Nautical catering college (liverpool)

[Doc Vernon]

Have sent him this John!
Will se his reply when it comes back!
He is not on site .
Cheers

[John S Martin]

Thank You Alan. Yes, good memories. Colour blindness prevented me taking up a seafaring career on deck. I heard about the opening of the Nautical Catering College on Radio 4 in 1964, I think. As I was preparing to enroll for a hotel management course more locally to where I lived, I made inquiries. I was lucky to find that Elder Dempster Lines sponsored Catering Cadets - a three year apprenticeship leading to 2nd. catering Officer i.e. glorified 2nd.Steward. I started at the college in September 1966 on a sandwich course of City & Guilds, NEBBS and work experience on their mail boats and cargo ships. This went through to 1969. Trade qualifications in cookery, bakery & butchery. food & beverage service, accommodation services. Derek Hall was the Principal. Jim McNulty was one of the tutors and a Mr.Matthews (I suppose he had a first name) was our main cookery tutor. As Catering Officer, it was deemed that I needed a Ship's Cook certificate and I was looking forward to another six weeks at the college - but because I had C&G 151 - they said I only needed to take the exam. Pity. I enjoyed my time in Liverpool. Elders merged with Blue Funnel and became Ocean Fleets. I served in their mail boats and cargo ships to West Africa and USA, cargo ships and container ships to the Far East, tankers to the Gulf etc. leaving them in 1975 to take up a post on some Pacific Islands to train stewards and galley boys to serve on overseas ships. I remained at sea or associated with shipping lines becoming Purser / Hotel Manager on cruise ships and cruise ferries. Time served at the Nautical Catering College gave a very good grounding. John S Martin.

[Alan Green]

Hi John,
I like you are colour blind. I tried to enlist as as Navigation Cadet. It was Riversdale College in Aigburth, Liverpool. I passed the exams and had a medical ��. Unfortunately I couldn’t see any of the numbers and letters in those books full of dots. To someone without the colour affliction the numbers stood out. Can’t tell you how I really tried to see them but the more I stared the worse I got. I was gutted!! Red and green were the worst so Port and Starboard was out. So that was that. I had an uncle who was a Chief Steward with Moss Hutchison line. He asked me if I still wanted to go to sea? He was Harry Dooley. I said yes to him and he got me in the Liverpool Nautical Catering College. It was ok and went to sea after it. Didn’t last long and jumped ship in Sweden, a good move for me. I know I would of made a proper career as an Officer but all history now. Still colour blind haha.
Take care everyone in these Covid times.
Regards
Alan.

[David Scott]

High Alan. I remember the school I was there in 1966 and passed out on 22/12/66, my first ship was the MV MEDIA I was a catering boy when I left the school and when I came to Aus after leaving the navy I was acting 2nd Steward (P/O). I still have my discharge book as the last time I used it was when I arrived in Sydney Christmas 69. Brings back some great memories.
David Scott.

[Doc Vernon]

Was this the one David!
Cheers

The MEDIA and the PARTHIA were the first new passenger ships to be built for the Cunard Line after the Second World War (liverpoolships.org)

[Robert Farr]

Hi , i went to the Nautical catering college in January 1974 and was sent down to Southampton to join the Pendennis Castle as an assistant steward . And thus began my 2 1/2 years of service . What a blast i had !! . 2 trips on the Pendennis to South Africa. A couple of trips “medi cruising “ on P&O Himalaya and Canberra . In October 15 1974 took a “fly out job “ to Sydney ,Australia to join the Arcadia. After 4 months cruising out of circular quay to the islands we took the ship back to Southampton . Sydney, Brisbane, Manila, Hong Kong , Honolulu, San Francisco, Los Angeles ,Panama Canal, Barbados’s, Madeira and finally Southampton .In May 1975 i joined the SA Vaal for 2 trips to South Africa . My last ship was the Shell “Hindsia” as a mess man . I hated that one ! .
Left to go to America in April 1976 and lived there fo 40 years . Now back in Sunny Crawley , Sussex . Still at 67 i have not satisfied my appetite for travel and i probably never will . if you remember me let me know …Robert Farr or Bobby as i was called then