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Jim Porter - On my
second voyage (The Northern Stars third) while attempting to berth
in Wellington the ship hit the wharf and was badly damaged. (See
attached cuttings.) We were stuck in Wellington for five days while
repairs to the damaged hull were carried out.
Eric Osborne
1960 - greaser, engine room. I well remember crashing
into the dock in Wellington, had a great time with extra shore
leave. Went to Greenwich Museum and found a model of the Northern
Star, made my old ticker jump more than one beat. Someone was
telling some children about it and told them that the where
passengers cabins were, I think I upset him when I told him that he
was pointing to the crew quarters and at the cabin that I use to
live in for 8 wonderful trips.
Chris Luty I was a
catering boy on the Northern Star from 31.10.1974 to the 15.05.1975.
Which I believe was her last voyage taking the ten pound immigrants
to Australia/New Zealand. My cousin Sean Drury was a barman on the
ship and got me the job. One of my jobs was collecting plates from
the aft restaurant and taking them to the galley to be washed. It
was a fantastic experience for a lad fresh from Merchant Navy
Training School. I also had a unofficial job waiting on in the 'PIG
and WHISTLE' where I got good tips!! I remember the ship being
repaired in Sydney for repairs to the turbines/boilers. There always
seemed to be problems with her engines but she was a good ship with
a great crew. I have fond memories of my time aboard her.
R E Taylor QSM fwwfn Was a
passenger on round world trip 1964 to 1966. Was on board for
Christmas and New Year 64-65. Oh I wish I could do it again. We used
to say SS stood for slow starvation, fools we were, the grub was
fantastic. Put on a heap of weight.
John Dixon I went on this ship
from Singapore to Freemantle in Australia in February 1974 and it
was a very rocky 7 days. There was a disco called Juliana's on board
at that time and we were in the very bottom stern room on that boat
and it was really austere at the time I was 19 yrs, not a ten pound
Pom but it was a ship/jet thing.
Still fond memories and somewhere I have some photos.
Norman Peters I
travelled on the Northern Star at the end of 1963 and the start of
1964, when my family decided to re-locate to the UK from Australia.
I was 6 at the start of the 6 week voyage, and had my 7th birthday
on the Panama Canal. I remember well the Crossing the Line ceremony,
great fun. Ports of call included Wellington and Auckland, NZ;
Papeete, Tahiti – where a stowaway was discovered after the ship had
left port; Acapulco, Mexico; Panama, Trinidad and Tobago; Curacao;
and then a Force 8-9 storm across the Atlantic. We landed at
Southampton in snow. A beautiful liner, I had a great time and was
bitterly disappointed to find she had been broken up for scrap. I
have a vivid memory of thousands of frozen lambs being taken on
board in NZ. My dad’s home movies show me “steering” the ship,
spinning the wheel on the bridge. A wonderful time.
Pat Hirst (Saunders)
I was 13 when I travelled from Sydney back to the UK with my
parents. We were on board for Christmas. I know there were problems
with both the engine and stabilizers. There were lots of New Zealand
families on board and teachers going to do exchanges with UK. I can
say I have wonderful memories of this ship and the trip. I now have
a passion for cruising which I'm sure The Northern Star help create.
Steve Farbrother
Baker served on my only ship the Northern Star, 4 great years, saw a
lot, learnt a lot more. Yes she did have her troubles, I seem to
remember losing a screw off Aus and hitting some lock gates in the
Panama canal. Oh happy days. Chief baker called Ron, I worked on
nights with a great chap from Gloucester call Fred. This was
1968-1972.
Ian Haywood I was on
the Northern Star's maiden voyage, boarded the ship with my family
in Durban to travel to Sydney (travelling from Rhodesia). I recall
my father leaving our hotel early one morning to go to the harbour
entrance and film the ship coming into Durban harbour. There was a
lot of fun on that ship for a kid, although I was only young at the
time but still remember a lot of that voyage. I recall the pub /
tavern, there was a band playing on board. I think they were called
the Ted French Four, I still remember them playing with monotonous
regularity every day the tune "They have a Lot of Coffee in Brazil".
I was also fortunate to travel on the Southern Cross back from New
Zealand to Sydney, and then some years later on the Southern Cross
back to Durban in 1969.
Robert Shearman
Southampton to Fremantle October 1972
Georgina Tunstall (nee
Bowley) I was a passenger on the Northern Star in 1969 arriving in
Freemantle May 1969. I was only 5 back then but have fond memories
of the pool and Captain Neptune. I would like to chat to others who
were on the Northern Star during this voyage.
Freddie Bargiacchi
The Northern Star was my first ship, after 10 weeks at the National
Sea Training School in Denton Gravesend. Joined her in Southampton
July 1973 as a catering boy of 17 was the youngest to get my rating
on the ship at that age and became a “Winger” they gave me the
aircraft carrier up the back of the Aft ressie...... man o man happy
days! Done several meddie cruises then the £10 pom trip out to oz,
seven and a half months out there doing Pacific cruises out of
Sydney....... Suva, Latoka, Apia, Numea, Pango Pango, Raratonga. I
could go on and on “Happy Memories” such names as Link Jeffries, Bob
Ganley, Chris Velagas, George Patterson. To name but a few! Come to
mind wonder what they are doing now?
James Ryan
I travelled onboard the Northern Star from
Southampton to Melbourne, via South Africa, in the Spring of 1969. I
was a ten pound Pom. It was a wonderful experience.
I was a hairdresser on
The SS Northern Star 1970-73. I worked for Steiner’s my name was
Maxine Davey and worked
with four other girls.
Michael Ward I emigrated
to Australia leaving Southampton in 1970. I still have all the ships
deck layouts showing cabin numbers etc. plus my ticket. I would be
interested to communicate with anyone who was on the same trip.
Anne Coulter I sailed to
Southampton from Sydney in Oct/Nov 1972 via the Panama Canal. I
would love to connect with other passengers or crew who were on the
ship. I would love to be able to find any folks who also travelled
to Southampton on the Northern Star in December 1972. It was a great
experience for me as a young nurse going to England for my first
overseas trip.
Please click here for photos of Anne.
Mick Barrett I was seven
years old when I went on the Northern Star and I remember it well. I
had a girly crash on my waiter whose name was Charlie and I bought a
grey toy cat which I still have and every kid wanted it. I went to
see my brother in New Zealand who I think worked on the Northern
Star for a while till he meet his wife onboard.
Bob Kavanagh I left
Melbourne on the Northern Star March 1965 and arrived in Southampton
in April 1965, is there anyone who did the same trip?
Gwen Bramhall
I sailed on the Northern Star from MELBOURNE to Southampton in
December 1967 and was on her when ran aground on the reef in Tahiti.
For passengers this was wonderful since we had 3 whole days there!
If I recall we also called into Rarotonga. How I wish I could do it
all again, wonderful memories.
Peter West -
passenger. I was 9 years old and went from UK to Perth with my
mother and father on the Northern Star in February 1964. Came back
around July 1964 on the Southern Cross. Most people were on the £10
assisted passage and we were a rarity on holiday back in those days.
We had a cabin on the Promenade deck forward on the starboard side.
I can even remember the cabin steward always telling me that I was a
lucky boy. I ran around every inch of the corridors for the
month long voyage with my on board friends and discovered pop music
in the juniors club from the jukebox every night. It was the start
of my life as a pro musician. I also swam my first strokes in the
pool with my father, and I am still swimming every day now. It all
made a huge impression on me at that age and I remember so many
details still. What an adventure.
Ann Rector I was a
nursery stewardess from 1967-68 and remember hitting the coral reef
in Tahiti, didn't know whether to grab my money or my make-up! When
the steward woke us up! Also on the same voyage earlier' the ship
caught fire whilst in port in Durban. I had gone out for an evening
meal with my colleague and followed the fire engines into the
harbour. We had to help with our passengers who were taken to the
Windsor Castle next to us in the harbour whilst the damage was
assessed, I don't think anybody was hurt there was more water damage
from the sprinklers than anything else! It would have been a
different story had we been at sea! I worked on the ship for 4
voyages around the World and a short cruise to Madeira and Lisbon.
It was very hard work since there only 2 of us in the nursery
catering for children from babies to 5/6 yr olds but it enabled me
to meet up with my brother who had emigrated to Sydney on the £10
ticket and to see some wonderful sights! I can still remember the
beautiful scent of the lei made up of the frangipane flowers and the
sound of the steel drums on the quayside in Barbados! My name
then was Ann Mallott I was known as (little) Ann and my colleague
was known as (big) Ann!
Taffy Parry A 25 pound immigrant arriving in Wellington
September 1963 via South Africa the water desalination plant broke
down in Durban and we were awarded with an extra few days exploring
Africa. I have just completed a book of my life and would like to
include some images of this journey if possible. Can anyone help?
Passenger Dec 1963 to Jan 1964
Marilyn Shoesmith (Nee
Coussens) I was a passenger on the Northern Star departing Sydney on
Friday 6th December 1963. On the Saturday night in the cinema lounge
I met an English 4th Electrical Engineer Called Roger Shoesmith. I
had my 21st birthday on the International Date line then Xmas & New
Year before arriving in England. After 1 year living in London and
Roger doing several more trips on Cargo ships we got engaged in
London were married in Sydney Oct 1965 and have lived happily ever
after in Australia with 2 children & now 2 grandsons. When touring
the UK during that stay I did get to go back on board when she was
in dry dock and get a photo of the cinema lounge to save.
I love the ship and would have loved to done a cruise on her one
day, our son now lives in Auckland & I have told the story of being
onboard when we hit the wharf.
Cheryl and Gary Whitehead,
brother and sister, along with our parents, Kit and Ken. left Durban
April 1963 on the beautiful Northern Star, and yes we arrived in
Wellington NZ on that voyage where she crashed against the wharf. As
teenagers we were rapt as it meant we could spend more time with our
friends we had made onboard. What a great time we had onboard, the
jukebox in the recreation room playing the Beatles!!! and such a
great crew, our dining room steward was fantastic, we were in awe of
him, I remember he had long sideburns!!! such great memories.
Gary Graham
(1973 Stage Manager) I was onboard when the engines blew after salt
water was put into the steam pipes by accident. We spent time in
Tunis while one engine was repaired and then limped back to
Southampton. That was pretty much the end of a nice ship.
Davis Maharaj I traveled
on the Northern Star in October 1964, going from Trinidad to
England. I bought a pen knife with an image of the ship on the
handle, as a souvenir. It was a wonderful trip and remains the only
time I spent so long at sea. It still is a wonderful memory today.
Chris Matthews My second sea voyage was as a Deck Hand
Un-Certified aboard the Northern Star. I hated it. Four hour shifts
in the crows nest were just too much. Access to the nest was via an
internal staircase within the tallest mast on the picture above. I
transferred to catering after that voyage. I later re-joined the
Northern Star as a waiter, by this time there were female 'stewardetts'
aboard. On 30th October 1975 the Captain announced on the crew tanoy
that the Northern Star would not sail again as it had been sold to
the Japanese. We found out on 2nd November 1975 that she would
indeed be scrapped. As a gesture of love for the ship: The male
waiters dressed as female stewardetts and the stewardetts dressed as
male waiters for the dinner service on the 1st November 1975. The
Purser was livid at this action but the Captain was overheard saying
'If that's all they are going to do, best of luck to them'. Sad
day............2/11/75
Derek Hain I sailed on
the Northern star from 1970 – Aug 1972 when I migrated to Australia,
I was working in the Deck department as a JOS, then SOS finally
finishing up as an EDH before quitting the sea all together. Some of
the best memories of my life was on that ship, I was swimming pool
attendant for close to six months on the around the world
trips and some of the Australian cruises which were totally wild.
Pam Murtagh - Sailed with my husband Roy from Melbourne in
November 1969 and arrived
in Southampton in January 1970. Had a fantastic time with a group of
ex-pats also going home to England. I remember the Captain telling
us we'd be passing an island called Clipperton Island but apparently
we sailed past it and had to go back and do it again. Happy days.
Linda Hill - My
family travelled from Melbourne to Southampton April 1973 cabin
b109!
Paul Tucker - steward, served from 1974 on last world cruise and
pacific cruise, which were abandoned due to engine troubles, I
remember , George (waiter) Dan (stewardess) and Derby (stewardess)
have fond memories, I wish I had taken photo, especially when waiter
and stewardesses swapped genda.
Sally Olsberg - I was in
the ships band around 1969 doing cruises out from Sydney around the
South Pacific. It was the best job I ever had. We visited New
Zealand Fiji British Caledonia Vila & many other Islands the Captain
was Captain D T Mouldy what a lovely ship & crew I do miss the ocean
life. The most exciting thing that happened was a hurricane off the
Island of Vila it was called Yolade!
Trevor & Jane Richards
entertainers 1974 - 1975. We remember new years eve, the second time
we took one look at Pago Pago and went to bed!
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