[Bob L]

Interested to hear of your bad weather experience but noted you had sailed in December and obviously got caught in a North Atlantic heavy sea/swell - usually this was the only " bad weather " part of the trip although during the monsoon season in the Indian Ocean you could get a bit of rolling - all three "C" Boats were very stable at all times but the rolling could be accentuated if there was a heavy cargo in the lower holds making the vessel "stiff" The Swimming Pool was salt water and was emptied/cleaned and refilled daily but only when we were in over 100 fathoms of water - I had to oversee the refilling during the 4 to 8 Watch daily. You probably remember watching films from the after end of the Promenade Deck - under the stars ! - and 11 times round the Promenade Deck was equivalent to one mile !
I was fortunate to have sailed on these vessels for 5 years - really enjoyable and, as a bonus, got paid for it !!
Your comments brought back great memories. Bob L.

 

[Ian A.L.Walker]

Interested to hear of your bad weather experience but noted you had sailed in December and obviously got caught in a North Atlantic heavy sea/swell - usually this was the only " bad weather " part of the trip although during the monsoon season in the Indian Ocean you could get a bit of rolling - all three "C" Boats were very stable at all times but the rolling could be accentuated if there was a heavy cargo in the lower holds making the vessel "stiff" The Swimming Pool was salt water and was emptied/cleaned and refilled daily but only when we were in over 100 fathoms of water - I had to oversee the refilling during the 4 to 8 Watch daily. You probably remember watching films from the after end of the Promenade Deck - under the stars ! - and 11 times round the Promenade Deck was equivalent to one mile !
I was fortunate to have sailed on these vessels for 5 years - really enjoyable and, as a bonus, got paid for it !!
Your comments brought back great memories. Bob L.

I did one trip as a cadet signing on 15th March 1961 and off on 25th June 1961. I then transferred onto the Cilicia where I did seven trips before finally leaving and signing off for good on the 16th July in 1962. I was wondering if we actually sialed together.

 

[Bob L]

Ian - Your name rings a bell but do not think we ever sailed together - I joined Sidonia on 3/10/61 for 13 cross atlantic trips then Cilicia late '62 and then Circassia '64 - Cilicia Cadets were Ron Murray then Iain Buchanan - with Captain Barclay / Captain MacVicar - Bobby Crawford and Bill Sawyers were Chief Officers - where did you go after Cilicia ?

 

[Ian A.L.Walker]

Hi Bob

My career with Anchor Line started in March of 1958 and I began with seven trips on the Tahsinia on the whisky run to New York. Then in May of 1959, transferred onto the Egidia for a further six trips to Bombay before I transferred onto the Caledonia for my one trip betwen March and June of 1961. There then followed seven trips on the Cilicia as Junior Third under Captain Barclay with Robert Crawford as Chief Officer. I eventually left in July of 1962 just before it appears you joined her.

As I am not too familiar with this site, is there somewhere where we could converse by email rather than this particular means.

 

[Nickboy]

Passenger on the Caladonia

Hi, I was a passenger, as a child aged 7, in 1961 on the Caladonia. My parents and my 2 siblings travelled from Liverpool to Aden and these are my memories such as they are!
The ship was definitely scottish in feel, we were put under the care of a lovely scottish lady on the crew and I'm not sure my parents saw much of us from that moment on. We had different meal times from the adults except breakfast. The ship became a fantastic play ground and we were very spoilt by the crew.
The first memory is crossing the Bay of Biscay in a gale with all the furniture tied down and the ship rolling violently. All the adults were sea sick but we were fine and had the run of the ship. The lounge was great, cleared of furniture and adults, for rolling our dinky toys across as the ship rolled. I also remember a new friend of my mother's falling out of her seat and sliding across the room on her behind with a full cup of tea in her hand.
We called in at Gibraltar and had an on shore trip with my parents to see the apes.
I don't remember the Med particularly as we were kept busy by the crew with all sorts of games and pastimes but it was warm and sunny.
We then called in at Port Said and were surrounded by the small boats selling a huge range of souvenirs from lines thrown up to the rails on the ship. I remember them being called 'bumboats' but that may have been a slang name. My first experience of bargaining! I also remember the magician coming onboard and doing slight of hand tricks.
We left the ship for a trip to Cairo where we saw the bazar, belly dancers, the pyramids and Tutankhamun's treasure, while the ship went down the canal and we rejoined at port Suez. It was a trip i remember to this day.
Then it was down to Steamer Point in Aden where we left the ship as it went on to india.
The trip took about 14 days.
I remember the pilot coming onboard at all the ports as it was fun to watch his small boat come along side and the pilot jump across to the steps lowered on the side of the ship.
The cabins were small and we slept in bunks but we didn't spend much time there!
I remember my parents made several friends with other couples on the trip who were also going out to Aden. They remained friends for many years.
We did the return trip 2 years later but my memory is far less clear as I was not keen to return to the UK.
I will ask my mother for her memories of the trip and add to this if she remember other aspects.
Hope that is of some interest.

 

[Bob L]

Nickboy - You have a very good memory of your outward bound trip to Aden and it brings back memories of my time on Cilicia and Circassia - there was a Children's Nurse on board the ships and you might remember the nursery was on the starboard side aft - The " Magician " at Port Said was called " The Gully Gully Man !!! " - he used to say Gully Gully No Chicken No Mongoose - then produced rather scrawny chickens as if by magic !!!! One of the good points of all three vessels was they were all First Class so Passengers had the run of the ship - can you remember which vessel you returned on ? The passenger Service ended in 1966 - with the advent of the jumbo jet it quickly became the end of all passenger ships worldwide. Hope you enjoy the SN Site and if you have any further questions then contact me. I think the Captain on Caledonia was Captain Brown in 1961. BobL

 

[Bob L]

Ian - I must have joined Cilicia just as you were leaving - as I recall Bill ? Murray was Junior Third Officer, Second Officer was Kenny MacArthur, Bobby Crawford Chief Officer and Captain Barclay - it was a happy ship, ran like clockwork - always was my favourite vessel. BobL

 

[Brenj1918]

I've really enjoyed reading all the posts in this thread, they have brought back a lot of memories
I travelled from UK to Bombay on the Caledonia in 1962 when I was 10, with my parent and 2 brothers, my memories are fairly distant, but I do remember going ashore in Gibraltar and taking a tour to see the apes.
I spent quite a bit of time in the Nursery 'helping' with the small children as there was no one else my age to play with. I also remember stopping at Port Said and the small boats trying to sell their souvenirs. We then went through the Suez Canal and I remember seeing the pyramids
I have some photos somewhere, if I can find them is it possible to post them here?
I sailed back in '63 and remember the Bay of Biscay on our last night, I would have been 13 at the time and was to be allowed to stay up late for the final night on board, but it was so rough the grand piano slid backwards and forwards across the floor, and the evening dance was cancelled!

 

[R58484956]

Greetings Brenj1918 and welcome to SN. Bon voyage.

 

[Nickboy]

I asked my mother about the voyages we had to and from Aden in the 1960's, she did not remember too much more but said that there was an other class on the vessel as she remembered all the saris being dried on the lower open decks - I don't remember this and she may be confusing it with something else but I pass it on for what it is worth. She also thinks we returned on the Cassia but then gave me two menus she has kept that were from the return voyage and clearly state the Caledonia so I am not sure! But I will scan the menus as soon as I can get them to the right format and size! You will then be able to see the menu was quite extensive. One states luncheon the other I am sure is the dinner menu.

 

[Bob L]

I asked my mother about the voyages we had to and from Aden in the 1960's, she did not remember too much more but said that there was an other class on the vessel as she remembered all the saris being dried on the lower open decks - I don't remember this and she may be confusing it with something else but I pass it on for what it is worth. She also thinks we returned on the Cassia but then gave me two menus she has kept that were from the return voyage and clearly state the Caledonia so I am not sure! But I will scan the menus as soon as I can get them to the right format and size! You will then be able to see the menu was quite extensive. One states luncheon the other I am sure is the dinner menu.

Nick boy - Your msg noted - FYI the three "C's" we're all First Class - but here were three different classes of Cabins - 26 Staterooms on the Boat Deck, A Deck on the Main Deck and B Deck but all Passengers had the run of the vessel and all dined together ( two sittings - first smart informal and second more formal if wished ). At sea washing lines were rigged over hatch 4 aft of the verandah cafe for all passengers use if they wished. Hope this helps. Bob L.

 

[Nickboy]

RMS Caledonia Menus from April 1964

But I will scan the menus as soon as I can get them to the right format and size! You will then be able to see the menu was quite extensive. One states luncheon the other I am sure is the dinner menu.

Menus attached as promised (finally!). Hope they are of interest.

 

[Bob L]

Nickboy - A happy days - all three "C" Boats were well known for the excellent feeding - full silver service at all meals - we were fortunate to have an Officer's Table dining with the Passengers where we had full choice of anything on the menus ( But no alcohol !!! ) The Curry's served were especially good. It was an excellent Company to work for and we had loyal Ship's Staff - some of the Crew were third generation sea employees. - the end of an era and I was fortunate to experience it. Bob L.

 

[ElwinCockett]

I’m fascinated by all those accounts. I travelled with my family from Bombay to Liverpool on the Caledonia at the age of just 18 months, arriving in December 1960.
I’m now a priest in the Church of England, and was preparing for a service in a church a couple of years ago when I got into conversation with an elderly man who was assisting me. It turned out that he was on the very same sailing of the Caledonia that we were on.
I don’t have any real memories from the trip, but my siblings tell me that it was a real shock, after several years for them in India, to find that it was snowing in Liverpool when they arrived. Our grandfather was waiting for us, with coats for us all, but apparently it was still a long, cold and dreary train journey to London, compared to the warmth and relative luxury of their voyage from Bombay.

 

[Ibnalim1971]

Hi I am keen on any photos from the Caledonia. My father now aged 80 came to the UK aboard the Caledonia in March 1962. He has vivid memories and I am keen to share any pictures to jog his memory.

 

[Greenock]

Anchor Line's CALEDONIA, CILICIA and CIRCASSIA

There are lots of images of the interiors of these three ships and timetables, passenger information, etc. on the website www.shipsoftheclyde.com. Well worth a look.

 

[Stephen J. Card]

Looks like most of the ships I sailed in with J&J Denholm! Perhaps not the whole lot of the items on the menu, but very similar.

Food on cruise ships today 'seem' to be much better. It is a bit a 'con', same food... just different fancy names for the items!

 

[elaine80]

Ian - I must have joined Cilicia just as you were leaving - as I recall Bill ? Murray was Junior Third Officer, Second Officer was Kenny MacArthur, Bobby Crawford Chief Officer and Captain Barclay - it was a happy ship, ran like clockwork - always was my favourite vessel. BobL

Bobby Crawford was my grandfather. I found this site whilst trying to piece together family history. I was a baby when he died so I never knew him.

 

[MarkBJ]

Hello there, I am researching family history and looking for info on an Anchorline passenger-cargo ship called Caledonia, it had sister ships Cilicia and Circassia, was built to do the Liverpool-Bombay route in late 40s. I had two family members use this ship in 1950s and I am very curious about their experience. They have passed away now so I cannot ask them. I want to know specific things like how they passed the time, would there have been entertainment on a ship this size, I know it wasn't huge...I am guessing the voyage would have been around 6 weeks? Just wondered how they passed the time. Also what kind of food would they eat? And would it be noisy in the cabins from engines? Also, I have read the route would be Gibraltar then Port Said, Aden then Karachi/Bombay. Would passengers disembark at these ports? I am also curious about whether they would have passed many other ships during the voyage and what the sunsets and sunrises are like. Thanks so much for any details you can give which might be of interest. As you can tell, I really know very little!

 

[MarkBJ]

I did the journey from Bombay to England on Caledonia, in 1952, with my parents. My first ever memory was being bought a 3rd birthday present in the little ship’s shop so sadly can’t help you with your other questions. On our way back to India 18 months later I remember Karachi docks where we were moored briefly with her sister ship Circassia, which was going the other way. We did not get off the ship, just loaded and unloaded passengers and probably re-fuelled and took on fresh milk, stores, mail etc.