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.
Joining the Doxford Engine Friends Association
"Basically I got involved in it because George was meeting various, various people there and he invited me along"
Basically I got involved in it because George was meeting various, various people there and he invited me along, and plus my neighbour John Watson who lives up the street from me was an apprentice at Doxford’s so he knew, I informed him, I think, about it, I can’t remember who did what and then been sort of, go along to meetings if and when I’m home so it’s been sort of linked in that way. Plus the fact I’m the only one who can go there and give my ill feeling of Doxford engines, which is totally different because everybody thinks these engines are wonderful and we need to sail on them, I found them the most appalling things to work on. I had a five month voyage on one, and I can honestly say it was the worst trip I ever did at sea.
Interviewer: And why was that?
It was just the whole general condition of the ship, and people, personnel, you know. But the engine was, had been bastardised, really, and it was just really thrown together as far as I could see and to do any job on it was a major issue, it certainly wasn’t user, user friendly. So hence I say I’ve never really liked Doxford engine, so I’m one of the oddities of it.
Michael has 16 memories in the memorynet:
Michael's memories with a Change theme:
Changes in the merchant navy- Leisure time and crew sizes
- Living conditions in the merchant navy
- Decline of the British shipping industry
Michael's other memories:
- Training and apprenticeship
- Following his father to sea
- First voyage and New York
- Communication from sea
- Safety at sea
- Meeting George Gardner in Shanghai
- Joining the Doxford Engine Friends Association
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:
Community
Use this form to add your comment to the memorynet: