Leith Harbour

Around 1961

1.

Allan Dodds

Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, England

Thank you to Allan Dodds for allowing me to reproduce this photograph of one of the Ben Line vessels that he took at Leith Docks around 1961.

Allan wrote

Ben Line

"Here is a picture of one of the Ben Line's ships anchored at Leith Docks around 1961.

©

My uncle was employed at the Ben Line's offices in Queen Street and his job was to select crew members."

Dinner

"One of the Ben Line Captains cultivated my uncle, and our family were often invited to dinner with him on board a number of these ships.

My best memory is of the freshly-baked dinner rolls produced by the Chinese chefs. Compared to the Scottish baps that we were used to, they were simply out of this world!

My uncle was kept sweet by these regular invitations and the Captain thereby managed to persuade him to choose the crew that he himself wanted, rather than the one that might have been foisted on him by my Uncle using Ben Line's criteria."

Allan Dodds, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, England;  November 9, 2011 (3 emails)

Recollections

2.

George C McDowall

Thank you to George C McDowall who saw the photo above of SS Benhiant taken at Leith Docks in 1961,  and wrote

1961

" ©

"I was 2nd electrician on board SS Benhiant when this photo was taken in 1961.

I did a coast and deep sea voyage to the Far East, but left after one voyage.  The Chief and i did not get on.   I called him a few names;  he was from Liverpool. 

The ship was a bit of a rust bucket,  I put my hand through the bottom of one of the winches on the main deck"

George C Mcdowall, Livingston, West Lothian, Scotland:  March 5, 2015

Leith

Recollections

Recollections  -   Contributors