Can you help?

In recent months, we have received requests for information from relatives of former crew.  This new section has been created to help them.  If you have any information to pass on, or wish to use these pages to trace a former Furness Bermuda Line crew member, please contact the webmaster.

Can you help with information about Les Walmsley, who served on Queen of Bermuda from 8 December 1956 until 5 November 1957?

He was 16 when he joined the ship and now his daughter, Sue Campbell, is researching her late father's early life.  Sue, a journalist who lives in Bristol, says: “Once I discovered Dad had trained at the National Sea Training School in Gravesend, Kent, a whole wealth of information opened up before me. I contacted Gordon Tumber of m-navydays.com and he kindly put a small piece in the Old Boys' newsletter, The Masthead. As a result, I had emails from Ian Bray, Bill Cox, Allen Soares and Peter Manley. I was then directed to Furnessbermudaline.com and read about the reunion.”

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“Dad completed the Catering Certificate at the NSTS, leaving in October 1956. I have some of his Certificates of Discharge and the first one states he sailed on Queen of Bermuda. I can't quite make out the rating but it looks like Page Boy. I am glad to see his conduct was 'Very Good'!  The signature of the Master looks like 'Barnyards', again, quite hard to decipher.  [Ed: Most likely to be Captain Leslie Banyard who was in command from 1949 to 1958].

His second ship was Queen Mary, from December 1957 until November 1958.  He then worked on a number of tankers and was a steward on various American ships from 1961 until he left the US Merchant Navy in 1963 and returned to
England. After my parents divorced in the early eighties, he went back to sea working in Florida on private yachts and later on support vessels in the North Sea. I think it was the place he was happiest.”

“He did talk a bit about his early years at sea and I have the impression he enjoyed them. He loved to travel and it is something my two sisters and I all share. I wish I had asked him more questions about it. Life at sea must have been a million years away from the dreariness of post-war South-East London. I think his only regret was having a tattoo of a ship on his arm — I wonder if the chaps who 'persuaded' him to have it done in an exotic, foreign port are reading this! If they are, I would love to know the whole story.

Dad died in 1993 and it is only now that I am looking into his childhood, his sea training and the ships he worked on. I have just pieced it together via websites and old records, and my sister very recently gave me his discharge records and other paperwork. I am not sure why it has taken me so long to look into it all. I suppose I am now old enough to be interested in family memoirs - except he is no longer here to ask. I am simply interested in any recollections his crewmates (and officers) may have of him. I am very grateful to those who have already responded to me and hope this might stir a few more memories.”

If you remember Les, please contact the webmaster, who will forward all messages to Sue.

Les Walmsley, aged 16 in 1956

Les (right) and unknown friend  on a Bermuda beach

Can you help Geoff Greene with information about his grandfather, John Greene?

Geoff writes, “I found your website during my family history research.  Neat info and pictures.  My grandfather, John Greene (aka "Jimmy") was a steward and bartender on Monarch of Bermuda in the 1930's.  I have found some evidence that he was with Furness Withy as early as the mid- to late-1920's on other ships.  Any connections, memories, or other info would be appreciated.  

 

 

I realise this is a bit of a long-shot as your site is definitely for the younger generation.  I guess I was thinking you might have access to some historical records that might help fill in some family history.  Left is a picture of my grandparents John and Gladys Greene - maybe 1948.  From my research, he was on Monarch of Bermuda from about 1931 until about 1938.  These dates are from border crossing records of the ship's crew.  He apparently started on the ship as a steward and worked his way up to assistant barman.  They married in 1931 and remained together until he passed away in 1973.  She passed away in 1998 at 92.  I am putting together a little family history based on what my father and aunt can tell me.”   If you can help, please contact the webmaster, who will forward all messages to Geoff.

Can you help Carlos Stephens with information about, or a photograph of, his father, William Francis Hans?

Carlos writes, “I'm wondering if your members can recall my father, William Francis Hans, as a crew member with them or produce a photo of him?  I've been searching his past without much luck, so a shot in the dark here really. I believe he was a stoker on the New York – Bermuda run between 1945 and 1951, as he is recorded on a Queen of Bermuda crew list of 1 July 1951 as a Fireman aged 27.”

“However, I'm aware he travelled to Australia and Canada prior to this, so could have been away from Bermuda for a couple of years.

He was born in 1924 and died in 1975.  During his time in Bermuda, he lived in St. George and I believe his brother worked for the Bermuda Bus company. I'd be very grateful for any details. Many, many thanks for your tenacity. Kind regards to your members, tell them from me, ‘once a comrade always a friend’."

If you remember William Hans, please contact the webmaster, who will forward all messages to Carlos. Carlos has since discovered that his father may have served with Furness Bermuda Line for longer than first thought.

John (Jimmy) Greene and his wife, Gladys,  may be 1948.

Robert Gray?

Robert asks, “I am trying to locate a seaman with the same name, that I believe is a relative. He may have sailed on Ocean Monarch as a purser in August 1955 from NY to Bermuda.   Any assistance you might be able to provide will be appreciated”.

“We lost touch with my father's family in South Shields when my mother passed away over 20 years ago. I believe she lost contact many years before that. My father, Charles, was born in South Shields in 1900 and somehow he got to the US when he was 14.  He had an older brother named Robert who was only a few years older than him.  I believe it is his son and my cousin Robert, who is identified on the Ocean Monarch crew list.”

“We have no photographs of the Grays. My father passed away when I was 12 and I had very little information about the Gray family.  However, my grandfather, Charles, was also a purser on the ships and his brother Robert was a merchant seaman”. 

If you can help, please contact the webmaster, who will forward all messages to Robert.

Can you help Robert J. Gray with information and, particularly, a photograph of his relative, Robert Gray, Asst. Purser, Ocean Monarch?

William Francis Hans?

Can you help Alex Webb?  Alex tells us “My father Wilfred Webb (right) and my uncle Frank Rendles served on Queen of Bermuda in the early 1950s as page boys, then stewards. I'm sorry to say they are no longer with us, father passed away this year. Some of your readers may remember that my father boxed for the ship in Bermuda and my mother has a poster depicting the fight.”

“I believe my uncle Frank Rendles is one of the members of the group photo (right), but I am not sure which one.”

My father and uncle were born and bred in North Shields, Tyne and Wear and both joined up at roughly the same time, in the early 1950s.  Unfortunately I do not have either of their Seaman's Discharge Books or other related paperwork, despite extensive searching within the family effects.  I know my father sailed on routes, which included New York, Bermuda, The Bahamas and Cuba.” 

 

Wilfred Webb  on his Mobylette in Bermuda in the 1950s

“An elderly aunt, my father's sister, has recounted tales of how my father used to entertain passengers with rather good renditions of Al Jolsen! 

After leaving the Merchant Navy, my father, Wilfred Webb, returned to North Shields and worked in a number of hotels, in particular the Grand Hotel in Tynemouth.  As regards my Uncle Frank, he later emigrated to Australia where he became, we are led to believe, a director of QANTAS catering services.”

If you can help Alex Webb with any information about his father, please contact the webmaster.

Wilfred Webb (seated front centre)

Can you help us find ‘John’?

Alan George says “I am trying to locate an old friend of our family, the Owen family from Anglesey. Vera Owen was friendly with an officer that we only know of as John.

He worked on Queen of Bermuda, probably from the late 1940s to at least 1956, possibly longer. I have attached several photographs of him in the hope that either he, or someone who knows him, will see the photographs and contact me.”

We contacted Allan Davidson, who confirms that ‘John’ was photographed on Queen of Bermuda and was a navigating cadet. 

Allan added “I'd agree about the ship and the time period, as the black caps went out in the mid-50s, at least in the Royal Navy, and the Merchant Navy followed shortly after but it could it be a bit earlier.”

If you recognise ‘John’, please contact the webmaster

 

 

Shortly after, John Woods read the article in Sea Breezes about our forthcoming Grand Reunion and contacted this website.  

John (Woods) was a cadet on Queen of Bermuda  and Ocean Monarch from 1950—1952 and sent us two photographs in which a cadet, remarkably similar to the cadet in the images shown above, appears.  John tells us “His name is Petree and, although I cannot remember his first name for sure, I am sure this is the chap”. 

In the photograph (above), John Petree, on the left of John Woods, is sitting on the Officers’ Deck of Queen of Bermuda in 1951.

The photograph on the right was taken in the Cadets’ Cabin on Queen of Bermuda during Christmas 1950. John Petree is seen standing at the back, John Woods (left in cap) with cadets, Faulkner (front) and Hilton Lee.  The others in the photograph are a Quartermaster; a Master at Arms and two members of the US Navy Post Office detail.  The latter collected the US Mail each week, brought by the ship for the Naval Operating Base on the island. 

 

Photographs: collection of John Woods

Can you help  Chris Clarke find Geoff Mathias?

Chris recalls “I was a Warsash cadet in 1959 and served my time with Furness Prince Lines from 1960 to 1963.  I noticed Geoff in a photograph on your website (left — top of the pyramid)   -  he was a good friend of mine in 1959. 

In spite of much searching, I have not yet managed to trace him.  I do recall that his family lived in Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) and originally came from Beckenham in Kent.  The only picture I have is a cut and paste job from our 1959 Warsash passing-out parade photograph (right).  Any help in finding him will be greatly appreciated.

Photograph: Alva James

Photograph: courtesy of The Warsash Association and Chris Clarke, webmaster at  http://www.warsashassociation.net/

John Taggart needs your help ...

John (right) tells us “Came across your site by accident and, I have to say, that was a great story about Dennis Kelleher. I worked with Dennis in the engine room of Ocean Monarch in 1963 and also remember Ralph Williams 2nd engineer and Andy Moore chief engineer.  I met Ralph a couple of times when he was living here in Belfast and had dinner with Dennis on a trip to New York.”

“I have fond memories of those days and had loads of good photographs from my happy times on the ship and with the guys, but my house was burned down in Belfast in 1969 and I lost them all. All I have of me in the 60s is a family picture (left).  I was just wondering if any of the old crew members have, from that time, any that include me because I would love to see them again.”

Can you help John with photographs? Contact the webmaster.