Capt John Hughes, Aberdaron. Rhiw.com

John Hughes was born in Bryncroes on September 8^th 1920, and after he left school he worked briefly on a local farm. But like so many of Llyn’s young men, the call of the sea was strong, and after a month at Aberdovey Outward Bound Sea Training School, he joined his first ship the Blue Funnel cargo vessel Meriones as Deck Boy at Birkenhead on January 19^th 1938 for a four month voyage to Australia. John made two trips down under on the Meriones. Following several other trips with Blue Funnel, John went for his mate certificate, and after a couple of voyages as 3^rd Mate, joined the Ellerman Line in September 1947, where he stayed for nearly thirty years, and for the last ten was Master with them.

John was best friends with my uncle Thomas who had emigrated to Australia in 1945, and lived in Sydney. Every time that John visited Oz, which was often, they always got together for a few beers, and a chat about the old days in Bryncroes, where they grew up together.

I also knew Capt Hughes personally; he was a true soft-spoken gentleman, of the first order. Sadly he passed away in 1978 after a long illness.

His Master's Certificate

Relaxing on the boat deck

John and Thomas on a Sydney beach

His Seagoing Career

Meriones, 19-1-38 Birkenhead, 12-1-39 Birkenhead, Deck boy, Fgn.

Menestheus, 4-3-39 Birkenhead, 23-6-39 London, Deck boy, Far East.

Nestor, 4-2-40 Birkenhead, 29-7-40 Birkenhead, O. S. Australia.

Nestor, 29-8-40 Birkenhead, 4-2-41 Glasgow, O. S. Fgn.

Medon, 26-3-41 Birkenhead, 30-7-41 Birkenhead, O. S. Fgn.

Medon, 13-8-41 Birkenhead, 21-8-41 Birkenhead, Sailor, Fgn.

Perseus, 11-9-41 Birkenhead, 23-3-42 Swansea, Sailor, Fgn.

Diomed, 8-4-42 Birkenhead, 14-12-42 Birkenhead, A.B. Fgn.

Diomed, 6-1-43 Birkenhead, 17-3-44 Birkenhead, A.B. Fgn.

Fort Edmonton, 2-8-44 London, 26-8-46 Singapore, 3^rd Officer, Fgn.

Samois, 8-4-47 Manchester, 19-8-47 Liverpool, 2^nd Officer, Fgn.

City of Lichfield, 3-9-47 Liverpool, 13-7-48 Tilbury, 2^nd Officer, Fgn.

City of Dieppe, 3-12-48 Tilbury, 20-6-49 Liverpool, 2^nd Officer, Fgn.

City of Doncaster, 10-2-50 Tilbury, 6-3-50 Poplar, 2^nd Officer, H.T.

City of Hull, 11-3-50 Tilbury, 28-12-51 Newcastle, 2^nd Mate, Fgn, 11 voyages.

City of Liverpool, 16-1-52 Poplar, 7-2-52 Newcastle, 2^nd Mate, H.T.

City of Madras, 12-2-52 Glasgow, 20-10-52 Calcutta, 2^nd Mate, Fgn.

City of Christiania, 21-10-52 Calcutta, 28-11-52 Tilbury, 2^nd Mate, Fgn.

City of Liverpool, 12-1-53 Birkenhead, 30-4-53 Liverpool 2^nd Mate, Fgn. 2 voyages.

City of Brisbane, 3-6-53, Tilbury, 16-6-53 Liverpool, 2^nd Mate, H.T.

City of Leeds, 11-7-53 Liverpool, 25-7-53 Glasgow 1^st Mate, H.T.

City of Dundee, 31-7-53 Birkenhead, 6-7-55 Glasgow, Chief Officer, Fgn, 7 voyages.

City of Oxford, 13-9-55 Tilbury, 8-10-55 Birkenhead, 1^st Mate, H.T.

City of Barcelona, 16-11-55 Liverpool, 8-11-56 Tilbury, 1^st Mate Fgn.

City of Dundee, 9-1-57 Tilbury, 19-2-57 Liverpool, 1^st Mate, H.T.

City of New York, 12-1-57 London, 5-3-58 Tilbury, 1^st Mate, Fgn, 2 voyages.

City of Wellington, 20-6-58 Montreal, 1^st Mate, Fgn

City of Ripon, 11-6-59 Barrow, 22-6-59 Glasgow, 1^st Mate, H.T.

City of Poona, 2-7-59 Poplar, 27-5-60 Hull, 1^st Mate, Fgn.

City of St Albans, 9-12-60 Glasgow, 1-6-61 Gibraltar, 1^st Mate, Fgn.

City of Hereford, 3-8-61 Gibraltar, 7-1-62 Gibraltar, 1^st Mate, Fgn.

City of St Albans, 19-2-62 Tilbury, 16-3-62 Birkenhead, 1^st Mate, H.T.

City of Colombo, 26-3-62 Hull, 4-5-62 Gibraltar, Chief Officer, Fgn, 2 voyages.

City of St Albans, 28-12-62 Poplar, 21-1-63 Glasgow, Chief Officer, H.T.

City of Singapore, 4-2-63, 8-3-63 Manchester, 1^st Mate, H.T.

City of Columbo, 21-3-63 Gibraltar, 14-8-63 Gibraltar, 1^st Mate, Fgn.

City of Liverpool, 25-9-63 Poplar, 17-10-63 London, Chief Officer, H.T.

City of Agra, 21-10-63 Tilbury, 5-11-63 Glasgow, Chief Officer, H.T.

City of Coventry, 8-11-63 Dover, 28-4-64, Chief Officer, Fgn, 2 voyages.

City of Khartoum, 7-7-64 Liverpool, 4-8-64 London, Chief Officer, H.T.

City of Birmingham, 13-8-64 London, 7-9-64 London, Chief Officer, H.T.

City of Johannesburg, 11-9-64 London, 14-9-64 London, Chief Officer, H.T.

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Captain Hughes’s last discharge book is missing, so sadly we can’t bring you the list of ships he was Master on.

Menestheus

Perseus

City of Hull

City of New York

City of Poona

City of Coventry