Portsmouth Dockyard men who went to sea with HMS Blake | Nostalgia

Here we see dockyard men whilst on sea trials on HMS Blake in the late sixties.
By Bob Hind
Published 26th Apr 2020, 19:20 BST
Dockyard tradesmen who went out on HMS Blake trials 1965 to 1969. Picture: Barry McNie collection.Dockyard tradesmen who went out on HMS Blake trials 1965 to 1969. Picture: Barry McNie collection.
Dockyard tradesmen who went out on HMS Blake trials 1965 to 1969. Picture: Barry McNie collection.

She was a light cruiser and from 1965 - 1969 underwent a major conversion in Portsmouth Dockyard to become a helicopter and command cruiser.

Barry McNie was an apprentice shipwright and is second from right in the middle row. This picture is of the various tradesmen who took part in the trials.

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Barry recalls: ‘At the time there was a famous clairvoyant called Maurice Woodruff and a rumour started that he predicted a ship beginning with the letter B was going to sink. ‘A lot of us were relieved this did not happen, to say the least!’

Anyone remember visiting the oyster catcher’s house in Langstone Harbour? Picture: Pat Kinsella collection.Anyone remember visiting the oyster catcher’s house in Langstone Harbour? Picture: Pat Kinsella collection.
Anyone remember visiting the oyster catcher’s house in Langstone Harbour? Picture: Pat Kinsella collection.

Back row (l to r): Colin Knight, John Nash, Fred Briars, Paul Bailey, Dave Harris, Tony Silsbury. Middle: Jim White, Anon, Ray Chalk, Mick Huntley, Barry McNie, Peter Wrightson. Front: Bill ?, Anon, Wally Britten, Clive Lucking, Roy Fudge.

• Anyone remember the oyster catcher’s house in Langstone Harbour?

This photo is from Pat Kinsella, of Guildford, who found it among old papers.

It seems a man with the surname Russell lived there. He moved off the island in the 1950s and the house fell into disrepair.

Related topics:John Nash

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