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Photograph of Harry Chamberlain

Harry Chamberlain

Harry belongs to: The Coble and Keelboat Society

Harry grew up on the Lawe Top in South Shields. He served an apprenticeship on the tugboats and worked on the Titan Crane. Harry is a member of the Coble and Keelboat Society.

Harry was interviewed by Carl Greenwood on 31 January 2006. The interview took place at South Shields Museum and lasted 1 hour, 20 minutes and 15 seconds.

Photograph of Harry Chamberlain
Photograph of Harry Chamberlain

Leaving the tug boats and moving to the Titan Crane

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"I was paid off, I hadn’t been off, I think it was six that were paid off"

I was paid off, I hadn’t been off, I think it was six that were paid off, tug boatmen. Laid, they were laying tugs up, scrapping steam jobs, diesel tugs didn’t need as many hands and things like that. And my brother was on the Titan Crane, a hundred and fifty tonner up the river, and I was told there was a fireman’s job on her. And I got the job on the Titan Crane, went up to Lesley’s and she was alongside a big Bank ship putting engines in.

And I got the fireman’s job on her, and I done, I think I had done about 14, I served me time on the tugs and done another 10 years and I came out of the tugs. The rest of my time was on the Titan Crane, you know, I’ve done about 25 years on the Titan Crane.

But the Titan Crane was a static crane, it had two steam engines but not quite enough if there was a tide and everything, there were heavy winds she couldn’t go on her own so at 99 times out of time she would need a tug to tow her from A to B.

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This memory has these themes:
Change | The North East | Work

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