William (Snowy) Grier

[Bobby Grier]

G'day Guys, Here's a long shot...Do any of you remember my father William Cree Grier, known aboard as snowy....He sailed on many of the Union Castle "Boats" In fact most of his career was with the "Castle Boats" as he called them, he was a 1st class BRS and married my mother who was from Ilova Beach they settled in Cornwall uk and father would catch the train up the line to Southampton...cheers Bobby....

[happy daze john in oz]

Bobby I have some vauge memories of a snowy but not sure if it is the same one. Do you have any dates for his voyages?

[Bobby Grier]

Hey John, glad them is happy days......The castle boats my dad was on for Union Castle were many....Through the years I remember Pendennis, capetown, pretoria?, stirling, I will try to find out from some old postcards and get back to you mate cheers bobby....

[Doc Vernon]

I too somehow recall that name,but will have to look at my Crew Lists to make sure!
I was on the Sterling,Dunnottar,Warwick,and Winchester Castles 1958/1959 !
Cheers

[happy daze john in oz]

The snowy I recall used to work on the torist press during lunch service. Many of the BR's did this to get the overtime.

[Doc Vernon]

Have had a look at my Crew list of the Sterling,but no name like that on that particular trip,so may have been a different "Snowy" i know there were a few Snowys around in them days!
Cheers

Indeed they did John,just as me and my late Brother used to get extra dosh for doing little odd jobs ,given to us by the Second !

[alf corbyn]

now john you will have to explain to our non nautical readers what a tourist press is. they no doubt think its a newspaper, and it was part of our job as bedroom stewards to serve on the press. alf

[happy daze john in oz]

now john you will have to explain to our non nautical readers what a tourist press is. they no doubt think its a newspaper, and it was part of our job as bedroom stewards to serve on the press. alf

Listen Alf, if it had been a paper I am sure it would have been a lot better than some of the rubbish about today. But for those who may not know, engine room and deck maybe as well as landlubbers, the press was nothing more that the hot serving counter.

[Chris Isaac]

Well, that is the "non nautical" readers properly patronised.
In restaurants it is the pass and I don't think anyone thinks it is anything to do with football.

[John Cassels]

Even a nautical reader like me would not have known what a press was.

Another couple of passenger ship words I'd never heard of until this forum are wingers and bloods ?.

Were bloods passengers by any chance ?.