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Royal Mail

23K views 35 replies 18 participants last post by  paulkelly 
#1 ·
Hi folks,
Any old Royal Mail shipmates out there. I sailed with RML from 1962-1971, from apprentice to 2nd Mate. Was 4th mate on Loch Garth for a year, did a stint on Andes as J/4/O then S/4/O, followed by 3rd mate & 2nd mate on 3 'Y' boats, 2 'E' boats and left in '71. Then followed 32 years in ferries from Dover retiring in 2003 as Senior Master. Have tried unsuccessfully for years to find old mates with no success - help!
Jack Pearson
 
#3 ·
Great old company I was sos in the Pilcomayo , then ab in Essequibo ,Eden , Potaro ,and the cream of the fleet the old Durango , oh to take another voyage down to South America as it was back then I did two voyages in Eden once in 1963 and again in 1966 first time I was in her we where on a P.S.N.C. charter .
 
#7 ·
I've just been reading a thread about some of the characters in Blue Funnel and thought I might hijack Jack's thread and list a few from Royal Mail.
Master of my first ship Thessaly was Polly Perkins, quiet man who had spent a long time as PoW. The Mate was Leo Frayne from West Hartlepool who I sailed with many times and respected as a good officer.
I remember Wall-Eye Thomas when he commanded Loch Loyal who always had Mrs Matson (Yes, that Matson) aboard as a passenger. I also sailed with Captain Barff on a number of occassions (Loch Avon, Darro and Andes) who built the most wonderful model steam locomotives, normally setting up his lathe in the Specie Room. I suppose above them all was Captain Peterson of the Andes, a passenger ship Captain to his bootstraps. Calm, dapper and always in command except for one night each cruise seemed to go bonkers, bollock everybody up hill and down dale for nothing you could figure out then next day, back to the calm, unflappable Captain Pete.
C/O Dalgliesh I remember well. Fierce reptation but I always found him affable and very professional. Dickie Box was a great C/O to sail with (Loch Avon). Also was his 3/O on his first trip in command about which the less said the better. John Neary who posts on here was 2/O that trip and I wont embarrass him by remembering his nick name. And who can forget 'Fearless Fred' Fenner RNR?
Cadets, apart from Evil Jack I sailed with include Don Pearse from Portsmouth, got on with him very well. Cresswell Swann I recall had a super motorbike, a Norton Domi 99. How about Johnny Lambert, oldstyle hardcase and Mate baiter.
That's a start so come on you old Royal Mailers, add to the list.
 
#8 ·
I also sailed with Captain Barff on a number of occassions (Loch Avon, Darro and Andes) who built the most wonderful model steam locomotives, normally setting up his lathe in the Specie Room.
My first trip was as 2/RO on "Essequibo" with Captain Barff who introduced me to his model making, asking me to help when off watch. When finished the yacht he'd built we launched it from a lifeboat manned by the cadets and I was put in charge of the "Sea trials" in Hamilton Bermuda.

I got on great with Capt. Barff so it was a nice start for a young, green R/O.
 
#14 ·
Old shipmates

Hi Sailtie & others, perhaps I was a quiet lad when we sailed together, but we all change. I'm told I wasn't evil in the nasty sense of the word- I was christened that by a Senior Master shortly after I joined ferries It was generally felt I deserved that nick name due to my unorthodox methods of dealing with all matters nautical and related to crew working etc., some of my superiors felt that although they applauded my results, they were'nt necessarily happy with my methods.
I recall an end of voyage report from Captain Kennedy - a wonderful old fashioned gent that I had a fine disregard for authority of any kind!! I thought that would finish my career but it didn't!! At a ship naming'do' on the eve of my retirement the chairman remarked that I was known for calling a spade a shovel-praise indeed?? I also remember great mates like Leo Frayn, Ian Farquharson and even Len Fenner. I also have fond memories of a the many ABs who I sailed with and taught me so much. My1st trip as 4th mate on Loch Garth began with the mate 'Logger' Long assigning 3 Abs from my home town as watch members- his sense of humour!! We all did quite well, one finished up as a senior official in the nautical dept of the ITF, on was a deck store keeper with me on a couple of ferries while the other joined one of my ships as QM, then 2/O and 1/O,so RML did us quite proud really, so come on you Royal mailers there must still be some of you out there!!
Best wishes, Eviljack!
 
#15 ·
I sailed on the Essequibo in 1965 on a PSNC run as A/B. It was the best voyage I ever did in respect to my career due to the fact that all the mates were real great guys to sail with, they treated us deck crowd with respect as we did them. Due to that fact they got the best out of us we worked hard and were appreciated.
The C/O was named Brown who lived in Dublin, spoke fluent Spanish he was a fantastic guy, the Bosun and E/R Stores were from Hull, the 4 to 8 Donkeyman was in her for years and a great motor racing fan, the cooks were West Indian. All in all a great crew, the 12 to 4 A/Bs missed her in Valpo we expected them to rejoin in San Antonio but they stayed put in Valpo until we returned and they rejoined, they were logged but no bad discharge was given them. I think the Old Man was called Allenby without referring to my discharge book, I could be wrong about his name.
Later when I was 3rd, 2nd, 1st mate and master I tried to treat the crew as we were treated on the Essequibo and it paid dividends, so I have a lot to thank the guys who showed me such a fine example on that voyage.
 
#16 ·
I was bosun of the Eden 1956-1957 I had a good working relationship with
Trevor Jones who was Chief Officer he left the Eden to join one of the Loch boats.
Not long after that I started work shoreside and lost touch with Royal Mail,
Did Trevor Jones ever become Master in Royal Mail/.
 
#18 ·
First trip to sea Loch Garth January 1948 as galley boy. Later in the fifties did trips on the old Gascony also Durango and Drina, good runs West coast USA or Carribean. Enjoyed all the voyages but being young w
anted to see pastures/oceans new.... Stayed at sea thirty years
 
#19 ·
I sailed as R/O on the Aragon and Amazon. I can remember a Capt Fox, Capt Jones, Dickie Dabinett (senior 2nd I think) , Michael Odgers, Chief Purser Stroud. One of the radio officers I sailed with was Jack Barter who died on the
Royston Grange. I can remember a bosun's mate called Franks and a bosun
called Regler(?). Looked every inch an old sea dog but had been a Southdown
bus driver. I can remember one C/O who had been master of the Pilcomayo
but had to go back as C/O when the company contracted in size.
Great days with wonderful memories. The R/O on the Loch Loyal built model
trains and was awarded an OBE or MBE.
regards
Graham Powell (ex R/O RML and Portishead Radio).
 
#20 ·
Train building R/O

Hi Graham, I think the R/O who built the model trains was Frank Page. I sailed with him on the Garth when I was a cadet. A wonderful eccentric old batchelor- he built the trains completely from scratch using old biscuit tins and the like.
Cheers
Eviljack
 
#22 ·
Hi Chaps
Thats the chap, Frank Page. Loch Loyal was Siemens ship as were
the Amazon/Aragon/Arlanza. I went from the Amazon and Aragon to another
Siemens ship but that was Houlders. I have a feeling that the Highland boats
were Siemens as well.Been trying to remember other names but can't.
Wonderful times in BA. Great memories.
regards
Graham Powell
 
#23 ·
Thought of a couple more names. There was a junior 3/O mate on the Aragon called
Martin Rasor (think that is right). He was on one of the D boats and fell down a hold. Also remember a Senr 2/O called Hunt or Hunter.
R/O's on the Aragon were Rollason and Jack Barter. Amazon was Bob Petch and Ted Winslow. All much older than me with years of experience.
rgds
Graham Powell
 
#24 ·
Now we are going. Anyone remember Nick Orme? Last I saw him he was 3/0 on an E boat in Callao.
Another old friend was Don Pearce from Portsmouth. I was at Warsash with him we sailed together 3 times: Thessaly, Loch Avon and Andes.
Geoff Barkes was Dip on the Albany with me. He came from Dufftown way up in Scotchland. Also from Albany I had a good mate called Les Schwieso who was 3/E.
I also remember a guy called Cresswell Swann from Loch Loyal, Larry Klein ditto.
Apart from the Captains I listed earlier I remeber Capt Meldrum with respect, also Capt. Ray Bland from Essequibo.
On other threads I've seen Chief Steward Pedro Stroud mentioned a few times. he was a bit of an institution in RML.
That'll do for now.
 
#25 ·
I remember Geoff the Dip, very tall Scot whose dad was a big cheese with Grants whisky! I also remember Capt Meldrum, likewise with respect, also Captain Ray Phillips. Capt 'Rats' Ratcliffe too-now there was a character!! Several years ago now whilst refitting my ship on the Tyne I came across Ron Tinmouth who was S/2/E on Loch Garth when I was a cadet - he was the sacrificial anode man in Smiths Dock - surprisingly we recognised each other, don't know what that means! Must finish for now there's all sorts buzzing round in my head at the moment so those of you still sailing, hope you find a fair wind, for those like me it don't matter!! Cheers
EvilJack
 
#27 ·
Have just been picking my brain-wish I'd kept a diary(log!). Cutsplice remembers C/O Brown from Dublin, that's Peter R brown. I too remember him, I sailed with him when he was 2/O on an 'E' boat and he was indeed a great guy and his fluency in Spanish was down to a bit of Chilean blood in him. We had some good runs ashore in Callao and Valpo!! Post '65 became interesting for me due to the integration into Furness ship Management. I sailed on 'Somers Isle' with Capt Jock Gordon(PSNC) - daddy's yacht that was! Then Captain Dennis Taylor(Prince line) was let loose on a 'Y' boat. He used to go ashore in a pin stripe suit, bowler hat and a rolled brolly!! Then followed a year on 'Black Prince' (Capt Ken Slapp) a good table tennis player. I was one of the few RML types aboard and it was my privilidge to introduce the Medi boys to the joys of the West coast of South America in all its glory - quite interesting times especially as they weren't used to going West just nipping into the Med for a few weeks or so!! Happy days.
Evil
 
#28 ·
Greetings,
Yes Royal Mail was a great company and taught me a lot. I still don't understand why it does not have its own section among the other shipping lines listed in the forum.
My first ship was the Pampas, joined as a very green cadet in 62. Captains Dalgleish, Rutter, Chaterley and Dickenson. Chief mates Loyd and Milner had to suffer my inexpreience. Joined the Loch Avon in 63, Captains Barff, Avison and Anderson. Chief mates Fenner and Box. Joined the Thessaly also in 63, Captains Anderson, Swallow, Whightman and Chester. Chief mates were Perkins, Milner, Brocklebank and Cambell. Joined the Drina in 64. Captain Gibbons and Chief Mate Earl. Another quick coastal on the Loch Avon before submitting myself to the DoT for my 2nd mates. Joined the Essequibo as 3/O under captains Anderson and Williams. Chief mates were Brown,Hobbs and Hunter.
Great times but sadly the memories are fading!
Malcolm
 
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