North Shields

[j.sabourn]

NATO & World War 3 - Page 8 (merchant-navy.net) Post #71

Re last post and Black Horse 1958 If got into the bar section you will have probably known my old man. I was away at sea most of the time then but he was in there every night 2000 hrs to 2230 hrs usually playing dominoes or darts. As regards the ATC air training corps was the 3rd cadet corps I was in but was the Whitley Bay one at the top of Oxford street opposite Ryles , which no longer exists. And that would have been 1949/50. One of my Aunts lived at the top of Howard Street close to the square where the Wooden Dolly now stands , at the bottom of the street were Stag Line. My cousin Albert Thomas Kempster also lived there in the flat above the Oxford School of Motoring. He spent most of his time at sea with Palm Line , but was accidentally drowned at the mouth of the Thames about 1980 . He had been 2 engineer with Palm Line for a number of years. Not too far from where you lived but further towards North Shields was a Captain J.P. Hogg he was master with Runcimans and a boyhood friend of my old man . Also living opposite the Fox Hunters is an ex master out of the Yellow Perils who I went to school with a Brian Tarne his brother was the fire chief for Northumberland . I would need more than 10 fingers to count the seafarers I knew about the area of North Shields , the same almost applies to South Shields . But today a lot are no longer with us mores the pity. Cheers JS
When I say the 3rd cadet corps I was in , I mean I was in the army and navy cadets first and second and the ATC was the third so had them all covered , must have been the uniforms that were the attraction ? JS

[Des Taff Jenkins]

Ah! after the girls in your uniforms even at a young age John.
Des

[j.sabourn]

A. Few more names some from the Tyne area you might know , Barnes ch. engineer And Hutchinson 2 engineer both Dalgliesh and both Irish from Belfast originally the second name lived in Whitley Bay in Briardene and sailed with both At same time. Both ex B specials from Belfast and to give an example of the intelligence level Barnes had a big picture of the Pope in his cabin and used it for thrown darts at. The 3 engineer in the minority was from southern Island was called Joe Christmas and you can imagine the stick he took. The Barton’s from South Shields father and son master and mate on same ship myself 2 mate , when said to the old man that his behaviour was ok by us but he had his son on board and didn’t he want to veil issues a bit, his reply was son son I have no son on this ship he’s the mate. The son later went to work for BP as a rep. Not British Petroleum but British Paints. The Nicholson’s from Hexham master , mate, and apprentice the youngest the apprentice I served my time with and he was always the target for others in Runcimans who found fault with his father and elder brother , and me being big pals with him got splattered with the same accusations of wrongdoing. Think it was Chan the Chinese Geordie bosun from South Shields , May have the name wrong but Cappy knows him , both him and Septimus Kincaid from South Shields the 2 best bosuns I personally have sailed with. Both were in ships of Dalgliesh or Walter Runcimans. Capt. Coaster who took over the Railway pub at Haltwhistle when he retired. JP Hogg already mentioned when blotted his copy book after a lifetime in Runcimans both war and peace went as a North Sea Pilot , was also one of the elders of Trinity House . The list of people from the Tyne and Northumberland area I knew by repute or having sailed with would be never ending and this is just the locals never mind all the others can only speak now because most are no longer with us. Seamen belong to one of the closest fraternity’s on this earth and don’t realise it. Maybe reading some of the posts on here the budding spokesmen on politics should form a new party called the Seaman’s Party or more down to earth in seaman’s jargon the sea lawyers party . We could all then join and run the country as we see fit , what a party that would be , it would be better than open all hours .
Cheers JS

[j.sabourn]

#2 That’s probably why finished up in the ATC Des, too long waiting for the army and navy to distribute , now the ATC a dab of brylcream and were all set for the girls , and wham who needs a uniform. Cheers JS

[j.sabourn]

#3 correction .. for Nicholson read Nicholas ... JS

[happy daze john in oz]

That part of the country has over the years produced a large number of seamen and ship builders.
My GF, born in Sunderland, was a ships engineer.
His father a riveter in the Sunderland ship yards and his father a chain maker in the same yard
My great uncle was for a short while a ships captain before his rather untimely end.
There were a number of other cousins of the family involved in ships and shipping over the years, all from Sunderland and surrounding areas.
Then my father goes and joins the Army!!!!!!!!!!!!

[j.sabourn]

#5 A girl with a name like that shouldn’t climb trees . JS