Princess Victoria
After arriving in Liverpool to the Grain Silos in the South Docks , I had time to go home for a hot bath & sleep & next morning off we went again to Glasgow & I recall taking my binoculars & we scanned the sea all the way North looking for bodies ! As Alehouse will verify it was not unusual to suffer conditions like that on coasters ,people ashore could not even contemplate the conditions we tolerated & got no extra for it . I might try to describe it one day, but would anyone believe it ?Ron
Hi RonOriginally Posted by Ron Ham
After arriving in Liverpool to the Grain Silos in the South Docks , I had time to go home for a hot bath & sleep & next morning off we went again to Glasgow & I recall taking my binoculars & we scanned the sea all the way North looking for bodies ! As Alehouse will verify it was not unusual to suffer conditions like that on coasters ,people ashore could not even contemplate the conditions we tolerated & got no extra for it . I might try to describe it one day, but would anyone believe it ?
Go for it Ron.
I did post a full report on the old "Sailors Home forum" but it will not be on the new "forum" unless Alehouse made a copy? I shall try to find the original report !
Did you make any further progress on your Genealogy quest?
Reg.
thaithyme
Hi Reg and Ron,
here is what I wrote further down this thread about the Princess Victoria.
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56 Years ago today, the ferry Princess Victoria sailed from Stranrare for Larne in N.I. In a short time the wind and sea got up and eventually it was hurricane force blowing down throuigh the North Channel, the same storm that flooded south east England killing over 500 people and thousands in Holland., The sea stove in the stern doors and she took water on the cardecks, the free surface effect gave her a ever increasing list The Maydays went out, the Sparky died at his Post and was awarded a posthumous GEORGE MEDAL, Unknown to the rescue services she was blown over 30 miles south of her reported position No one was able to find her. 133 passengers and crew died, all women and children died.
The wind was reported to have gusted up to 120 mph,
I was on an Everard tanker, Amity, we had sailed from Heysham for Belfast early that Saturday morning.
I was on the wheel just before noon when I heard the Skipper talking to Portpatrick Radio,they wanted all ships to proceed to the area. We were being smashed around in some of the most horrendous seas I have ever seen in 50 years of seafaring.we were like a submarine.we could not make much head way against those seas and wind. I remember us being in touch with the Pass of Drumochter, another small tanker and Donoghadee. By the time we got off the Copelands it was dark and no sign of anything except a screaming gale and heavy seas. We searched around not knowing where to look , until Sunday morning we then crept into Befast Lough, the saddest thing I saw was HMS Consort and the minesweeper, HMS Woodbridge Haven . They were overtaking us quite close, with the dead bodies lain on their quarter decks.
The Princess Victoria had drifted 30 miles to the south that is why no one could find her. The strange thing was, she was never out of sight of land in all that time.
Last edited by captain kong; 07-06-2009 at 06:16 PM.
Hi Captain Kong.
Thanks for that, have just made a copy.
Reg.
thaithyme
MEDIA, CUNARD LINE
CUNARD`S MEDIA
built by John Brown Clydebank,
Yard No 629
Engines by shipbuilder
Last Name: LAVIA
Previous Names: 1947-61 MEDIA / 61-82 FLAVIA / 82-86 FLAVIAN / 86-89 LAVIA
Port of Registry: Liverpool
Propulsion: 4 team turbines dr geared to 2 sc shafts 15000shp 18 knots / 2 x Water Tube Boilers supplying steam at max pressure 450lbs (430lbs Superheated)
Launched: Thursday, 12 December 1946
Built: 1947
Ship Type: Passenger Vessel
Tonnage: 13345 grt now 15465 grt
Length: 531 feet now 556 feet 0
Breadth: 70 feet 4
Draught: 30 feet 2
Owner History:
1947-61 Cunard Steamship Co Ltd Liverpool
61-68 Cia Genovese Di Arm SPA Italy
68-82 Costa Line Italy
82-86 Flavian Shipping S.A PA
86-89 Lavia Shipping S.A PA
Status: Scrapped - 1989
Gutted by fire at Hong Kong 07/01/1989 while undergoing renovation. Towed to shallow water where she heeled over onto her side on a sandbank. She was righted and towed to Kaohsiung, Taiwan, arriving 17/06/1989 for demolition.
I sailed on Cunard`s `MEDIA` in December 1955 to January 1956. I didnt intend to, the Western Ocean in Winter is atrocious, but a crowd of us had just paid off the GEORGIC after taking her to the breakers and we were having a bevie in `Tom Halls` at the back of the Cunard building and someone came in and shouted `The MEDIA` wants a crowd signing on in the Cunard Building.`
So somehow I was swept along in the rush as someone else said she was a good job. When I sobered up I found I was signed on and due to sail the following day for New York. I also discovered that I had signed on as a Quartermaster, well that would keep me out of the weather on deck.
We sailed bound for New York and it was blowing a gale and sleet. on the way across I have never seen before or since seas as big as that trip. She was climbing verticle upwards and on top of the huge swells it was terrifying looking down the deep valleys then falling 70 or eighty feet and the next mountain of sea waiting to smash her under shaking like a dog out of water as seas cascaded off the fore deck. Very difficult to sleep when you float off the mattress weightless and then fall and the mattress wraps itself around you. By the time we got to New York we were knackered. We had Christmas at sea but we were getting smashed around so much it was a no no. All the big plate class windows on the Prom Deck for the lounges and restaraunts smashed due to the ship twisting like a cork screw, We had no passengers on board that trip and we were one of the few ships at that time to have Stabilizers fitted but we never used them, the Captain said it costs a lot more in fuel with the drag. There was a Pig on board but it didnt get used much, the ale was being spilled all over. I was glad when we got into the Market Diner in New York.
Up on Broadway at night time it was very glitzy, bright as a sunny day with all the lights, Santas, ringing bells everywhere collecting for charity. snow flakes falling, a whole technicolour world. No contest with Liverpool`s dull and gloomy atmosphere, pubs shut at 10pm and surrounded by all the bomb sites around town. New York was a good place to buy the winter gear, thick wool Tartan three quarter length jackets, shirts and hats with ear mufflers on, gloves and scarves, it was freezing and we needed to have this gear.
We had New Years Eve on Broadway and Times Square, fantastic, I have never ever been kissed by as many women in all my life, some pretty ones, Ugly ones, fat ones, thin ones and some of doubtful gendre, ugh, spit. but a great time was had by all until the early hours.
When the Long Shoremen were working cargo , they sometimes called us over, "Hey what size shoes you wear?" I would say tens, `OK here try these` and give us a pair of export shoes, It was so bad over the years that they started to export shoes by shipping all the left shoes on the Media and all the right shoes on the Parthia.
On the 2nd of January we were sailing and the Hudson was frozen over, the temperature had gone down to 28 degrees below freezing, The Captain tried always to get her off the pier, going ahead and astern , the ice was holding her fast. so Ice breakers were called for and they smashed their way through and got us out, jeez, it really was cold, and so we went to Norfolk Virginia to load a cargo of Tobacco, we did`nt go ashore there. A week before some Royal Navy ships had paid a visit there to the US Navy base and as always when the RN and US navy get together there is always a big battle, some men were killed and many injured so feelings ashore were a bit tense so we were advised not to go ashore.
We completed loading in a couple of days and made our way back across a wild Western Ocean to Liverpool. where I paid off and caught up with the leave I should have had off the GEORGIC.
7A
The MEDIA was a cargo passenger ship. she carried 250 first class passengers, six hatches and 20 derricks.
The ship was built for the Cunard as a cargo-passenger liner in 1947.
In 1961 traffic across the Western Ocean was getting a bit thin so she was sold to Codegar Line of Italy and rebuilt as the Europe-Australia emigrant ship Flavia. In 1968 she was chartered to Costa Line, who refitted her as a cruise ship. She operated Caribbean cruises from Miami, and was so successful, Costa bought her in 1969. Her engines became troublesome, so she was sold in 1982. She was sold to Hong Kong based C.Y. Tung Group. Her name was changed to Flavian and was to commence cruising locally. Instead, she was laid up for four years and was sold in 1986 to another Hong Kong shipping company, Virtue Shipping, who changed her name to Lavia. She remained laid up at anchor near Landau Island.
On January 7, 1989, but neglected Lavia caught fire. She was completely gutted and her hulk was sold to
Taiwanese shipbreakers.
..............
Great story CG, interesting comment on the"friction" between the R.N. and the U.S. navies! Was this as common as you say? What were the typical causes,and were these incidents ever reported in the media,or not considered worth reporting on,being considered typical!.gif "Snf (41)")
Hi Steve,
From what I have seen and heard over the years the US Navy and the RN have always had a go at each other when on shore leave,
There was one big incident in Kowloon in the early fifties. The US Navy were always paid movie star wages compared with the National Service men. In Hong Kong in those days the National Service Man, Army, Navy, Air Force got around 28 shillings a week then they had deductions off that leavinng around twelve shillings spends.The price of a bottle of beer was around an old nine pence. When the US Pacific Fleet came into Hong Kong the price of beer soared to unbelievable levels. The National Serviceman could not afford, this caused tremendous resentment. Then one day when the American Fleet arrived all the Brit Servicemen were waiting and a terrible fight started and many killed and injured. After that the American Fleet and sailors were confined to Victoria side and the Brit Servicemen confined to Kowloon side to keep them apart.
There was always great rivalry between the two.
"Hey Limey, how`s the second largest Navy in the world doin."
"Great, how`s the Second best Navy doing". then the battle commences.
Last edited by captain kong; 07-09-2009 at 09:31 AM.
Brian,
Another interesting story.
Great to meet you last night.
Kevin
HI KEVIN,
THANKS FOR THAT, GOOD TO SEE YOU TOO, IT GAVE ME A STIFF NECK LOOKING UP AT YOU, DIDNT THINK YOU WERE SO TALL.
CHEERS
BRIAN
Voyage on the Dunedin Star 1956
We signed on, on the Dunedin Star on the morning of Tuesday, 21 August 1956 and the crowd met each other for the first time. At lunch time all the deck crowd went across
the road from the dock to `Mable`s` bar and had a few beers while we were getting to know each other. On Tuesday morning we arrived on board with our gear and turned to getting the ship ready for sailing early next morning, dropping derricks and tidying up the decks as the Dockers finished loading the cargo. That evening was our last one before we got to Cape Town so all hands went across to `Mable`s`, I took my guitar with me and Tony and I took it in turns trying to play a tune on it. There were a few attractive young ladies in there and Tony and I copped for two of them and walked them home to somewhere in Bootle. We ended up in a back jigger kissing them good night and trying to have a knee trembler with a guitar slung over the shoulder is not recommended, it was banging against the wall with every movement with a loud `boing`, `boing`,
We were falling over laughing and then we left them and walked back to the ship.
Early on Thursday morning, the 23rd of August we let go and moved through the docks and out of the lock gates into the Mersey and were outward bound for the Cape.
We had a good run down to Cape Town stopping off at Las Palmas for a few hours to bunker.
We arrived in Cape Town on Friday morning, the 7th of September and moored starboard side to in Duncan dock ready to discharge our cargo.
That night we went ashore to sample the delights of Cape Town. The place to go to in those days was to the `Delmonaco`, a night club on Adderley Street, It was built like the inside of a castle, and the ceiling was like the sky with moving clouds, changing colours and the night sky with twinkling stars. They had a band and dancing and lots of pretty girls, but Tony and I couldn?t cop off with any of them, we must have lost our touch. We had a few bevies and staggered back to the ship, next morning we found that Joe had got himself a woman from the `Seamen?s Club` and had stayed the night, lucky fella.
Saturday morning we had a `job and finish` painting the funnel so we had finished at midday. That afternoon we shaved, showered and shampooed and legged it ashore to the `Seamen?s Club. We got Joe to introduce us to his new lady, who was the Stewardess of the club, and did she have any friends? we asked.
She said she had one who was coming ashore later from the `Dunnottar Castle` where she was a `Steam Queen`, who worked in the laundry,
The Steam Queen?s were legendary; they worked half naked down in the bottom of the ship sweating in the heat and steam of the laundry and were reputed to be `bang at it` all the time.
?She?s mine,? I said to Tony. ? No she mine,? shouted Tony, , he always wanted my girls. We sat around the bar drinking with Joe and his lady, she wasn?t too bad but she a lot older than Joe. Later on this old lady came in the club and walked over to us at the bar, ?Hi?, said Joe?s friend ?this is my friend Mary, off the `Dunnottar Castle`, and these are Joe?s friends Brian and Tony?. ?She?s yours,? I said to Tony. ?No she?s yours?. said Tony.
We had a few more drinks at the bar, we were chatting to Mary, who was quite funny to talk to with a good sense of humour, but just a little bit old for us, we were desperate but not that desperate.
Joe?s lady invited us all back to her house for supper so all five of us piled into a taxi and went round there. She opened a couple of bottles of wine and had a pile of sandwiches for us, so we got stuck in we were getting a bit bevied by now and gulping more down just in case we got the old Steam Queen, we couldn?t go with her sober.
When Tony went to the bathroom he found a line over the bath where she had a few pairs of knickers hanging there drying so he stuffed a few pair in his pocket.
Later on we ordered a taxi and leaving Joe and his lady there the three of us got into the taxi and went back to the dock, she?s all yours I told Tony, no she?s all yours he insisted.
We got back to the Dunnotter Castle and left her at the bottom of the gangway; we declined her offer of going on board with her and continued back to the Dunedin Star.
When we got into the cabin Tony pulled a few pairs of knickers out of his pocket, make a good souvenir he said.
On Sunday evening we went to the `Delmonaco`, we had a few drinks and danced with some of the girls there but somehow we just couldn?t crack it with the girls there. I don?t know why as we were both good looking, lean, mean and bronzed with sun bleached hair and normally they couldn?t resist us. True!
Joe was in there with his lady friend, and we called at their table for a chat, I just happened to have a pair of knickers sticking out of the top pocket of my suit as a handkerchief. Joe?s lady recognised them and went berserk and accused me of stealing all her knickers. Tony and I had to do a swift runner out of there and go to another bar down the street, to the `Navigators Den`. Here?s another fine mess you?ve gotten me into, I said.
On Monday at lunchtime we were sat in the cabin having a ciggie before we turned to, when there was a knock on the door and when I opened it there was the old Steam Queen.
?Hi?, she said, ?I?ve come to see you before we sail this evening?, Tony jumped up and said I?ve got to start work now, and ran out of the cabin leaving me there with her.
She was rampant. ?Come on and get in the bed and give us a good seeing to?, she said trying to put her arms around me, pushing me against the bunk. ?I?m all yours, take me now?. I was panicking now, just then the Bosun knocked on the cabin door, ?OK lad turn to?, Saved by the bell. ?All right Bose I am on my way? and was out on deck before he was. ?Kinnel, what?s the matter with you two? he said to Tony and me.
? If you want a quick leg over Bose, there is one in my cabin, she?s more your age than ours and she?s waiting for you?.
We left him and ran down aft to the Poop where we were painting, ? Jees, that was a close one you should have stayed with me? I said to Tony, ?I was getting raped?.
We knocked off at half past two for smoko and went amidships to the cabin and found that she had gone. We found the Bosun wandering around with a strange look in his eyes, "Book four hours overtime lads", I think it was the first time he had had a leg over in years. .
At 7pm that evening the Dunnotter Castle was sailing back to the UK and there were hundreds of people on the quay waving good bye to there friends and relatives, we joined them as the sailing of a large passenger ship was always a good event in the old days.
Along side the poop we saw Joe?s lady friend waving to the Steam Queen who was on deck We started shouting to her and then Tony and I pulled out two pairs of knickers and started to wave them to her. The Steam Queen was laughing but Joe?s lady went berserk again and snatched them off us and chased us around the quayside trying to batter us. We ran up town again to the first bar and had a bloody good laugh over a few beers.
On Wednesday we sailed to Port Elizabeth arriving thereon Thursday morning and sailing again on Thursday evening for East London, so we didn?t get a chance to go ashore.
Last edited by captain kong; 07-11-2009 at 12:01 AM.
Brian, some enterprising young film producer could make a bloody good movie of your exploits. The banter between you and Tony would make the movie more interesting. I could imagine Matthew Vaughan and Owen Wilson playing the parts(although some unkindly soul mentioned Laurel and Hardy) Whatever,your tales are made for the big screen because they re so much larger than life. Keep 'em coming,
BrianD
Thanks Brian,
A VOYAGE ON THE DUNEDIN STAR 1956
We arrived in East London in the Eastern Cape, on the Dunedin Star, around 8 am and we were on the 8 to 12 watch, we topped the derricks and stripped the hatches ready for discharging. The Ship was sailing at 4pm so we only had a couple of hours or so before we sailed again.
Last time I was here my mate, Ken Hignett, was drowned in Bonza Bay on December 13 in 1953, and I was rescued by a South African lad, David Brinton.
We went to the Seamens Mission on Buffalo Street and asked the man there where Ken was buried, I wanted to visit his grave. The caretaker told us he was buried in the West Cemetery many miles out of town in the hills. We got a bus and went up there to a small township. The place was deserted. The cemetery was spread all over the hillside so we wandered around and there was no way we could find a grave out of the many thousands up there. Then we met a man who was just sitting on a bench, he said, ?Who are you looking for?? , we told him, `Ken Hignett,` he said ?You are in the wrong cemetery, he is on the other side of town in the East Cemetery". Then he said , "My son saved a lad that day", I said , "Is he David Brinton," he said "Yes". so I said , "I am the lad he saved". I was stunned, and we walked away and left him, I forgot to ask for his address.
We had to get back to the ship, I was amazed that we had gone 7000 miles to the wrong cemetery and the only person we saw was the father of the lad who saved my life three years earlier. I had forgotten to thank him.
Now I digress?????
For a few years I tried to find David Brinton to thank him for saving my life. I wrote to the South African newspapers, including East London`s Daily Dispatch. but to no avail. I phoned the Salvation Army in Johannesburg, they have a fantastic tracing people reputation , but they referred me to London. I tried them and was told they only trace family members. I told them the story and asked if they could make an exception, I also told them I was a member of the Salvation Army when I was a lad, a "Little Sunbeam" no less. They said they would see what they could do. The only information I had was, he was 15 years old in 1953 and his name, David Brinton. Africa is a big place to trace people with that amount of information .
In 2001 I decided to go to East London to try to find him myself. it was a quest I knew I had to do.
Two days before we were sailing to Cape Town on the QE2 The telephone rang, it was the Salvation Army in London, they had found him. "Where in East London?" I asked, No he is in Stranraer, Scotland, they gave me his phone number and I phoned him. It was fantastic to be able to thank him for saving my life. He had lived there for 17 years after leaving South Africa he had gone to Rhodesia then to Scotland.
I went to Cape Town and then we flew to East London to find Ken`s grave.
We checked into a hotel and a South African family who had read my emails on the internet met us and took us to the grave. The East Cemetery was in town, easy walking distance from the dock.
The cemetery was silent, not a sound. As Anne and I approached the grave, the screams coming out of the grave were terrible, I was shocked, Anne `s face turned white and was visibly shocked. The noise of a demented soul, we walked back and it stopped, silent. As we walked forward again the noise started again. There were no words, just an out of this world noise, which had a meaning, like, .. why have I been here so long, no one has been to see me and so on. I could walk into and out of this sound like walking in and out of a large bubble over the grave, His spirit was definitely there and in anguish as if he was tied there with no escape.
I laid a Merchant Navy wreath that I had brought from England, on his grave. I got my camera but it would not work, nothing. So I got my video camera and that would not work,, I was very upset and disturbed by all these happenings, It should have been a happy day, that I had found him and laid a wreath on the grave.
We went back to the hotel , the camera worked, the video camera worked, nothing wrong with them.
The following day, the South African friends took us to Bonza Bay, even though it was 48 years later everything was still the same as it was. What scared me was, a sign on the Surfer`s hut, ?Beware of the Great White Shark?. Bonza Bay was a favourite place of the shark and it amazed me that we were never attacked when we were there all those years ago.
Two days later we were going to the Airport to fly to Cape Town, I was not happy and very disturbed, it should not be like this. I couldnt go home not knowing what was going on there. So I told the taxi driver to go back to the cemetery.
When we got back to the grave , all was silent and peaceful. I took the photos, the camera worked and also the video camera worked OK ,
He had gone, gone to Fiddlers Green, where all good Sailors go. He had been released.
I felt good again as if a load had been taken off my shoulders. The trip had been worth while.
We sailed back to England on the `Caronia`, and when we arrived home I had a phone call from Esther Rantzen, a TV Presenter from the BBC. She had heard of the story and wanted me to go to the London BBC studios and tell it on TV on the `Esther Show`. So on 14 February 2002, Anne and I went to London, expenses paid, a Limo waiting at Euston Station for us and then to the studios.
I was taken to the make up room and sat with a few TV Celebs and had a make over, lip stick, and make up over my face and my eyebrows darkened. I was then interviewed by Esther on stage with a studio audience, and told them all about the tragedy and my search for David Brinton, Esther said have you ever met him?, I said `no`, so she said , well here he is, and David walked onto the stage. it was another fantastic moment to be able to shake his hand and thank him after more than 48 years. We went into the green room after the show and partook of the free bar, Later David had to go back to Scotland for his business and I stayed. That evening the BBC Staff poured me into a Limo and took us to our hotel in Kensington . I went into the bar there and ordered a couple of drinks for us both. A lot of men were smiling and winking at me, I thought, what friendly people there are in London.
Later I went to our room and shock horror, I still had my make up on. They must thought I was a wufter.
I keep in touch with David and always phone him or go to Stranraer on December 13.
We talked later and he told me his father had died in a car crash in October 1956, around the time Tony and I spoke to him. So was he a ghost that we met??????????????continued??..
So Tony and I arrived back in East London at 5pm We thought we had missed the ship as she was down for sailing at four. We decided it was a waste of time going down to the berth so we went into a pub on Oxford Street for a beer. Ten minutes later whilst enjoying a cool beer we heard the whistle blowing. She`s still in we said to each other. We ran out of the pub and bumped into the Padre from the Mission. ?I am looking for you two, the ship is sailing? . We climbed into his Jeep and he ran us down to the berth and the Dunedin Star was about thirty yards off the berth and moving outbound. The Captain, a very angry man, was on the wing of the bridge shouting he would sort us out in Durban and be there.
Astern of her was the pilot launch, and the Padre called out to him, they came over and Tony and I climbed down the ladder and into the launch.
We followed the Dunedin Star out passed the break waters then went alongside, the Pilot climbed down and we climbed up.
The Captain met us on the boat deck screaming abuse at us, be on the bridge tomorrow morning for a big logging for holding up the ship.
I tried to explain where we had been but he wouldn?t listen.
Fortunately the Fourth Mate was with me on the New Zealand Star when Ken Hignett was drowned and later he told the Captain the story so next day he let us off with the logging.
We then sailed on to Durban.
Last edited by captain kong; 07-11-2009 at 06:39 PM.
In Durban we
What happened in Durban , are you O.K.? I'll sit by screen until the nigh****ch comes on. What a cliffhanger!!
I was called away to dinner and then lost it. be on tomorrow,
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