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25th August 2016, 03:09 PM
#1
Hello
My name is Vikki i am new to the site so please accept my advanced apologies if i have posted in the wrong section?
I have recently discovered that my Grandfather ( Peter Caldwell- From Liverpool) worked on a ship called the Tilapa as a fireman between 1948-1951. Sadly he passed away when only in his 40's , therefore we dont have much information about him etc. I have managed to get hold of some of his documents from national archives records. However the records are basic and I am looking on this site to see if anyone knew him or had any photos of the ship etc...
Thank you for reading this post
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25th August 2016, 03:21 PM
#2
Re: Hello
Originally Posted by
Vikki Whitfield
My name is Vikki i am new to the site so please accept my advanced apologies if i have posted in the wrong section?
Thank you for reading this post
###hi vicki you have come to the right place ......many seamen from liverpool on this site and many people will try to help you from our site .....i have seen the name tilapi or similar recently on the site stand by for help ....regards cappy
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25th August 2016, 03:30 PM
#3
Re: Hello
thank you for the speedy response Cappy!
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25th August 2016, 05:38 PM
#4
Re: Hello
Hi Vikki,
You will have his seaman's pouch from The National Archives held in BT 372.
You would need his CRS 10 which should be held at Kew in piece BT 382/260
Best obtained by visit to Kew or via a researcher as expensive to obtain via Kew research services.
Regads
Hugh
"If Blood was the price
We had to pay for our freedom
Then the Merchant Ship Sailors
Paid it in full”
www.sscityofcairo.co.uk
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25th August 2016, 07:03 PM
#5
Re: Hello
Thank you for this information it's greatly appreciated!
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26th August 2016, 04:55 PM
#6
Re: Hello
Hello Vikki.
The SS Tilapa was built in 1928 for Elders & Fyffes. as a Banana Boat. This ship brought the first bananas into Avonmouth after the Second World War. The SS Tilapa was scrapped in 1959. If you care to google 'SS Tilapa' you will find an entry and a picture in the Shirehampton Book of Remembrance. Shirehampton is a village near Bristol/Avonmouth. Avonmouth was the UK port to which E&F usually brought bananas from Jamaica & Trinidad.
Here is an extract from the google site 'Finished with Engines - SS Tilapa':
Built in 1928 by Cammell Laird at Birkenhead, The SS Tilapa was famous for carrying the first cargo of bananas (with ten million on board) to the UK after World War 2, arriving at Avonmouth on December 30th 1945. Pathe News carried the story in thousands of cinemas all over the world. Children eating the first fruits on arrival had to be shown how to peel a banana and that you did not eat the skin! (Many a Banana came out of the dock gate that day under the Dockers shirt)
The SS Tilapa was also involved in the Battle of the Atlantic being part of the convoys. She was in Convoy HX 188 and departed Halifax on May 3-1942 and arrived Liverpool on the 15th (Arnold Hague’s “The Allied Convoy System” says with 28 ships). She was the Commodore’s vessel for Convoy HX188. Commodore was Captain W E B Magee DSO. RN.
There is reference in National Archives www site to SS Tilapa sailing between Liverpool and Halifax/New York so it was not only bananas she carried - passengers also.
Hope this is of help to you, Good luck.
Ken
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26th August 2016, 06:02 PM
#7
Re: Hello
Hi Vikki, Could this be him? Can you confirm his dob please
Name: Peter Caldwell
Arrival Date: 29 Dec 1949
Birth Date: abt 1925
Age: 24
Gender: Male
Ethnicity/ Nationality: English
Port of Departure: Port Cartier,ven
Port of Arrival: New York, New York
Ship Name: Theliconus
Listed as F'W.T [Fire Water Tender]
Name: Peter Caldwell
Arrival Date: 18 Jan 1950
Birth Date: abt 1926
Age: 24
Gender: Male
Ethnicity/ Nationality: English
Port of Departure: Curacao, Dutch West Indies
Port of Arrival: New York, New York
Ship Name: Theliconus
F'W.T
2yr service. 5' 8" 164lbs, scar under right eye.
Last edited by gray_marian; 26th August 2016 at 06:17 PM.
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26th August 2016, 07:10 PM
#8
Re: Hello
Hi Yes this is him! D.o.b 21/01/1925
This is great thank you!
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26th August 2016, 07:15 PM
#9
Re: Hello
Thank you very much Ken for this information! It is very much approached
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26th August 2016, 07:32 PM
#10
Re: Hello
Here are a few more
Name: Peter Caldwell
Arrival Date: 29 Dec 1949
Birth Date: abt 1925
Age: 24
Gender: Male
Ethnicity/ Nationality: English
Port of Departure: Port Cartier,ven
Port of Arrival: New York, New York
Ship Name: Theliconus
Name: Peter Caldwell
Arrival Date: 18 Jan 1950
Birth Date: abt 1926
Age: 24
Gender: Male
Ethnicity/ Nationality: English
Port of Departure: Curacao, Dutch West Indies
Port of Arrival: New York, New York
Ship Name: Theliconus
There are two family trees on Ancestry.com pertaining to him also. Peter had 4 brothers & 2 sisters, all deceased. 2 sons & 5 daughters. Do you require the names of your gt,grandparents and Peter's siblings? His wedding photograph is there too
From Find My Past [FMP]
1939 Register
Caldwell Household (3 People)
19 Rushmere Road , Liverpool C.B., Lancashire, England
FIRST NAME(S) LAST NAME(S) DOB SEX OCCUPATION MARITAL STATUS SCHEDULE SCHEDULE SUB NUMBER
Peter Caldwell 21 Jan 1925 Male Butchers Messenger Boy Single 165 2
Mary A Caldwell 16 Jun 1902 Female Unpaid Domestic Duties Married 165 1
Paul Caldwell 19 Mar 1939 Male Under School Age Single 165 7
Sorry cannot find any ships for him on FMP Birth marriage & death details only.
Last edited by gray_marian; 26th August 2016 at 08:44 PM.
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