did not enjoy their menu. There was a small duty mess, hidden from passengers view, off to one side where food from the galley was brought into the saloon. On the Captain's deck there was a private dining saloon where the Captain would hold his private dining meal's for selected guest's, otherwise he had his table in first class as did the other senior officers, down to 1st. Officer ( deck), senior 2 nd. Engineer (3 of them), 2 nd. Spark's plus Pursers, Doctor etc.
    There was an officer's bar next to the captain's saloon but that was only open for an hour or so at midday. Aft on the engineer's deck was the engineers bar which is where most of us drank as only the seniors were allowed in the passenger lounge's except by captions invitation once every crossing. The crew bar had been removed from a manky area off the working alleyway and was situated in a converted tween deck space of the hold just in front of the bridge that all the store's were loaded through. It was quite plush with a proper bar with a permanent bar man and lots of seating and tables and it was part of my 0200 night rounds with the M.A. to ensure that the shutters were down and the bar locked up.
    Rgds.
    J.A.

  11. #10
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Location
    Seaforth L'Pool Merseyside
    Posts
    0
    Thanks (Given)
    635
    Thanks (Received)
    4648
    Likes (Given)
    8886
    Likes (Received)
    10743

    Default Re: Lost

    It would appear they had a big change around on the Canada from what you say John.The Britain and England ist class restaurant,own table with passengers,captain,chf/officer,purser,chf,engineer,extra chief,surgeon.As officers steward we had two four tables,five deck officers and chf.radio officer and they ate from the first class menu.Althought the engineers ate in the saloon up on the boat deck they still ate from the first class menu.There was a small service lift (dumb waiter) from the engineers pantry down to the kitchen.We had an asst.stwd down there when the meal was on,he was the runner,we would phone down to him for whatever we wanted and he would go and source it and send it up to the pantry.
    Regards.
    Jim.B.
    CLARITATE DEXTRA

  12. Likes happy daze john in oz liked this post
Page 1 of 6 1 2 3 ... LastLast

Tags for this Thread

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •