I just did the one trip on the Joya Mc Cance , signing off in Immingham on the 10th December, 1960 along with the rest of the Hartlepool crew. I wished I had not as I was offered my rating as Assistant Steward by the captain when he was doing his inspection one week end.
He said he would see the Chief Steward about it. I told him that I wanted to get more experience on other ships, but really I did not want to take that step yet (foolish lad). I did not keep a dairy or take pictures of the trip, anyway I didn't have a camera. The trip was great. I was a lad of sixteen and had not been away from home apart from my time at Gravesend Sea School, and the sights and the scenery around me was something taken from a film. Once I got over the sea sickness and the routine of the job I was starting to enjoy the trip. I was working most of the time in the pantry at meal times, then cleaning the Engineer’s quarters, making the bunk- beds , scrubbing the deck in the alleyways and any other jobs that needed going , but I still found time to go on deck to see the sights when time allowed me to. I wished my mates at home could have been with me and seen what I was seeing because I could not have been able to describe it to them.
The sea, sun, sight, and smell of the land what an experience! I did get my photo taken a few times by one of the Assistant Stewards on board the ship. He said that he was going to get them developed and give me them, but that was all forgotten when we signed off the ship and he never ever sent them on to me. The only crew I remember well are Kenny Kay, Assistant Steward; Dave Horsley, Ordinary Seaman; and little Jacky Horsley, Able Seaman, who took me ashore and looked after me. Great days.
Paddy Riley.
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Joya McCance - voyage details
