Bill, I have it on good authority that it could 
well have been you saw only the early days of 
SSM. It was due to my uncle (who had joined SSM 
in '69 and had been on the pool since first 
going to sea in '42) who swung my vote against 
joining any number of the larger Companies on 
leaving HMS Conway. His opinion was that they 
were the best he had sailed with in the 31 
years he had been sailing by the time I was 
ready to sail. I along with the other 
contributors to this site can tell you SSM was 
the finest, and perhaps because of the Hungry 
Hogarth image they tried that much harder to be 
so.

If I could make a suggestion without it being 
taken in the wrong vein, I suspect you have not 
clicked on the message board? If this is the 
case please try it. It should give you an idea 
into the adult rather than nascent SSM. 
Unfortunately agreat many contributions are 
mine, but there are plenty of others as well.

You may even find yourself compelled to swing 
the lamp for us about the bad old days and post 
a few yarns? You might even wonder what may 
have transpired had you stayed! I for one would 
be interested to read objective tales of the 
ships before I had the good fortune to join 
them.

Alas Billy you do not accept the truth too well.
I sailed on the Baron Kinnaird in 1967 and it 
was a miserable experiance. Drunken crew, short 
of supplies mail wrongly directed, lies told to 
crew and miserable food.
THe crew on the verge of mutiny.
It was 8 months of wrongs.
Next Baron Pentland where all crew fire 
including capatian.
Baron Cawdor fresh from shipyard and already an 
outdated ship.
Don't tell me that all was well as I was there 
and I know that memory tends to block out the 
bad and only the good times are remembered.
It was a misererable experiance and although I 
was offered a contract I was fortunate not to 
have been fooled by the promises of greater 
thing. Captains that served their time  with 
Hogarths were dropped lkike old shoes.
We all are allowed our opinions without the 
recourse of petty slurs  so you keep your happy 
times and I will rememebr it as it was when I 
was there 

So - Capt Ross - we have our first discordant 
guestbook entry. The rest of us enjoyed every 
minute of our time with SSM and look back 
fondly on special times and memories. I fail to 
understand the mentality behind visiting our 
site and feeling the need to denigrate 
something a great many of us still hold dear. 
Mayhaps you would be better suited to avoiding 
the site altogether to ensure no further 
unpleasant memories are invoked. It could also 
have been the case that SSM were pleased you 
made the change. But then I doubt that occurred 
to you.

Last ship was first mate on the Baron Cawdor on 
her maiden voyage fro Norway.
Glad I made the change as they were a miserable 
lot to work for.
Still had the 50's mentality and ways of doing 
things

I sailed on the Cape Horn in 1957 on her maiden 
voyage as junior engineer, and later sailed on 
the Cape York as 4th engineer, great memories 
of those ships. Chief engineer was Bob Carney 
and on the york, Davie Scott

Hi! to everybody,
I've been trying to bring up the guestbook for 
a couple of days, could'nt access it somehow, 
has Wally been at it again Ian! Great job on 
the site though, thanks to both of you for 
setting it up.
Very much enjoy reading the messages from my 
old shipmates which bring back many memories, 
most of them good! Val McCourt, glad to see 
you've found your nich in life, Murdo McRae is 
in Sydney Val, if you are still there & want to 
get in touch with him let me know & I'll give 
you his email etc.
Jamie Pyper & I have been working as Pilots on 
the  Firth of Forth now for many years with a 
few more to go!  
Made the reunion a couple of years ago with 
Jamie Pyper & Ian Waters, hope to make it again 
this year to see some of my old friends again.
Henry 
    

This is Pat Honan Tony's wife writing on his 
behalf as he is away at sea. He is working with 
Vela International and does 4 months away and 
home for 4 months. Val McCourt ( Val Dez) see 
you have written in guest book. Do you remember 
we sailed on Cape Race in 1980/1981 and I put a 
photo of you plus Trickey Dickey and Stuart 
Lauderdale on website actually gave photos to 
Flan Howard who put photos on web. You should 
recognize yourself . Tony hopes to go to 
reunion this year. Peter Brennan out there do 
you recognise yourself in Strathclyde Police 
car we met you in Cove when we visited Val 
Walker in May 1987. Hope you Linda and 
Christopher are well. I hope to go to Glasgow 
with Tony in Dec so we will meet up. Anyone out 
there who remembers the good old days on Cape 
Race drop us a line and I will pass on message 
to Tony. Rgds. Pat Honan

Hello to all who sailed with me 73/81 still at 
sea although working on Large Yachts these days 
semi retired ,in fact docking in Sydney tomorrow
I get around quite a lot these days so I may 
even show up at a reunion .Does any one have any 
info on Bob Dempster who was my mentor as third 
Eng when I was cadet on the Cape York

sailed on the cape horn and the baron renfrew in 
the seventies , met some great people and had 
fantastic times

Great to see an SSM sight I recognise a lot of 
the names I was one of Jim Greys boys 73/81
Cadet/third engineer

SAILED WITH SSM IN 70,S AS GP1 FOR ABOUT 7 
YEARS STILL AT SEA YET WORKING OFFSHORE AT 
MONENT ON ACCOMADATION BARGE.

My first trip with SSM was as engineer cadet on 
the Cape Race in Sept 77, Eddie Ling paid off 
when I joined. and my last trip was also on the 
Race, or the Belhaven, can't remember, in 86. 
Saw half the world and enjoyed it, mostly. 

SSM was an education in the ways of the world 
and gave an excellent grasp on failures in 
machinery which has kept me in good stead to 
this day. 

I can't recognize a lot of the names that have 
signed the guest book underneeth, but I know 
Tony Honan, he was on my first trip and again 
on another one, can't remember where, allthough 
tricky dicky showed up again somewhere as well. 
anyhow, my best regards to all that I sailed 
with and hope that I get to catch up with a lot 
of you all again, although, being on the US 
west coast, that may be difficult. However, if 
anyone is still sailing and hits Puget Sound, 
get in touch and e-mail me your schedule.

Regards

Dougie
 

Wonder if there are any ex. Hogarh 
Apprentices,1952 - 56 era, still around. my last 
baron boat was "Baron Maclay" left '56 the Palm 
Line then piloting until retirement 15 y.a.g.

Hardly seems like 30 years ago I was a
first-tripper on the Grenville! But it is! Served
most of my cadetship on her with single trips on
the Grafton, Race and Otegal.

Great site - thanks to webmaster and everyone
else for the memories.

Sailed on the Cape Wrath in 1974 as 4th Engineer.
also saw her in Falmouth Docks in the late 70's
after she had been sold to the Indians. Nmaes I'm
afraid are vague but I would like to get in touch
with Norrie (his last name might be Ramsay) who
was third Engineer, I hope someone can help.

  Long may your......
               "LUMS REEK"....
  PARAHANDY, WOULD BE WELL OUTCLASSED,
  All the best,
              With a view of the north sea, and 
Aberdeen Bay, from my house,
              Alls Calm....
         Slainte Mhor, Nicky Reilly.   

i sailed with ssm in the 1970s on the following 
vessels cape horn cape leeuwin cape rodney  
baron renfrew  baron ardrossan baron mclay. i 
had many wonderful times with wonderful people  
from memory jimmy russell peter shotton john 
sander billy wilson  oz mccormack ian gibson 
hughie mc lennan con gallagher duggie mcguire 
and many more . i am now shoreside with diageo 
and would love to hear from any of those 
mentioned or anyone else who remembers me thanks 
for the memories.

Deck cadet with H.Hogarths fron 1962 and then 3 
mate. First Master was Capt John Pearson and 
first mate Doug Innes on the Baron 
Pentland.Last SSM ship was the Cape Nelson in 
about 1969/70.Regards to anyone who can 
remember me.

Dear Sir,
I would like to sail on one of your vessels, are 
they any vacancies, for 3rd or 4th Marine 
Engineers.
Please advice me in this regard.  My e-mail: 
lexy@ihug.com.au
Thanking you in anticipation.
Yours faithfully
Alexander Saldanha
Melbourne
Australia

Thanks to Jim and Ian for the info regarding 
the reunion.I think Dougie MacLachlan is going 
this year.Sandy Ralph,Ally Bruce,Lenny Manson 
and I are all on the same ship.It is like a 
mini reunion.Al