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Pincher Martin

5K views 14 replies 12 participants last post by  RAY LUSTY 
#1 ·
Would advise the obituary for MARTIN William [Pincher] was published in our local paper June 16.He was National President of the NZ Seamens Union 1964-1973. Kiwi
 
#5 ·
Yeh hi John Pincher (Bill Martin)i think was originaly from Lyttelton.He has a sister and Brother also in Lyttelton.He was in British merchant navy many moons ago during or just after 2nd world war.I sailed with Bill when he came out of office.A great guy to sail with.I always made a point of catching up with Bill when i was in aussie.He loved a punt every saturday in the seagulls club Tweed heads.Be sadly missed a real character.And hey he gave those shipowners a run for there money.He will be in that big mission up there avn a ball.Cheers Bazza
 
#6 ·
Thanks for the posting on Pincher Martin's obit, Kiwi

I was a USSCo. apprenticed cadet in the late 70's , long after Pincher Martin had left office with the NZSU and was back at sea. At that stage I think he was Storekeeper on 'Union Rotorua'.

As apprenticed cadets, we occuppied a kind of 'No Mans Land' between the officers and crew. I remember Pincher Martin his willingness to share pratical seafaring knowledge with us (he taught me how to spice wires and to 'parcel and serve'), and his strong work ethic.

He was a true seafarer, and a tough but benevolent hand to the young men starting their seagoing careers.

Stuart Scott
Melbourne, Australia
 
#7 ·
I was saddened to read on the weekend that Pincher Martin had "crossed the bar". We were shipmates on a number of vessels and I would catch up with him at different times while he was visiting Wellington. My wife and I were at his 80th which was held out on Wellington harbour an appropriate place for an old salt. Pincher was a very capable seafarer, a great trade unionist and in that role endured a lot of stress which took its toll particularly when the union was deregistered in the early 1970's.
He was a hardcase who took no nonsense but also a good friend to many.
Regards
Emmanuel
 
#8 ·
Yes another man of the 'old school'. I knew him as a kid in Lyttelton as he was a friend of my late fathers - they would have sailed together at some stage . His parents were 'cockneys', as I recall and lived a little further up the hill from us . He was Storekeeper on 'Union Aotearoa', when I sailed with him in 1973 -74 . The crew had one or two 'tiffs', at odd times and he would approach the old man Harold Dilner and say ' if you want this canoe to get to see ', you will have to etc., etc.,
As you say Stuart he was always willing to show young people anything in the practical area of seamanship - or you could just listen to a good yarn.

Butters
(Lindsay Butterfield)
 
#9 ·
Pincher Martin was born in lyttelton and up untill his death was 1 of 2 surviving lytteltonians still living in the same street he is survived by 2 sisters a son and a daughter.Even though he did not want it a small gathering of seafarers and friends farewelled him from Sutton Park overlooking Lyttelton harbour on Saturday the 16th of june. On sunday the 17th a flotilla of small boats acompanied him halfway down Lyttelton Harbour where his ashes were scattered and goodbyes said for the last time.
 
#10 · (Edited)
Hi there
The was an obitury notice in the Dominion newspaper on Wednesday of this week. It is a good write up of his life. The notice said he was born in Wapping, England and came to NZ as a young lad. His father was a watersider in Lyttleton and he obtained a DB position, at the age of 16, on a coaster through an ancle. Pinchers father, the notice said, was not happy about the idea but little him go. That was in 1939. He when back to England and was involved in the Normandy landings. After the war he went to Canada and go napped as an overstayer. He tried to ship out to NZ but was unable to get a berth so he stowed away. On his arrival in Auckland he was arrested an spent 21 days in Mt Eden. (the local prison) It said he became head of the seamans union after Patrick Walsh died. The artical also said he got improvements in on board conditions and better pay for seaman. He was also known for his "one liners". One was "There is nothing wrong him that an undertaker could not fix".

Regards
Blair
NZ
 
#14 ·
I was also saddened to hear the passing of Pincher Martin recently.i sailed with Bill on Aotearoa and also Union Aotearoa.The next time i caught up with Pincher, was when he was living in the Tweed Heads area.yes ,you were right Bazza, Pincher used to like a punt on the horses on Saturday in Seagulls Club. A gathering of around 12 ex N .Z and Australian Seamen rallied in Twin Towns Club in Tweed Heads N .S .W on June 15th to farewell Pincher, and reflect on his life at sea over a few ales.he was a great shipmate and devoted trade unionist, who will never be forgotten. Vale Pincher.
 
#15 · (Edited)
Yes Paul.
Pincher was a mans man for sure.
I only heard this tonight. He would have been a fair age, but still sad.
I wish I'd known he lived on the Tweed. Im only up the road
He did a hell of a lot for us young guys in the 60's, broke on the corner.
I came in for a couple of his bollockings when I had to front him but I deserved them. He straightened out a few of us in his time. I could have done with a bit of that when I was young and stupid.
They say he was a great teacher to young early trippers and I would have loved to have sailed with him, but he was in office most of my short time at sea.
One of the greats and an idol to a lot of us.
Ray
 
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