from watts watts, funnel markings. ?

[Tony Wilding]

hi everyone, i have a photograph of SS BECKENHAM owned by watts watts and co , on her builders trials, on her funnel is a big white letter K, all watts ships had a black funnel unless chartered to another company, does the letter K DENOTE SHE IS ON TRIALS, ? can anyone help. tony. Have solved the mystery, she was chartered on maiden voyage by japanese company, hence the K on the funnel,

[westlife]

My father served on SS Beckenham in 1944. Would it be possible to buy a copy of your photo?
Many thanks
Barbara

[Doc Vernon]

Hi THERE
Here is a Pic of that Ship@!With the White K
Cheers

You may have to be a Member of the site to View it!

Free Membership anyway!

http://www.shipsnostalgia.com/galler...kenham/cat/510

[Bob Rowson]

I was on the Wimbledon Mid sixties, joined her in London Ex Port Wimbledon. first job paint funnel black. Left London for Continent Arrived and re-painted funnel to S.A.L. Colours. South Africa line. Did one trip to S.A. Port Elizabeth East London Capetown Durban Lourenco Marques. {not necessarily in that order} Paid off in Hamburg. Cheers Bob Rowson R785766

[John Gill]

I sailed on the Weybridge late 50's and I've noticed most of their ships were named after London boroughs.

[DeepSea]

Beckenham

Beckenham.jpg

[DeepSea]

Off topic a bit, but from my home town. Buried a long way from home. Stockton-on-Tees engraved on his headstone. Captain, BERNARD JAMES LEO MORTON,, S.S. Beckenham. Merchant Navy. 12th February 1944. Age 43. Buried Buenos Aries (Chacarita) British Cemetery. DASR state he died from "valvular cardiac insufficiency" Family members I have spoke to believe he was poisoned by German sympathizers while in BA.

Beckenham-Morton.jpg

[Michael Bartlett]

Hi Tony
My first trip to sea after leaving the Vindi was on a ship and the trip lasted eight months and I was a catering boy working in the officer's pantry with the second steward, all I ever seemed to do was washing up for the six month' and cleaning the first and second steward's canbin every day so when I got back home I went straight down to Pool and told them that If I could not work on deck I was out of there, a day later I had a telegram telling me to report to the pool and they wanted a deck boy urgently on some ship or other and by the next day I had signed up and spent the next twelve years at sea on deck, I ended up as a bosan and never regretted it and came out and took a shore job until I retired, I am now eighty-two year old and live in Australia, married with three grow-up son and enjoying every second of it.
Hope you are keeping well.

[Fred Saunders]

In the early 1950's there were at least two Watts & Watts ships on the Australian coast.
From memory one was s/s "Twickenham"the other may have been the "Beckenham "
Their build and design was of interest to the maritime people at the time.
Fred Saunders