Hi jdegs. I think the Laurelbank was quite a modern ship at the time you served on her and quite a lot more pleasant than the ships I served on, which were all built in the 1950s.
The Avonbank was the youngest and I think she was around 1959. Bank Line hadn't heard of air conditioning at that time.
I had a great time up until the Vergmont voyage. Saw places I never even dreamed existed. Had 2 trips out from UK,on the Nessbank and the Cedarbank, to Australia and then back via the tiny Pacific Islands, picking up copra and coconut oil and back to Liverpool. Absolute heaven on earth meeting those wonderful people.
Sadly it all came to an end after the Vergmont, but some of the memories are still quite vivid after all those years.
Regards, carbman.