[pelerous]

Death of Ian MacInnes

Glasgow Herald reported on 23-04-2020 the death of GCNS lecturer Ian MacInnes

 

[wsrmb01]

Glasgow College of Nautical Studies..as was..

I happened upon a YouTube video of GCNS and boy, did it take me back in time. To 1970 actually…
www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQ13qyaDASg
I attended Glasgow College of Nautical Studies, if my memory serves me correctly, from Aug 1970 until Jan 1973. What a strong lecture we got from Mr McIlroy, head of RADIO Dept, as to how NOT to expect a comfortable ride in the next 2 years. It was going to be hard work! Well, out of a class of I’m sure, approx 25-30 guys, about half the new intake didn’t bother showing up next day. That intro sure had its effect. That’ll be why so many were allowed to enrol on day 1, they knew the score..
I qualified for my Ministry of Post and Telecommunications MARITIME RADIOCOMMUNICATION GENERAL CERTIFICATE on 22nd June 1972 and carried on for my Board of Trade RADAR MAINTENANCE CERT, on 22nd January 1973. I still possess the certs today.
I recall being a ‘Prize-winner’ in the Radio Dept, finishing 1st, and Glasgow Corporation (as I think it was called then), buying me my ‘Blues’, MN Uniform…. I then went of for a short career as a ‘SPARKS’….. Made many memories there….
I remember one of my classmates being given ‘pelters’ by one of the lecturers, because he bought a GCNS folder with a big logo on the front. “Is this to impress the lassies on the underground on the way home then?” he kept getting asked, as he only carried his books under his arm.
There used to be a Radio Components & Spares shop up from the Pub across the river, where we would buy all our components, etc..
I was saddened to see the demise of the old college, as I went to have a look for old times sake, and was rather taken aback at the sight of the new college, grand though it is! I didn’t know it had been replaced by a ‘general’ college now, even after living 25 miles from Glasgow for the last 40 years.
I can remember only 2 of the Radio Dept Staff of the time, Mr McIlroy was head of dept, and the radio equipment practical mtce guy was Corcoran. I think he resided in Greenock. All the Radio dept staff were excellent.
The PLANETARIUM was a bit of a feature of GCNS then, and I remember an accommodation block being built, for cadets, on ground next to GCNS at the time I was there.
That was in the days it was solely for Maritime students.. Ah, what days indeed!

Ricky Baird

 

[Ian860B]

I was at GCNS 70 to 72 and 74, it was quite new then, seems amazing for it to be torn down so soon, as for the video clip it made sad the "music" did not help. I think they were special times in the 70's .
I guess almost all the staff I knew have gone now and quite a number of fellow students.

 

[Derek Dunn]

Morning Ian, I was at GCNS the year before you so our paths may have crossed when you were in your first year.
Derek.

 

[icgiddings]

Morning Ian, I was at GCNS the year before you so our paths may have crossed when you were in your first year.
Derek.

Hi Derek

Our paths may not of crossed because I did Mates and then Masters at Glasgow having done my cadetship and 2nd Mates at Plymouth. I think I started Mates in January 1976 and finished in June 1978.

Ian

 

[Ian860B]

Hi Derek, your name has a certain familiarity to it, were you Engine?
A number of us boarded at the Hostel in Bath street, fun and games there at times.
IanB

 

[Irvingman]

......... at the Hostel in Bath street, fun and games there at times.....
IanB

I was after your time, but was the pub around the corner 'The Diamond'?
John.

 

[Ian860B]

The pub round the corner was the "Cockburn" never greatly impressed, we used to go a short walk down to Sauchiehall street and down to the basement to a place called the Blenheim (not sure about the spellcheckers opinion) Spent a small fortune in there, after closing time it was off to find food, always a disappointment !
Of course for entertainment there was always the girls around Blythswood Square!!!!!
IanB

 

[Stephen J. Card]

The Clelland. The Riverside Lounge. The Blue Chip. The Gordon and around the corner dinners L'Aristos. 2001 I met up old mates and went to The Gordon and the L'Aristos. Got up to the same trouble as before!

Two other place, The Park Bar and the Lord Darnley. There was no shortages of places.

 

[Ian860B]

I think I made an error I was talking about drinking venues within walking distance of the British Sailors Society Hostel in Bath Street.
Going for a drink at lunchtime from GCNS was very much forbidden for Cadets, Davie Duff and Sandy Smith would walk around the local hostelries and woe betide if the found any miscreants. Drinking at lunchtime made the first lecture in the afternoon very difficult to not fall asleep in.
IanB

 

[Stephen J. Card]

Going for a drink at lunchtime from GCNS was very much forbidden for Cadets, Davie Duff and Sandy Smith would walk around the local hostelries and woe betide if the found any miscreants. Drinking at lunchtime made the first lecture in the afternoon very difficult to not fall asleep in.
IanB

Not in 1971... or through 1973 as cadet.

One cadet in the class we were doing for finals for ONC Phase III. One of the paper was for three hours. It was only two hours into the exam and las stood up and handed in his paper. Every was astonished! The rest of us were struggling to complete. Five minutes later, LaMay (examiner) down from 8th Floor. He called up to come to window. There was Davy.... walking right over to The Clelland to get his 11 o'clock pint... Newcastle Brown!! He was back for the second paper as if nothing had happened. He did this next two days as well.

We call should have done it. ALL of us failed the ONC. I didn't feel bad, that ONC exams... or the WHOLE of UK had FAILED! It was the first ever ONC and there were 'errors' in the paper exams. A year later most of us went back to do normal Second Mate examination.

For a change I went up for Master at the Tower Hill. Lasted three weeks. Horrible! Cramped and overcrowded. On the first morning the lecture put up his newspaper and said, "Tutorial period'. WTF!!!! No printed handouts. Everything was by dictation. They had a huge bounded book with every 'question' the lecturer gave us. When we had finished... go to the big book to look up the answer. A waste of time. Packed it in and went back to sea. Later that year I went back to GCNS. Only six of us. Two of us went up and passed... two months early. The other four did their and they passed as well. That is what a good college was about.

I still have of my books and test papers. I go back once in a while and read the comments from Alistair Douglas. "The answer is correct, but are you sure you know what you are talking about?" Ah, all of the lecturers were 'Top shelf'.

Stephen

 

[Stephen J. Card]

The lad Davy, came in a bit late at the afternoon lecture. Not at the exam time. His cheek was swollen … a bulge in his cheek. Little moans and rubbing his cheek. The lecturer as what his problem? Davy says, "Tooth ache." Hmmm. The period finished and the lecturer left. Davy the spat out into his hand... our or five 50p pieces!!!!!

Nice lad, but at that age he was ruined by the drink. Sad.

Stephen

 

[Irvingman]

The pub round the corner was the "Cockburn" never greatly impressed, we used to go a short walk down to Sauchiehall street and down to the basement to a place called the Blenheim (not sure about the spellcheckers opinion) Spent a small fortune in there, after closing time it was off to find food, always a disappointment !
Of course for entertainment there was always the girls around Blythswood Square!!!!!
IanB

Correct - Cockburn, thanks, I was only there once at a birthday bash, ended up down around Blythswood Square.
I once went to a place in Sauchiehall St with psycadelic paint on the outside, got talking to a local who flogged me a ticket to a Stones concert at the Apollo for £20 (Sept '73) Went in to college on the Monday and compared my ticket with a classmates ticket bought from the box office - no comparison!!!
I was from the sticks but learning fast (MAD)(Jester)
John.

 

[John Cassels]

Correct - Cockburn, thanks, I was only there once at a birthday bash, ended up down around Blythswood Square.
I once went to a place in Sauchiehall St with psycadelic paint on the outside, got talking to a local who flogged me a ticket to a Stones concert at the Apollo for £20 (Sept '73) Went in to college on the Monday and compared my ticket with a classmates ticket bought from the box office - no comparison!!!
I was from the sticks but learning fast (MAD)(Jester)
John.

The "dirty wee port " John ?.

 

[Irvingman]

The "dirty wee port " John ?.

"......As a bunch of pissed cadets we usually just harassed the girls and forced them to change their route!!
John (Pint)

 

[stevekelly10]

I was at Springburn College 1970 to 1971 doing my phase 3. One of my flat mates had a girlfriend, who was one of the first, if not the first ? to attend the nautical college to train as an RO ! she was sponsored by Marconi ! Her first name I think was Cathy ! Anybody remember her ?

 

[wsrmb01]

GCNS ~Any old MPT Radio Course folks out there?

I was at the Glasgow College of Nautical Studies from Aug 1970 until Jan 1973 doing the MPT General Radiocomms Cert & BOT Radar Maintenance Cert, and I was wondering if anyone from those classes/years is on any of these forums! I recall being friends with Jim Degnan (of PENILEE, Glasgow, I'm sure), who joined Marconi same time as me in Feb '73. Never heard owt after leaving GCNS.....

 

[Burntisland Ship Yard]

I am sure I sailed with Jim Degan on one of the TOT ships, might have been the Spain.

 

[Derek Dunn]

Hi Derek, your name has a certain familiarity to it, were you Engine?
A number of us boarded at the Hostel in Bath street, fun and games there at times.
IanB

Morning Ian, I stayed in the YMCA, Bothwell Street for three years. As I worked for Ben Line I did the reversed phasing.

 

[Varley]

You look after a wonderful looking vessel, Derek. I take it from your stated Ben line disability she must be DC.