MV Harcliff

[Paul Racine]

In July 1961 I sailed as a JOS on my first ship,a Comben Longstaff coaster the MV Harcliff.
While aboard,two seamen took me under their wing and helped me greatly as I struggled finding my way in a world I knew little of.
Now more than 50 years later and in electronic age I am hoping I can find out what became of them.
Unfortunately I cannot remember their surnames.
I am wondering if I would be able to access online records of discharge books of this period or shipping federation records that may list the crew of the Harcliff .
I am sure that I would recognize their surnames and then begin a search.
Any help or advice on this would be greatly appreciated

Many thanks
Paul Racine
Montreal Canada

[Doc Vernon]

Hello Paul
I can understand you anting to get incontact with them but unfortunately we do need a Surname ,as any records held at Kew or other Record Offices for Merchant Navy will only list the Surname eon a Search/
A very difficult task you will have!
Thanks
Cheers

Crew lists for that ship may be available through the Archive Section of the University of Canada , but will have to look at that!
I got all my Crew lists from them,and if available then you could look through them as I do at times! Found one or two I was at Sea with late 50's Cheers

Was this the Marna before??

Cliff

873

198

30

38

1945

Coaster. MOWT 1945 MARNA, South Georgia Co (Chr.Salvesen), Leith. 1960 HARCLIFF, Hargreaves Coal & Shipping Co, London. 1963 RICARDO MANUEL, Comp.Cia. Portuguesa de Nav, Panama. 4.9.71 Sank after collision with m/v ZAGORA off Casablanca Harbour.

[Paul Racine]

Dear Doc
Many thanks for your reply.
Yes, I realize this is a very difficult task. I was hoping that discharge books would be kept in some sort of digital data base where a refined search could be initiated. Naive on my part I guess.
You mention the archive section of the university of Canada.I have never heard of this. Do you have a link you can send me so that I can pursue?
Anyway, again, thanks for your input.I haven't given up on this just yet.
And yes, the Marna was the old Harcliff,............. thanks to Gulliver as well.
Paul

[Doc Vernon]

Hello Paul
As said it is a one off shot but you can try and ask if they have a Crew List for that Ship on that date.
Mt search found no list but that does happen as some lists are not yet digitised ,they have many thousands to compile !

Here is the Link anyway mha@mun.ca If you Email them direct it to a Mrs Tanya MacDonald she is the head Archivist there and helped me get all my Crew Lists

https://www.mun.ca/mha/holdings/searchcombinedcrews.php

https://www.mun.ca/mha/about/orderagreements.php

Read the Page through and submit al information that you have, as you don't have a Surname ask for the list that covers the exact date of that trup and the Ship etc
Good Luck