Australia

[Ivan Cloherty]

John life is full of 'if only' some of us were lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time to get that shore job, a decision not taken lightly by many of us, because in our day the sea for most was a 'calling' and not just a job, many a time I wished I was back at sea, because a shore life wasn't the smooth sailing that seafarers think it was. The back biting and deceit of some fellow workers ashore was something never contemplated whilst at sea; at sea you had a position in a heirachy from cabin boy to captain and all departments inbetween and whether we realised it or not, we respected that heirachy, it was built into us. Most of us have sailed on good ships and also bangers, but I found that crews on bangers moulded together better than some good ships, because we all had a common enemy.....the Company.

I am sure that your time at sea was not wasted and you guided many a young man to the correct path of life, even if they never had the opportunity to tell you so, or were embarrassed to do so, because it wasn't the done thing in those days. My biggest regret as a lowly 3rd mate was not having the courage to thank Captain Churchill who on a 22 month trip, gave me all kinds of opportunities in ship handling a large bulk carrier and other guidance, because he said I need all my deck officers to be able to handle a situation, because you may be on the bridge when I have a heart attack, that regret was only beaten by discovering later in life after he died that we only lived six miles apart.

Never regret what you have done, they needed your experience. The stories we hear about the current day merchant navy would not induce any of us to go back to sea and being ashore in business, especially your own was not the utopia it was cracked up to be, my house has been on the line many a time during the 27 years of having my own company, but I enjoyed the challenge and it certainly kept the little grey cells working overtime. Enjoy your good memories, with luck the bad ones will fade into obscurity, like they have for most of us, or we block them out because we don't want to remember them. Also best not to recount them with all this PC business going about arresting people for things that happened 30 to 40 years ago, still I suppose it's easier than going after current criminals with legal aid at their beck and call. Think the worst I ever did was swapping USA and Russian flags on their consular offices in a certain French port, whoops too much information!!

[leratty]

Ivan, oh so right it was a "calling" & how many times did we put when ashore the house on the line in biz via either a personal guarantee (Not having it secured by way of a trust was foolish I did that very quickly.) as the dastardly bank would not lend unless they took a lien against it. Here in France no way they will even loan against your house or other property, how odd is that? Or is it a better way they the French say it allows their to not fall into the situation so many of ours did what a croc. On saying that the former though being that way 'banks' stymie a new starter in biz as they can not raise funds for a 'start up' the US is the most forward thinking in that regard. Think of the bushinesses that never flower because of such a policy, what is the economic loss to the country, loss employment, taxes gathered etc etc?
Your comment re Capt. Churchill is there for many of us & not always from the sea as so many in their own way pull us along occasionally we do not see or appreciate until later in life. That is why I feel so many of us have & do do the same thing to others as we move forward not for any other purpose than to repay it is that good old wheel going full circle thank God.
"we all had a common enemy.....the Company." Must say I never felt this ever whether at sea or working for someone. Interesting concept, why so Ivan? Sounds awfully akin the English union man of the 5060-70's. Thank the Lord he is no longer or if he is he has had either the scales lifted from his eyes the crazy myopic Richard Cranium or just maybe saw the error of his ways?

[Captain Kong]

I went ashore when I got Married, I did well for a shore fella, I was a Sales Manager with a company car every 12 months and a Secretary, , But it was a lonely job, you have no Mates, only aquaintences.
My brother joined ESSO an when he was home on leave he had to phone the Office for his next ship.
He was in my house at the time. They told him to join the Esso Yorkshire in Suingapore next Monday.
He then said , Ar` kids here, anything for him?` I said `what are you doing? he gave the phone to me , The Man said , `Do you want to go to Singapore with your brother on Monday?
I just said No thanks,` wondering what I was doing. Then the Man said well do you to fly to San Francisco in four weeks, ?
I just said `Yes`. `Ok we will contact you later`.

I went to School where the wife was a teacher, to pick her up,
I said , "I am going to San Fransisco" she said Are we?
I said "No I am going to San Fransisco, " Then the Fight started. I took the bandages off just before I flew out there.
It was the Best move I have ever made. ESSO was the best, both in leave, conditions and wages,
Stayed until I was made redundant when they gave up shipping and used Charter tonnage. But a BIG Handshake and a free Pension for life. Then I got a job with other companies after. Shell was no good after Esso, Dredging OK then to Singapore on a little tanker working round the Islands, until it was time to retire. So I was a Happy Chappy.
Mean while the wife disapeared with some boring shore fella, she just died in May. and I met Anne 25 years ago and when I retired I bought her a Flower shop with my ESSO money, we had a good business going , next to the Undertakers Funeral Parlour, Used to help them out carrying stiffs, I could also make a good bouquet.
When it was time for her to retire we sold the Property and Business for a Good Profit and now we can just sail around the world again every year. You cannot beat Seafaring. Thank you ESSO.
Cheers
Brian.

[cappy]

I went ashore when I got Married, I did well for a shore fella, I was a Sales Manager with a company car every 12 months and a Secretary, , But it was a lonely job, you have no Mates, only aquaintences.
My brother joined ESSO an when he was home on leave he had to phone the Office for his next ship.
He was in my house at the time. They told him to join the Esso Yorkshire in Suingapore next Monday.
He then said , Ar` kids here, anything for him?` I said `what are you doing? he gave the phone to me , The Man said , `Do you want to go to Singapore with your brother on Monday?
I just said No thanks,` wondering what I was doing. Then the Man said well do you to fly to San Francisco in four weeks, ?
I just said `Yes`. `Ok we will contact you later`.

I went to School where the wife was a teacher, to pick her up,
I said , "I am going to San Fransisco" she said Are we?
I said "No I am going to San Fransisco, " Then the Fight started. I took the bandages off just before I flew out there.
It was the Best move I have ever made. ESSO was the best, both in leave, conditions and wages,
Stayed until I was made redundant when they gave up shipping and used Charter tonnage. But a BIG Handshake and a free Pension for life. Then I got a job with other companies after. Shell was no good after Esso, Dredging OK then to Singapore on a little tanker working round the Islands, until it was time to retire. So I was a Happy Chappy.
Mean while the wife disapeared with some boring shore fella, she just died in May. and I met Anne 25 years ago and when I retired I bought her a Flower shop with my ESSO money, we had a good business going , next to the Undertakers Funeral Parlour, Used to help them out carrying stiffs, I could also make a good bouquet.
When it was time for her to retire we sold the Property and Business for a Good Profit and now we can just sail around the world again every year. You cannot beat Seafaring. Thank you ESSO.
Cheers
Brian.

looking back brian it is not easy to make money all I had was in hock to the bank .....until late in my life ...so although I had all the trappings the bank had hold of my house my factory and any assets I had ....until one day it became mine ......the stress would be akin to bad weather constantly at sea.....some times my people would all get paid and no bucks for cappy......but there was great times and my girls in the factory singing was a great thing to hear .....at xmas all got extra money when poss.......I took young folk from a charity called the Rathbone society....and gave them jobs.....work was plentifull but my day started firing up the factory boiler at 6 30 and goingb home many times after the evening shift at 10 pm....asi grew itok in a guy in sales and as we prospered I gave him good bucks and a merc.....he was withme for many years his kids going to uni that was two of them ......sadly I fond him stealing from the company......my merchant navy took over and I kicked his arce up the st .......he begged and cried to come back ....to late ....at one stage trying to borrow money for more machines a boy manager came to the factory and told me I had no assets iwas making big bucks but was putting it back in .....I was so mad he bent down to pick his briefcase up and I kicked him hard up his jacksy ........one of my best moments in life.....later when I was very solvent the buggers were trying to lend me money taking me out to the expensive restaurants ...I would eat the best and take nothing financially from them ......they took me to some bloody opera thing what a load of cobblers....but ive been lucky a good wife stood there thick and thin......somebody up there likes me ........all after coming home from sea and my old man opening the door after 9months at sea ...I was 17 saying your mothers effed off now you can do the same.....my best thing is my true friends I go to the wall for them and they fo me ....my family my life and a grandson playing rugby for enland under 16s and leeds Carnegie.......me getting old like us all on this site ..but a merchant seaman till the day I die ragards cappy

[Ivan Cloherty]

c etc?

"we all had a common enemy.....the Company." Must say I never felt this ever whether at sea or working for someone. Interesting concept, why so Ivan? Sounds awfully akin the English union man of the 5060-70's. Ts?

Perhaps too strong an analogy Richard, personally I had nothing against the company (who had been very good to me), but I sailed with a terrible Master and Mate who made the crews' life a misery, the Master and mate citing the company regulations for their actions, the Master would not accept the crews mail, including my own for posting in Freetown because we were over subbed (in Burntisland) but still had six/seven weeks before arriving back in UK to get back on the right side of the red line. But when you have a head team like those two blaming the company seemed to be the norm so it was up to the 2nd mate/3rd mate and bosun to build the team for the good of the ship. Fortunately for the previous three trips our Captain had been a complete gentleman, strict but fair, as was the mate, when the new master joined for my fourth trip on her it was like being in a different company. Personally I have always given 100% to the person who paid my wages, even when they were sh*theads, but not everyone can.