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Banana Boats

68K views 73 replies 50 participants last post by  john.martin581 
#1 ·
My father served with Elders & Fyffes from 47 (I think) to 86, I wonder how many people remember him, his name was Tony. Also I have a few photos of ships, places and people, which I will try and scan and load onto this site when I have some time.
 
#2 ·
I believe I sailed with your father on Camito in May 1969.
He was Master - I was 2nd Engineer.
I think it was a releaving trip for your father - the normal masters during my time on Camito were Capt Thomson and Capt Morris.
The only slight doubt I have is that there were Captains Whitehouse and Whitehead in Fyffes around my time although the latter was Marine Superintendent.
I would certainly like to see some of your photos.

Regards

Jim S
 
#5 ·
Jim
Do you (or anyone else) recall a voyage on MANISTEE when the ship suffered a boilee tube failure off The Azores in the 1950s. The weather was bad and a Dutch tug, ZUIDERZEE attended and held the ship head to sea until another tug ROHODOZEE (or similar) arrived when the ship was towed into Ponta Del Garda. Here repairs were made and thenceforth she continued to Bermuda. I have a friend FRANK RADDON who was on her at the time and he would like to know if there is anyone who recalls the incident and perhaps himself - was 2nd engineer. He has a number of photographs of MANISTEE.
 
#26 · (Edited)
Bill.

I joined Sinaloa in early August '61 at Southampton, we returned to Gourock, next trip we returned to Avonmouth, I've still have my pay slips but can't make out his signature, I the master would occasionally, relax on the starboard side of the bridge, I remember him as a very pleasent man, the C.E was shortish dark haired and wore specs.

The watering hole for the C.E and others was the Deliville hotel ( may be the wrong spelling ) does this ring a bell.

Ray.
 
#4 ·
If your father is Captain Whitehouse (also known as "Casa Blanca") then I met him again in the early 80's in Cadiz, Spain. I was international truck driving and was given a consignment of ships stores.They consisted of paint,ropes,steel hawsers, variable pitch propeller blades etc. These were addressed to M.v Manzanares & M.v Manistee at Cadiz. When I arrived the two ships were tied up side by side next to the dry dock. I reported to the officer on watch who directed me to the skippers cabin. You can imagine my surprise to be confronted by old "Casa Blanca". We had a couple of glasses of scotch and chatted about the early days.(mind you I was only a steward).
He told me that he'd been pulled out of retirement to look after these two ships until the decision had been made of what to do with them. It was quite windy and they could not use the dry dock crane to unload me for 3 days.
I had my young son with me who was 15 years old and we were given accomodation on one of the ships and well fed. Capt. Whitehouse gave me a bottle of scotch for the cabin and told me he had one topside for when I visited his office. Before leaving he gave me his business card and said because I lived quite close to visit him anytime. The address I won't give fully but was Chandlersford, Southampton. My only regret was because of my job I never got round to the visit and I bet I'm too late now. I must add though the fact that he was always a "gentleman" right from the first time of meeting him in the 1960's.
 
#6 ·
The Manistee referred to was long before my time in Fyffes so I have knowledge of the incident referred to or Frank Raddon 2nd Eng.
However I will send an e-mail to "Sam" Greedy who might know something.
Sam and your father will know each other from their time in Fyffes. Sam became Operations Manager at Queensway.

Jim S
 
#7 ·
Re - Manistee with boiler trouble. Have just received an e-mail from Sam Greedy - He cannot remember the incident. I agree with Sam that a likely need to require tugs and repairs at the Azores is that Manistee was short of water. I believe Manistee had five Scotch boilers so complete boiler failure was unlikely. Shortage of boiler feed water seems the most likely although there seems to have been a reluctance to use sea water which would under carefully controlled conditions would have been feasible if undesirable uder such emergency conditions.
What does Frank Raddon say about the incident?
 
#8 ·
Hello
Just found this site and have read several of the threads and would just like to say how nice it was to bring back memories of the old day when my dad Eric Taylor was sailing on these ships. I remember some of the names of the crew but as I was only a little girl it's hard to think back that long. Dad passed away in 1977 if any one remembers him would love to hear from you. Someone mentioned Marcus Bowden he called several times to see dad before he passed away think his mother in law in Netley Abbey not far from where we lived.
 
#39 ·
Howard Dean.



Hello Ruth,
I sailed with your father on the Camito for four trips, he was very helpful in assisting me with a radio I had purchased, it was 120 volts and I bought it as 250 volts, consequently it was useless until your dad twidled it for me. I recall Jock Burns was the chief and Bill Rankin was the third. I regret I am unable to recall any other names.

Howard.
 
#11 ·
Hi Les,

Was MOTAGUA in Bailey's Dry Dock when in Barry in 1972? I seem to remember one of Fyffes there at about that time.

Do any of you Old Fyffers know the whereabouts of the late Capt. K. Leslie's collection of fleet records. I beleive he had a relative in the Shirehampton area of Bristol where they may have ended up. It was a significant dossier that was too important to have been destroyed.

Any info welcomed.

Tony
 
#13 ·
Banana Boats (fleet records)

Tony, Just to add to what J.R.has already indicated, there is a Bristol Industrial Museum, there is,or was, shipping in there,that is situated in the centre of Bristol at Wapping Road, also not very far from there is the Maritime Heritage Centre, of which I have no knowledge.I happen to have a map of Bristol with a web address for Bristol City Council. If nothing else the site is worth a look for the map alone! So here is the site. www.bristol-city.gov.uk I do not remember the Capt. you spoke about, the man I do recall was Reggie Raines, Supt. A real gent, It is some long time ago when I lived in Bristol so I'm somewhat out touch, with the area, I do know the docks, that is City and Avonmouth are a shadow of their former selves. That is in keeping with most of the major ports we knew, I believe Portbury is doing well. AJMc.
 
#14 ·
Capt. Leslie, my godfather (friend of my father's when they were both apprentices with Fyffes in the 50s) wrote to me in 1988 about the Fyffes book that he had helped to compile (although he was not happy that it had been written by university prof). He lived in Taunton and had a sister who was close but I have no address. As my father and grandfather were both with Fyffes, I have some b&w pictures of banana boats that might be of interest.
 
#16 ·
Thanks all for your guidance towards the Leslie collection - I will be chasing various information.

As regards the Princes Wharf Museum it was closed last time I was over there for modernisation. I think that means that most of the wonderful exhibits will disappear & it will become an interactive information technology haven for kiddies. A great shame as Bristol was probably Britain's most influential city of transport development: Brunel, GWR, Bristol Aircraft, Bristol Commercial Vehicles, Bristol Cars, Shipbuilding, Paddle Steamers etc. etc.
The museum also had the very nice models of the Bristol City Line of the 50s & 60s ships made by Mr. Braine who was a chief steward & who I sailed with while an apprentice.

Bill, The book you talk about is Fyffes & The Banana 1888-1988 by Peter Davies. I have a copy. It is the story of the Company of which shipping was only a component part. It is very interesting generally & there is an 11 page appendix which lists all of the vessels & is credited to Capt. Leslie. I would imagine that most of the other information regarding the fleet also came from him & the author praises him in his preface. Like John I would very much like to see your pics.

Does anyone have an original of that wonderful Fyffes poster that has a picture of all of the vessels ever owned?

Tony
 
#20 ·
I worked for Fyffes back in the 1990's, not in the shipping group Elders and Fyffes but in the bannana division in Warrington (all gone now) My great grandmother ran and owned a small private hotel for the bridge officers from the fyffes boats during discharge in Garston Liverpool. Also one of the Fyffe workers on the dock who ended up as depot manager at the Wakefield depot (bannana division) was Dougie Threlfall,

You have to be a certain age to remember the Coffin Boxes!!
 
#22 ·
Tony Whitehouse

I sailed with Fyffes from 1961 to 1963 as 3rd,2nd & 1st Mates.
I did 8 voyages on the Camito as 2nd Mate under Captain Lundy,and Tony Whitehouse did the occasional relief as Master.
Although I did not sail with Tony, I new him socially when he lived at Portishead with his Wife Vicky.My Wife and Vicky were in the Watch Ashore Association at the time and we used to have wonderful get togethers when I was home on leave.
You must be a son,Christopher, and I remeber your brother Robin and sister Barbara.Your Mother had a shop in Portishead called "Vicky May"
We lost touch when the family moved to Chandlers Ford.
I understand that both Mum and Dad have now passed on, sadly,but I will never forget the friendship that developed between us.

Iane(A)
 
#51 ·
Hi Nigel



Bloody hell, never thought I would hear your name again.......... I was the engineer that caused you to change from Deck to Engine... blimey mate, so much to discuss, please get back to me.
As for Capt. Whitehouse, he was Admiral of the fleet, he then went into the Head Office at !, Queens Way, Southampton.... Its now an Indian Restaurant. Please contact....... where are you now ????
 
#27 · (Edited)
Anyone remember a Chief Engineer called "Whispering" Jack Russel of Elders & Fyffes? I sailed with him once on the "M-Class" motor ships (can't remember which one). His hobby was building model railway steam engines. Even had rails round his garden. Really nice guy - didn't even get cross with me when I "blew the tubes" over him and his wife on the boat deck one afternoon (sometime in the late 70's). Tall guy with dark curly hair and a beard (looked like a real "Chief") and always spoke quietly because he was hard of hearing and was scared of talking too loud.
 
#28 ·
Jack Russell relieved me as C/E on Motagua at Naples in June 1974.
I don't remember him having a beard then. - As you say in the brief time I met him he seemed a fine guy - he possibly did not thing so highly of me during his time on Motagua.
She was not one of the better M-Class ships.
 
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