Ronald Beswick Blogspot

  In 1984 I transferred my home port from Newcastle to Melbourne. My sister lived in Dandenong and I had many relations in Victoria. I had a house built at Cape Patterson and my aunties and cousins lived in Wonthaggi. Melbourne was a busy port and I did enjoy being there. Ronald Reagan was US President at the time and the anti war culture was active. Nelson Mandella was still in prison and Margaret Thatcher was governing the United Kingdom. General Augusto Pinochet was torturing civilians and banned Trade Unions in Chile. Sir Joh Bjelkepeterson made sure he was premier of Queensland even though most people didn't vote for him. Peter Garrett failed to become a Senator but he inspired environmentalist everywhere. Bob Hawke was the Australian Prime Minister and universal health care was reinstated. John Cain was the premier of Victoria when the transport Accident Commission was created. I joined MUSA and got to know a lot of other Seafarers that were progressive minded. The Trade ...

 Up the gangway (part 2) Japan was the first foreign country that I visited. In February 1982 I picked up the Australian Pioneer from the Newcastle Engagement centre and the Land of the Rising Sun was my next destiny. It began with a scenic Aero Pelican flight to Sydney that connected with a 1st class flight to Perth. I stayed for a night in the Westos Motor Inn and the next day flew to Port Hedland and joined the ship. It was there I met the crankiest Cook in the world. John Mackay was an Irishman who was also known as the Leprechaun. He suffered from small man syndrome and he'd argue with almost everybody. I had to spend nearly 4 months with him and I survived. The Australian Pioneer was about 126,00 tons when loaded. You could walk around it twice and you'd done a kilometre. Built in Sweden with a 7 cylinder 2 stroke engine and part of 4 ships purchased for ANL when Charlie Jones was the minister for Transport. They were called 'P Boats' because of their names and ...

  The Iron Bogong was my first engagement in the Maritime Industry. I walked up the gangway on the 28th of July 1980 and signed on as a relieving assistant cook. I didn't know much and I was about to learn how to peel spuds with a boot knife. Alan Mckeown was the chief cook that had to put up with me. I couldn't have had a better introduction to the industry. A Novocastrian catholic that went to mass and had been sober for 5 years. He knew my father, and my neighbour Joe Blatchford. He was the first person I recall to mention Paul Keating. The Iron Hunter was the 2nd ship I joined and my first permanent job on the coast. Sister ship to the Iron Bogong which was older and in better condition. They were bulk carriers that were built in Whyalla, South Australia. I'd circumnavigated Australia on the Iron Hunter and Cockatoo Island, Port Hedland, Kwinanna, Port Kembla and Newcastle were ports of call. Both ships had a crew of about 44 that included 3 cooks. As an assistant coo...

This was my van I bought on eBay from Marrackville. It was very handy but it started to cost me money. This is not my car but it arrived in 2011 and it has come in good use. My 2nd registered car I bought about 1978. Chrysler Galant! This was my first camper Nissan stubby  This was my first brand new car and it had A/C .Nissan Pulsar  

In Manchester U.K The oldest photo of me.  Possibly in Boyd Street Swansea. London My hand built boat. Burntisland Scotland New York 2008 When I turned green. With Bridget Timbertown Niagra Falls A handsome photo The selfie I took at Abbey Road Mawson's hut Antarctica Santiago chile The red boat I had repaired Early Passport Blacksmiths beach  

As you can see I was once a member of Fife library in Scotland.  In 2008 I needed a map and had to join so I could borrow. The Scottish Prime Minister of England at the time was from here!  

Many years ago (2004) I had a Hernia Operation and this happened!  

The 3 photos were taken by me in 1994 or 1995  

  The earliest record of Conner McGurl goes back to the Scottish census of 1851. He lived at Old Hailes in Prestonkirk and worked as a tailor. He was born in Ireland between 1826 and 1835 and it's likely he migrated to Scotland during hard times. The Great Famine was after 1845 when Ireland’s population fell as millions fled the place. Railways in Scotland were linking all the major cities and industry were expanding. Sewing machines were being invented and Isaac Singer patented his sewing machine in 1851. In 1861 Conner was on record as a labourer. He married Ann Coil in 1853 when she was in her teens.   The earliest record of Ann Coil goes back to her marriage to Conner McGurl in 1853. Proclamation of banns was on the 5th of June and 12th of June at the parish of Haddington. According to information provided years later they were married on the 13th of June at Potobello in Scotland.   According to census she was born in Ireland in 1834 and in 1861 was living with Conn...

I just felt like uploading photos from a few years back. My Holden van near Coolamon NSW                                                   Sunset north of Coolamon NSW

23rd of July 1983 I went to a Santana concert in Sydney.!       

  Margaret Nisbet was sometimes Margaret Nesbit! Margaret Nisbet died on the 21st March 1927 at Haddington in Scotland. The document states that she was 83 years of age but she may have been older. Born about 1841 in Haddington her Father was John Beaumont and her Mother was Mary (Wilson) Beaumont. Cerebral Haemorrhage and Senile Decay were her cause of death. Catherine Burnside was the informant at the time was her Daughter in Law. 61 Hardgate street Haddington was the residence. This was also the residence of Catherine and Andrew Burnside when they died in later years. Margaret gave birth to Andrew Burnside on the 7th November 1859 at (Quarry House Jerusalem) Pencaitland near Haddington. In 1863 a correction was made to add his father's name to his birth certificate. Andrew Burnside may have been an only child. In 1861Margaret Beamont was 20 years of age and unmarried. She worked as an Agricultural Laborer and lived with her 1 year old child Andrew Burnside. According to ...

The ship was formerly known as the "Australian Purpose." This happened in May 1990! I never sailed on the Purpose but I had sailed on the Progress and Pioneer.  

  This was the eulogy read at my mothers funeral.

Below is My fathers eulogy from 1999. I contributed to some of the information which is not entirely accurate. Dad belonged to the 39th Battalion which included some militia but the attestation he signed was to fight abroad. He was transferred during the battle which he rarely spoke about. Because New Guinea was part of Australia at the time militia were sent to the jungle which so many thought was wrong. Just remember the 118 men died in his battalion and most of those that returned to Australia wouldn't muster!   

Jonathan Beswick passed away in 1959. This was printed in the local paper at the time. This was from the Sentinel on May 7 1959  

  My grandfather was a Freemason but my father never joined. Dad was an Atheist and a lot of his mates were in the lodge but he turned down the invitation whenever he was asked. A lot of people I've admired have been Freemasons. They include Poets, Musicians, Sportsmen, and Human rights activists. I guess a lot of people I don't admire would also be members. In my early 20's I met a Butcher who joined and he had nothing good to say about them. He claims to have resigned but I have since learned that you cannot quit the lodge. I could be wrong! My first memory of Freemasons goes back to a hospital visit where they donated beds. I read somewhere that a lot of them played Rugby Union and less likely Rugby League. Was this a myth? The catholic church I believe changed the rules which allowed Catholics to become Freemasons. This might explain why they are alleged to hate each other. It's nothing more than a rivalry! In Sydney the Catholic club and Masonic club were i...

  I may have been in my late teens when Dad had a mild stroke in Adelaide. He paid off on compo and after he got better he returned to work as Chief Cook on the Macedon. From that moment I observed his health deteriorate over a period of nearly 20 years until he died. This is when Doctor Cohen at Swansea offered to write him a letter to get a TPI war pension. Dad declined because because he believed he was on too good a wage. I believe Dad also liked the company of the crew who were like family and he wasn't ready for retirement at that time. Before he died he was worried about Mum who he thought was not keeping up with the times. She was only 71 but was drinking too much and had issues in my opinion with depression. He had the Army veteran's health card and this is when he clashed with local RSL and wrote to veteran's affairs. When he died they approved his entitlement that he went without for more than 12 years and that resulted in mum getting a War Widows pension. His d...