I am researching my father,( Robert Ashworth )merchant navy career he was at Vindicatrix from 24th Feb to 17th May 1947 training as a deck boy ,I did look on the Vindi association website for a group photo of his group but there wasn't one but have since found his group photo in my mothers photo collection ,she did not know what was so made an interesting find ,is there anyone on here that was there at that time ? or doing similar researching to mine about a relative there on these dates ,I would like to share the photo with others if its useful ,cant seem to rotate it on here so its on its side my dad is 4th from left on the back row ,any thing that anyone can add will be very welcome .
Hi Peatash.
I was at the Vindi April to June !949, my brother was there the same months in 1944, 70,000 16 year old boys went through the school before it closed in the 70s, if I can I will enclose a kit list that was given to each boy when they arrived at the school. This was taken out of the dole money the boys received while they where there, any money left over was paid out when they completed the course.
Cheers Tugger
PS this was sent me by Robin Hurst the web site bosun who was there the same time as me.
That's great Tugger , thank you very much more detail to add to the picture I'm trying to build ,I am hoping to get enough information to make a scrapbook type of folder which hopefully will be kept in the family ,what form of qualification did you receive on completion was it a certificate or did you receive your discharge book ?
Hi Pete.
We all received our discharge books when we completed the course, The boys that had trained for the deck joined their first ship as a Deck boy, the Stewards as either cabin boy or Galley boy. From there for a deck boy it was two years as such;in my time we got 7Pounds a Month then they became J.O.S. which was Junior ordinary seaman, after a further twelve months they became Senior ordinary seaman; all with a small increase in wages, twelve months later they could sit for an E.D.H. ticket Efficient Deck Hand, then sit for an ABs ticket, they could also study for a A Second mates ticket and work their way up to Captain but that was up to the individual. Evey Vindi boy will tell you that the school made men of them, trained them in many aspects of life, Including of course seamanship, cleanliness, honesty, comradeship. There are Vindi associations all over the world, the main one in Sharpness where it all began
Cheers Des
Thanks Des , very interesting and detailed information ,my dad was a deck boy on the Empress of Scotland and then a JOS on the Teakwood .I have read a lot of comments about everyone who went to Vindicatrix saying how tough it was but sett them up for life and your comments on this confirm this ,something missing in todays world .Thanks again particularly the bit about the discharge book.
Hi Pete.
Any of those books are available from. Roy Derham, 8 Delme Drive,Wallington, Fareham, Hants. PO 16 8sq Tel {01329] I think that is the overseas connection, then 280982
Cheers Des
Hi Pete.
Just received the bad news that Robin Hurst the bloke who ran the Vindi Website has crossed the bar, Robin along with Roy Derham where both at the school with me, been friends for a long time. so very sad.
Tugger
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