[Thamesphil]

I was wondering if anyone worked for Everards in the late 70s - early 80s. For the first few years of my working life I was employed ashore in their London office as a trainee agency clerk. Entrusted with the job of customs clearance and returning ship's do***ents aboard, I became familiar with some of the crew members around at that time. I remember Jimmy Miller, who was skipper of the Doris I. The ship was on a regular run bringing edibles from ARA to the Pura works at Bow Creek and he was often to be found emerging from the tanks caked in lard. Then there was a husband and wife team who were skipper and first mate of one of the 'C' class coasters - the Commodity I think. The name Gordon Gant rings a bell. Was it him and his wife? I've got such a bad memory for people's names, but I'm sure I'll remember more if I see them here.

Cheers
Phil

 

[humbertug]

i did a few trips in the early 80s with Fred's and i did come across the husband and wife team but for the life of me i cant remember there names

 

[krisgant]

That Gordon Gant is my grandad and he was a skipper of the Coomodity and many other everard
ships

 

[creeler]

hi Thamesphil, I was on "commodity" for new owners at handover from Everards,november 1993. and recall the previous master and mates names were Jack and Linda who were husband and wife,i forget thier surname though,they had been onboard for many years i was told. did you know Roy South who was in chartering ?
creeler

 

[Thamesphil]

Thanks Creeler. Yes I remember now, it was Jack and Linda Hadlow. Gordon Gant was another skipper of the same vessel class, as krisgant confirms. Roy South was in dry cargo chartering when I was with Everards. I believe he is still there but Everards only manage tankers these days.

Thanks for both replies.

Cheers
Phil

 

[ruud]

Ahoy,

Found some piccies of some "yellow perils", here the Commodity 1956 & 1976, source from Everard of Greenhythe by K.S.Garrett,
[ISBN:0 905617 58 4]
photo 1965 courtesy of A.Duncan,and the 1975 by C.Hill

 

[Rhiw.com]

Yellow Perils

Thought you'd like to see a picture of the very first "Freddie" the Cambria, her and her sister the Hibernia were the very first Fred Everard boats, well to be more exact Thames Barges. The other two are from the same collection, Regards Tony (Thumb)

 

[Peter4447]

Hi Tony
Sorry but these barges were not the first vessels owned by Fred Everard by any means. Sadly I do not have my notes to hand but I am sure that an SN member will be pleased to enlighten us. From memory they certainly had a steamer called 'Grit' in service that was lost during the 1914-18 War and other barges as well and before 'Cambria' and 'Hibernia' came on the scene.
Regards
Peter4447

 

[Rhiw.com]

New Build

Sorry about that Peter, thanks for setting the record straight. The Cambria and Hibernia were built at Greenhithe in the early 1900’s. Would I be right in saying that they were the first “New Build” they had? I’ve read this somewhere but can’t remember where. A “Grit” was built at Greenhithe in 1923, unless there was another one before that. Regards Tony. I’ve uploaded my favourite Everard postcard. (Thumb)

 

[Peter4447]

Hi Tony. Sorry I cannot confirm about 'Cambria' and 'Hibernia' being the first new builds. The first 'Grit' was, if memory serves me right, sunk off Beachy Head by a submarine in 1916 or 1917. Everard's former Marine Superintendent, Ken Garrett, published the history of the Company some years ago. The postcard you have attached is one of a series that today are becoming very collectible, they are often listed on E Bay. The subject (and your favourite) the 'Security' was sunk in the River Elbe although by then she had become a Yellow Peril. I don't know if it is still in the offices at Greenhithe but the original painting from which another of these postcards was taken, shows ships of the Everard fleet taking part in the D Day landings - it is absolutely huge! (*))
Kind regards
Peter4447

 

[ruud]

Ahoy,

The first Grit was built in 1913 at Greenhithe and was sunk in 1916 by a German sub UB29, a short life. The second Grit was built in 1923.
Photo source from the Everhard of Greenhythe and courtesy by K.C.Garrett

 

[Rhiw.com]

Thanks!!!

Many thanks to you both. It never fails to amaze me, the amount of knowledge you guys have, and are always ready to share, Best Regards Tony (Applause)

 

[ruud]

Ahoy Tony,
You were right there was a 1923 built Grit, but that was the 2nd.I believe there were 7 of them.
Here the second Grit 1923 on her trials, photo source from Everard of Greenhythe and courtesy by K.C.Garrett.[Author's collection]sunk in 1934 after a collision in fog on 22 february 1934

 

[malcsearle]

Yes ........you are correct....Jack and Linda Hadlow were on the Commodity.
I was a deckhand on her with a guy called Jeff Cooper in 76. The engineer was Alex Buchan who I noticed someone asking about him in another post.
Linda cooked dinner one Christmas for us all with all the trimmings only for Alex to smoother it with Tomato ketchup.....much to her annoyance.
Happy days............malc

 

[ray bloomfield]

Thanks to the last Commodity I have now been married for the last 12 or 13 yrs, anniversary was on the 17th June !! I forgot, as usual..

 

[E.Martin]

I heard this conversation on the radio between two Everard skippers way back in the fifties we were in the Channel and we had a bit of a blow.
"I see the candle boys are at anchor",
Candle boys what do you mean Candle boys?.
"Well!" If you are on a ship with CEA on the funnel you light a candle, hold it out of a porthole and if there is enough wind to blow the candle out you go and anchor somewhere in the lee.

 

[Ynot]

F T Everards

I can remember the telephone operator at Greenhithe often putting out calls to the fleet through North Foreland Radio or Cullercoats advising late arrival somewhere of the Cambria then hearing later that one of the "ities" had her in tow. I was then running the Siemens Bros workshop in the yard.

Would anyone have a pic of one of the spritsail barges that were the leaders in the thames barge race at that time. Veronica and Sirdar I think were the names.

Ynot

 

[noodles]

i think i worked fr one of the coasters running from ireland to liverpool and manchester ship canal gosfort?not sure as lost d/b over time

 

[john richards]

Everards. 3 everard tankers are laid up in vittoria dock Birkenhead. Does
anyone have any info? John Richards.