Today is Remembrance Sunday, albeit much different during Covid-19 lockdown than usual. Back in December 2004 I added the following details of one of my FAVOURITE SHIPS to my TEESSHIPS website.
*****
Back on Remembrance Day 11 November 1961 (in the days when everything did stop for two minutes at 11.00am on the actual day itself) I visited Tyne-Tees and Dents Wharves and noted the name of one ship as the Y. MESERRET. Obviously an oldie even then, and I don't know whether my interest as a 16-year old (just by a few days) showed that much but, for whatever reason, a passing customs officer asked if I would like to go on board - my first such invitation in almost one year of ship observing. All I now remember is that the interior of the ship seemed very dingy and the captain's cabin, such as it was, was an opening covered by a very heavy and, I think, extremely dirty curtain. That's all I can recall but having since read about the apparent delights of Turkish tea, that did not feature as part of my brief inspection.
Over the years and particularly through membership of the Teesside Ship Society since 1964 I have since visited quite a number of ships - but this one still obviously sticks in my mind. When I next went to the library to consult the register I looked in vain for a ship with the name I recorded. Only when I looked at the compound names section (then in a separate volume) did I find her true name was YENI MESERRET.
Early this year (2004) Mike Helm wrote as follows:
As a young lad, my "playground" was exploring old freighters and warships laid-up after WWII in my home
town of Barrow-in-Furness. I became an avid ship fanatic in my teens upon acquiring a decrepit Kodak
box camera. That was around 1957 when the majority of ships carrying iron ore, coal and wood pulp to local
industries were REAL ships. My hobby interest has continued through the years and has crossed the ocean
to Canada, where I now live.
The reason for writing is remembering a reference you made some time ago to a "real old tub" the Turkish
YENI (Y.) MESERRET (5272 GT) at Dent's Wharf in 1961. I knew I had photographed her in Hull at about the
same time but only recently came across the negative which I have now scanned (copy of photo attached). I'm
in the process of digitizing my collection which spans almost 50 years. Eventually I'll start my own web site.
Anyway, this photo was taken on a typically murky, east coast autumn day (11th October, 1961) when berthed in Hull docks. As you know, she was built in 1920 as TREWYN. By the time I saw her she must have been almost at the end of her days but was reasonably well kept, belonging at the time to Deniz Nakliyat ve Ticaret Limited Sirketi, Istanbul.
You have my permission to post the photo on your web site, should you wish. Keep up the good work!
Mike Helm
*****
YENI MESERRET, Turkey, 5272gt, completed by Readhead's at South Shields 2-1920, ex Messeret-59, ex Salando-49, ex Moni Rickmers-40, ex Trewyn-37. 1962 broken up.
Today (2020) Miramar records: wrecked Green Is, Hong Kong 1.9.62 & BU Gin Drinker's Bay. Additionally, however, it also adds: L as WAR GANNET
See also: http://www.tynebuiltships.co.uk/T-Ships/trewyn1920.html
Here is Mike's photo: