see former members below

We had a really great time at our 2022 THAMES RIVER CRUISE FROM HAMPTON COURT TO RICHMOND   on Thursday, 30th June 2022

Some 10 members were present. Iris and David came for Lunch but did not do the boat trip and Martin turned uo for a pint prior to a wake at Thames Ditton, one stop down!

People really enjoyed themselves abd want to do it again! Which we will!

Colin Crawford

Chairman

We had a good meeting on the 9th of June. Some 30 of us werer there and most stayed well into the afternoon. Maybe we are starting to venture out a bit more! So we look forward ti seeing y’all in October

Newsletter Printing and Postage

Members attention is drawn to the high cost of postage and printing of the Newsletters sent out by mail.

More frequent news and updates could be provided if members had their Newsletters only on line.

Those members who still receive their Newsletters by post are encouraged to make a donation towards the extra cost involved. If you receive your Newsletter by post but are willing to accept it on line instead, please advise when paying you Membership Subscription.

Sealink RSA Website

For the latest news and details of what is going on take a look at our website www.sealink-rsa.org

A password is required to access to the Members Area which can be obtained from Colin Crawford.

Colin Crawford (Chairman)       John Sellar (Treasurer)                Martin Maybrey (Minutes Secretary)

Tel: 07836 693 977                    Tel: 01702 582547                           Tel:  01483 893209.

e-mail  john.sellar22@yahoo.co.uk

Peter Blanthorn (Newsletter Editor)

tel: 01672 870492

e-mail: pab700@gmail.com

Travel Facilities

It  has been identified that there is a level of ‘privilege fares’ available on Eurostar which is lower than the FIP fares publicised up to now.  These are called ‘Safeguarded Fares’ (SF) and can be obtained by anyone who has a valid Staff Travel Card that doesn’t have Endorsements 5, 6, 9, 10 or 11.

To buy a ticket at these prices, you will need to show your Staff Travel Card as well as your FIP card.  These ‘Safeguarded Fares’ tickets are only available from a Eurostar station or can also be obtained via International Rail (www.bookmyrst.co.uk).

Example fares are shown below:

The contact telephone number regarding FIP tickets is 0333 003 0423. More details can be found on the

website, www.bookmyrst.co.uk The website itself is well worth a look.

REMINDER : The Social Gathering now begins at 12.30pm.

News of members who have sadly left us fin recent years

WE list these small notices below in case members might want to refer to them

PAM NICE

John Sellar writes: I am very sad to have to tell you that Phil passed away yesterday at the Nursing Home where he has been for the last three months. He was one month short of his 100th birthday. Fortunately, the cause was not the coronavirus but old-age. His family were with him.

His son, Terry, tells me that, as is the case these days, there will be a memorial service in due course. Regards, John

UPDATE ON Jim Sherwood FUNERAL
Given today’s exceptional circumstances, Jim Sherwood’s funeral was attended by immediate family only.

Simon Sherwood has advised:
Jim was buried on Thursday June 4th 2021 at 11am. It was, as planned, in the private burial plot that the parents have in our local village church alongside their garden. In attendance were family: Mother, Rachel and I, Charles and Rosemary and the 5 grandchildren.
Some day we will be able to arrange something – when this virus is beaten – and we will be able to remember Jim’s life together – a life full of achievement, joy, food and wine (definitely!), laughter and friendship.
Thank you again for all the notes and letters of support.

Charles Sherwood has circulated a rather wonderful Family Tribute below:

FAMILY TRIBUTE for Jim by Charles Sherwood

Jim, or Grandpa, will be remembered for all sorts of extraordinary achievements and we will have a moment one day to celebrate them all. But right now, I want to focus on just one, what I see as his greatest achievement: this family, his entire family gathered here.

Jim came into a family without a father and changed the lives of everyone in it. It was very much a family wedding. As we all know, I gave Mother away; Simon was Best Man; and we all went on the honeymoon together. Simon and I shortly after took on the new family name. Under English Law there could be no question of adoption, because we were over 18. It was only four decades later that Jim discovered that, harking as he did from Kentucky, he could adopt us under US Law. And so, at the age of 84 our stepfather formally became our father and adopted his sons of 57 and 58. Both sons cried like babies.

I have often heard it implied that a stepparent or adopting parent is a somewhat watered-down version of a biological parent. I have thought about this a lot recently. I disagree and, in many cases, I actually think the opposite is true. I love my children totally. But I did not choose them. I chose to have them, but I did not choose them. Basically, I had to accept whatever Mummy produced on the day. Jim chose us. Now that beautiful girl on his arm, with the Greek goddess looks, might have deserved a bit of the credit too, but it was a package deal.

I don’t think Jim found family life entirely easy at first. He loved having a family — that was very clear — but, as a bachelor for all those years, he had got used to making his own plans without bothering to consult others. Tradition has it that when such men are set in their ways, nothing ever changes. But it did. He cared and he adapted.

Jim brought things alive. It was exciting to be around him. There was always a new project; or a wildly different way of looking at something you thought you’d already made your mind up on. Some of those ideas were quite whacky like ‘never hire a man with facial hair’. I didn’t always agree with his opinions, but I always wanted to know what they were. Among much other good advice, it was his suggestion that Simon and I went to Harvard and that has clearly had a major influence on our lives.

Above all Jim was just fun to be with, from the very go. I remember racing through Codicote village in that Maserati with Jim giggling mischievously at the wheel; his blue eyes twinkling; and Simon and my excitement elevated further by the sure knowledge that Mummy was horrified. And then there were the holidays in Vail and on Barinia and the Christmas’s here at Hinton.

This family is what it is because of Jim. I don’t say because of him alone. Mother of course played a major role, not least bringing up two young sons in those very early years; and every generation plays its part in building a family. But this family would not be the same without Jim. He was its head in a rather traditional, even out-of-fashion, way. He was its head. And we are going to miss him terribly. But we are also going to thank our lucky stars that he chose us.

Reminiscences and memories about Jim Sherwood

Colin Crawford writes: I was asked to write a piece for the Retired Railway Officers Society

Jim Sherwood – President of Sea Containers (SC) and Orient Express (OE)

This note is a series of reminiscences and memories of someone who was rather unique and enterprising. I first met Jim Sherwood in around March 1984 when he visited the ships and ports at Harwich Parkeston Quay of which I was the General Manager. He was considering bidding for Sealink. He asked to meet my Management Team and freely answered their questions. I then took him for a thorough tour round the port.

He won the bid to buy Sealink. We started to discover the differences privatisation would make, as well as working with someone who was his own corporate planner. Jim substantially knew exactly what he wanted. He created a subsidiary company (British Ferries Limited) to own all the Sealink businesses. The first board meeting was held on MV St Nicholas en route to the Hoek Van Holland.

Jim managed the many SC and OE individual businesses and companies by discussing in great detail and with some precision their business plans with them each autumn; and by controlling capital spending. The businesses were largely left to run themselves commercially and operationally. Only if there was a major incident or ship breakdown was it essential to ensure Jim knew before the media!

In 1989 I went to work at Sea Containers House in London SE1 in SC Property. There were many excellent group Vice-Presidents and senior managers, nearly all appointed by Jim.

He got Essex County Council to reclaim about one-third of the Bay so they could construct a road across it! SC retained some of Bathside Bay including the Train-Ferry Terminal. One day Jim said he wanted to see the TFT. I had been responsible for this facility for some 15 years. On the one day Jim came to see it, vandals had set fire to the long-arm Pier. Jim subsequently told his secretary that he had enjoyed a wonderful time fighting a fire in old Harwich!

We then drove up to Great Yarmouth (GY) to look at the Ro/Ro service The Isle of Man Steam Packet company (SC had a 40% share) was running to Holland. In the morning he met the Master who did not impress him with his poor knowledge of the ship. I said that I had been thinking of dispensing with his services but the following morning he made a complete mess of the berthing by positioning the bow on one bank and the stern on the other. He resigned! Jim always did widely circulated notes following his visit. To my astonishment he said that I was running a good low-cost operation at GY!

Jim loved railways and it is a great pity there were not better relations with British Rail. Jim really liked David Kirby (BRB Vice-Chairman) and if David had been dealing with it relations would have been much better. Jim often travelled on his own as he did not need an entourage like many others.
Jim used to invite me to some of his meetings and sometimes he would say to the guests that he had to leave early to see a Government Minister. At first the guests were not happy to be left with an “inexperienced” person. But I did by then have a good knowledge of how it all worked, particularly ships, ports and property and I also knew where all the spirits and liqueurs were kept so they were OK about it! At one of these meetings a guest asked me if I had been a BR graduate management trainee. Before I had a chance to answer Jim said “Yes, he was!” He had read my staff history!

SC ran a cruise ship, the MV Orient Express, from Venice to Istanbul through the Corinth Canal. The Captain was a very experienced navigator. One day the weather was very poor off the Adriatic entrance and the Captain had to heave to for a few hours. Jim was in a hurry to get to Athens so he ordered to Captain to sail but the Captain refused so Jim sacked him. The Captain said he could not leave the ship until he was relieved which could not be done at sea. The next morning when disembarking at Piraeas, Jim said “well done Captain!”

A year or two ago Jim took me for lunch in Marks Club, Charles St, W1. We had a good chat and he was very interested in all matters and in the SC people. The former SC staff were very loyal to Jim.

Colin Crawford
02.06.2020

Bob Turtle
I have to advise members of the sad news of the death of Bob Turtle on 2 March in Worthing Hospital at the splendid age of 96.
Bob was involved for many years as Secretary of our SRSA and for a similar long time he was involved with the Railway Study Association. He was employed by BR and Sealink as Train Ferry Manager responsible for the commercial activity and I worked very closely and happily with him on the Ship Operating and Terminal side.
The details of his funeral are: Worthing Crematorium (at Findon on the A24) at 13.40 (1.40pm) on Wednesday 25 March 2020. The current Government advice on avoidance of contact with groups will undoubtedly inhibit attendances.
The family has suggested that any donations in his memory should be sent to the Bluebell Railway.
In response to this Martin Maybrey writes: “Just in case anyone wants to make a donation in Bob’s memory, the Funeral Directors are Dillistone & Wraights, 27 Queensway, Bognor Regis, West Sussex PO21 1QN. I will also say that my donation is eligible for Gift Aid and the cheque will be made out in favour of the Bluebell Railway Trust, whose charity number is 292497. I think it is a nice idea if Bob’s family know how much was raised for his chosen charity, not necessarily what the individual contributions were.”
Colin Crawford

We are very sorry to report the deaths of Monty Logan, whose funeral was on 14th May; Eddie Dymott, formerly of Sealink Marine Catering and a very genuine man to work with; and of Capt Hamish Ross, formerly Shipping and Port Manager, Stranraer and MD of the Isle of Man Packet Company and latterly Owner and Editor of Sea Breezes magazine.

We include in this News some extracts about Hamish Ross from Sea Breezes by kind permission of Steve Robinson, Editorial Director. At the end of the Tribute, Capt Peter Corrin, a cherished colleague from Steam Packet days, noted that Hamish had achieved enormous personal and professional success, but “perhaps more than anything he excelled at being humane”. CC

Mike Gale

We have received the following message from Terry Conybeare –

I am sorry to be the bearer of more sad news, this time to let you know of the recent passing of Mike Gale. He had worked at Dover, Stranraer and Holyhead as well as in various of the London offices always on the Accountancy / Finance side of the business. He transferred to Ashford in 1988 but subsequently left to join British Transport Police where he worked until retirement. The funeral will be at Barham Crematorium ( near Canterbury ) at 14.00 on Thursday 17th January.  Mike was not a member of the Association he was well known to a great many Sealink people.

Frank Olohan   1937-2018

We were well represented at Frank’s funeral in Charing, Kent on 7th December. It was a very moving service but also with a lot of humour as befitting Frank’s character. The introductory music was There’ll be Bluebirds Over The White Cliffs of Dover before the Welcome and Prayers. The Lord’s My Shepherd hymn preceded a very moving letter from Edna to Frank read by the Rev Canon Lindsay Hammond. The family gave an affectionate tribute, first from his son Keith and then the poem If by Rudyard Kipling read by his daughter Janis with his grand-daughter Poppy standing by her side. Two of Franks’ former colleagues, Maurice Storey and Ray Tedman, spoke moving and humorous words about Frank. After Prayers we sang the wonderful John Bunyan Hymn He who would valiant be. The service concluded with The Commendation,  Farewell, Committal and Blessing. We left the chapel to the sound of Beyond The Blue Horizon an altogether very fitting Tribute to Frank. We then repaired to the Swan Inn for refreshments and good memories!. Donations may be made to the British Heart Foundation in memory of Frank.  CC.

John Wood

It is with very great sadness that I had to report the death of John Wood. He had been suffering from short term memory loss but Gordon Burke, Clive Pougher and I recently took him out to lunch in Deal and he was in sparkling form talking about the old times! On your behalf I have sent our sympathy, through Nicholas, to his wife Denise and his sons Nicholas and Fred and their families. I am sure members will be thinking of them.

The funeral was held on Thursday 5th July at 13.20 hrs at: Barham Crematorium Canterbury Road (A260), CT4 6QU.. Some 170 family and friends gathered for a most beautiful and dignified service at Barham.

After the introductory Mahler’s 5th Symphony Adagietto, younger members of the family read very movingly from 1 John 3 vv 14-16 in both English and French. We then sang that great Seafarers Hymn: Eternal Father Strong to Save.

Nick Stevens gave his reflections on a “Sealink Man” covering John’s earlier time at Dover during which he appointed Nick’s late father Gerry as the much loved British Rail Agent in Boulogne. We were told that John was wearing his Royal Engineers Tie in his coffin so they played The Andrews Sisters singing Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy of Company B!

Frederic Wood gave his eulogy to John Wood: Husband, father, grandfather and friend covering these four parts of John’s life in a very touching and loving way. His brother Nicholas then read Dylan Thomas poem “Do not go gentle into that good night” and finishing with some humorous words from Spike Milligan.

The  service finished with the playing of “Sailing” and “Wonderful World” by Louis Armstrong. The curtains had been left open and the congregation were invited to touch the coffin on their way out if they wished (and many did!). We then repaired to the Jackdaw Inn, The Street, Denton, Canterbury, Kent CT4 6QZ for some excellent refreshments.

It was indeed a memorable send-off for a man touched by so many people in their working and family lives.  CC

Ray Dean

We have been advised that Ray Dean passed away on Thursday 21.6.2018. . At the time of his retirement Ray was Manager of the International Traffic Accounting Centre at Southern House, Croydon.

He had been the leader of the team responsible or setting up ITAC which combined and computerised the separate Regional International Accounts Offices at Nine Elms and Liverpool Street.

We have received a notification from Ray’s family and show this below:

“Dear Family and Friends,

We write with the sad news that our dear dad, Ray, passed away in the morning of Thursday, 21 June 2018. He died peacefully at home in Brighton; his health having deteriorated over the last six months and significantly so in the last few weeks.

Dad had been in and out of hospital for short periods since Easter, being treated for dehydration, and with antibiotics. In his last week he had become bedridden, and dependent on care. His eyesight had been very poor for a while and his hearing had gone almost completely (though there were times when you did wonder how bad his hearing actually was as he would surprise you – definitely a case of selective hearing sometimes!). It was very sad to see him failing in this way as he was still of sound mind. Unsurprisingly, he had wished to be released from this life for some weeks.

We managed to help him carry out his wish of remaining at home with the help of some excellent carers, who, for the past month had been with him 24hrs a day and so he was not alone when he passed on.

We are of course sad, but relieved that he is now at peace and with mum. Having reached the grand age of 95, we prefer to celebrate his life rather than dwell too much on our loss.

All are welcome to attend the cremation service, which will take place at 12.00 noon on Wednesday, 25 July at The Downs Crematorium, Bear Road, Brighton.

With Best Wishes

Bryan Dean & Carolyn Skidmore

Carolyn 01224 321410 or 07866 185078 or email: caraskids@gmail.com

Bryan (home) 01483 455007 or 07703 814506 or (work) 01483 467476 or email: bryandean489@btinternet.com”

John Gray

Jean Gray has  been in touch to say that her husband, John died on 9^th May.

He had been quite ill since before the New Year.

The funeral took place last week and one of his sons and family flew over from New Zealand.

I expect most members of the SRSA will know of John since in his latter years with Sealink he headed Travel Facilities including Orient Express bookings.

Before that I believe he worked in the Car Ferry Centre at Victoria before he and I joined Ted Grover’s safety team in 1979.

About ten years ago he moved from High Wycombe to Discovery Quay in Falmouth so that even in his latter years he could maintain his interest in all things maritime by keeping a daily eye from his window on the marine activity in the harbour.

Click here to download this tribute to the late Hamish Ross – PDF

Peter Blanthorn has forwarded these e-mails from Terry Conybeare

—– Original Message —–
From: terry.conybeare@talktalk.net
To: Martin Maybrey
Sent: Thursday, September 29, 2016 7:53 PM
Subject: David Barwell

Good evening Martin,
I attended David’s funeral today where I estimate there were approximately 200/250 other people but regrettably only 5 of us representing his business colleagues – 3 from Dover, Steve Buhlman from Newhaven and me.
However I managed to obtain details of the Undertakers:-
Donations, in memory of David, for Cystic Fibrosis Trust may be sent c/o Masters and Son, Masters House, Lewes Road, Lindfield, West Sussex RH16 2LE.
See you in October,
Regards,
Terry.

From: terry.conybeare
Date: 21 September 2016 at 20:20
Subject: David Barwell
To: peter blanthorn peter

Good evening Peter,

I have just been notified by our Marine Officer’s Club that David Barwell has passed away and wondered whether Sealink Retired Staff were aware because David was well known to a great many people.

The only information so far is that the cremation is to be at 13.30 on Thursday 29th September at Worth near Haywards Heath.
If I hear any further details I will pass them to you.

Regards,

Terry Conybeare

David Barwell was appointed Superintendent Engineer-in-Chief to the newly formed BR Shipping and International services Division in 1968 when I myself joined. This appointment carried on through Sealink UK Limited and under Sea Containers ownership. He was a really nice man to work with and very courteous. We are very pleased that in his later years he renewed his interest in SRSA and enjoyed coming to our meetings. In his leisure time he rebuilt dozens of sports car engines! We shall miss him! Colin Crawford

.

For members who wish to renew their Membership,only, please use the form below, and send to –

Miss P. Nice – 22, Albion Court, Sun Street, Billericay. CM12 9LB
e-mail pam.nice@zen.co.uk telephone number: (01277) 651902
ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION 2017
I enclose a remittance for £_________ made up as follows:
Annual Subscription: £ 10.00
Donation: £_________ (Voluntary, but gratefully received)
Total: £_________ Payable to – SEALINK RETIRED STAFF ASSOCIATION
Name_____________________________________________________________________
Address___________________________________________________________________
Post Code_________________________________________________________________
Tel.No ___________________________ E/Mail _________________________________
N.B. Receipt only with S.A.E

From: Gary Stubbings
Subject: Where are they now? 1974-1982

Message Body:
My first employment on leaving school in 1974, was at British Railways (SISD) at their Liverpool Street headquarters. People I recall, among many, are Andy Stannard (who I knew from our Broomfield, Essex, Cricket Club, all those years ago, introduced me to the job and assisted me to get an interview at BR), Steve Wiggins (his brother Andy), dear old Bert Gibbins, who (in that era we were allowed to smoke cigarettes in the office) let his cigarette get down to the very end of his ‘fag’ before immediately lighting another one. Gerry James, John Humphries, Gill Norman (from Herongate in Essex). Roy Woods (who used to stink the office out with his Camel cigarettes!), I also recall when the Christmas cigarettes came along (as ‘thank you gifts’ from contacts etc, ‘new starters’ like myself, were left with what was left. No nice tipped Rothmans, B& H etc as Bert Gibbins and Gerry James etc took those!) A lot of us moved on to the Sealink UK HQ at Eversholt House, Euston. Names that come to mind are Linda Tierney who ‘became’ Linda Sacre after marrying Phil. David Dunn. I ‘celebrated the first part of my 21st birthday’ (October 5) in the King’s Arms which was directly opposite the office. Linda (Tierney) was there as was a girl called Hannah. Still got photos of those days (football trips to Calais, Rome, organised by the lovely man Mr Marsh). Other names have come to mind, Peter Manley, Michael Franks, John Gibb, Barrie Lovell, Dave Jenner). And I’ve still got a few of the old Sealink magazines, (a quarterly publication). Afterwards, I got the post of sports editor at the Essex Chronicle newspaper, a role that I held for 21 years before the role was made redundant. Still working though to pay the bills!! It would be great to hear from any former friends/colleagues, and if I’ve missed anybody out from those above, I apologize. Those years to me were great times and I made a lot of friends.