AFT
FWD
AFT
FWD
Hi Colin
Thanks for the heads up and the offer to include something for my dad. I have put something down below.
My Dad was Christopher Humphry and I think he joined the Worcester in or around 1950. He was born 1935 and joined aged 15 so that how I am Working that out. He was the son of a dairy man in the Selsey area in Sussex and was lucky enough to get a scholarship that meant he could go to the Worcester. It was one of the worshipful companies that provided the scholarship.
I know that he had some friends from the Worcester which included Michael Eavis,
the farmer who founded the Glastonbury festival. There was also someone called Rudd-
My father won a prize for knots and also for rigging and while he found the Worcester hard going I know he found many things rewarding. He used to describe how he would slide down rigging as a dare.
He went on to get his ship masters certificate and joined China Navigation Company (CN Co) where, in his early twenties he went all over the Far East and other areas on cargo ships and occasionally as a passenger ship.
His happiest memory was being aboard pilgrim ships taking worshippers to Mecca. He used to do a run from Malaysia to Saudi and he had amazing memories of the pilgrims all lying out on the decks, music being played and a lot of laughter.
He also had a lot of stories and was the captain of the first passenger ship to enter china in the early 70s when it began to open itself up. There is a written account of the thousands that came to welcome the ship, the bands playing, dancers and acrobats and how he and my mother were taken to meet many of the local Party top brass.
He was subsequently employed by Swires and formed a base in Hong Kong. He married Jennifer Harold in 1971, had me in 76 and ultimately came to live in Somerset. We spent our holidays with him on the cargo ships.
He retired in 1990 and then took up studying French literature, getting his degree in the mid 90s.
His pastimes were reading, poetry and studying French literature.
Sadly, he passed away in April 2020.
Hope the above helps and thanks again.
Thanks
Richard Humphry
Roger Morris is to us Ows’, a quite famous OW painter who lived in New Zealand. He did many illustrations for his wonderful books and many Marine paintings. Some featured the Worcester and can be seen HERE.
Richard has very kindly passed his Dad’s painting of the Worcester by Roger Morris
over to me, for which I am very grateful and very pleased -
It will take pride of place on my wall for the next few years. I was pleased to
meet his lovely wife as well and to enjoy a cup of tea and a chat with them after
my long trip to pick the painting up.
If any more info comes to hand I will update this page.
Our Archivist is away on holiday at the moment.