1st trip to sea on TREMEADOW.

[jeff batts]

Thanks Doc. By stories do you mean stuff like:- 1st trip to sea on TREMEADOW. We were homeward bound, a week out from UK when we were caught in a hurricane. Us deckies had 2 days and 3 nights, 'standing-by??' in the messroom midships. Tremeadow went from fury and chaos into the serene silence of the eye. The ship chug-chug-chugged up the biggest swells I was ever to see. On the top she keeled so far over on her side that the working alleyway was under solid water. There was so much pressure in the water that it was shot through the porthole edges, even though they were battened down hard, with deadlights an'all. Then she would dip her nose and surf down the other side, coming to a sudden stop as she buried her nose, and then fighting free only to chug-chug-chug up the next mountain of water.
At one point the AB's tied themselves together and went on the boat deck to get some extra lashings on the starboard lifeboat, as the port lifeboat had already been washed away, as had the jollyboat down aft. It didn't help though, the following morning it too was gone.
We did get a sneak look outside while in the eye. There were no seas just those monster swells and sunshine. At a distance all around, there was like a deep-black, ominous curtain. when we passed through that curtain we entered into a whistling, screaming hell.
Our fare for those few days was boiled eggs and cream crackers, 'cause the galley stove had lost its little chimney.
We arrived in London a week later than we should have.
Tremeadow was a good little ship. Good crew. Good seamanship. I enjoyed my time on her. I re-signed 18 days later, a week before Christmas.
The captain was Captain Hawkins (A-harr me hearties). He retired in Quebec the following trip. All hands were by the gangway to see him off, and the little old Swedish Bosun had some tears in his eyes.
The new captain was a Captain White.

[Keith Tindell]

Thats the sort of stories we like Jeff, keep em coming. I was at sea a vey short time before you, and also my first ship was the Treworlas, the old Hains steamship company, long gone. They do have part of the museum in St Ives in Cornwall, where most of their ships are listed, mind not much good for you , too far to travel, anyway wellcome to the site, kt

[Doc Vernon]

Way to go Jeff keep em coming please!
Cheers

[alan vickers]

I was on the Tremeadow April61 to February 2 great trip and crew and the Officers. It was the vessel second trip,still practically new, single berth and air con. Heaven Approaching the Carribean we ran into a hurricane I forget it's name, and everything was as you have explained except we didn't lose any boats. quite an experience and also the best trip I ever did.

[Steve Riley]

Thats the sort of stories we like Jeff, keep em coming. I was at sea a vey short time before you, and also my first ship was the Treworlas, the old Hains steamship company, long gone. They do have part of the museum in St Ives in Cornwall, where most of their ships are listed, mind not much good for you , too far to travel, anyway wellcome to the site, kt

i was on the tremeadow as deck boy/jos joined in antwerp in december 1969 sailed to london west india dock then sailed 22nd december to the persia gulf via durban. stricks charter.
homeward bound loaded iron ore in mamagoa india for emdon germany and paid off, must have been around may, good crowd and ship

[Barry Peck]

Glad to hear of the good stories about TREMEADOW in her early days. I understand Hains was a good company who cared for their ships. I sailed on her in mid 1973 by the time P&O GCD had had their hands on her for several years. To describe her as an unseaworthy wreck would be an insult to wrecks. If she had docked in the UK the BoT surveyor would have arrested her, and the company knew it! If I hadn't had a pierhead jump I would have walked off again. When they sold her a year or so later she was renamed RELIANCE EXPRESS, which was the only thing funny I ever saw in her!

[Graham Brinn]

Glad to hear of the good stories about TREMEADOW in her early days. I understand Hains was a good company who cared for their ships. I sailed on her in mid 1973 by the time P&O GCD had had their hands on her for several years. To describe her as an unseaworthy wreck would be an insult to wrecks. If she had docked in the UK the BoT surveyor would have arrested her, and the company knew it! If I hadn't had a pierhead jump I would have walked off again. When they sold her a year or so later she was renamed RELIANCE EXPRESS, which was the only thing funny I ever saw in her!

I loved that ship trewidden my 1st ship tremeadow my third loved being on Haines Norse ships wish I was still able to sail with em

[xantippe]

My father was a Haines apprentice, from 1922, he was on the Trelissick from 1924 to 1928 as an Apprentice and AB then the Trevarrick, and Tregarthen between 1928-1930 He was on a few ships before he was on the Treworlas in 1948. He then was on the Livorno from 1948-1951, when he had Gall Stones and left the sea.

[Keith Tindell]

The Treworlas had an interesting history, she was torpedoed WW2, had the complete bow section blown off, was towed back to UK, and then had a new bow spliced on the front and i believe extended. After i left her in 1958 she had a few more years before running aground on a reef and declared a total loss, kt

[Red Lead Ted]

I was in the Trevaylor, 7 knots tops busy going know where mind you i always read the cargo destinations on the deck cargo, Tramping around the Mexican Gulf and Caribbean for 4 months, Loved every minute Happy days indeed Terry.