My Grandfather - a Liverpool Sailor
I just discovered this note written by my father about my grandfather for family history. I think he wrote it about 15 years ago. I now have grandfather's papers.
During the hard times of the depression my father and uncle lived on the ship with their parents - that stopped when they had to go to school and they rented a house in Liverpool.
The life of a Liverpool sailor....
I knew that my father's ship was torpedoed in the first world war and that he spent some time, not very happily, in Spain before he was repatriated. I'd always assumed that the ship was the "Morazan" because we had a picture of it, painted by him. (He never talked about sailing to India)
His first passport and Certificates of Discharge were lost at sea. I have his second passport, Master's Certificate and Continuous Certificates of Discharge, issued 21/11/17, which states that he was on the S/S "Ferronia",
No. 137411, Liverpool, 2801 tons,
Date of engagement 22/6/17, Barry, 2nd mate,
Date & place of discharge 28/10/17, L'pool (Vessel sunk).
All his reports, both for ability and conduct were "Very Good".
S/S "War Yukon" 1416, London.
L'pool 22.1.18. 2nd Mate.
Cardiff 22.9.18, Description of voyage Admiralty.
(a U.S.A. Alien Seaman's Identification Card N.Y. 1/18/19)
S/S "War Courage", London 142384, 4068 tons.
13.12.18 South Shields, 2nd mate,
28.7.19 Hull, Admiralty
(Canada Registration Board, 22nd June 1918. The only endorsements on his passport were for Canada. St Johns N.S 24/1/18 and Victoria B.C 13/7/18. He once talked being snowbound, in Alaska I think, and being a victim of very high prices at the time of an oil strike.)
His passport was issued on 24/1/18 and expired 24/1/24
He joined the "Clemenceau" (142748, London , 1508 tons) on 10/11/19 as second mate and was promoted to first mate on 10/7/20. The ship called on Hamburg, Le Havre, Cardiff and Rotterdam. After some time on half pay when the ship was laid up, he was discharged in Rotterdam 13/11/29. (This was during the Shipping Slump).
He did not go back to sea until 5/12/31, after doing odd jobs, such as decorating, during a period of mass unemployment and not entitled to any benefits.
He served mainly on United Africa ( a Lever subsidiary) ships as second and third mate until he became chief officer on 19/1/34. All journeys were described as "West Africa", except on "Knight of the Rose" (coasting)
The ships were:
Zarian, 125621
Lafian 1610655
Knight of the Rose 145653
Dahomian 162384
Kumasian 162354
Mendian 114652
He packed up sea on 25/10/36 when he became a cargo superintendent in the Liverpool docks until his death in April 1945.
