Grandad and Dad both liked to act the part on the job. Dad had a battered old Merchant Navy peaked cap, old donkey jacket and submariners boots. Huge big sea boots they were. He had folded down the tops of them, and with his dark tanned features, his black curly hair and deep-set eyes, he looked like the pirate Captain Hook. When it was cold he also wore a lovely fisherman's guernsey he had bought from one of the fisherman's wives that used to sit by the harbour-side knitting, up in Scotland, years ago, as they waited for their menfolk to return. It was so heavy I could hardly lift it. Grandad was just as bad. He had a battered old Merchant Navy mates hat too that he wore at a rakish angle, like Dad, and when the weather was cold he would wear a big American Air Force sheepskin flying jacket. We have a photo somewhere of him, wearing them, sitting at the head of the boardroom table on board the Wellington, moored on the Thames embankment.

The Wellington is still there and I always smile when I see her. Dad had got the job of painting her, and took on Grandad and Bobby as helpers. One day I remember Dad was in a foul mood over Grandad, which was quite common I might add.

"What's the matter with you," said Mum.

"I'm sacking the "Old Man" tomorrow," said Dad. All the family except Jeffrey and me called Grandad the "Old Man".

"Why, do you want to do that - have you been arguing again with him," said Mum.

"He'll send us broke," said Dad, "He keeps dropping the brushes in the water and losing them. And he gets more paint on us and himself than he does on the ship".

Mum laughed at him, even though they were huge big paintbrushes that Dad had bought new and were very expensive.

That Sunday morning when Dad and I went round to Nan and Grandad's, as we always did, I was aware of the smell of turps as soon as the front door was opened.

"What on earth have you been doing to him," sad Nan, before we even got our feet in the doorway.

"What do you mean", said Dad guardedly, thinking she was going to scold him for "sacking" Grandad.

"Well I can't get a civil word out of him. He's still trying to get all that paint off himself. Did you drop a full tin over him or something, he says it's the last time he'll ever be doing you any more favours!

 

HMS Wellington is a Grimsby class sloop, formerly of the Royal Navy. During World War II she served as a convoy escort ship in the North Atlantic. She is now moored alongside the Victoria Embankment as the headquarters ship of the Honourable Company of Master Mariners where she is known as HQS Wellington. Up to the outbreak of war in 1939, various proposals were examined, including the purchase of the four masted barque, the Archibald Russell - which incidentally was sold to British Iron and Steel Corp (BISCO) for scrapping in 1947, and was delivered to the Scrap Yard by Grandad.

Built at Devonport in 1934, HMS Wellington served in the Pacific mainly on station in New Zealand and China before the Second World War. During the war, Wellington was fitted with two 4.7 inch and one three inch guns. Additionally, anti-aircraft guns were fitted for self defence. Depth charges for use against submarines were also carried. The Wellington served primarily in the North Atlantic on convoy escort duties. She shared in the destruction of one enemy U boat and was involved in Operation Dynamo, the evacuation of troops from Dunkirk. She arrived at her Victoria Embankment berth in December 1948 to continue service as the floating livery hall of the Honourable Company of Master Mariners.