looking for friends

[philipmthompson]

hello everyone ive been trying hard to get in touch with ex merchant seamen as i am one myself but i must be not using the forum properly idone a couple of years with bp iwas with royal mail corys everards amongst others from 63 to 68 approx someone get in touch and help me reply PHIL

[Doc Vernon]

Hi Phillip
I am sure you have done everything correct so far!
Its just a matter of time ,and it does sometimes take a bit longer for some Posts to be answered!
I know its hard just waiting but unfortunately thats the way it is at times!
So just sit back relax and hopefully someone will recall you!
In the meantime enjoy the other Posts etc,and why not post some of your experiences while you are waiting!
Cheers
Good Luck!

[Tom Abernethy]

hi phill and welcome to this excelent site. you will soon find your way around. like you i am still finding
my way around and not being used to these new fandangeled electronics. quite different to three or four
weeks for a letter. anyway i was at sea, on deck, from 59 to 71 shipping out of goole, about half coastwise
and the rest deep water including a few everards. m.v.fred everard. sedulity. serenity.selectivity. supremity. stevenson clarke,m.v.ardingly. c.e.g.b. s.s.mendip, twice. and various other rock dodgers and colliers all hard runners but good crack. deep water, burries markes, port line, b.p. hudson shpg co. stick at
it and if our wakes did not cross some other of the guys will turn up, but dont forget the years have passed
but i would do it all again only longer.
keep yer wick trimmed and oil in yer parrifin dynamo.
tom abernethy.( r721582)

[happy daze john in oz]

Phil if you have a list of the ships you sailed and maybe some dates you may well get replies if you post them on site. Amazing how it jogs the memory of some. Good luck.

[philipmthompson]

i sailed on the corbank hudson firth british cormorant british osprey british dragoon darro dukesgarth seuvic hillswick seriality argosity amienity thomas m and daniel m PHIL

[philipmthompson]

i joined the british cormorant in brighams drydock southshields im from blyth i had been on 2 colliers up to this point everywhere afilm of coal dust but i had enjoyed it but i was so excited going down on the austrailian coast for 9 months on a bp tanker smelly from oil but clean we went to the isle of grain and loaded with gas oil then off to kwinana through the suez canal and up the red sea across the indian ocean ive never been so excited all the times iwent back or other countries it wasnt quite the same feeling

[Tom Abernethy]

hi again phill,
i sailed on the hudson river for a few months in may 1964. joined her in blyth, payed off in immingham. at the time i was shipping out of blyth for a while as i was knocking about with the barmaid who worked in the commercial, but the old feet got itchy for deep water. still she was a great gall and plenty of free booze....ah yes i remember it well.....

[philipmthompson]

i live in blyth and got a jump at xmas 63 on the corbank london loaded with coal barry in wales sometimes and methil in scotland i loved it but the old sea stories made me itchy to go deepsea after 6months i payed off and joined the hudson firth thinking she was going to the continent as i signed home trade articles the corbank had been north east coast agreement but she went straight to london with coal i lasted a month my cabin was beside the steering flat and the automatic pilot made a mooing noise like a cow i was only deckboy/peggy so i payed off and joined the british cormorant down to austrailia my own stories for later in life had begun when i came home 9months later my mother was on 2weeks getting the salt off my chest in blyth all the pubs were roaring the commercial the brewery bar the pineapple the croft the prince the railway the blyth and tyne and many more you may remember big edna the shore bosun i remember tommy macbride , dancer , blyth was full of characters drunks,pimps ,and all of us laughing and making them worse ,i did enjoy those carefree days without electric,gas.rent and no food to buy deepsea i must close now as i feel a bit seasick PHIL

[Tom Abernethy]

hi again phill...
yer blyth at that time was a wide open seaport as was goole. many seamen from blyth ended up in goole and seamen from goole shipped out of blyth for a while, like myself. big edna i remember well, a real hard case with a heart of gold. she was a good friend of mine, not in a physical way,just a very good friend. that is if she liked you, if not watch out.....she could hold her own with anyone, and fight, like a wildcat and never give up.she was allways there with a sub untill you got payed.. i,ve got a few yarns about her......anyone else out there who knew her....then dancer,yer. and the landlord of the commercial, charlie i think, big guy, any trouble and he dissapeared into the back accomodation......i remember one time i went to morpeth market and got wrecked and 2 of the girls from blyth saw me and got me on the bus and took me back to blyth, great days and no one can take those times away from you. i sometimes sit in my chair, tv on, stareing out the window and my wife will say, where are you now, and you know i could be anywhere in the world......
thats it , phill catch you again,
tom abernethy(r721582)

















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[David Richard Houlding]

Phil,
I am 69 and served from 1958 - 1961 then had to return to the UK for family obligations.
This is all very new to me - I am not PC friendly, but my wife is! She is the one who brought all this up,
it's amazing! Like you I would love to contact those who served on the ships I did. I was involved in Footie and Rugby teams.
Would be interested to hear from you and anyone who remembers me!! DH