[ire79uk]

Hi. I am hoping the experts can give me some advice on how to find out what ships my great grandfather served on during the first half of his career. He Joined Blue Funnel in about 1905 at age 14 and stayed with Blue Funnel until he retired in rthe 1950's. He was on active service during both world wars and baecame a master in about 1917-ish. I have the Lloyds Captains Register for him which gives me the vessels after 1922. He passed his masters exam in 1917. He was born in 1891. I have been told by family members that his first ship was the "Allonby" (but I don’t think that was a Blue Funnel Line vessel - he named his house Allonby after the ship. ) His name was John Edwin Watson, OBE. I know a fair bit about his career after 1922 but before is a mystery.

Any help would be very much appreciated.

[benjidog]

Hi there,

What you are looking for will not be so easy to find but I suggest you take a look at the Ships Research forum where you may pick up some hints about where to look.

Good luck with your quest!

Regards,

Brian

[Lucy Ann White]

HI, Could he have served on the SS Themistocles which travelled Liverpool, Cape Town, Australia? My father travelled on it from Melbourne to Durban/Cape town in June 1930. Lucy
PS Do visit my blog www.lucyannwrites.blogspot.com - or contact me via a PM, as I am researching which ships my father travelled on.

[non descript]

Lucy, I have taken the liberty of removing your published email address, as the Site Policy is to protect Members from spam and phishing by not openly displaying and any email address where it can be scanned far too easily by passers by - we tend to encourage initial contact via PM and emails can be exchanged there in relative safety.

Mark

[R651400]

Welcome to SN ire97uk. That is a tall order! Blue Funnel Association may be able to help. Last time I had any contact with BF Assoc the Hon Sec was not on the internet. Only BF person on site who may be able to help is Captain John Bax and my last contact John said he didn't visit SN too often these days. One avenue worth trying is "Buckhouse" honours dept and reasons for your Gt grandfather being awarded the OBE, possibly his contribution to shipping?
Regds

[CaptainShellard]

Hi, I appreciate this thread is very old and probably no one cares, but just thought you may like to know that the Allonby was owned by Peter Iredale and sons, Liverpool. I to have a great uncle that was a blue funnel Captain between 1906 and 1917 when he committed suicide in Corrunna. After a collision involving his ship the SS Telemachus and another vessel
I know about the Allonby as it is the sister ship of my GGgrandfathers vessel The City of Carlisle. Thurstan Dale Dakin, he to was a master mariner who worked for various companys including blue funnel line and Peter Iredale and sons. The ship in the photo is The Allonby.
Allonby_500 TD Dakins ship.jpg