[steve todd]

Blue Star postcards

 

[steve todd]

More postcards

 

[Mick Spear]

Captain's discharge book

Today I spoke to a retired (redundant) Blue Star captain, I asked him as captain did he sign his own discharge book, he said "no I do not have one" so I said to him the last time you had a discharge book was when you were a chief mate" He said "yes"
I cannot believe that a seaman does not have a discharge book. Can anybody confirm that captains do not have a discharge book. Lookinf forward to the answer

Hello there R58484956

Captain has a dscharge book, nowadays anyway. As a Purser i make the entries into his book. However he does not sign on the Articles of Agreement like everyone else. Instead his partculars are entered into a page headed Records of Seamen exempt from articles of agreement he only signs clear of these articles and not on to them. The Log book has details of assuming command etc.

Mick S
PS I've noticed you have a lot of numbers after the R. Is this your Discharge book number? If so i thougt there would only be 6 digits after the R? Not many Rs left nowadays. R8***** are getting rare and these guys are retiring in few years from now UK01**** will be the old school!! An old friend of mine says R means Real Seaman and UK means Unknown!!!

 

[R58484956]

Correct discharge book number R584849 web etc number R58484956. Thanks for clarification on masters book.

 

[Terry Smith]

A wonderful story, Steve, and some brilliant pictures. What makes it all more interesting is the fact that I was crew galley boy aboard the 'Argentina Star' from 14/9/61 until 2/11/61 when you were a JOS. Ship's Cook was a Glaswegian called John McTamney. I recall you and your mates queuing for your grub on the narrow companionway leading from your messroom to the galley. In the tropics I'd sit on an upturned cooking pot, peeling potatoes, beneath the awning shown in one of your photos. In addition to the 'Nash' and the other bar you mention, I seem to recall spending plenty of time in an establishment known as the Welcome Bar that was also close to the Anglo. I made two further trips as a cooks assistant on the Argentina Star later in 1962. I also made a trip to BA on the Paraguay Star as well as Australia and New Zealand aboard the Rhodesia Star and the Scottish Star.

 

[ROBERT GIBSON]

"Argentina Star"
10,700 tons. Single screw turbine. 17 kts
Cammell Laird. 1947
460,000 c.f.R.
Sisters: Brasil Star, Paraguay Star, Uruguay Star.

Wonderful ships,7 week trips London, Lisbon, Canaries, Rio, Santos, Montevideo, BA (10days), Montevideo Santos, Rio, Canaries, Newhaven (drop the passengers) Rotterdam. I did my first 5 trips as J/eng on the Uruguay Star. Of the 22 trips I subsequently did these were the best.

Bob Gibson

 

[China hand]

Captain Pearce to 3rd Mate (me) in 1966 "if you need to turn on the radar, you need to call the master". Dom Stratta was a trifle more modern.
But these were a different breed, and had gone through a lot.
The Mendoza was nice after the Argentina; no radar!

 

[ROBERT GIBSON]

Wonderful ships,7 week trips London, Lisbon, Canaries, Rio, Santos, Montevideo, BA (10days), Montevideo Santos, Rio, Canaries, Newhaven (drop the passengers) Rotterdam. I did my first 5 trips as J/eng on the Uruguay Star. Of the 22 trips I subsequently did these were the best.

Bob Gibson

Forgot to mention the website www.bluestarline.org gives pictures of all the ships with history and details. Also subsiduaries Lamport & Holt ; Booth Line ;ACT Ships and Compass Line

Regards

Bob Gibso