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Thread: Ship Repair on the Mersey

  1. #1
    Newbie graysonlad's Avatar
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    Default Ship Repair on the Mersey

    Hi.
    In 1953 I started my apprenticeship training as a marine electrician in the Birkenhead repair yard of Grayson Rollo & Clover Docks. In that time I travelled every day from Neitherfield road, either via the ferry or by the underground from James St to Hamilton Square. Once in Hamilton Square, there was the mad dash from the station to the yard to hang the clocking-on-tally on the board before the time keepers shut the gate on you at 7-30.
    The yard was located at Woodside ferry and along side the railway station. Although Graysons had other places on the Mersey the Birkenhead yard was the place to be as it boasted 6 dry docks, these dock are now filled in and flats stand on top of them.
    In those days although the yard was the base we worked up and down the line of docks on both sides of the river and on the river going out to ships. The first few months of my apprenticeship was spent in Wallasey Dock stripping a destroyer that had been moth balled; HMS Tumult.
    I am now 72, my head is full of all sorts of memories of life in the yard, but unfortunately I have not been able to locate any pictures showing the yard and have not been able to find anything about it's history. Now I would like to set all this stuff down in hard copy before it's to late.
    If you have any information about the yard (maybe you worked there), or have any information concerning ship repair on the Mersey I would love to share experiences.



    Graysonlad

  2. #2
    Senior Member phredd's Avatar
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    Default

    Graysonlad Hi

    Have a look at this site >>>>>

    http://www.merchantnavyofficers.com/topp17.html

    The last picture on page severn is maybe a pic for you.

    Have a look at the rest of Geoffs site. It has some very nice and interesting pics.

    If I come across any more pics I will put them up here.

    All the best

    Phredd
    In the days when we had nothing we had fun.
    If tomorrow starts without me, remember I was here.

  3. #3
    Newbie graysonlad's Avatar
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    Default Ship Repair on the Mersey.

    Hi Phredd.

    Thanks for the the link to the ariel photo of Graysons Yard Birkenhead.
    I am not sure where I should post this threrad but here goes.
    I have now decided to try and recapture my experiences and try to pay tribute to those who worked in ship repair/ship building. I want to give a series of talks, to raise funds for charity, on what was an essential industry to Mersey side and put bread on the table for countless thousands.

    I am looking for photos of the various trades employed in ship building/repair to illustrate such talks photos,descriptions of: Boilermakers/welders/riveters/platers. Foundry workers. Shipwights. Riggers. Engineers/Electricians. Ships painters. Photos of ships undergoing repairs.

    Any help in tracking down such sources would be most welcome.

    Graysonlad.

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