NE Agreement.

[Ray McCerery]

Catering O/T 0600 - 13.00. 15.00 - 18.00 10hrs = 2 hours per day Mon/Fri. As far as I can remember the only vessels on this agreement were the North Thames Gasboard -South Easrern Gasboard - Stevie Clarkes - F Fenicks - Hudson steamships? cannot think at the moment of any other companies on this agreement.

Cheers

Ray

[Duke Drennan]

"Stevie Clarkes" now there's a name from the past. I don't recall them ever being mentioned on here, at least, I haven't.

[Ray McCerery]

"Stevie Clarkes" now there's a name from the past. I don't recall them ever being mentioned on here, at least, I haven't.

And still running, mind all Polish crew

[Ivan Cloherty]

I think some of the lads are a tad off base with their replies regarding the North East coast agreement, it was just that, an agreement for the North East Coast, mostly for colliers on regular runs to London and the South coast sevicing the power stations, another name for it was "Watch aboard Watch ashore" which gave half the crew all the time off in a LOADING port,It was an Agreement unique to the North East Coast, and sactioned by ship owners and the NUS, other general trade coasters would not have worked this agreement

Hi Jan

Articles of Agreement were the same for all vessels operating in Home Trade waters namely "Six Month Running Agreements" I signed on these type of "Articles" in Stevie Clarkes, CEGB, Everards, London and Rochester, Comben Longstaff. The Watch Ashore/Onboard was unofficial and was a system that owners allowed their Masters to operate, so that vessels had regular crews, it apparently had no basis in law and crews could not demand its operation, but it would have been a foolish company which did not allow it to operate. Stevie Clarkes and CEGb tried to balance their crews on the vessels which were on Bus route runs to Power Stations with a mix of Southern and Northern Crews, this was even better for the crews

There were only two Official types of Articles

(1), "Six Month Running Agreements" were you could sign off or on under an ENG2 endorsement, which didn't require the services of a Shipping Office Official, but could be done by the Master of the vessel and the Articles presented at the next British convenient port of call, this allowed the vessel to change crews at weekends when Shipping Offices were closed.

(2) Foreign Going Agreements" when a Shipping Office Official was always required, even for a HT run, but your Discharge Book was endorsed "Home Trade" in the type of voyage section.

But as always I stand to be corrected, but having been a Supt for 20 plus vessels on HT Six Month Running Agreements. I had to operate the system and manage the crews

Regards

Ivan

[EIFION]

To the best of my knowledge everards did not opperate their ships on north east coast agreement, they were on home , middle or fgn agreement

[Jim Brady]

Just a thought,I remember getting 3 hours O/T for painting the saloon deckhead.3 hours @4bob an hour=12 bob.When you think of it now it's sounds like slave labour but when you put things into perspective I now believe I would sooner be back in those days!!!So given that 12 bob would've got you 9 pints in those days is anybody still at sea that can tell us the rate of pay for O/T.At say on average a pint is now £3.00 is the O/T rate £27.00?.Also I bought my home at the time for three grand it's worth quite a lot more than that now.Bring back the old times at sea and the old runs ashore,sorry boys it's just a dream!!!!
Regards.
Jim.B.

[Colin Hawken]

Ivor(post 15) I think you'll find with Foreign Running Agreement yor discharge book was stamped Fgn.R A. I'm also open to correction of course. (Have just dug out my records.The two ships I was on that were Foreign running agreement my discharge book is stamped Fgn.)

[Duke Drennan]

Catering O/T 0600 - 13.00. 15.00 - 18.00 10hrs = 2 hours per day Mon/Fri. As far as I can remember the only vessels on this agreement were the North Thames Gasboard -South Easrern Gasboard - Stevie Clarkes - F Fenicks - Hudson steamships? cannot think at the moment of any other companies on this agreement.

Cheers

Ray

Re-reading the post and saw "F Fenicks". Was the full name "France Fenicks"?

[Ivan Cloherty]

Re-reading the post and saw "F Fenicks". Was the full name "France Fenicks"?

Duke

I think the full name was - William France Fenwicks - , my father Ivan Cloherty R96096 sailed with them on numerous occasions and remember going on the "Cornwood" in Hull when I was a youngster

Rgds

Ivan

[Ron Kendall]

the company was Wm.France Fenwick, they had Colliers, several deep sea ships, and a small fleet of tugs, one of which was a paddle tug on the Tyne.regards, Ron