By F.J.W.
A statute was passed in 1563, which forbade anyone from entering a trade that had not served an apprenticeship. This statute only modified by subsequent acts remained on the statute book until 1814. It was common practice for apprentice’s to be indentured, monies paid for the indentures were paid back to the apprentice over the years of his training, duty to the crown was payable on these indentures at a rate of 6d in the pound for sums up to £50 and a shilling for sums above, those duties were paid by the ships Master, the sums had to be paid within one year of completion of the apprenticeship. Records for the monies collected were kept by the Commissioners of Stamps for the years 1710 through to 1811 and can be found at The Public Records Office, Kew, London, other copies of the documents can be found at the Society of Genealogists and the Guildhall Library. Each apprentice was assigned a book where his name, and until 1752 that of his parents were duly logged, also the name of the vessel’s Master, his address and the voyages undertaken were also recorded. An example of the record would read as such:
James Slater of Liverpool, Mariner took an apprentice Anthony, son of David Waddington of the Parish of Rochdale in the County of Lancashire, blacksmith, by Common Indenture and Counterpart, dated 20th May 1710 for six years from that date, for under £25. Collector was Dd: Leitch at Manchester, Lancashire; duty payable 12/6d. Registered 8th September 1710.
An exception to this duty due was when a Master employed an apprentice whose indentures were paid for by Parish Council or by public charity. Captain James Cook started his illustrious career as an apprentice, he was born at Marston in Yorkshire of humble parentage on the 27th of October 1728, his ancestry was almost certainly Scottish and his father was a day labourer. He first worked in a grocers shop at Staithes along the coast from Whitby before apprenticing himself to John Walker a coal shipper in whose house he lodged between voyages. His first two vessels were the “Freelove” and the “Three Brothers”, coasters typical of the period; he completed his apprenticeship in the July of 1749 and then served three years in coasting and Baltic trade before being appointed Mate aboard the Friendship. Whilst in London onboard the Friendship in 1755 he left Walker’s employ to join the Royal Navy, his first ship was H.M.S. Eagle and as they say the rest is history.
It was during this, the eighteenth century that the Merchant Navy started to expand and assert itself not only as a separate entity from that of the Royal Navy but as a national service in its own right. As industrial output rose Britain’s merchant fleet also grew proportionally and it naturally followed so did legislation and that of its workforce. By 1701 the fleet stood at 3,281 ships totalling some 260,000 tons and by the beginning of the French Revolution it had risen to 16,000 ships with a combined tonnage of 1,500,000. By the end of the Napoleonic war it rose by a further million tons.
GUILD OF MERCHANT VENTURER’S EMBLEM
The training of its future Officers and Men became paramount in securing not only qualified men to run the existing tonnage but for the expansion envisaged in years to come. Semi official examining bodies were set up in all the important ports such as the Guild of Merchant Venturer’s in Bristol in 1733. It was also in this century that Trinity House took on the duties of examining the Crown’s Masters, in addition it also maintained discipline in the fleet and erected and maintained the country’s lighthouses.
TRINITY HOUSE BADGE
After 1720 a charter allowing the London and Royal Exchange Assurance Corporation to underwrite marine risks came into being, this had previously been undertaken in a coffeehouse owned by Edward Lloyd where individual underwriters had gathered to discuss their business. News on the burgeoning industry first appeared in Lloyds list in 1734 and the Register of Shipping emanated from the same source in 1760. From the register its possible to glean how A1 was arrived at when evaluating the condition of a ship, it being first class and still in use not only when referring to ships but to other modes of transport, objects and ones health.
In 1756 a merchant, Jonas Hanway organized and called a meeting at the King’s Arms Tavern to discuss the feasibility of providing uniforms and sea kit for the men of the Merchant Service, thus was founded the Marine Society, eventually this became the charity which assisted destitute boys to seek a career at sea. After the Seven Years War the society began sending boys to serve under Merchant Navy Masters as well as those it already provided in the Royal Navy, during the War it had supplied the Royal Navy with as many as 10,000 boys. In 1772 the Marine Society was incorporated by act of Parliament and in 1786 purchased and maintained the ‘Beaty’ an old merchant ship which was moored between Deptford and Woolwich for the training of its boys, ‘Beaty’ was the first training ship of its kind in the world.
MARINE SOCIETY BADGE
The following year Trinity House opened a Marine School in Hull for the training and equipping of boys for a career at sea, again the first in the world, Britain was truly laying the foundations for its domination of sea trade for not only then but for the next hundred and fifty years.
THE EAST INDIA COMPANY
It would be improper at this juncture not to mention the East India Company and its involvement and influence not only on the education of its seafarers but on its design and maintenance of its private fleet referred to at the time as the Bombay Marine. The company’s ships were run in a leisurely and expensive fashion since the trade it engaged in was a monopoly, for a ship of a thousand tons the Master would be assisted by as many as eight Officers and a crew of one hundred and thirty, over three times the compliment of the average British Merchant ship of similar size. It was said at the time that life on an East Indiaman was comparable to that enjoyed by the Royal Navy without the threat of engagement with an enemy. The company provided uniforms for all its Officers and their ranks were denoted by how many buttons were worn on the cuffs of their sleeves. It even provided a pension after eight years of service, which was called the Poplar Fund, something unheard of in those days. Its conditions were considered so good that it was able to procure the finest Officer material Britain could offer and after the Seven Year War Royal Navy Officers without any loss of prestige moved across to the East India Company which by now was known as the Merchant Service as opposed to Kings Service. The East India Company’s Maritime Service ceased as an entity in 1834 and with it went much of the prestige of the Merchant Navy but as its ex Officers moved on they took with them traditions going back three hundred years, Sunday prayers, Saturday night grog and twice weekly holy stoning of the ‘tween decks. The biggest loss however was the lowering in status of its Officers and the realisation by shipping companies that the employment of apprentices was a means of securing cheap labour. The other arm of its maritime service the Bombay Marine became its Marine Corps and from 1830 until the companies demise was known as the Indian Navy.
19th CENTURY
With the introduction of the Merchant Shipping Act of 1823 all ships of eighty tons and over were obliged to carry apprentices and their names were enrolled with local customs officials. The Merchant Seamen Act of 1835 demanded that all apprentices employed in London had to be registered by the Registrar General; those registrations from other ports were to be submitted on a three monthly basis by regional customs officials, however compulsory apprenticeships were abandoned in 1849.
During the early part of the century there was little legislation affecting the lives and conditions of Merchant seamen. Their accommodation, hours of work and food were left entirely up to the ship owners that employed them which in effect meant that their Captains were left to do much as they pleased. Whatever food was supplied to the ships was given out as daily rations, this was often extremely basic and was no more than required to keep body and soul together. The conditions in which seafarers lived were no better and in some cases worse than those that prevailed during the Elizabethan era and passengers fared no better. Those passengers wealthy enough were expected to provide their own linen and furniture and steerage even their own food, only water and fuel was provided. In 1850 when it was thought conditions couldn’t get any worse and the viability of the Merchant Service was in doubt the Government after consultation with the Board of Trade introduced an act of Parliament entitled “ An act for Improving the Conditions of Masters, Mates and Seamen and Maintaining Discipline in the Merchant Service”.
The principle feature of the Act was for the establishment of Shipping Offices in all the main ports were seamen were engaged and discharged from their respective ships, ships articles became the responsibility of the Shipping Master and it was his duty to read out to the seamen what was contained therein before they “signed on”. The official Ships Log Book came into being also, this book had to be presented to the Shipping Master on the vessel’s arrival in port. Attention was paid to the sleeping arrangements and a minimum space allowance of nine superficial feet was allocated to each seaman, a provision and supply of medicine also had to be available on all ships. Most importantly however was the introduction of an examining body, these examinations were initially to be conducted by local marine boards and all foreign going Masters and Mates had to hold the relevant certificate. Exemptions in the case of Officers already holding those positions were granted and certificates of service were issued. Prior to this Act and as an example East India Company Officers in 1804 had been enforced by regulation to be able to take lunar observations for longitude and from 1821 its Masters and Mates instructed Midshipmen in navigation every day between breakfast and noon. Sadly this was not the case throughout the rest of the Merchant Service this being the reason according to those keeping records why so many ships were lost during the early part of the century. Examinations had been offered by the Board of Trade from 1845 but the take up on sitting the exams had proved negligible, that is until they became mandatory.
Another Act in 1854 containing all of the previous gave the Board of Trade powers to hold inquires into wrecks and the sinking of ships, it also provided for safety at sea and the “rules of the road”, the provision for lifeboats to be carried and the establishment of lights and fog signals. Ships from now on had to be registered and each vessel had to be measured by cubic capacity to calculate its tonnage also Pilots had to be qualified and offer a better service than previously experienced in many of Britain’s ports. An amendment in 1862 provided for the examination of Engineers in two grades, as before those already holding the rank were issued Certificates of Service.
William Plimsoll a Liberal MP had, since 1870, been campaigning on behalf of seafarers for a safe load line to be painted on ships sides, the only concession gained by 1873 had been the Governments declaration that scales of feet and inches had to be painted on the bows and sterns of ships, should the ships be found to exceed what an inspector deemed overloaded then he had the power to prevent the said vessel from sailing. In 1875 the Bill was finally passed and was incorporated into the Merchant Shipping Act the following year, the power now shifted from the ship owner to the Board of Trade, the “Plimsoll Line” had arrived, the Sailors and Firemen’s Union in recognition of his efforts awarded him the Presidency of their Union.
PLIMSOLL LINE
HMNB
TRAINING
After the “Beaty” there followed a succession of Training Ships, most supplied by the Royal Navy, after 1848 they were stationed off Charlton Pier, but in 1901 their berth was moved to Greenhithe. Warspite, formally the second-class cruiser Hermione became the eighth ship refitted for the training of boys for both the Royal and Merchant Navies. In 1929 Warspite was transferred to Grays where she remained until the 2nd World War, in the 180 years that the Marine Society had been involved in the selection of boys to this period 70,250 had passed through for service with a roughly 50% split between the two navies. Another benevolent society of the period was Dr Barnado’s, which ran the Watts Royal Naval School at Elmham and had done so since 1903. In 1920 they opened a school specifically for the training of boys for the Merchant Service, called the Russell Cotes Nautical School it was situated at Parkstone and took boys from the age of ten, initially it was restricted to an intake of forty but its capacity rose in the ensuing years and by the mid thirties had reached one hundred and ten.
SUNDAY PARADE AT PARKSTONE
HMNB
Approximately twenty-seven boys graduated each year, most joined ships sailing from Southampton, in particular they joined the company of Union Castle, which had provided much of the equipment used at the school. The Elmham facility closed in 1954, try as I might I cannot find out the fate of the school at Parkstone. Many other training establishments existed during the 19th & 20th Century; “Triton” at Gravesend, “Indefatigable” on the Mersey, “Exmouth” on the Thames, “Mercury” on the Hamble, and finally the two that are best remembered by seamen of my generation Conway founded by The Mercantile Marine Association in 1859 and Worcester founded by the Thames Marine Officers Training Ship Association in 1862. The Nautical Training College at Pangbourne whose founders Devit and Moores also provided apprentices to the two services, initially this shore-based establishment which overlooked the Thames had been served by sailing ships but moved ashore in 1917.
FOUNDERS DAY AT PANGBOURNE
HMNB
The number of Officers joining the Merchant Service from the three institutions Conway, Worcester and Pangbourne only represented a small percentage of the total manning requirements, the main reason for this was that it was far more expensive to train cadets in this fashion, far cheaper for the shipping companies to employ their own cadets whose parents had to pay for their indentures. However because of the high levels of training attained at such institutions the cadets were quickly absorbed into the service by many of the principal shipping lines. Three ships were to serve in the role of ‘Worcester’ with HMS Exmouth being the final vessel; she was commissioned on the 2nd of February 1946 and the college finally closed in 1968. ‘Conway’ was to survive her by no more than six years; originally launched for the Royal Navy as HMS Nile and handed over to the MMSA in 1875 she was usually found moored off Rock Ferry in the Mersey. Conway was moved during the War to the Menai Straits and when under tow for refit in 1953 ran aground becoming a total loss. The education of the Cadets moved to Plas Newydd in the grounds of the Marquis of Anglesey’s estate before finally closing its doors in 1974.
BRITISH INDIA STEAM NAVIGATION AND ITS CADET SHIPS.
BI BADGE
British India first employed cadets from 1906 and introduced its own ships in which to train them during the First World War in 1916, the timing obviously raises the question as to who made the decision considering the company was losing ships on a regular basis, however a visit to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission’s site will confirm that boys as young as fourteen were losing their lives whilst serving as deck and galley boys. British India over the next fifty five years operated some thirteen Cadet training ships only interrupted by the ‘Wars’, the first of the ships was Berbera which entered service in the role in 1916. Ships in chronological order.
BERBERA
K.J.O’Donoghue Collection.
Built: 1905 by James Laing & Co., Sunderland.
Tonnage: 4,352grt, 2,792nt, 6,766dwt.
Engine: Single screw, Triple expansion by George Clark Ltd of Sunderland, 1,500 IHP, 374 NHP, 10 Kts.
Passengers: 29.
Launched 6th February 1905, completed April 1905, Yard No 599.
Berbera was the capital of British Somaliland.
Built as Nidderdale for the builders own shipping company Dale Line S.S. and managed by Royden of Liverpool. Purchased by BI in 1907 and taken over in March of the following year, renamed Berbera and retained on her former London-East Africa service. At the outbreak of War she was taken up as an Expeditionary Force Transport and two years later was converted for use as a Cadet Training ship with accommodation for 25 Officer Cadets. On the 25th of March 1917 when en route from Bombay to Marseilles she was attacked by U64 40 miles off the Straits of Messina. Three torpedoes were fired with two striking the ship, three Cadets were killed and the French Warships Fauconneau and Carabine rescued the survivors. Those rescued were subsequently landed at Port Agostoli, save for her Second Officer, who had been taken prisoner by the Germans.
CARPENTARIA.
P&O Collection.
Built: 1905 by Sir Raylton Dixon & Co., Middlesborough.
Tonnage: 5,766grt, 3,756nt, 8,860dwt.
Engine: Single screw, Triple expansion, 4,200 IHP, 801 NHP, 12 Kts.
Passengers: 4 and accommodation for 300 emigrants.
Refrigerated space: 280,100 cu ft.
Launched 15th August 1904, completed December 1904, Yard No 481.
Carpentaria is a Gulf of Northern Australia.
Initially laid down for Gulf Line in 1901, due to financial problems work ceased for two years until she was purchased by BI and renamed Carpentaria. She broke her rudderstock when off Cape Morgan in April of 1910 but managed to limp into Durban for repairs. She was converted for use as a Cadet Ship in 1917 just before being requisitioned under the LRS, in the same year she was attacked by UB-31 when on passage in the English Channel, fortunately for all concerned the torpedo missed its target. Her Cadet capacity was increased from 28 to 30 in 1919 and she made her final voyage for the company in 1924, Sydney, River Plate via Cape Horn. Sold to S. Censini of Genoa in 1924 becoming Vega, sold two years later to Andrea Zanchi also of Genoa and became Mar Bianco. Renamed Capo Nord in 1938 for the same owner and was broken the following year in Italy.
WANGARATTA.
WSS Isherwood Collection.
Built: 1919 by Workman, Clark & Co., Belfast.
Tonnage:7,987grt, 4,698nt, 10,150dwt.
Engines: Twin screw, 2 x Triple expansion by builder, 7,000 IHP, 13 Kts.
Refrigerated space: 368,600 cu ft.
Launched 30th of April 1919, completed 9th July 1919, Yard No 440.
Wangaratta is a town in Victoria, Australia.
Completed as a standard ‘G’ type for the Shipping Controller and named War Theseus. Acquired by BI and renamed Wangaratta for use as a Cadet Ship, first to be so designated when built. Uneventful ten year career with the company and was sold to Blue Star in 1929 becoming Tacoma Star. Suffered damage during the raids on Liverpool Docks on two separate occasions, 3rd of May 1941 and again on the evening 7th/8th. On the 1st of February when off Hampton Roads en route Buenos Aires-USA-UK she was sunk by U-109 which resulted in the loss of all 94 onboard.
WOODARRA.
Dickie Collection, Turnbull Library.
Built: 1919 by Barclay, Curle & Co. Ltd., Glasgow.
Tonnage: 7,946grt, 4,857nt, 10,020dwt.
Engines: Twin screw, 2 x Triple expansion by builder, 7,000 IHP, 13 Kts.
Refrigerated space: 369,800 cu ft.
Launched 12th July 1919, completed 26th November 1919, Yard No 572.
Woodarra is a mine in Western Australia, east of Geraldton.
Launched as War Apollo for the Shipping Controller as a standard ‘G’ Type she differed from the others within this group visually in as much as her funnel was taller and thinner, completed for BI as Woodarra. Accommodation as her sister Wangaratta for thirty-nine Cadets. She had an eventful career, running aground at the Longsand in 1921, suffered a fire in No 3 hold in 1923 and being blown off the wharf at Port Kembla in 1926. Along with her sister she was sold to Blue Star on the 21st of August 1929 and unlike many of her other company’s ships had an uneventful war. Sold to Thomas W.Ward of Inverkeithing in July of 1947 for breaking.
NARDANA.
F.W.Hawks.
Built: 1919 by Barclay, Curle & Co, Ltd., Glasgow.
Tonnage: 7,951grt, 4,968nt, 10,680dwt.
Engines: Twin screw, 2 x Triple expansion by builder, 7,000 IHP, 13 Kts.
Launched 12th of August 1919, completed 23rd September 1919, Yard No 565.
Nardana is a village in the Dhule District, Bombay Presidency.
Initially laid down as War Sybil she was purchased by BI on the stocks and completed as Nardana. Underwent a major refit in 1929 and amongst other work was fitted with two low pressure turbines, this increased her capable speed by one and a half knots but also allowed for lower consumption of coal at her previously accepted commercial speed. During the refit her accommodation was increased to allow for the carriage of thirty nine Cadets previously accommodated on the Woodarra prior to her sale to Blue Star. At the outbreak of War her Cadets were scattered throughout the fleet and in 1940 she was taken up under the Liner Division. When in convoy SL 57 and escorted by the battleship Malaya and two destroyers she was torpedoed and sunk by U-124 when 400 miles west of Capo Blanco, Mauretania at 0250 Hrs on the 8th of March 1941. Nineteen of her crew were lost when she sank and of the 52 ship convoy bound for London the U-Boat sank a further four ships, Harmodius, Tielbank, Lahore and Hindpool.
WAROONGA.
P&O Collection.
Built: 1914 by William Denny & Bros., Dumbarton.
Tonnage: 9,178grt, 5,613nt, 10,687dwt.
Engines: Twin screw, 2 x 4 Cylinder Quadruple expansion by builder, 8,493 IHP, initially coal fired then converted to fuel oil in circa 1925, 13 Kts.
Refrigerated space: 325,100 cu ft.
Passengers: 5 1st class and 1,066 steerage, 24 Officers & 83 crew, number of crew increased by a further 72 when passengers were carried.
Launched 29th December 1913, completed 23rd May 1914, Yard No 993.
Waroonga is a homestead north-west of Toowoomba, Queensland, Austalia.
Launched as Hororata for the New Zealand Shipping Company and complied with British Governments requirements that demanded that all food ships in time of war be armed, subsequently her aft deck was strengthened to facilitate the fitting of two 4.7-inch guns. Her completion was delayed by a dispute at Denny’s over riveter’s demarcation. Whilst loading for the return journey from Australia when on her maiden voyage she was requisitioned for use as a Australian Expeditionary Force transport and was redirected to Brisbane for conversion. She remained as such until August of 1917 when she transferred to the Liner Requisition Scheme and served until 1919. In the early post war years she operated as a repatriation/emigrant ship and when those passengers started to diminish she reverted once more to her role as that of a cargo carrier only.
In 1932 she laid up in the Fal for six months and in 1934 commenced as a training ship carrying twenty Cadets. Nardana was sold to BI in 1939 and underwent an extensive refit at Falmouth emerging as Waroonga with the capability of carrying 43 Cadets. Whilst on her maiden voyage for BI war broke out and her charges were immediately redistributed throughout the fleet and six months later she was taken up under the LRS. Waroonga had a close shave in 1942 when she came upon a surfaced U-Boat, fortunately the submarine dived and under cover of her stern gun Waroonga made a hasty exit. However she was not so fortunate when in a fifty ship convoy en route from New York to London, HX 231 was attacked by a Wolf Pack on the 5th of April 1943 and in the ensuing twelve attacks six allied merchantmen were lost, Waroonga sank on the following day south east of Cape Farewell with a loss of twelve crew, one gunner and six passengers, the remaining 113 survivors being rescued. Blue Funnel’s Tyndareus was commodore ship. It would be another seven years before BI would embark on building its final two ships designated as Cadet Training ships, Chindwara and Chantala.
INDENTURE 4 YEARS' SERVICE
THIS INDENTURE made the 1st January 1948 between Jonathon Dow, a native of Salford, in the county of Lancashire, now residing at Laburnum Cottage, Darcy Lever,Lancashire of the first part, and the British India Steam Navigation Company Limited, of 122, Leadenhall Street, London, E.C., of the second part, and Samuel John Dow, The Steps Cottage, Little Lever, Lancashire in the county of England of the third part, WITNESSETH
That the said Jonathon Dow hereby voluntarily binds himself to serve in the capacity of a Cadet on any ship belonging to the said Company to which they or their Managing Agents in Calcutta or their Agents elsewhere may from time to time appoint him, and that for the period of four years from the date on which the Cadet shall report himself to the Agents of the Company in Calcutta, or if appointed to a steamer in the United Kingdom, then from the date on which the said Cadet shall join the said steamer. In either case the date on which this Indenture commences is agreed to be the date endorsed at the foot hereof, which will be done before a Shipping Master in India or Superintendent of Mercantile Marine in the United Kingdom. And the said Cadet hereby covenants that during such time he will faithfully serve the said Company, and shall be at all times subject and obedient to the orders of the Company and of their Managing and other Agents and of the Master or other Officer in command or in charge of the ship in which he may be engaged for the time, and will keep their secrets, and will when required give to them true accounts of their goods or moneys which may be committed to the charge or come into the hands of the said Cadet. And the said Cadet will not during the said term do any damage to the said Company, nor to the Managing or other Agents, or to the Master or other Officer of the ship in which he may be serving, nor will he consent to such damage being done by others, but will if possible prevent the same and give warning thereof; and will not embezzle or waste the goods of the said Company, nor give or lend the same to others without the license of the Master of the ship in which he may be serving, nor absent himself from the service without leave, nor frequent taverns or alehouses, nor play at unlawful games, and generally shall at all times by night and by day whenever his services may be required be diligent in his duty, and do everything in his power to promote the interests of the Company. In consideration whereof the said Company hereby covenants with the said Cadet that during the said term the Master or other Officer in command or in charge of the steamer belonging to the said Company in which the said Cadet may be serving shall teach him or cause him to be taught the business of a seaman and the duties of a Navigating Officer in the Company's steamers, and provide the said Cadet with sufficient board, but not wines or spirits, beer or liquors. And the Cadet shall live in such place in the ship as may be assigned to him. Medicines shall be provided and medical attendance when available by the Company, and in the event of the said Cadet being placed in hospital by the order of the Company or their Managing or other Agents, or of the Master of the Ship in which he may be engaged for the time, all hospital charges, including board, incurred while he remains in hospital will be paid by the Company, provide the illness or injuries which necessitate his removal to hospital have been incurred while in the discharge of his duties, and not from cause over which he had control. A premium of fifty guineas shall be paid to the Company on date of signing this Indenture. This will be returned as wages if the conduct of the said Cadet is satisfactory, viz., One pound sterling per month for the first year, One pound ten shillings sterling per month for the second year, Two pounds sterling per month for the third year and Three pounds sterling per month for the fourth year or the equivalent of the same amounts in rupees; but the Company reserves to itself the right to withhold all or a portion of these amounts if the conduct of the Cadet is unsatisfactory, or if he fails to observe his covenants. The Company will provide sufficient bedding and table linen for the said Cadet, but he shall provide himself with sufficient and suitable wearing apparel and other necessaries; and it is hereby agreed that if at any time during the said term the said Company or their Managing or other Agents or the Master of the ship in which the said Cadet may be serving provide any apparel or other necessary to the said Cadet the Company or their Managing or other Agents or the said Master may deduct any sums properly expended thereon from the sums as agreed to be paid to the said Cadet as aforesaid. And for the performance of the Agreement herein contained each of them the said Jonathon Dow and the said British India Steam Navigation Company, Limited, doth hereby bind themselves, their heirs, executors and administrators, in the penal sum of Fifty pounds sterling; and for the performance of the covenants on the part of the said Cadet the said Samuel John Dow as surety doth hereby bind himself, his heirs, executors and administrators, unto the said British India Steam Navigation Company, Limited, in the penal sum of Fifty pounds. In witness whereof the said parties have hereto set their hands and seals the day and year above written
Signed and sealed in the presence of a Company Representative
Registered at the Port of Southampton 1st January 1948 by or for Registrar General.
With Thanks to Richard Henderson
CHINDWARA AND CHANTALA
Source Shipbuilding and Shipping Record, February 23, 1950.
The Training of Cadets
The cargo liner Chindwara which left London last Saturday on her maiden voyage to Australian ports, is the first post-war ship in the British India Company's fleet of that type designed to carry Cadets; the Chantala, a sister ship, is nearing completion. They are both motorships of 9,000 tons gross with a length of 485 ft, and have accommodation for 12 passengers as well as 31 Cadets.
The Chindwara Cadets, who are all aged from 16 to 19, perform all the normal duties of a ships crew and so learn the hundred and one jobs the seaman has to tackle. They have to bear none of the hardships, which apprentices of a past generation underwent in their sea training. Their accommodation is ample and comfortable.
The Cadets are divided into two watches and are in the immediate care of a cadet Officer whose sole duty is their training. He is assisted by a Chief Petty Officer. Two Cadets from each watch are always on the bridge, one at the wheel and one standing by. All are responsible for the care and cleanliness of their own quarters, which are situated along the port side of the shelter deck.
The Cadets have a roomy lounge furnished with blue settees and chairs with a carpet to match; a piano, a cinema and a swimming bath will help to provide entertainment and recreation. They have two dormitories, one for the starboard and the other for the port watch, each with fourteen berths. Curtains can be drawn around each bunk for privacy and to allow the occupant to read at night without his light disturbing the others. A long table with chairs occupies the middle of each room. Punkah-louvre ventilation and air extractors for the tropics as well as effective heating for colder weather are fitted throughout. The three Senior Cadets have their own cabins.
There are four bathrooms for the cadets; their washbasins all have hot and cold running water with an abundance of mirrors. Nearby is a cloakroom for oilskins and sea boots.
The Cadets can look after their own laundry since they have exclusive use of the ships washing machines on Saturdays and Sundays. All the Cadet has to do is place his linen in the machine, press a button and in 45 minutes his laundry is ready. A special drying room is also available.
Their dining room with its white tablecloths and napkins and its silver and glassware, is far removed from the old days of sea training. There is a specially fitted classroom on the boat deck where the three grades of Cadets, Senior, Interim and Junior learn the more theoretical side of their duties. Here are their books of navigation, nautical tables and other standard works with which they have to become familiar. Instructional films can also be shown in this classroom.
When ashore the cadets are encouraged to wear the company's blazer and grey flannels. Altogether they lead a life which compares most favourably with any other.
An official visit to the Chindwara was arranged the other day for the Cadet Committee of the Honourable Company of Master Mariners. After inspecting the Cadets accommodation they expressed appreciation of the British India Company's efforts for the training of their future Officers.
The Chindwara was built by Swan, Hunter and Wigham Richardson on the Tyne and is fitted with Swan Hunter Doxford pattern opposed piston solid injection engines. Service speed is 14 knots.
There are five cargo holds with a capacity of about 13,000 cu ft of refrigerated space with facilities available for extending that space to 100,000 cu ft.
The 12 passengers enjoy particularly good accommodation of first-class standards in the four two berth and four single berth cabins, each of which has its own bathroom. They have their own lounge and, of course, the entire deck space of the ship. The dining room is shared with the ships Officers.
With Thanks to Ted Treacher.
Voyage 24/25
Address by Captain L.T.Carter taken from the ships newsletter 1956. Captain Carter had been appointed to the ship in the March of that year relieving Captain L.W.Smith in the March at Tilbury. The address in the main would be directed at those Cadets, which had just joined the ship, and at those Cadets who found themselves in the role of "Seniors" as a reminder to their responsibilities.
I have asked the editor, if he will allow me a small space in each issue so that I may run a series of talks upon what I call "aspects of Cadet Training". Now, this sounds dry, but I hope to take out some of the "dryness" and add a measure of "interest". On some occasions I may go further afield and talk about things, which will happen to you lads long after you have left "Chantala" and obtain4ed your certificates. All of which will help you when you become an Officer.
This, my first article I am calling "Progressive Training". In the world of science and biology Pundits have not yet decided which came first the hen or the egg? Now the parallel I am going to discuss is this; does the "Chantala" run for the Cadets, or do the Cadets run the "Chantala". Unlike the egg Pundits we have an answer. They both run for the mutual benefit of each other.
It is no easy task to do this, and it would be impossible without the steady and constant Progressive Training of all Cadets. To give you an idea, the ship arrives in London as a perfect working machine everybody doing and knowing their job. The Cadet Quarter Masters don't steer the "Chantala" up the Channel by good luck… they all know and are specialists at steering. Coming through the locks, and coming alongside the berth ropes are handled, frequently in bad weather by Cadets who know how. Derricks are hoisted by lads who, six months ago were most likely still at school.
Now all this does not happen by chance; it is all the result of a steady, constant and well thought out programme of Progressive Training. A further and greater test comes when the vessel sails on her new voyage. By now, possibly ten of the most senior cadets have left, as their "time" has finished and they are due to go up for their "tickets". This means that all our "key men" have now gone, and new ones have to be made from what material we have left out of our remaining Cadets. This, of course, excludes the Cadets newly joined. This is where Progressive Training comes to the fore, and it is because of this, that we are able at once to appoint a new C.P.O., P.O.'s of watches, and leading Cadets of divisions with the full knowledge that they can, and are able, to take over the responsibility that such positions demand. Again, last voyage's Junior Quartermasters are this voyage's Senior Quartermasters and as such take the wheel entering and leaving port. They are the ones who will steer the vessel through the Canal. You see, the value of the ship and her cargo is such these days that one cannot just try a Cadet "X" at the wheel to see how he gets on. Such "trying" entails an element of risk which cannot and must not be allowed to appear. No, but by our system of Progressive Training, we know that Cadet "A" due to the training he has received while the vessel was in open waters, is fully capable of being a Senior Quartermaster, and as such can steer the ship into and out of any port in the world.
Now just how is Progressive Training carried out? It is really quite simple. Where a job requires two Cadets, then one must be Junior, three Cadets, then at least one a Julior, but would be better if two Juniors were present. As numbers go up, there must always be a good percentage of Juniors. Juniors themselves must always be wide awake to "take in" quickly what is being shown to them. Seniors on their part must always exercise patience in this teaching and remember that they themselves were once first trippers.
Progressive Training does not just take place on deck but does in some senses, more so in the classroom. This training is of a specialised nature where the ultimate goal is the preparation for your Second Mates Certificate, as opposed to actual deck training which, besides teaching you your future job, helps us to run the "Chantala".
If all Cadets work whole heartedly with this idea of Progressive Training constantly before their minds it will turn into "contented training"; this is the foundations of a happy ship which I beg to state, in all humility and thankfulness, we are.
The next is an article taken from the same magazine written again by Captain Carter in which he reminisces about his time onboard Waipara as a Cadet in 1920.
WAIPARA
Dickie Collection: Alexander Turnbull Library.
Built: 1904 by R&W Hawthorn, Leslie & Co., Ltd., Hebburn.
Tonnage: 5,505grt, 3,512nt, 9,155dwt.
Engine: Single screw, Triple expansion by North Eastern of Newcastle, 2,966 IHP, 12.2 Knots at trials.
Passengers: 12.
Launched as Port Jackson 19th November 1903, completed May 1904, Yard No. 391.
Waipara is a town north of Christchurch, New Zealand. British India purchased the ship before she was completed.
Boat Creeks and Singing…………..Newcastle, New South Wales.
Let me get one thing straight before I start. What I am going to write about happened thirty-six years ago so if I slip up slightly in facts, then don't jump down my throat.
The ship was the "Waipara" where I was then doing my second voyage. The place was Newcastle, N.S.W…. a slightly different Newcastle, I beg to state, than what you know now. For example I remember going up to town on a steam tram!
Life onboard was very pleasant, and we didn't take things too seriously. Second Mates Tickets in those days were nothing like the present version where high pressure study-work, and concentration is necessary before one can think of sitting! As a second voyager I was nearly one of the Senior hands. "Waipara" I must mention took life like we did…her speed flat out was ten knots, and she did three voyages in two and a half years while I was on her.
At the time of which I am writing, we were laid up for something, possibly cargo, or, may be even for strikes. Anyway on Saturday afternoon a party of us went away in the whaler for a pull, to pass the time, and we decided to try a creek behind the harbour and investigate, to see just how far we could reach. This creek narrowed rather quickly and it wasn't long our oars were touching the rocks on each side. Not to be outdone we pulled in our oars and continued to punt ourselves a few more yards by means of the boathooks and eventually the boat grounded on a shelf of sand.
We all then laid back happy and satisfied and basked in the sun, some of us dropping off to sleep, others just messing around in the boat as one does. By the way it was summer time, and we were all dressed in not-to-clean shorts, nothing else….we were as brown as berries.
After a while we were rudely awakened by heavy drops of rain, heralding a real tropical downpour, and within the minute we were soaked.
Funnily enough (now I come to think of it) we just didn't stay put and enjoy natures shower (because it was hot); instead we hastily made fast the boat to a nearby rock and dashed up the bank into a verandah of a house overlooking the creek.
Those who have been to Australia before will soon follow the sequence. As you may guess we were not long on the verandah before the owner of the house asked us inside. A short while later the immediate neighbourhood seemed to have heard about us, judging by the appearance of young things, and within an hour we were all round the piano trying to drown the noise or the rain upon the corrugated iron roof.
It may seem strange to you, to read that we were happily singing in a strange house in such a short time. These were the days though before wireless, so we had to make our own noise. Incidentally we considered ourselves quite professional and frequently sang at our work. ( Now don't get me wrong, I am not suggesting that you should sing at work, but I am just making a plain statement of fact that we actually did thirty-six years ago.)
To get back to the piano. After a while we had done justice to "Blowing Bubbles", "Bing Boys", and "Bells of St Mary's" when fruit drinks were produced with stacks of sandwiches….for which we were truly thankful. It was about at this time that we noticed the rain had ceased, and looking at the clock we thought it was time we were going as we had some distance to pull (the boat had to be hoisted when we got back, and the watch was standing by for this work.)
Our hosts plus the girls wouldn't let us say goodbye in the house, but said they would come down to the boat and wave us away in good nautical style. I must mention at this point, that the boat could not be seen from the house due to some trees and a high fence.
We went down, this time by a proper garden path so suddenly came upon the boat suddenly from behind the fence. We all just stared, and looked, and gasped. The boat was unharmed and still made fast to the rock by the painter, and everything in it was alright. The only thing missing was the water to float it…there wasn't a drop in sight!…the creek was dry. We had all happily forgotten about the tide.
We realised with this; that the "fat was in the fire" and we were all in for a hell of a row when we reported back! The girls of course had a great laugh, and we couldn't help joining in with them because it was so ludicrous to come down to wave us all goodbye and to find the boat just high and dry.
Anyway, we decided that one of us should stay behind as a "boat keeper"; we tossed for this (I lost) and you will understand when you hear it was considered necessary for the girls that at least two of them should help the "boat keeper" to "keep" the boat.
The next problem was how to get back to the ship. We were all (as I say) in none too clean shorts and no shoes, and of course no money…we had been without cash for months as those were the days of when we were paid £1.10.O a month for second year. This meant us borrowing tram fares from the girls and returning by the steam tram. This time they did wave us goodbye, and the conductor after he had stoked the fire, wondered who on earth we were, and dropped heavy hints about stoking a boiler.
I will pass over the painful interview with the Chief Officer, when we reported onboard minus a whaler, except to say we were well and truly punished.
That night, about 2 a.m. a party of us were marched back to the creek (no puffing trams)… in bare feet and in charge of an Officer. We found the boat alright, but afloat now. We soon got under way and the journey to the ship was carried out without accident of incident as we were running into wider and deeper water the nearer we got to the ship; but it was nearly 4 a.m. before we finally arrived, very tired indeed.
Our labours, though, were not over, as we had to hoist the boat by hand. The fact of having to hoist by hand didn't worry us as we were used to no other method of getting the boats up. What did worry us though, was having to do it with just half a dozen instead of the watch. Normally we were used to one watch on one fall and the other on the other fall, and we literally walked away with a boat.
No. This time we had to go from one fall to another, lifting a short distance each time. I know it was over an hour before we had that boat up and swung in and before we could get down to our hammocks. We had to tumble out again at 6 a.m.
Did I say it was a happy ship? Well it was most of the time, but I must say that the house by the creek was a favourite meeting place for half a dozen of us, each time we called at Newcastle. I wish I could remember the names of our hosts…but as I say thirty-six years has beaten me.
L.T.C.
Chindwara Cadets 1959
With thanks to Richard Henderson.
Engineer Cadets.
Source.
John Robertson
Ken Paul
It would appear that BI's first introduction of Engineers in a training program closely followed the Governments cessation of National Service in 1954. When it was announced that National Service had ended most companies in the British Merchant Service suffered an exodus of its experienced Engineers, particularly watch keepers, a solution had to be found as quickly as possible. After assessing the dire situation the shipping companies opted to copy the Power Utilities live in program whereby youngsters who either couldn't or didn't want to go onto University were offered training programs up to Higher National Certificate level in technical studies.
The students were offered a reasonable stipend, free accommodation in dormitories at the training facilities where they would be educated to HNC level plus hands on skills on the shop floor. If they then wanted to pursue a Degree, the Universities only required them to do the last semester of the Degree program before being awarded a BSc. It would appear that the Shell Oil Company were the first shipping company to offer sea going cadets this opportunity, they were closely followed by British India.
Usually four Engineer Cadets were appointed to BI's Cadet Training Ships, Chantala and Chindwara to get the necessary sea time in to sit their 2nd Engineers Certificate of Competence. Unlike the Deck Cadets no specific Instruction Officer was appointed to either ship and the duties of training these young men fell to those Engineers already onboard, this was in addition to their normal onboard tasks. Of their eight working hour day one four-hour period would be spent down below on watch under the care of the Senior Watch Keeper or on day work with the 2nd Engineer. After lunch they all went into the classroom where they would either follow the laid down course work or be lectured by the 2nd Engineer on Engineering Knowledge and Orals. When in port the cadets would be expected to assist the ships Engineers in routine maintenance of not only the engine room but those of the outside spaces. What follows is an account of an Engineer Cadets own experience: -
CHANTALA
Fotoflyte Charles Dragonette Collection
The BI involvement in the Engineer Cadet Scheme started I believe in about 1956, no doubt someone out there will tell you otherwise, with a modest intake of less than ten? Over the following years the numbers increased until by 1970 intakes were up to about twenty-four per annum. When Cadets started their sea-going phase they were generally 18 or 19 years old and were generally placed on the companies Home Line ships, including the Cadet ships 'Chantala & Chindwara' where they shared accommodation and facilities with the Deck Cadets.
Whilst on their sea-going phase Engineer Cadets were directly under the control of the Chief Engineer Officer but in effect it was the Second Engineer from whom they took their orders or from any of the other Engineers to whom they may have been assigned. It was also necessary for them to show due respect to the Master and all other Officers onboard. Their duties were varied and many, all with the aim of developing their shipboard knowledge and engineering skills. Engineer Cadets had to learn and draw the various pipeline systems onboard; learn the routines for preparing the engine for sea or shutting down on arrival in Port and the operation of main and auxiliary machinery. How to raise steam, couple boilers, stop and start purifiers, bunkering, transfer of fuel and ballast; pump bilges; start and stop generators and put them on and off the board; take and test boiler/cooling water samples; how to operate and re-charge fire extinguishers; understand the CO2 system, the location and operation of remote stops, fuel shut off valves, fire flaps ect; the operation of all deck machinery; how to use special tools and lifting equipment; understand the basic electrical power distribution system.
At sea Cadets spent periods on watch keeping, periods on day work both in the engine room and on deck. In Port Cadets were nearly always on day work assisting in all aspects of maintenance on main and auxiliary machinery. Generally at least one afternoon a week was given over to study and Sundays were free unless you were watch keeping. Engineer Cadets were responsible for keeping their accommodation clean and tidy and the general Codes of Conduct that applied to Deck Cadets also applied to Engineer Cadets.
During my time at sea I spent nine month on Chantala with three other Engineer Cadets and forty-eight Deck Cadets and I certainly do not remember being confronted with any animosity towards us. We lived and slept in the fourteen-berth dormitories along with the other Deck Cadets and ate in the same dining saloon. We got on with our work and they got on with theirs. After work we mixed socially whether at sea or in port. We of course became involved in all the common events of Cadetship life such as the 'crossing the line' ceremony, film nights, Sunday Church Service and Captains inspection. In many of the ports of call there were organised activities for all of the Cadets to take part in if they so wished. These ranged from sporting activities, visits to places of interest, safari's, sailing and sometimes a dance at the Mission or local Sports/Gymkhana Club. Why the ex-pats in these out ports were prepared to let their daughters loose amongst a shipload of randy Cadets I will never know but it was good fun! One thing I did notice was that there was very little fraternisation between Cadets and Officers. I still have great respect for those Deck Cadets that came through the Cadetship system; they learnt their seamanship the proper way, hands on. As a matter of interest my salary whilst onboard 'Chantala' was £15 a month! That was in 1960. My fellow Engineer Cadets were D.Fox, K.Alderwick and S.Tilston.