I sailed on "Howard Smith". For years she ran to Japan with coal from Balls Head in Sydney. While I was there she carried two of what I believe were only three cargoes ever loaded at the Brisbane sugar loading facility. From memory both went to Melbourne. We also went to New Zealand but I can't remember what with. She was a great ship with good company on board, but I have to say, she was a shocker to look at.

At the time (about 1990) Howard Smiths also managed a couple of tankers (Canopus and Express?), bulkies Lindsay Clarke and Portland and the ferry from Adelaide to Kangaroo Island. I think "Howard Smith" was the only ship left under HS ownership.

What's the story with Wesfarmers?

John T.

 

John t. i'll get the exact date off are lass, as she was working at "HS" head office in sydney at the time. it was only a few years ago. Wes farmers own Bunnings, HS owned hardware house stores, to get rid of hardware house to establish a bunnings everywhere! Wes farmers had to get a hold on HS, howard was pm at time. The howard government could have stepped in to stop it but they did nothing!! so "A Very hostile take over of HS occured" the ships & tugs were all sold off, all the shipping memorabilia of howard smiths were put into a museum in sydney. are lass got me afew howard sm pens & a ships telegragh, as the hs chairman let the staff have a few things to keep. it was kept out of the news on purpose!! the parent company in Hull is still operating as far as i know. there must be a few blokes who were with them at the end but maybe not on this site john. if are lass rings tomorrow i'll ask her some more, she's in melbourne at the mo sorting out the family estate. but now you know why you dont see hardware house BUT YOU SEE A BUNNINGS EVERYWHERE!!

 

I remember Hardware House (the ones with the things that looked like red minarets outside) disappearing and I think I heard Bunnings took them over. Recently I heard that some American hardware mob is moving in and about to cream Bunnings - hope not as my wife has Wesfarmers shares.

I heard that the founder of Howard Smith (William?) came from Hull - interesting to hear that they're still operating over there.

What happened to the tugs? Probably went to Adelaide Steam - wonder who got the one without a telegraph?

The bulk carrier "Portland" is still running from the West to Portland, Victoria, as I saw her there last year. No idea who's managing her now (long term charter to Alcoa) - probably manned by Ukrainians like everything else afloat in Australia, it seems.

John T.

 

john t, the merc may have to go then? the yank company could be the one to do with woolies which they say is aimed at under cutting bunnings, so it may be a case of what goes round comes round!! cos wes farmers i dont think are to good at the mo "but i am not sure" they dont need telegraphs today john , there's no engineers left is there? i know the ceo of howard sm gave the ceo of wes farmers a black-eye!! thats true as he did it in front of the receptionists!! i said it was hostile!! anyway i'll have to go to kip now john i'll let you know more when i talk to her indoors! see ya.

 

John t, more info are lass says it was 2000-2001 . beside hardware house HSmith also owned BBC hardware. HS was 150yrs in oz, all shipping books & paper work to do with the company was she believes given to the "mitchel library" in sidney all the boardroom furnishings which was dark or red oak? and all other memorabilia was given to a museum in sydney, the salvage ships& salvage tugs went to adelaide steam, the other tugs not sure who got them, the tankers & containers she not sure where they went: HOWARD SM back in Hull were still operating ships at the time. as they had no say as to what happened here. there was a large petition by mps & other parties to stop the take-over, the point being made why destroy a shipping company so well respected and long trading history for a few cheap warehouses? the suspiction was that john howard prime minister his brother had dealings within wes farmers, so nothing was done. Apparently he could have intervened but chose not too!! according to are lass the crews and wer'e not just talking officers used to be quite happy as some sailed with the company for years! so for a few cheap hammers & nails a shipping company with a long and good history sailed into oblivion!! and for the latest report the yank company coming in is larger and sells virtually all you need and she thinks woolies is the front man "don't quote" her on this will see bunnings OFF!!!

 

Yes, Johnny I remember BBC Hardware too - I'd forgotten about them. Bunnings have cornered the hardware market in Australia just about - you wonder how they get away with it when they have all the monopoly regulations. Of course Wesfarmers also own Coles Supermarkets, so, if the putsch is led by Woolworths, Coles could be about to get a hammering too - the chickens coming home to roost!

On another thread people were going on about cheap prices in these huge supermarket chains, but once all the competition has been ground into the dust, watch how long the prices stay down!

I don't know about John Howard (the PM) or his brother having interests in Wesfarmers but it wouldn't surprise me, they'd have to be in everyone's portfolio I'd say, being one of the largest Australian companies. I do remember the Howard government paying the millions of dollars in wages owed to the workers in his brother Stan's failed textile business. At the time, other companies went belly up but John Howard refused to help out and he didn't even blush!

Sorry to hear about the demise of Howard Smiths shipping arm.

John T.

 

I sailed on a few Howard Smith ships namely Burwah, Cycle, and Nancy Heath ( Tanker) picked up the Cycle /VKAC in Japan she was ex Norwegian ship called the Hansa and as Cycle we were on the Queensland sugar run to Sydney Melbourne Adelaide and Fremantle, Nancy Heath was on coastal runs round Australia and Burwah was on the Devonport/Tasmania to Sydney cement run, they were a good company to work for and good for me as I was with AWA and lived in Sydney at the time
Ern Barrett

 

Hi Ern,
JEBL here, (AWA Radar Sydney)

 

Meant to say this was around 1960-1975 well before they were taken over by Wesfarmers
Ern Barrett

 

Hi Trotterdotpom, If you have a look over on Shisppotting.com and search for Peace Star, you'll see some nice photographs of the Howard Smith in 2010 at Ko Sichang, thailand. She has lost #1 crane but still is recognisable, 30 yrs old now cant be around for too much longer. I started with smiths as a deck cadet Jan 1990. I ddint sail on the Howard Smith but saw her in Newcastle when she was being sold to ICL. Another ship that sailed with the Smiths funnel around that time was the Express, the self discharging bulker, a larger version of the Wallarah.

 

Thanks Mcwee. I must be behind the times. The only Express I knew was the tanker that always seemed to be at the buoys off Kernell. I remember the Wallarah though - wasn't she a "40 miler"? I'm pretty sure I saw her in Newcastle on her inaugural voyage, fully "dressed", a handsome little ship.

John T.

 

Hi John, Yes the Wallarah was the last of the colliers, she was built for the Catherine Hill Bay- Newcastle run 17nm, the sydney-newcastle ships from the early years were called 60milers. i'm not 100% sure but i think thats how it went. The last true 60milers would have been the Camira and Conara.
The Wallarah was a handsome little ship. It would have been 1986 when you saw her on her maiden arival at Newcastle, she was built in Ube, Japan.
rgds Craig

 

Thanks Craig, yes, you're right they were "60 Milers" although a run of 17 nm there and back is 40 statute miles all bar the shouting. There were better things to worry about down Hunter Street than that though.

I think "Howard Smith" was built in Ube too and I think that's also where she carted her coal to.

John T.

 

I'm not sure of exactly where in Japan the HS was built but it definately was Japan, about 1980 or '81

 

I should have added that Mike May was Master and took delivery of her at the time.

 

Sister, just remembered, picture and info in Gallery at:

http://www.shipsnostalgia.com/gallery/showphoto.php/photo/20653/title/howard-smith/cat/510

John T.

 

Thanks JT

 

our lass has managed to get a history of all their ships boys going back to the 1800s, seems they used to manage a few Texaco ships. i dont know how to upload them to the site as i use my mobile, so if anyones any idea how i do it i will try.

 

They managed the Caltex Liverpool which became the Texaco Glasgow on being handed back to Overseas Tankships. I was taken off a T2 in the Gulf, promoted to Fourth Engineer and sent to Singapore to join her when she came up from Australia - she arrived three weeks later and I had a ball at OT's expense! Five British Engineers replaced nine Australians. I remember all the cutlery has 'Howard Smith' engraved on it. This was in 1967 I think - I know we were in Saigon for the 1968 Tet offensive.

 

Regarding the Howard Smith, she was built (according to "Compendium Of Australasian Merchant Ships 1831-2008") by Kasdado in 1981. There was an earlier ship of the same name in the HS fleet from 1969-1979 built as "Hoegh Helm" in 1964. And there was also a tug from 1952 named Howard Smith.
I worked at Howard Smith Industries, first at Adolphus Street in Balmain and then at the new premises at Birchgrove on the old Balmain mine site. While there I worked on conversion etc of the three small Caltex tankers under HS management. Sadly, now even the Birchgrove site is no more.

 

I served my time there

 

Burwah

I was with Howard Smith 1961- 1963, initially on the Burwah as 3rd Engineer when it was under charter to ICI carrying soda ash from Adelaide to Sydney. It was transferred to the Western run about mid '61, Sydney, Fremantle, Adelaide, Sydney, Brisbane and back to Sydney.
After taking leave I joined the Age for a couple of months then transferred to the Balarr as 4th Engineer to get my steam time in for an endorsement on my ticket. Left the Company March '63. Was a good company to work for. The other ship they had at the time was the Macedon, similar to the Burwah. Sid.

 

I’m a Yank. I got an apprenticeship at Howard Smith industries in 78’-81. Fitter, Machinist. Went to tech school Sydney. My boss was Joe Fitzmayer, and Stan Smith. I work with John Hocking. He was the youngest Chief Engineer on the coast 24. Before taking a land job in Balmain, location. Birchgrove st. Completing my apprenticeship. I came home to Calif. Couldn’t get back for a long time. Finally got back 1/12/24. Expected to see the shop next to Birchgrove school. However, the location was all homes. Built on the site of the old shop.I was quite sad. Any other apprentices at that time would have remembered me. All the best Robert

 

I remember working with you if I remember correctly. I operated the cranes at Birchgrove as well as working on refitted vessels at the yard.
I was with Smith's from 1973 till 1987.