Places Past by Alan Partridge

[Brian Probetts (Site Admin)]

PLACES PAST

I drifted back to places past, searching for a sign
That once I'd had a life here in a dim and distant time.
I wandered through those empty docks where once I'd sailed away
But echoes now were all I heard from far off yesterday.
No rows of ships, all proudly lit, and flags from far domains,
But rows of silent empty sheds and idle rusting cranes.
Those pubs where once we'd drink all night and sometimes 'til the dawn
Stood quiet now with cobwebbed bars, dusty and forlorn.
The Bridge House and the Railway, the Lion, and the Kent,
The Royal Oak and others where precious youth was spent
Gave no hint of what had been when we supped on life's sweet wine,
When there never was tomorrow and we never counted time.
No rowdy laughs or bawdy tales, no fellowship, no cheer,
Just a solitary drinker sipping on his beer.
For gone were the seamen and gone were the whores
And those gaudy, painted queens,
And Johnny Cash on the jukebox singing Forty Shades of Green.
Don't wander back to places past, searching for the same,
We change, we grow, as places do, it's part of life's rich game.
Keep it in your memory, safe from time and age,
Where nothing ever changes and nothing ever fades.

David Partridge.

[Bob Bere]

I am a newcomer to this site, although I enjoy the poems most of them are from an era that is before my time, that is until I came across David Partridge, I too wandered back to' Places Past' down Silvertown and KG5, I remember those pubs that used to charge half a crown in the pound to cash your advance note, and you would then spend the remaining 17/6d at the bar, those salt of the earth London Dockers who regarded anything that was not nailed down as theirs,and their wives who subsidised their wages by cleaning ship and more besides!
Some of the foreign bars I remember in 'Watering Holes', the Texas Bar in Santos where the delights of a young lady caused me to miss my ship, (thanks to the skipper of that Italian cruise ship that gave me a lift to Rio), that bar in Wellington where three of us stupidly bought raffle tickets for a can of oysters and the skipper had no sense of humour, (again thanks to the Agent who patiently sat and watched till we ran out of money then arranged our transport to the next port), Montgomerys at Pyrmont (was it 13?) the six o clock swill, and Mavis,you must have met her?
Ah if only we could go back. Thanks David. Bob.

[Doc Vernon]

Hi Bob
Would just like to give you a warm Welcome to this very good site!
Here you will find lots of info,good Crew and with luck also find a few old Shipmates!
So sit back,relax and just enjoy the trip!
Hope we will have you here for a long time!
A site truly worthy of the British Merchant Navy!
Cheers

Yes indeed all those things you mention are so true,and if only Bob if only!
Talking about Monty's in Pyrmont,last 3rd Sept i went there to meet with a Lady of ours on site Beth,and it was a memorable one indeed!
Good old Silvertown and thye KG5 Dock are still so implanted in ones memory,the good old times we all had!
Oh as you say if only we could go back!
Life is sometimes a B---h
Oh well glad you are here with us all now,at least we can dwell on the good times and the sometimes bad haha!
All the best! Bob!

And thank you too to Alan Partridge for this wonderfull Poem!



Also"

If you would like to join in and have your Full name R Number and First Ship
Included in the Flag project then please pass it on to Mike Hall who is doing a Main Flag for all
to be displayed some time in one of the UK Museums!
Thank you

Please go to following Link and follow instructions there
When page opens Click on Contact info on Right and on dropdown list select
Send a message via Email to Mike Hall


http://www.merchant-navy.net/forum/member.php?u=8

Alternatively you can send your details to me as well and i will pass them on to Mike for you
Thanks

http://www.merchant-navy.net/forum/member.php?u=18

If any new Members (or old) would like more info on the Flag Projects please click on the following Link!
Thank you

http://www.merchant-navy.net/gallery...ry.php?cat=558

[Des Taff Jenkins]

Hi Bob.
A warm welcome to the site, plenty of reminises and tales. If you post your ships names and the dates you were on them you may get an old shipmate to respond.
If you want some old memories; Google up Montys in Sydney they have their own web site with pics. And you can always talk to our Beth who knows the old place better than anyone.
Cheers Des

[Bob Bere]

But Montys was only a small part of my life, Mombasa and White Sands down Kilindiini, District Six in Cape Town, Reciifie where I had to give up my new shirt to get my mate out of gaol, The Steps where we stopped a constable getting his head kicked in because he tried to arrest a seaman for urinating, and please we were not sailors we were seaman!