BizTek: Three Column Photo Page

GEORGE TOTE: was a regular shipboard visitor while transiting the Suez Canal. George was a noted purveyor of souvineers guaranteed never to see the light of day at an Antiques Road Show. You parked his purchased 'leather' suitcases in a puddle entirely at your own risk. First Trippers with P & O carried out a damage limitation programme by scrounging large luggage labels from the Baggage Room Steward. These not only advertised the fact you had visited exotic ports like MADEIRA, PORT SAID, BOMBAY, CEYLON and all the Austrailian ports, they also held the compressed cardboard suitcase together.

		*Another selection that never saw the light of the messroom tables.*	*A busy time for Printers on Passenger ships as they produced tailored Christmas Cards for the crew.*

NALHM: National Association of Licensed House Managers. I was a founder member of this Association and at the time I had the priviledge of meeting the late, great Parlaimentarian Sir Bernard Braine MP, I was Chairman of the Greater London Region, and on the National Committee. Sir Bernard was a brilliant MP who fought for us against legislation to allow children into Public Houses up to 8 p.m each day. He appears somewhere in the Guinness Book of Records for giving the longest speech to Parliament. To gain time to squash the Bill, he employed the noble art of 'filibustering'. He won the day for us. This was in 1976. My wife and I had him to thank for a subsequent invite to the House of Commons to listen to the debates. He entertained us well. A memorable day indeed. When the Tory Government made moves to stop overseas tax allowances for seamen many of us wrote to our MPs in protest. I chose Sir Bernard because of our previous association. Unfortunately I was too late. We did win a concession of sorts, whereby the tax concession was removed over a two-year period. We also raised our voices in anger when the Seamen's Hospital in Greenwich was threatened with closure. The Government of the day solved that problem by virtually overseeing the almost total demise of the Merchant Navy.
	*Rail Travel Vouchers issued to seamen proceeding on leave or joing a ship in a UK port. This one was saved from 1964. Anyone know when they were withdrawn?*	Those were the days. Cigarette prices for passengers on a day-trip to Calais or Boulogne on the GSSNC Summer Boats. Duty Free prices for crew on regular Foreign-going vessels was 10 shillings (50p) for a carton of 200. Price varied with Companies, but not by much.	*Interviewed at the "Ossidge Arms", Southgate.* *1976.*


	*Reply from Sir Bernard Braine, MP.*	*A relic of the occasional flutter on the Australian Tote. Never won anything though. Had better luck on the horses at the Melbourne Race Track.*	*My first Discharge Book. Jan 1952 - Nov 1967. I cheered up considerably in subsequent photos. Note the changes in M.N Tax coding as my family subsequently arrived on the scene.*


			*Seaman's I.D Card in use by Stan Mayes during WW2.*


	*National Union of Seamen. Contributions record. 2/6d (13p) a week in 1952. The number 255 scrawled on the cover is the signing-on number on the Strathnaver.*	*A valuable link with home.*	*Vindicatrix (NSTS) badges still held by Robin Hurst* *TSVA Site Bosun*

*I completed three voyages to Australia on the Strathnaver as Junior Catering Rating.* The pay was �9 a month and at the end of the first three-months voyage I paid off with a crisp white �5 note and four shillings and ninepence in small change. A large proportion of my wages had gone on purchasing the required items of uniform.
		*Ships Cook Certificate*	*Anglo-Saxon Petrolium Co.* *Pay Slip 1953*


		*Pool Contract.*	*Korean Shore Pass*


	*Uniform purchases from Naval Outfitter affectionately known to seamen as Miller, Robber and Haysom.*	*Shore Pass*	*Discharge Certificate from United Arab Shipping Company.*

Although returning to sea in 1976 with Whitco Marine, who were at the time managing Ffyfes Banana Boats, our Merchant Navy was in serious decline. As a result in 1978 it was necessary to find employment by 'going foreign'. I choose United Arab Shipping Company (originally Kuwait Shipping Company) who were at the time recruiting from Liverpool. They eventually relocated to Kuwait. They had a fine fleet of ships with excellent accommodation. Particulary mine, which consisted of Office, Day Room, Bedroom, Bathroom and Hospital/Dispensary. It covered the width of the ship. Officers were mainly British, with the crew being either Pakistani, Bengladeshi *or West African. Eventually we Brits were replaced here as well.*