[roy quirk]

C&H Crichton., Liverpool ,51% owned by Ellermans,serviced all Ellerman ships whilst in Liverpool or Birkenhead.I served my apprenticeship with them 1951-56.
I most probably worked on more Ellerman ships than anyone who served with the company! Anyone else out there served their time with Crichton's?
I remember the worst ships were some City ships with 6cyl Doxford's with boilers and steam auxiliaries,and the smart engine rooms of Ellerman Papayanni
ships.

 

[rivet]

ellermans & apprenticeships

Hi Roy
I served my time with the London Graving Dock Co slightly after you in 1955- 1960. Like you i worked on many of Ellermans ships, among them was the old City of Lyons. Check out my web sight www. dockland.fsworld.co.uk you might find it can take you back to the good old days. (Applause)
Rivet

 

[Jim S]

C & H Crichton, Liverpool

C&H Crichton., Liverpool ,51% owned by Ellermans,serviced all Ellerman ships whilst in Liverpool or Birkenhead.I served my apprenticeship with them 1951-56.
I most probably worked on more Ellerman ships than anyone who served with the company! Anyone else out there served their time with Crichton's?
I remember the worst ships were some City ships with 6cyl Doxford's with boilers and steam auxiliaries,and the smart engine rooms of Ellerman Papayanni
ships.

I believe John N Smith a Chief Engineer I sailed with in Fyffes in 1968 served his time with Crichtons.

Jim S

 

[roy quirk]

Thanks for your interest I don't remember a John Smith in Crichton's or when I sailed with Fyffes,but it's not a name that stick's in your mind!!!
I logged on to Rivits website and I shall definately purchase the book "Dockland
Apprentice".Ship Repair firms were full of characters, no doubt similar,in all the large seaports,and I look forward to reading it.
Crichton's also repaired Hain's ships,a trampship company,(a black funnel with a white H on it) and did major overhauls on Royal Navy destroyers before they were sold to the Israel navy.
I remember some of the work on the Papayanni ships was simply referred to as Biscay Damage, so they must have had sometimes a rough old passage, crossing the bay.Of course,they were only small ships.
I have to admit that when I went away to sea myself on the Indian run, I went for the better pay and conditions with Brocklebanks!

 

[Jim S]

Dockland Apprentice

I enjoyed reading David Carpenter's "Dockland Apprentice" - a minor criticism being I would have liked more on the ships worked on and the jobs undertaken on them.
Amazing how some of the small details in his book sparks a memory - one such being his description of Stag Jointing Compound from the paint like consistency of a new tin to the putty like substance that it becomes.

 

[roy quirk]

Just finished reading Dockland Apprentice and enjoyed it very much.Well written,and brought back great memories for me. Like David,I was facinated as a youngster, to watch the engineer control the engines on the cross river steam ferry,in my case on the Mersey
to Birkenhead.There was a ventilation grid on the deck that allowed you see down on to the control levers. The outside ship fitter's(dock road fitters they were called in Liverpool)
were free spirits and great characters,like Peter that David worked with.
I can recommend this book to any engineer that served his time in ship repairing
Roy.

 

[rivet]

Hi Roy
I was pleased to see you enjoyed the book, i've had excellent feed back from all over the world. Its been good to hear how so many apprentices have done so well, and are enjoying thier well earned retirement. It all goes to show how well the old apprenticeship system worked. Unlike the six week ones that are now the norm, or some of the dipsticks that are produced in our presant education system.
Rivet

 

[roy quirk]

dear Rivet,
I couldn't agree more,it's a totally different world we live in now.
Cheers,
Roy

 

[Eddie Carter]

crichtons

hi served my time in c&h Crichtons with great memories finished in 1958 .
it was a bit of a madhouse at times with the apprentices i ended up with no qualifications when i left but sorted that out later at night school.
sailed ellermans on the market boats for a bit thro the bay every fortnight in the winter which was exciting to say the least. remeber a lot of characters as apprentices and amazed how well they done the training must have been good without realising it.

 

[kcj]

Roy Quirk

Hi Roy & Eddie Carter
I served my time at Crichtons 1954-59 and remember you & your buddy Ian Rawlins well If your still around I would like to hear from you and any other ex apprentices

 

[roy quirk]

kcj,
Have replied with private message.
Cheers,
Roy

 

[bob berrie]

crichtons

Hi kcj, I served my time from 56-61 good bunch of lads ,outside on the ships was an experience tail end jobs in the winter nightmares,joined papaynni as nearly all finishing their time.

 

[Jim S]

Crichtons

Roy,
Revisiting your post regarding Crichtons - I was mistaken as to where John N Smith served his apprenticeship - it was not Crichton's but James Troup also at Liverpool but now at Ellesmere Port I believe
His apprenticeship would have completed in 1949 when he went to sea with Moss Hutchison before joining Fyffes. He was C/E up until shortly before the demise of Fyffes as we knew it.

Thanks for your interest I don't remember a John Smith in Crichton's or when I sailed with Fyffes,but it's not a name that stick's in your mind!!!
I logged on to Rivits website and I shall definately purchase the book "Dockland
Apprentice".Ship Repair firms were full of characters, no doubt similar,in all the large seaports,and I look forward to reading it.
Crichton's also repaired Hain's ships,a trampship company,(a black funnel with a white H on it) and did major overhauls on Royal Navy destroyers before they were sold to the Israel navy.
I remember some of the work on the Papayanni ships was simply referred to as Biscay Damage, so they must have had sometimes a rough old passage, crossing the bay.Of course,they were only small ships.
I have to admit that when I went away to sea myself on the Indian run, I went for the better pay and conditions with Brocklebanks!

 

[davekennedy]

crightons

my dad worked at crightons until it closed he was a foreman plumber his name was jimmy kennedy does anybody remember him

 

[James03031301]

Hi
My Dad worked at Crichton’s in the early 50’s
His name was James Dunn
Just trying to find any info about his past

Thanks
Andrew