John D Hobley MinstR -- Engine Room Boy (1970)

[John D Hobley FinstR]

Hi As promised in my last post and for those interested, these are a few pictures on my journey to joining the QE2 from my joining the Prince of Wales Sea Training School in Dover, Kent, England which used to train young men to have a career at sea to one of my first pay slips.
Others would have followed a similar route. in deck or engine room careers. However, I would also guess not too many with Cunard as they didn't take too many young recruits like this too often in those days. The majority were sent out to join BP and Shell Oil Tankers or Union Castle line and a few with P&O.
Enjoy anyway.

[John D Hobley FinstR]

Apologies one posted twice so here is the First letter I sent back from the QE2 to my training school.

[Isabelle Prondzynski]

Wonderful memories, John -- what an experience for a young boy!

Looking forward to reading some more when you get the chance. You and your fellow students look so smartly turned out -- and what an excellent letter you sent back, no wonder it got published!

[John D Hobley FinstR]

Thank you Isabelle for your comments. Re the letter I have to remember I was just a very excited 16yr old when I joined the PWSTS with my first time away from home.. but not homesick.. the adventure was to exciting to let me get homesick. I joined the QE2 in New York as I say just turning 17 in 1970..
Just to put some names on faces.
1. I am pictured with my late mother.
2. Group Picture at training school I am one with tilted head.
3. At the school recreation ground I am one on bottom left.
Thanks again for taking time to read it and hope it helps paint a story how we all arrived on the QE2 over the years and as you can see, it was in many ways and from all walks of life and at many ages.
Bye for now
john

[Lynda Bradford]

Thanks John for posting a fantastic record of your experience on QE2 and at the Prince of Wales Training school.  This information is priceless and it is a privilege to read your story. 

I noticed there is a big reduction to the gross pay noted on the pay record, but I suppose the net take home pay would have been a reasonable amount for a young man training on the ship. 



 

[June Ingram]

Many thanks, John, for your remembrances.  It is wonderful to read about your experiences !  And do keep telling us more !   

[Chris Shaftoe]

Ex-PWSTS and QE2 engine room boy here too, but in 1972.

[John D Hobley FinstR]

Hi Chris. Nice to know that the PWSTS continued to put crew forward. I'm sure you must have got up to all the things we did albeit two years or so later.. Amazing times that we will never see again sadly..Its really sad but I guess inevitable that things would change at the school and even more so when finnaly the PWSTS closed its doors in the end. So many other young boys missing a great start to life.. Not easy times but somehow great times looking back. I do occasionally go onto their web site to see posts and videos that have been placed on there and find it very interesting. Although sad to see the building in the last picture and video I saw close to a building site. Especially after so many but in time brief and short memories.
I hope you enjoyed working on board the QE2 as much as I did.? How long did you stay.? Did you also go back to Dover to continue training.? Did you also crew the launches as I was allowed to do when not working down below.? Stan Childs was ine if the Chiefs I also served under and later met him at his home in Southampton by chance when I became a Refrigeration Engineer working on equipment at his home. That was a suprise to see him answer the door lol..
Good to hear from another PWSTS...! And engine room boy too. Excellent.!

[Diane Barker]

Hi there
Am I correct in thinking Februarys pinup on the right is Neil MacKenzie!!
A friend from the Countess in the 80’s, great fun

[Lynda Bradford]

Hi Diane thanks for posting the question. Is it the 2023 Calendar February photo from John Hobley that you are referring to?



John could not remember his fellow crew's members name, but he did remember he was Scottish, so every possibility it could be Neil MacKenzie.  Perhaps John will see your post and respond!

Extract from Gallery album:

John Hobley working on launches during cruising season 1970/71
As a trainee in the engine room my Chief Engineer allowing this when I was not on duty or watch, to enable me to see many of the ports we visited and to gain experience on boats which were also our lifeboats. Not to mention that the overtime payments were also gratefully received..lol I can't remember the name of my fellow crew ( but he was Scottish) but on my very first trip on the QE2 at the age of 16 we also shared a cabin for a brief period

[John D Hobley FinstR]

Hi Diane and Lynda.
Thank you for posting and reminding me after all these years and yes it was indeed Neil.
We only shared a cabin for my first ever cruise after my flying in joining the QE2 in NY. Because I had been allowed to join the Tender Crews by my Chief Engineer we also had great fun on the tenders too even after I moved to engine crew accommodation. So our cabin sharing I believe from memory was November to April when we docked in Southampton after the winter cruising period. I guess then it was because we were both so young and engine room crew accommodation couldn’t accommodate me being so young as I had joined as Engine Room Boy. After my first leave back in uk I rejoined the ship and was then placed with engine room crew and for this next trip sharing a cabin with an engine room crew member. The next trip I was fortunate enough to be given my own cabin until I left. I remember to this day that I was so excited but equally very nervous about joining a ship so far from home and family at such a young age but Neil was so helpful and friendly I couldn’t have asked for a better start to life on board. So a huge thank you to Neil from me and I hope life has been kind and good for him as he was to me and fun to be with too.

Goodness that’s so long ago now that picture but just shows the the information that is stored among us all on this site. Once again thanks for memories.
jd.