Blue Funnel Line.

[caterina]

Hi Oddesy
I am interested in the Blue Funnel as i believe my Mums second husband served on them he was cantonese marine fire in the late 40,s and the 5o,s he lived in Liverpool very interesting all you have said Thanks..

caterina..

[chippie]

Hi Caterina, my dad may have known your step dad, and maybe some of my older unks but they are lapping in the Mersey themselves now and the younger unks are too young.

I,ve got a Blue Funnel Poster around somewhere but there,s that much junk in the place I ,ve taken it down and it stands on the floor behind the piano which is on its end and the dogs indoor swimming pool.

It,s funny, I aint got a dog or any musical instrument in the place,

[Waterways]

This topic is getting a bit old but hopefully some of the above will revisit.
I served in Alfred Holt's Blue Funnel and Glen Line ships from 1958 to 1990. As a young officer I was mainly on Glen Line ships sailing out of london; Blue Funnel ships traded from Liverpool.

Did you know Robert Ridley - an officer from Sunderland?

[odyssey]

I did know a 2nd Mate called Ridley but no idea of his origin. When Holt's amalgated with Elder Dempster Lines there was near enough 100 ships in the fleet. Lots of personnel employed. It was possible to spend years without hearing an individual's name and yet one could sail voyage after voyage with the same guys.

[brian daley]

Hi Caterina,
I'll just add my twopennorth to the discussion.
I was a Blue Funnel rating,I joined my first ship,the Eumaeus,when I left the sea training school in December 1958.The deck crew and officers + engineering officers were British and the cooks ,stewards and engine room workers were mainland Chinese from Canton.I did 7 trips and was on the Jason ,Machaon, Anchises and Antenor.The engine crews on all of the ships were always Chinese,they were either from Canton,Shanghai,Hong Kong or Livepool.Blue Funnel had a policy of not mixing the mainland Chinese with the Hong Kong or Liverpool Chinese.
No matter where the Chinese crews were from,they were always hard working,great cooks and never,ever caused any trouble.I remember them as very snappy dressers and typical sailors in that they had a girl in every port! One chap had three different families,one in Liverpool,one in Hong Kong and another one in Singapore.Each family would come down to the docks to see him off and I counted at least 9 kids.
I look back on my time with Blue Funnel as the finest time for seamen in British maritime history,the ships were magnificent,the accommodation humane and the food the best ever in the whole of the Merchant Navy.
I only left because I wanted to see what other ships were like and go to the countries that Blueys' never went to.I never had the same comforts but I saw some interesting things and met loads of characters;I've promised myself to get it down on paper soon.
Happy New Year Everyone
BrianD

[Ged]

The Eumaeus leaving Birkenhead docks in 1974, note the sandcastle being built in the background. This is from a new book of photographs taken by Frank Lenhan and now owned and compiled by Colin Wilkinson who pops up with these gems from time to time.

[brian daley]

Great picture Ged,and very nostalgic,nearly 50 years since I stood at the rail of that vessel. Is that the Liverpool Post and Echo building being constructed in the background ?

[chippie]

great pic Ged thanks. But Brian you,ve got loads of it on paper already, don,t be shy or modest with us, and if you haven,t got it on paper, I,m selling it for £1 a peek.

[Waterways]

The Eumaeus leaving Birkenhead docks in 1974, note the sandcastle being built in the background. This is from a new book of photographs taken by Frank Lenhan and now owned and compiled by Colin Wilkinson who pops up with these gems from time to time.

That ships looks gorgeous. A few years later there was few if any of them left.

[caterina]

Hi everyone so interesting to read your replies some memories eh...

Brian my Mum was a good lookin woman so i guess she fell under the good lookin Marine Firemans looks and snappy dressing.

I have five sisters and a bro who know very little re Yue,s past will remain a mystery i suppose.

Thanks Caterina.

[Ged]

A front on view of her being tugged into dock from the same book. Yes Brians, that's the Royal Sun Alliance/Echo office building being built in the background.