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Michael Wilson

Michael belongs to: The Doxford Engine Friends Association

Michael was born in West Sussex and went to school in London. He came to the North East to study at South Shields Marine College. He is an engineer in the merchant navy.

Michael was interviewed by Carl Greenwood on 26 January 2006. The interview took place at Sunderland Museum and lasted 25 minutes and 9 seconds.

Photograph of Michael Wilson

First voyage and New York

"My first voyage I joined a ship down in, a ship called the Veletia"

My first voyage I joined a ship down in, a ship called the Veletia down in dry dock in Sillicock’s down in Falmouth and did a fortnight down there, which I suppose the only highlight I can remember was watching England win the World Cup. I remember sitting in a pub there watching that and we then sailed from there to Venezuela where we loaded crude oil, a heavy crude and took that back to Sweden, and we then returned to Venezuela and then we did a couple of runs up to New York, where I got my first chance to go ashore and see New York in all its glory, because, I mean, we had, we, I mean, for a tanker we had, what, a couple of days to unload the cargo, which was totally unheard of nowadays. You know, so, but New York was quite an interesting place.

Mainly I suppose we just went sight, sight seeing. I mean, I remember going up the Empire State Building, which was a, you know, tremendous experience. But it was just the sheer enormity of it, really. I’ve been used to London and big cities, big buildings, but to see New York, especially when you come into the Stapleton Anchorage and you’re gradually moving in, and then you see these lights on the horizon, it was evening time, and it was absolutely tremendous. It just got bigger and bigger.

Michael has 16 memories in the memorynet:

Michael's memories with a Lifestyles theme:

•  Training and apprenticeship
•  Following his father to sea
•  Changes in the merchant navy

Michael's other memories:

•  First voyage and New York
•  Leisure time and crew sizes
•  Living conditions in the merchant navy
•  Communication from sea
•  Safety at sea
•  Meeting George Gardner in Shanghai
•  Joining the Doxford Engine Friends Association
•  Decline of the British shipping industry
•  The Doxford engine at South Shields College
•  Students at South Shields College
•  Apprenticeship agreement
•  Photograph of michael
•  Continuous Certificate of Discharge

This memory has these themes:
Travel | Work

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