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Hull Nautical College

71K views 120 replies 58 participants last post by  2548hopw 
#1 ·
Anybody out there remember Hull Nautical College, George St Hull. I attended between 1978 and 1982 Capt Weatherston was in charge with a few other characters under his command. Anybody remember Nobby....ex RN signals who lectured in signals funnily enough. I was serving my time with West Hartlepool Steam Nav Co then and was known as Westy... Anyone else from that era Steve
 
#75 ·
Capt W D Moss, Senior Lecturer Radar Watchkeeping



Hi there,

My dad (Bill Moss) used to teach Radar Watchkeeping at the Nautical College. He wrote the book of the same name that I believe was used for a text book at the College. I'm sorry to report that he passed away last week at the grand old age of 95 and just wondered if anyone has any memories of him. Also if anyone wished to attend his funeral it will be at the Haltemprice Crematorium on Tuesday 7th June at 4.30pm, just let me know if you are planning on attending. Jan
 
#120 ·
Capt W D Moss, Senior Lecturer Radar Watchkeeping



Hi there,

My dad (Bill Moss) used to teach Radar Watchkeeping at the Nautical College. He wrote the book of the same name that I believe was used for a text book at the College. I'm sorry to report that he passed away last week at the grand old age of 95 and just wondered if anyone has any memories of him. Also if anyone wished to attend his funeral it will be at the Haltemprice Crematorium on Tuesday 7th June at 4.30pm, just let me know if you are planning on attending. Jan
Sorry for your loss. I remember him very well. Am I mistaken or did he develop colour radar ?
 
#78 ·
Hello fellow Hull Nautical College attendees:

I attended the college in 1971/ 72 as a cadet, along with Andy Holden, Bill Ainger, Bill Bailey, Shaun ?, Chris Mortimer? and many more. Duggie Buckle was our English lecturer, Oscar ? was another lecturer. Can anyone help jog my memory about the staff and students please?
 
#79 ·
That must have ben in the Boulevard as the 4college moved to George Street in January '73. The Oscar you refer to was Bill Littlewood. As a cadet you were probably taught by Trevor Spink, Mike Fearon, Jim Weatherston and George West to name a few. Does that jog the memory
 
#80 ·
1971 to 1973:

I was at the Boulevard for my first year and at the new college for my second year.

I remember Bill ( Oscar) Littlewood, Duggie Buckle and Jim Weatherstone, who if I remember correctly was principal?

We did our lifeboat training in the dock and dinghy sailing at Welton Waters in Enterprise class dinghies.
 
#82 ·
Do any of you guys remember a Mr Pottage who did the cooking at the college?I was at a dinner party last night and met his son who was an ex policeman in Hull. He remembers getting the leftovers for the lads at the station when his dad had cooked too much.
 
#83 ·
Hnc

I did Pre Sea, then 2nd Mates and Mates at HNC circa 1974. I remember Capt.Jim Weatherston(relative density 1.010), Nobby Clark, Tab Hunter, and many more.
In the class of '74, a few names spring to mind, John Clarke, Mike Graham, Ronnie Clark, Gerry Blunden. Had some great times in the "Gardeners Arms" and the "Hayworth".
JimmyW
 
#84 ·
I did Pre Sea, then 2nd Mates and Mates at HNC circa 1974. I remember Capt.Jim Weatherston(relative density 1.010), Nobby Clark, Tab Hunter, and many more.
In the class of '74, a few names spring to mind, John Clarke, Mike Graham, Ronnie Clark, Gerry Blunden. Had some great times in the "Gardeners Arms" and the "Hayworth".
JimmyW
Jim. John Clark lives in Monaco but still gets back to Hull a few times a year. Usually in September for our reunion and again in December. Mike Graham worked for ABP until about four years again, when he moved to work in New Zealand.
 
#89 ·
I never sailed with Steve (Houlder Bros.) but knew him from college, and he lived not too far away (Otley, West Yorks), he was also good mates with my father. Had a good few boozy Friday afternoons !!. Last I heard he was living in York, joined the "Boys in Blue" if I remeber rightly.
 
#94 ·
Sorry to hear of Alan's demise, we only spoke to each other last year after an absence of contact of over 60 years, he seemed well and in good spirits, but we never know what is around the corner in the mortality stakes.

Alan and myself were at Trinity House, Hull together from 1951 - 1954, we shared the same birthday 29th March 1938. He was the school captain for his last year at TH, he joined Port Line, I joined PSNC, he always made the right decisions! We last met walking towards each other on a street in Wellington NZ in January 1956, I think he was on the 'Port Chalmers' and I was on 'Salinas' (on charter to Shaw Saville)

Rest in peace Alan, with fair winds and calm seas

Ivan Cloherty
 
#97 ·
John Witty

When I was up for Masters in 74 John Witty covered Seaman ship if I remember correct. He once told of a study he had done of a wreck of a Liberty ship in the Biscay.She lost her prop and went ashore off the Spanish coast.

After he told the story I told him my " Old Man " was Second Mate at the time. She had sailed from Hull where she had Dry Docked and had work done on the Prop / Tail Shaft.

Alan
 
#121 ·
Excuse me chaps, but what about the women on your courses? I am writing about them (in all the colleges) in an article for Nautilus International Telegraph and wonder if anyone could tell me about studying alongside women? What do you think it was like for them?
Thanks.
Jo
doctorjostanley@gmail.com
I only remember one woman at the college and she was on the pre-sea course
 
#101 · (Edited)
Hi, Rod #99 ,

I was BSL, your name doesn't sound familiar. Joined in 73 - 83.
I was local and did all my Eng tickets in Hull, plus Pre Sea Marine as an apprentice with Dave Taylor.
You may know Steve Harrison, he was at Boulevard for EDH part of his cadetship.
There is a BSL website and forum called the Log Book, but like this forum you need to sign up to post.
There are old crew lists out of Gangway, history of all the ships, how Vestey's started, a good read. A yearly reunion lunch at Liverpool. I am sure we could have a mini one in Hull, there is enough Trinity House boys still around and the odd Engr, Lecky and Frosty.
Do cadets learn to splice these days? Or don't they know what a rope is and the lay, tarbuckles, monkeys paws, golden rivets etc.
 
#115 ·
Hi, Rod #99 ,

I was BSL, your name doesn't sound familiar. Joined in 73 - 83.
I was local and did all my Eng tickets in Hull, plus Pre Sea Marine as an apprentice with Dave Taylor.
You may know Steve Harrison, he was at Boulevard for EDH part of his cadetship.
There is a BSL website and forum called the Log Book, but like this forum you need to sign up to post.
There are old crew lists out of Gangway, history of all the ships, how Vestey's started, a good read. A yearly reunion lunch at Liverpool. I am sure we could have a mini one in Hull, there is enough Trinity House boys still around and the odd Engr, Lecky and Frosty.
Do cadets learn to splice these days? Or don't they know what a rope is and the lay, tarbuckles, monkeys paws, golden rivets etc.
yep i guess they do but not serious any more too interested in electronics etc
I’ve tried gangway but tough to contact
I started on the Rodesia Star, and had a great time with BSL
Knew an engineer from Bridlington ( can’t remember name)
Thanks for the reply
 
#104 ·
Peter,

I am in touch with Foca (screen name) who was a master with Maggies and remembers Richard Lewis sailing with him when Foca was 2nd Mate. He said they ran aground in the Dunstan, only had a magnetic compass, none of the stuff they have today.
There was a BSL ship which they fitted radar to in the early days and it hit another ship. It was claimed a 'Radar Assisted Collision', perhaps they weren't fully trained on its use, but Vestey had all radars removed from vessels.
Also on one class of ships John Browns fitted wash hand basins in all officers cabins (1952 era), when he inspected the ship(s) he had them all removed except Chief Lecky, Chief Freezer: 2nd and Chief had their own en suite which was fine. So JB said this is our standard fit out, but they still had to remove them at their cost. He never had another ship built by them. Whether there were other things but it seems a bit silly. Whats a few handbasins in £X0000's.
They never fitted any until 1963 when some ships were built in Sunderland, but from 3rd down we had an Engineers shower block, 3 showers and two loos. One of the showers was for CEE, 3/E.
As CRE's were often 2nds in the early days learning the Frosty's job before sailing as C/E, they got an ensuite.
 
#111 ·
Just to prove it was originally a school for fisherman, here's a photo I took in 2018 of the inscription above the door in the Boulevard building that all the lads walked under every day. It's still standing, as I hope it will be for many years to come, as testament to all the boys that attended who eventually left as men.

Regards Bennie Blackburn (1956 - 58)

685605
 
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