Date: 23 Jul 2005
Hello Tony, What a treasure this website is! I have spent a good deal of my
afternoon looking through it and there is plenty still to read. I was
quite surprised to see a picture of MV Lycaon on the site. I served on her
in 1982 as part of a Royal Navy party in the South Atlantic. Thank you
for your help with information and photo's of SS City of Cairo. Much
appreciated. I wonder if you or any of the viewers of this site have a
photo of Reardon Smith Line SS Queen City lost during WWII. Once again thank
you – A great site! Regards, Hugh MacLean, Scotland
Thanks for your comments. Hugh has his own website
dedicated to the memory of the men and women that were on the "City of
Cairo" when she was torpedoed during WWII, It makes fascinating
reading, and is thoroughly researched, and a great credit to
him. http://www.sscityofcairo.co.uk/index.php
Date: 29 Aug 2005
Enjoyed your site very much , I sailed with Capt S Williams in the 1950/51
period on the Busen Star, he was well liked by all, a proper seaman .Once on
a voyage out from Brombrough we steamed close to the LLyn Peninsula and he
sounded the ships whistle so his family could hear and know he was passing.
Date: 31 Aug 2005
Hello Tony, I have looked at your 'Rhiw' website with great interest. I know
very little about boats though as a student I worked as an assistant cook on
Townsend Thoresen car ferries in my home town of Dover so I have some
connection and feeling for the sea. This is what prompted me to buy a small
cottage in Robin Hood's Bay, in North Yorkshire. I wrote the following
letter recently to Nova Scotia Archives & Records Management. I am
inclined to think that 'Greysborough' might be a miss-hearing/spelling of 'Guysbrough'.
I came across your very interesting site while looking for a picture that
might fit the description of 'Elizabeth Jane' given on its Registration
Document'. If you could confirm your best 'hunch' of what she might have
looked like, perhaps with reference to your own collection of photographs, I
would be most grateful. Many thanks. Stephen Gavin.
Hello Stephen, Glad you found our website interesting,
the schooner on the right in this photograph would be similar to the
"Elizabeth Jane" being of similar length and having two masts, but
as no two of them were the same, that's as close as anyone could get it
really.
Date: 02 Sep 2005
Found your website fascinating, I live on King Island in the middle of Bass
Strait where the "Canarvon Bay" was shipwrecked, here is the site address if
folks are interested. www.kingisland.net.au/%7Emaritime/carnarvonbay.htm
I found it also interesting that 'she' came from your area.
I had not read the info on your website before about the Carnarvon Bay &
found it very interesting, I will discuss it at the next museum meeting this
month, I'm sure the rest of the members will also be interested.
I stumbled upon your site, looking for information on a "Captain Owen Owens"
who was on the "Netherby" that was shipwrecked off King Island in 1866.
Is this the same Captain Owen Owens, that is in your "Llyn Captains" page? I
hope someone can help me as I have been trying to find out what happened to
him after he left King Island and the wreck. I can be reached on
cconn@kingisland.net.au Thank you, Chris Conn, Secretary, King Island
Historical Society.
Hello Chris, Thanks for your
comments and the link to your website. We use the following link quite a lot as
it is a brilliant source of information.
http://www.welshmariners.org.uk
Capt Owen Owens of the "Netherby"
was born at Llangrannog Cardiganshire in 1821.
Netherby from 1864-6, Bombay, ship lost,
discharged Melbourne 7 Nov 1866. C/55869/ "Samuel" 1867-74, Callao, Rangoon,
Akyab, SA. C/54160 "Pegasus" 1874-83. It is interesting to note that the
"Pegasus" was Commanded by Capt Griffith Jones Nefyn from 1867, whose son
also called Griffith Jones was a brother in law to Capt William Griffith of
the Carnarvon Bay.
Regards Tony.
Date:
03 Sep 2005
Thank you very much Tony for your swift and useful response concerning
'Elizabeth Jane'. Stephen Gavin
Glad
that we were able to help Stephen. Regards Tony.
Date:
30 Sep 2005
Hi Tony, had a good look at your website and thought it was excellent from a
seaman's point of view regards Tom Montgomery.
Date: 01 Jan 2006
Can you help me find a ship which was lost at sea 7 November 1925 called
Irena of Liverpool, my uncle was on this ship and I haven’t a clue
where to start looking. I would like to find out anything about this
tragedy. Diolch Gwenda
I think this is going to be tough one
to crack. I’ve looked in the big black book, and there’s no mention of
the “Irena” at all. Are you sure that you have the correct spelling? I
ask this because it can make all the difference when searching. One place to
look would be the Maritime Museum at Liverpool. Good luck with your search,
and if I come across anything I will let you know. Regards Tony.
Date: 18
Jan 2006
Had pleasure in reading about your voyage with the Palm Line, I sailed on
three as E.D.H. got stabbed on board in Sepeli, Andoni Palm hospitalised
flown home me and bosun, tough ships??
And I thought I had a bad trip!!! Tony
Date: 24
Jan 2006
What a fabulous web site, such dedication. I have book marked the site, as
it will take more then a couple of hours to digest its content. Like a lot
of people these days I am researching my family background. One such project
is my grandfather’s service with the Merchant Navy (1925 – 1963).
Normally I would not ask but because as this has a Welsh connection any
assistance would be welcome.
According to information found on my grandfathers CR2 he was signed off a
ship in SWANSEA on 23 March 1939.
1. Would any organisation or individual have a list of ships in port on that
particular day?
2. Why would a seaman who lived in South Shields and normally sailed from
the Tyne be signed off such along way from home?
David Bolt
http://my-bolt-family.co.uk
2. If you joined a vessel at South Shields or any
British port, you would normally pay off at the first port, when
arriving back to the U.K. That's why, most probably your grandfather signed
off at Swansea. Regards Tony.
Date: 28
Jan 2006
My name is Robert Perrin and as a boy of 16 served in SS Ramsay of Bolton
Shipping as a galley boy in 1956. Voyage to Australia via The Cape due to
the Israeli/Egyptian War. I subsequently joined the R.N. for 9 years leaving
in 1967. Your site is brilliant and I would like to place a link on my own http://www.oldships.org.uk
where we can all find some old friends.
I joined the Royal Navy in October 1967, and was at
H.M.S. Ganges for three months, bought my self out for £20, got to be one
of the best moves I ever made!!! Regards Tony.
Date 03 Feb 2006
I anchored for shelter on the 13th Jan this year with the
City of Cardiff overnight off Porthdinllaen. Enjoyed your site very much.
The account about the trip on the Palm boat was a reflection of the trip I
made on the Ikeja Palm in 1970! The worst trip I have done in 38 years at
sea.
Looks like Palm Line, had a bit of a record at being bad
boats to sail on. Tony.
Date: 19 Feb 2006
Dear Tony,
Thank you for such an informative site. It's been a pleasure browsing around
and imagining how my ancestors lived. I've been researching my
GGGGrandfather John Mark. He was born in Llanbedrog in 1834, went to sea at
13, moved to Liverpool and became a captain in 1861. He tragically died of
typhoid at the age of 34 in 1868. His brother Robert was also a master
mariner. His father Robert Mark is noted as being a mariner. He married
Ellen Hughes from Pwllheli - her father Robert Hughes was a Master Mariner.
I've found out all of John's service history, but I'm having trouble getting
info on his parents, or his father-in-law. The Welshmariners.org site is
great - but I'm finding it hard going! Would love to know if you have ever
heard of this family. All the best, Chris McKenna.
Thanks for your comments Chris, we have
your e-mail address, and we’ll get back to you soon. Regards Tony.
Date: 01 Mar
2006
Truly a wonderful site, I have visited it a few times now looking for ships
that my grandfather sailed on and found some. He was a passenger on the
Canadian Star that was sunk in the North Atlantic and was made a Member of
the British Order for bravery during the sinking.
The scenery is stunning there! William
Oliphant, Winnipeg, Canada
The scenery must be good, for you to
say that, seeing you live in one of the most beautiful countries on earth.
Regards Tony & Gwenllian.
Date: 22 Mar 2006
A fine collection, made me feel quite nostalgic looking at them. well done.
always a pleasure to see pictures of ships that passed in the night as it
were
Thank you, I'm sure we'll have some more ship
photos soon, so keep a look out. Gwenllian
Date: 27 Mar 2006
Bore da. F'enw i yw David Jenkins., Uwch Guradur yr amgueddfa newydd yn
Abertawe, Amgueddfa Genedlaethol y Glannau. Diddorol oedd darllen am Owen
Hughes ar fwrdd yr York City, gan fod gennym fodel anferth o'r llong ymhlith
ein harddangosion yma. Dewch i'w gweld!
Mi fydd raid ni ddod lawr rywbyrd pan fydd Tony gartref
yn saff. Tybed welsoch chi'r ddau lun a dynnwyd ar fwrdd yr 'Edernian' yn
hanes Capt Hugh Roberts, OBE, siwr y byddent o ddiddordeb o gofio eich
didordeb yn llongau Pwll Parc, ac mae hanes da iawn ar y ffordd o brofiad
llongwr arall o Edern, Capt John Roberts(brawd Hugh) ar longau'r cwmni ar ei
ffordd yn fuan. Diolch am gysylltu Gwenllian
Date: 02 Apr 2006
Congratulations on an excellent web site, it brought back many memories
looking at the photos of the old blue funnel ships. Just looking back in my
old discharge book it appears that we must have sailed together on the
Aureol. I joined 6/3/72 and left 29/6/72 I was a 2nd Electrician. I then
stayed at sea until July 1985, and then worked in the offices at India
Buildings. Keep up with the good work. Regards David. Smirthwai@aol.com
Thanks David, Tony will get in touch when he gets back.
Date: 04 Apr 2006
Diolch yn fawr.Thank's for an excellent site. I left Nefyn 20 years ago and
live in London. However my father was from Pendre and I visit Llangwnnadl on
a monthly basis. We were lucky this weekend to visit at low tide and saw the
Keel of the sorrento and what is left of the Iron plates.
Diolch
Dylan Roberts ar Teulu
Thanks for getting in touch Dylan, we have had a couple
of really low tides recently, which is great for exploring.
Date: 12 Apr 2006
Great web site to browse for those with memories of Llyn and Blue Funnel.
I spent my summer holidays in Aberdaron as a small boy. We stayed at The
Ship Hotel run by a Mr Ellis. Haven't been back for years but will do one
day I hope.
I went to sea as a Midshipman with Blue Funnel and my last ship was the SS
Patroclus - great days for those of us serving at the time.
Ah well, back to the real world!!
Peter Maxwell-Brown
Well Peter as they forecast a good summer you'll have to
come to Aberdaron and bring a few of your Blue Funnel photos with you !!!
All contributions to the Blue Funnel page are more than welcome. Just
to tempt you why not take a look at our holiday cottages section. Gwenllian
Date: 18 Apr 2006
HELLO MY NAME IS SUE CLARKE AND I HAVE LOOKING FOR INFORMATION ON THE
AUTOLYCUS MY FATHER IN LAW DIED ON THIS SHIP IN 1942,MY HUSBAND NEVER NEW
HIM HE WAS 7 WHEN HE DIED,HIS MOTHER SADLEY DIED AND LOST ALL HIS PAPERS IN
THE TOWYN FLOODS.IT HAS BEEN DIFFICULT SEARCH WE WOULD LIKE TO FIND OUT MORE
INFORMATION HIS NAME WAS WILLIAM HENRY CLARKE AGED 46.WE HAVE TRIED TO TRACE
HIM ON THE 1901 CENSUS WE HAVE NO DATE OF BIRTH COULD YOU GIVE US ANY
ADIVCE.MANY THANKS SUE P.S. ENJOYED YOUR SITE
Hi Sue, we have an account of the sinking of the
Autolycus in Rhiw and the Sea as a young man from the village (
Ellis
Jones ) was also lost on her
when she was attacked. If you send us an email we could put you in touch
with the Blue Funnel Assoc, who could perhaps help you further with your
search. Gwenllian
Date: 18 Apr 2006
Very Nostalgic trip down memory lane, at sea 1954 - 1970 then Holts Wharf,
stayed in the company through out working life! Retired from Warehousing now
and live in South Wales, a long way from HK
Roger Swabey
rogerswabey@talktalk.net
Keep looking in for more nostalgia in the future.
Gwenllian
Date: 25 Apr 2006
BEEN LOOKING FOR A PHOTO OF KARNAK MOSSHUTCHINSON ,AFTER ALONG SEARCH FOUND
IT ON YOUR GREAT WEBSITE I AM EX AB WAS IN BLUE FUNNEL AND SAILED WITH
SHIPMATES FROM THE LLYN IM FROM MENAI BRIDGE ,NOW LIVING IN HOLYHEAD ,DIOLCH
YN FAWR . A VERY GOOD WEBSITE
Glad you found the photo and pleased you found the
website to be interesting. Gwenllian
Date: 25 Apr 2006
I was recommended to this site by a friend with similar interests and found
it quite fascinating. There is a great deal of history here and I
congratulate those who have worked on it. I plough the same furrow on the
South Wales coast and Bristol Channel with the history of trading vessels
here, notably the Severn Trow which was the subject of my book "Severn
Traders", published in 1999. I would be interested in setting up a
dialogue with you if you wish to e-mail me on severntrader.green@btinternet.com
Colin Green
We'll certainly be in touch. Regards Gwenllian
Date: 03 May 2006
I have been looking for information on the shipwreck Kenilworth Castle 1870
for some time and yours is the first website that I have found any
information on. The Captain of the ship William Wallace Steel was an
ancestor of mine.
Thank you. jmounter@optusnet.com.au
Julie Mounter
Glad we could help you Julie, Regards Tony.
Date: 04 May
2006
Hello,
I've read with great interest the memoirs of Capt Hugh Roberts OBE, and
fascinating they are too.
I knew him very well as Griff and Menna are great friends with my mum (and late
father, also a Master Mariner). I grew up as great friends with their two
children, Aled and Iola. Aled of course following his Taid to sea.
He was a lovely, gentle man and always full of great stories.
The website is superb, and most enjoyable. Keep it up.!
Regards,
Richard Roberts (ex Colwyn Bay, now in sunny Devon).
Hope you've seen the memoirs of Hugh's brother Jack, they too
are very interesting. Perhaps you'd like to include your father's story,
especially if he was from Llyn. Thanks for your kind comments. Gwenllian
Date: 10 May 2006
I heard of the website on the Welsh radio to-day and find it really super,
it has brought back memories for me. I am 73 years of age and was born in
Nant Gwynthern (I do believe that I was the last person to be born there) as
a small boy I used to watch the ships being loaded at Caernant with granite
and can see in my mind the ''Lady Thomas'' being loaded. There is a lot to
to see on your site so I have not yet seen the ''lady'' but will keep
looking I now live in England but do try and get down to Llyn and Nant as
often as possible, David Roberts.
Many thanks for you comments about our website. This is the "Lady
Thomas" which you saw at Nant, she was a regular runner there. If you
send us an e-mail, we could send you a much larger photo of her, or of any
of the Nant photos. We also have three pages of photos of Nant Gwrtheyrn, just
follow the links, Regards Tony & Gwenllian.
http://www.rhiw.com/y_mor/llongau_llyn_02/nant_gwytheyrn_e.htm
http://www.rhiw.com/hen_luniau_pages/llyn/nant_gwrtheyrn_01/nant_gwrtheyrn_e_01.htm
http://www.rhiw.com/hen_luniau_pages/llyn/nant_gwrtheyrn_02/nant_gwrtheyrn_02.htm
Date: 11 May 2006
Many thanks for the Photograph of the Lady Thomas, my dad, who was a joiner
at the quarry, once took me on board when it was being loaded, as far as I
can recall I was about 5 at the time it was a real treat for me then. I went
to school in Nant until we left when I was 9. Two years ago I went back and
stayed for a few days and slept in the house that I had left over 60
years before, emotional !! I have lots of memories and look forward to
seeing the census for the 1891 should you log it as my Family had lived in
Nant for years and my grandad was known as ''Brenin -y-Nant David Roberts.
Thank you David for getting back, look forward to having
some more of your memories of Nant, Gwenllian.
Date: 12 May 2006
All the best Tony, it's a great site. Regards Joe (ex. seawell)
Nice to hear from you Joe, and it was great sailing with
you. Regards Tony.
Date: 16 May 2006
My father, Emil John, was a fireman on the "Athelknight" he
survived and lived until he was 90 in 1998. I've heard many times the
stories of his experiences and have some notes jotted down by him of these.
Many thanks for adding to our Guest Book. We'd love to
hear about your Father's experiences on the Athelknight. Regards Gwenllian.
Date: 19 May 2006
Some great and classic ship photos, keep up the good work, Best wishes, Jim
Pottinger
Keep looking in, as we get new ships photographs all the
time, Regards Tony.
Date: 22 May 2006
Thank you for showing the photo of the CITY OF SYDNEY, (Ellerman Line)
I believe this was the ship that picked up all the 1300 survivors of the
migrant ship MS SKAUBRYN when that ship caught fire and sank in the Indian
Ocean on 1st of April 1958 while on its way to Australia. Thanks again.
William.
Glad you found the photo, and pleased you found the website,
Regards Tony.
Date: 23 May 2006
Excellent site.. photos are a superb collection. It will fill many pleasant
days working through all the pages.
Ron Rushbrooke. (Master Mariner BTC & Caltex)
We're lucky on Llyn, that there's a wealth of Maritime
history, and people are kind enough to share their photos with us. Regards
Tony.
Date: 23 May 2006
Brilliant, I have yet to read and discover everything so I will return......
One other website people who visit this site might like is that of Ambrose
jones ....
ambrose.jones
David Barnes, Westport, New Zealand
Yes it's well worth a visit, and will put a link on my
Maritime Links page, Regards Tony.
Date: 23 May 2006
I visited this site hoping to find out more about the SS Wimborne. My
great uncle lost his life after he went overboard off Iceland somewhere
between 1920 and 1922. If you know of any other sites where I
might find the information I Seek, I would like to hear from you.
Thank you for an informative and interesting website. lyndachidell@aol.com
I hope someone can help you with your search, I have a
Dutch friend who has a wealth of knowledge, on just about everything
Maritime, and will contact him today, Regards Tony.
Date: 02 Jun 2006
Have only just found your site and read with great interest the story of
Capt. John Lewis Jones OBE. In the 60's I lived in Morfa Nefyn and
"Jack" Jones would come to our house to teach me trigonometry in
preparation for the HMS Conway entrance exam. This I passed and for a few
years he taught me and others signals and navigation, a great character. I
left Conway in 1969, joined Harrison Line of Liverpool and am now working
for Stena Line in Holyhead. A Fantastic site and glad I have found it.
Capt. Neil Humphreys.
Many thanks for your comments, I sailed with Capt Jones's
son Keith when he was Chief Engineer on the Holyhead ships, a really nice
guy, Regards Tony.
Date: 09 Jun 2006
Excellent, very enjoyable easy to follow site. George Taylor ex BI engineer
1956/62.
Glad you found it easy to find your way around, this is
an important issue, that we are constantly trying to improve. Regards Tony.
Date: 21 Jun 2006
Well organized and outstanding collection of photos. And thank you for
answering a question my family has had for many years; what happened to the
S.S. Arvonian? You see my mother's father served onboard Arvonian when
she was the U.S.S Santee / H.M.S Bendish. He was aboard (Chief
Boatswain's Mate) when she was torpedoed, her refitting and later off Gibraltar.
He always said there was more to the story than what the U.S.N. released.
He died in 1953, so Arvonian outlived him.
We are very pleased that you have found the missing piece in your
grandfathers jigsaw, if you put Arvonian into Google search, there's another
fuller account on an American website, which goes into great details about
her role as a navy boat. Regards Tony.
