Not many of us left?
 

Am surprised and disappointed by the few ex-Ellerman staff who seem to be around - especially compared with similar size companies. Is our survival rate that much worse? I remember in the early '70s the company started giving senior staff private heath checks but soon had to stop as too many were being invalided out :very_sad:

Still here Tim.65 to 78
Alan

'71 to '77 but am also surprised at how few ex Ellerman people seem to be on sites like this

Joe Quain

Greetings JoeQ and welcome to SH. Bon voyage.

I think, Tim, that maybe it is the reduced membership here - Most are refugees from "you know where"!

Come on, Ellermans people, respond to Tim and get posting!

Rgds.
Dave
Ex BF.

1962 to 1968 with E&B. Left for Athel when ships were transferred to Ben Line.

1960-1972 Started as Apprentice on City of Hereford, ended as 1st Officer on big 4 when they were sold and delivered to new Owners.
Passed through Denholm, transferred to V.Ships with Cenargo, ended up with Graig heavy lift tonnage.
Now working as freelance Supercargo.

Greetings Supercargo and welcome to SH. Bon voyage.

A brief but enjoyable stint with Ellermans as 3/O and 2/O from 1968 - 71. City of Eastbourne (CIP), City of Winchester and City of Brisbane (UK/Cont- S. AFR).

Because I was a Marconi employee I'm not sure I qualify , but I was the R/O on ss "City of Lucknow" from September 1961 to April 1963. Lovely ship, great guys and lots of happy times.

I confess to knowing little about Ellermans other than they were called City of Xxxx. Didn't they have an early Box Boat with Ben-Ellerman painted on the side. The TMS guy, Christopher Martin Jenkins was one of the Ellermans, so I have been told.
When was their hey-day and how many ships had they? What was their primary routes? Why were their Officers, including engineers, just that little bit more snobbish than those from P&O or BI? And don't deny it, the cock may crow three times.

When I was "promoted" ashore in 1972 ( with a significant reduction in salary) I think we were running nearly 70 vessels as Ellerman City Liners as it then became.
Christopher Martin Jenkins was the son of Dennis Martin Jenkins who was the Chairman at the time. Don't know if the family was related to the Ellermans but there may have been a connection through marriage somewhere ? We did most of the Liner Trades; MANZ, Canada -India, Far East, East and South Africa, Med,
For our sins we managed the Carchester that ran gain Canada - Manchester and also Dilkara for PAD and had a share (22%?) in ACT, Ben-Ellerman and Ellerman -Harrison,
The Carchester had what I believe was a quite unique engine - as direct reversing V12 Pielstick 2.2 with a bridge control system that has to be seen to be believed.
I haven't hear the cock crow once let alone three times as I am unable to compare and contrast our supposed levels of snobbishness :jester:

Tim I saw some time ago that Dennis Martin Jenkins had been at school with JRE jnr and that is how he got connected to the Company. Alan

Alan,]not what you know but who you know is confirmed !

Ah, but what better interview technique than nepotism? I know precisely what my nephew is capable of (which is why I inspect the stair rods before retiring). I cannot imagine any enterprise in which I would recommend his employment except, perhaps, were it that of a competitor.

Tim When I sailed with Gibby George in the City of Ottawa [ Glasgow ] he told the story of asking what the chances of a trip on the City of Edinbrough. DMJ came back with " The Ellerman Staff who transferd to Ben Line will be our reps there." he only came out to Montreal when the last was renamed. Could not get for the first [ Glasgow with Waddy as master. Alan

Hi Alan,
I'm interested to know who Waddy was, haven't heard of him before. I sailed with Gibby on the City of Manchester in 61-62 when I was apprentice, also on City of Exeter in 66-67 when I was 2nd Mate. He got promoted to Master in mid 67 and went off from his socialising job back to the real world. Andy.

Andy Waddy was J. T .Waddelton. I was Third Mate with him in the Sydney in 69/70 and Second mate in the Glasgow[ Ottawa ] in71 when she was renamed.. When I was with him in the Sydney hated his guts.In the Ottawa was starting to see where he came from. Would have loved to sail with him as Mate.When I was Second Mate in the Ottawa with George Salter he came down to the Mates cabin with a copy of a letterhe had sent too London about ships management meeting. Will not go into detail but it was on your bike . The Second Mate and Third Mate have too much work to do than to do what you want them to do. he did say " your masters Tick may be stowed in your drawer under you sox and under pants but my Officers Tickets are important to them so they willl not do these extra duties.

The point about ships management meeting brought to the surface another old memory. We were reducing the number of stewards and part of the fallout of this was that we would clean our own cabins, queue up for change of linen once a fortnight and the Super asked the Old Man to break this news to the boys. The Old Man told the Super that when he, the Super, arrived at the office one hour early and got the hoover out, emptied and cleaned the ashtrays (at that time) and then went round with his duster and mister sheen, to let him know and then he would implement it on board.

Guess who was top of the list in the next wave of redundancies ?

Cacique.

Thanks Alan, did not come across Waddy, but have seen his name on the old crew lists. Another one I didn't come across was Bellhouse. I believe his dress sense would not have gone down well with the powers that be.

Andy I never came across " Bunty " either. The thing with Waddy was when you met him his right hand came out but it was deformed. Two middle fingers missing and half of index missing. The story went about that when he was Mate in a Sam Boat he had the crowd overhauling the derricks. One heel had been lifted up and he had his hand in feeling for wear. Derrick came down on his hand resulting in the missing fingers. I was told no one knew if it was done by the crowd as they did not like him or it just slipped. He had Polio as a kid and did not have full movement of his left arm. He could still roll a ciggy with his right hand but we always left stubs of chart pencils on the table as he could not hold them and it stopped him drawing courses on the chart ! When I was with him in the Ottawa[ Glasgow ] we were in Vickers in Montreal when George Armstrong the Chief came into me about 10 one night saying there was a person in the water near the ship. The 4/E went over the side and pulled her to the Pilot ladder and we got her onboard. Waddy was great that night. Put a cop in his place when he was trying to speak to her with " Good job I come from a police family. I have all you need to know just get her to hospital." Fourth got a Life saving award.
John Welsh and myself went down the piiot ladder to get a rope round her so they could get her on board. It was June and the water was bloody cold. All the Ice melt coming down from the lakes. From what I remember she had been to the Docs. he had given hr some tablets and she had a cup of coffee and they reacted with the coffee Alan

Thanks Alan, you have interesting stories from way back. Andy.

Tim Back to the Martin - Jenkins lot. I believe it was No1 son who was " Group Financial Controller. One was sent up to Hull to close Wilson Line down and the Thiord was the Cricket chap

Also ex-Ellerman
 

I was with Ellermans from 1970 to 1980 as cadet through to 2nd Mate when I was made redundant.
Recognised at least one name on this thread and as well as other City ships also I was on aforementioned Carchester for just under a year.
After Ellermans I went to Salvesens and then few years later came ashore in nautical education.

Greetings icgiddens and welcome to SH. Bon voyage.