Ship & Pub.

[cappy]

happy days evan.....the world was our oyster........regards cappy

[Charlie Hannah]

Ivan i was on a Shell tanker on the Aussie coast here,late 70s earlie 80s. Used to run overseas one port we called to close to Quito was a little place called Esmeralda,good little run ashore but it was really poverty stricken all because of greed an American company had discovered gas there and after fracking for quite a number of years Esmeralda was absolutely gutted.Cheers.

[j.sabourn]

#7... Evan see you got a good pedigree sailing with the two top tramp companies from the NE. Runcimans and Chapmans. Who was the skipper on the Cragmoor in 51. 2 years before my time, in Runcimans, was it Mathews , Gilbert, Hogg , Roberts. If it was Gilbert which I have a sneaking suspicion it might have been, he did a swan dive into No. 2 lower hold on the Avonmoor on passage Japan to Oz in 1954, unfortuanetley the hold was empty and he bounced off the tank top. Fortuanetley he missed me who was in the usual place down the bilges. He never went to sea again as was too damaged. Lucky to have survived, don't know how long he lived however as was given an office boys job in Runcimans office. Chapmans what can one say as they were rivals to Runcimans as to who could run ships at the cheapest. The pub you mention I can see in my minds eye as Mabels as where most made for as wasn't too far from Huskissons Dock, and couldn't get lost as just followed the overhead railway. In latter years I used to burst out now and again and take my presence to the American Bar, but later used to finish up in yates Wine Lodge when the money got short. Cheers JS

[Jim Brady]

I think Evan may have been in a pub called the Woodhouse,not a seamens pub.
Regards.Jim.B.

[Evan Lewis]

#7... Evan see you got a good pedigree sailing with the two top tramp companies from the NE. Runcimans and Chapmans. Who was the skipper on the Cragmoor in 51. 2 years before my time, in Runcimans, was it Mathews , Gilbert, Hogg , Roberts. If it was Gilbert which I have a sneaking suspicion it might have been, he did a swan dive into No. 2 lower hold on the Avonmoor on passage Japan to Oz in 1954, unfortuanetley the hold was empty and he bounced off the tank top. Fortuanetley he missed me who was in the usual place down the bilges. He never went to sea again as was too damaged. Lucky to have survived, don't know how long he lived however as was given an office boys job in Runcimans office. Chapmans what can one say as they were rivals to Runcimans as to who could run ships at the cheapest. The pub you mention I can see in my minds eye as Mabels as where most made for as wasn't too far from Huskissons Dock, and couldn't get lost as just followed the overhead railway. In latter years I used to burst out now and again and take my presence to the American Bar, but later used to finish up in yates Wine Lodge when the money got short. Cheers JS

M.V. Cragmoor ,John. Joined Her,early Jan. 1950,Swansea.Capt. Hogg. His Wife also made the Round-trip to Oz. Very pleasant Couple. Good ,Crowd, Food.Accm'dation.(single berth) . Bit different ,2nd trip. Some ,two or three ,unpleasant characters.

He was badly let down ,after Showing actions of kindness. Example: Whist on leave. acquantance of mine, School ,Sea Cadets.etc.Like the Majority on our Housing Estate .Were Evacuee,families ,resettled . He ,from Hackney .Us from B.Ham .etc. He was due Home,from a Tatems of Cardiif Boat ,known as (T .on the funnel. None on the table !) His Mum says iT'LL.Be nice if He can go back with You. ( 'Didn't know at the time ,She had concerns ,re.his behaviour. } Wrote to Capt Hogg, .Tele-grammed reply was "Bring Taylor ,with You.He was signed -on ,S.O.S.
Consequentkly .He teamed -up with the New arrivals.& involved with them ,in a couple minor incidents,Liverpool & Capetown.
The previous trip. my Good mate, John We'd Shipped-out together.Previously. HE ,had been left behind ,in Melbourne's St V's. Hospital, recovering from Pneumonia. The Two Cabin Boys ,from Swansea,Had decided to Jump.Learned the next Trip back there. That They'd Been visiting ,John there.Hearing ,somehow ,the Capt, had arrived,to Pay off John. They Dashed down ,the Fire-escape. Girl friend ,from the Flinders St .Mission ,used to write and tell me ,of John, & of the Swansea ,, Cabin Boys . little Ginger ,and Vince.
First Morn, Back Melbourne. South Wharf.Over the side ,midships ,Chipping. Head appears over the Bulwarks,Smiling .John." Are you staying,? " Answered in the negative, No! Not this Trip." . John was Re-signed Couple ,or so ,days later .Arrives the two Cabin Boys. Asked if they could rejoin? Were asked "Are you sure you want go back" ? Yes Sir! "Wait till we get to Geelong,next week . Have time ,to make your minds up."
They duly Signed-on ,at Geelong,Day before Sailing. That evening,Bunch of us, Partying , in a Cabin. Bottle shop Booze ,flowing freely. Firstly , the unpleasant characters mentioned earlier, Disclosed .They had the Gear packed, and would be Jumping. Taylor ,said He was going too. The two cabin boys ,decided ,to join them, Altogether eight crew ,"Hit the Toe"!
So Much for the Capt. Hoggs ,consideration. He must have been ,bitterly disappointed
----------------------------------
Still ,being in touch our Mission girl friends ,used write. Re. Ginger, He had a Wedding,at the prestigious St Paul's Cathedral. In Swanston St.


Some years later,read of Vince.

Vince Twomey, A korean war veteran , engaged, to Marry .and Working at Essendon Airport.was ,To be deported . Basically, for 'Twice ,Deserting ,the same Ship. "
A.PUBLIC PROTEST. Took place fuelled with the help of the Melb newspapers. And the decision was overturned. Never ever met any of them ,again. Except Taylor's Mother. ,Usually in Tears. He had never been in contact with Her At least for some years ,before ,leaving the area. Often Wonder ,and been asked by others ,. What happened to Taylor?
I've made some half -hearted attempts on Google, to see if I could find a Site ,that deals ,with , Ship Deserters,.outcome ,etc? No Joy!

[cappy]

##sailed in the cragmoor dec 19 ...1957.........to july 58 ....loved it out of shields paid off in liverpool....they were proper ships....regards cappy

[j.sabourn]

#25... Knew Capt. Hogg very well Evan he was a bit of an Icon in our family as knew the lot as had been a friend of my old mans as a kid. He was torpedoed once and mined another time during the war. Lord Haw Haw apparently came on the radio gave his name and what street he lived in and that he had survived apparently the German espionage system wasn't all that bad. The last time I saw him on a ship was the same part of Liverpool discussed on this post. The ship paid off and the mate went home to Blackpool. Hoggy put himself in hospital phoned his wife to send me a telegram which duly arrived by boy on bike. I was acting as mate with 12 riggers. The office came down to see what was happening as the mate was trying to stab him in the back as was after promotion no doubt. He had been divulging a bit over the top but we all had our off moments. I know I told the bigwigs that the mate was talking out of his rectum and so did the third mate who hated the mate in any case. All the paperwork I flogged and they couldn't prove otherwise. The only thing was we lost an apprentice over the wall off Cairns (see another post who I always thought his name was Tarbutt) however someone on here unearthed it and was a similar sounding name but different, I still reckon I was correct. There was no entry in log book because as I said the old big bottle of ink had spilled on the book in heavy weather before getting in and been destroyed. I think at the time he was going a bit heavy on the juice he was reliving old times, his daughter was also getting married to a South African engineer who he wasn't too enamoured about. I again saw him a few years later as picked him up when spotted in North Shields, got the wife to stop the car ( I didn't drive in those days as the drink drive laws were coming into being) he was on his way to the old shipping office in North Shields next to the old Jungle (that gone as well )to get his Notices to Mariners as was then working as a North Sea Pilot. A fine man, it was probably because of him that I did any studying as he made me when I was an apprentice with him for about 12 months do so, the only one who ever did. The last thing he said to me after dropping him off at the Mercantile Marine Offices, was stop dragging your heels and get into it. He like most of the old brigade are long gone now. Cheers JS

[j.sabourn]

Richard are you sure you weren't in Whitley Bay and not North Shields, and it wasn't Brian doing his impersonation at the Rex. did he have a dubious woman in tow. Don't think there was too much weed around in those days so you must have been clear headed. Like South Shields there were plenty of seafarers came from the North Side of the river I had two cousins also at sea as Marine engineers. Until about 8 years ago one of them taught and examined at Launceston Tas. died since and another who was drowned off sheerness in the 80"s. Knew many seafarers from the Tyne area. Is he the one who sang the Tynes all mine all mine, and that was before it was cleaned up. So if still alive will be glad to see how clean it is now. Cheers John S 3 hours and 12 minutes to next year. Havent even touched the whisky bottle hows that for sobriety. All the breast. JS

[Evan Lewis]

Could hardly believe ! John,what I was reading. Such a sad story.
He never deserved such an ending. He obviously was a big
Part of your life. So You'd know more than most. His Qualities. So glad , we have ,on this Site.The opportunity . Such as Your Testimonial. To give Him some recognition. Thank You for that. I'm privileged ,to have known Him. As without doubt ."One of the Best!" In ,our chosen Career