kenya castle april 1962-june1965

[David l Brooks]

saloon boy,asst steward,asst boots,asst deck steward,

[happy daze john in oz]

Saloon boy, bit different as on the ones sailing from southampton they were always refered to as bell boys. Not sure whay as they all worked in the dinning saloons only.

[Terry Wilcox]

Hi All. I joined the Keyna Castle on the above date as Bakers Sculls. Then the ship was full of cockroaches and when I went into the Bakers Locker to get stores, they ran every where. I have never been on a ship with so many bugs. The accommadation was dire, with a 8 berth cabin up in the bow of the ship. We had one of the crew that had a record player and played the same Frank Sinatra record over and over again, Also there was a Yarpy winger that hung a peice of meat in the port hole in the Bakery, then after sailing around Africa, took it down and eat it after a 3 month trip, ( He was sorted out by another Winger when we arrived back in London, a grudge fight ). I cannot think of any good points that the ship had. I went back to Port Line after that. Take care..... Terry

[Tony Wilding]

sounds like a rough old ship, you did meet some strange characters at sea, i only did one trip on a castle boat, MV Riebeeck Castle, a fruit ship, a complete heap, forever breaking down, engine fires, generator problems, 2 weeks in las palmas no power, put me off castle boats forever, ok if you were on a new one. was the only ship i almost got a DR on, i set the ER on fire, but nobody found out, was on the 12/4 night watch in port.

[Neil Morton]

I had my 21st birthday aboard the Kenya Castle. Most of the "wingers" were good lads; however the ship was was a floating s**t house.

[happy daze john in oz]

Well Tony obviously you missed out, if you wanted 'Fruit' ships you should have gone for the Windsor or Pendennis. As for the cockraoches I think you will find they were the bloods aboard. Did one on the Rhodesia and that was not too bad, not too bloody good either.

[Tony Wilding]

i kept well clear of anything that carried passengers, almost got a trip on queen elizabeth, but i refused it, the pool man was not pleased, ended up on a small tanker, that was my first and last also, either i was a jonah or the ship jinxed, but too many things happened, so i got off it. my brother was public lounge steward on Pendennis and Windsor castle.

[john a sheehan]

saloon boy,asst steward,asst boots,asst deck steward,

Hello David, I was crew messman on the Kenya from oct 1962 until june 1963 also sailed on Warwick, Rhodesia and Braemar before this, then after a couple of trips with other companies I went back on the Braemar as peak steward for seven trips then Stirling Castle , Kenya and Rhodesia again as Public Room Steward. Finished my merchant navy career on the RIENA DEL MAR. I loved every minute I spent in the M.n.

[John Barber]

I seemed to have followed you in a couple of those jobs Laundry Boy, Pantry Boy, Saloon Boy, and Asst. Boots.

[john tippett]

hi did trips on durban castle,rhodesia,kenya casltle 28oct64-07jan65,i was deck dept,if i recall there was some sort of law breaking in genoa,always found xmas trips on these ships seemed to attract some rather odd people(me exempt of course),do you remember tilly biggs,also lena wagsaff,lena was our table steward when i was passenger (10pound pom) on the ARAWA to oz.durban castle,i think it was the second last trip before she was sold,a seaman,no name,no packdrill,was logged at xmas for propelling a carcass around passenger decks,full as a state school,shower towel,said carcass on head ,he nicked a turkey from the galley,a sense of humour was needed.