Volume Eight - Pre-Victorian to the present day - more aspects - Sea Breezes Article 1989 - 'Boyhood Days on the Bristol Channel' . . .

I find that an excellent account given the number of years that passed between serving on the ship in 1952 and his writing of this account in 1989. Two responses to the article were subsequently published in 'Sea Breezes' [290] ; one being from Captain Gunn of the 'Ravenswood' at that time. Sadly both writers, Clive remarks, now serve on the great ship in the sky!

Bristol Service - 'The excellent article contributed by Clive Spencer (Boyhood Days on the Bristol Channel) prompts me to write of my own experience with P & A Campbell as an assistant purser and operator in 1946-47. In those days Campbells were managed from Bristol, the managing director being William Banks.

The company then possessed 15 ships, the largest being the twin-screwed 'Empress Queen' in which I served. Unfortunately, our one and only experience on the Bristol Channel from Briton Ferry, Wales, to Ilfracombe was not a success as we struck the pier and damaged our bows. left - The 'Empress Queen' on her first visit to Ilfracombe in June 1947 from one of Chris Collard's wonderful accounts of the White Funnel Fleet. [306]

It may interest readers to learn that the sons of the original founders of the company were still employed by the firm as there was a clause written into the company's charter that they could not be dismissed during their lifetime. Alec Campbell, a large jovial man with an eye for the ladies, was chief engineer of the 'Ravenswood' and was extremely popular with the officers and passengers. Bob Campbell and his brother (whose initials I have forgotten) worked as agents on Weston-Super-Mare pier.

Unlike the crew, who were engaged for the season only, the officers did not receive National Maritime Board rates of pay but were employed during the winter in painting the interiors of the whole fleet. It was cold work and meals had to taken ashore in Burles Cafe, opposite 'HMS Flying Fox' (the RNVR training ship), in Hotwell, Bristol. During the winter all heating was shut down, only lighting being provided.