Christmas Folly

[Captain Kong]

I was on the EMPRESS OF FRANCE in New Brunswick, St John. for Christmas 1958,
St Johns is a Dry State, No Pubs.
All hands had Christmas Dinner served in the passengers saloon waited on by all the Mates and Engineers and plenty of free booze, I have somewhere the Menu for it , A really good show by CPR.
cHEERS
Brian

[j.sabourn]

Ref #20... Did you ever get away from these Newcastle Tramps Cappy. That's the same as the Bishopgate one of Houlders if memory serves right. Did you not get paid the 4 days you were waiting as watchman or anything. If memory right you were on the BISCO charters the same as most ore carriers, and believe Houlders used to pay about 6 hours overtime a day I was told. In Dalgliesh was 3 hours., mind I was told this by crowds who had been on those ships so maybe trying to up the ante. About the only time I ever saw where the Shipowner wasn't too perturbed by the overtime Bill, because he wasn't paying for it. British Iron and Steel was, another nationalized industry which went to the wall. Most of those same ore carriers were built with government money (taxpayers) and some on 15 year charters, the owners were clapping their hands all the way to the bank. Cheers John S

[Keith Tindell]

There was a story when i was at sea, maybe just that, that a ship approaching the inter national date line had slowed down to avoid a Sunday at sea twice, was wondering if anyone ever had two Christmas,s?, ones a pain in the a*** for me, KT

[cappy]

yes john started as a boy withone granda one the flammaa collier then othergranda on the troodos and Kinnaird head.....vindi ....cragmoor ...trewellard.....avonmoor....hemiplecta.....allur ity........british defender .......mabel warwick.......Aldersgate ..........Aldersgate..........Aldersgate........ri seley ...........sheaf field...........sheaf field ......corfen........british faith ......then got marriedand came to Yorkshire for work as the only job for me on the tyne was chipping and painting .......I might not be the sharpest knife in the draw but hanging on a staging in winter on the tyne gave me a great impetus to lok to other fields to me I had the best years 57 to 63wouldnt have liked it much after that as my mates told me it was changing to much regards cappy

[j.sabourn]

#24...Sure Billy Tennant who had the riggers in Shields would have given you a job... Cheers John S

[j.sabourn]

Have seen when jumping a day, was logged in book so as to miss a Sunday at Sea. How miserable can one get. John S

[cappy]

no money in that john

[Louis the fly]

yes john ---regards cappy

Six years. Didn't you ever fancy getting higher than deck boy?

[cappy]

#28 no liked being in the galley .....got the best grub ...and thought I havnt the brain to ever get up top so I went to other fields .....didn't do much there either

[Louis the Amigo]

Hi shipmates, only one Christmas at sea had a wonderful time, we were looked after by the gentleman officers and great cooks of the British Commerce B.P. at its best .67,000 ton ship as we made our way to the persian gulf a good time was had by alll the ships crew My next Christmas away on a cargo ship was in South America cant remember much about that one in mixed company ? but I was not homesick.....