Pendennis Castle

GTPX

PENDENNIS CASTLE was built in 1958 by Harland & Wolff at Belfast with a tonnage 28582grt, a length of 763ft 2in, a beam of 83ft 9in and a service speed of 22.5 knots.

She was the largest and the last ship built for Union-Castle as subsequent buildings were ordered by British & Commonwealth. Due to a dockyard strike she was named on the 10th December 1957 but not launched until 24th December.

Based on the earlier Pretoria Castle design, but considered to have an ungainly profile, her internal layout was the first to differ significantly since the Arundel Castle set the pattern. (A matter of opinion, I think she ranks as one of the most beautiful ships to have ever been built - CNI)

She commenced her maiden voyage on 1st January 1959 on the Southampton- Cape Town-Durban mail run and was the first ship to have Stewardettes - waitresses in the dining room.

She was withdrawn from the mail run on 14th June 1976 and replaced by Blue Star's refrigerated cargo liner Andalucia Star but in Union-Castle livery.

Sold to Ocean Queen Navigation Copr. of Panama, but Philippine owned, she was renamed Ocean Queen.and arrived in Hong Kong on 9th August 1976 where she was laid up.

In 1978, still laid up, she was renamed Sinbad by Kinvarra Bay Shipping Co. of Liberia and later in the year was renamed Sinbad 1. Four years later, in April 1980, she arrived at Kaohsiung in Taiwan for breaking up.

Originally intended as an 'upgraded' "Pretoria Castle", as usual the company was not flush with funds, she was on the stocks when the Cayzer family took over the company.

The Cayzer's were a shipping family of the old school, as opposed to the accountancy minded fraternity, they at once saw that the ship as planned would be old fashioned before she was launched. If the company was to compete with Mr. Boeing and his 707, something very much more modern was required.

At the fitting-out berth at Harland & Wolff

Launch of Pendennis Castle - 24 December 1957

Launched without ceremony on 24 December 1957

Fire at Southampton - 1968

Master	From	To
G E Mayhew	1/1959	6/1960
H A Deller	6/1960	7/1962
J P Smythe	4/1961	6/1961
N M Lloyd	7/1962	12/1962
G W Lloyd	12/1962	2/1964
A J Hort	3/1964	5/1964
R A D Cambridge	5/1964	3/1969
R M Wright	8/1967	9/1967
A A Freer	3/1969	5/1970
H Charnley	9/1970	2/1973
H Dryden	12/1971	1/1972
P St Q Beadon	4/1972	6/1972
P St Q Beadon	9/1972	10/1972
P St Q Beadon	2/1973	5/1975
R J Miller	3/1974	4/1974
J Catterall	7/1975	6/1976

Maiden Voyage - January 1959

Pendennis Castle Left Southampton 1 January For South Africa
Master	G Mayhew
Chief Officer	H Dryden
First Officer	N Upham
Second Officer	P Eckford
Third Officer	W Kirkbride
Fourth Officer	H Hobbs
Ex Fourth Officer	J Taylor
Jnr Fourth Officer	E Syring
Surgeon	J Donald
Purser	L Harding
Staff Purser	H Riddell
Second Purser	P Crowther
Asst Pursers	W Eastmond
Purser’s Clerks	W Blanden R Funnell M Hackett Miss E Archdale Miss J Green
First Radio Officer	P Williams
Second Radio Officer	R Hough
Third Radio Officer	J Cagney
Fourth Radio Officer	P Bedwell
Nursing Sister	Miss G Prince
Children’s Hostess	Miss M Emson
Band Leader	J Skene
Carpenter	F Tizard
Bosun	W Taylor
Painter	J James
Chief Engineer	D Abercromby
First Engineer	C Wall
Second Engineer	R Tozer
Int Second Engineer	J Wassall
Jnr Second Engineer	P Broadway
Snr Third Engineer	R Taylor
Int Third Engineer	J Ringshaw
Jnr Third Engineer	S Tyrie
Snr Fourth Engineer	D Watson
Int Fourth Engineer	L McIlraith
Jnr Fourth Engineer	J Garvell
Snr Fifth Engineer	R Jones
Int Fifth Engineer	E Bevan
Jnr Fifth Engineer	D Wayman
Snr Sixth Engineer	D Gardner
Int Sixth Engineer	J Everest
Jnr Sixth Engineer	J Rennix
Seventh Engineer	J Black
First Electrician	H Gregson
Second Electrician	A Taylor
Third Electrician	M Butler
Fourth Electrician	A Diaper
ER Storekeeper	C Pyne
ER Leading Hand	J Carr
Chief Steward	E Bloomfield
Second Steward	R Noble
Extra Second Steward	A Jenner
Chief Barman	W Meyer
Storekeeper	J Paglia
Head Waiter (1st Class)	W Miller
First Tourist Steward	A Harrop
Head Waiter (Tourist Class)	B Munden
Laundryman	S Cersell
Chef	A Garwood
Extra Chef	H Laight
Baker	H Hainsworth
Butcher	L Nicholson

Ship’s Officers - 1960

Tthis picture is to mark the elevation to Commodore of Capt H Deller in 1960

Pendennis Castle Left Southampton 10 November For South Africa
Master	H Deller	Chief Engineer	E Tuck	Purser	M Bain
Chief Officer	D Rees	First Engineer	A Russell	Second Purser	K R Donald
First Officer	J Taylor	Second Engineer	J Wassall	Asst Pursers	R J Funnell G Morris
Second Officer	E Paul	Int Second Engineer	M Warren	Purser’s Clerks	C Rutt H Sayers Miss D Oppenheim Miss M Curzon
Jnr Second Officer	B Fry	Jnr Second Engineer	J Foottit F Staelhly D Helm	Surgeon	J Donald
Third Officer	N Creaser	Snr Third Engineer	D Stangroom	Nursing Sister	Miss E Bate
Fourth Officer	D Howell	Int Third Engineer	G Grocombe	Children’s Hostess	Miss L Flower
Jnr Fourth Officer	W Codrington	Jnr Third Engineer	F Gilbert	Chief Catering Officer	L Cooper-Thorne
First Radio Officer	P Williams	Snr Fourth Engineer	J Everest	Second Cat Officer	S Tupper
Second Radio Officer	P Thomas	Jnr Fourth Engineer	T Warren
Third Radio Officer	J Walker	Junior Engineer	A S Reen J Jonker M Woollett J Merry W Castle
Fourth Radio Officer	J Doran	First Electrician	J Cunningham
		Second Electrician	B Rowe
		Third Electrician	A Read

Ship’s Officers - January 1969

From Left to Right

Back Row: Chris Dadson, Peter Fealey, Adrian Woodgate, Peter Stubbs, ?, Colin Deller, ?, ?, Ian Bell, Brian Raynolds

Middle Row: ?, Cliff Williamson, Arthur Jenner, Fiona Gillies, ?, ?, ?, Di Coleman, Irene Govett, Mike Mears, ?

Front Row: David Bristow, John Latham, Bill Finlay, A Foster,Commodore Cambridge and his daughter, Dennis Tourell, Jack Eastmond, Dave Morris

Pendennis Castle Left Southampton 20 December For South Africa
Master	R Cambridge	Chief Engineer	A Forster	Chief Purser	D Wickenden
Staff Commander	D Tourell	First Engineer	W Findlay	Purser	D Smith
Chief Officer	D Morris	Second Engineer	S Robson	Purser Catering	A Jenner
Second Officer	R Ward	Extra Second Engineer	S Simpson	Second Purser	C Deller
Extra Second Officer	R Tallack	Jnr Second Engineer	J Webster W Ritchie H Armstrong	Second Purser Catering	C Williamson
Third Officer	A Fussell	Snr Third Engineer	B Maynard	Third Purser Catering	C Dadson
Fourth Officer	A Binder	Int Third Engineer	J McGurdy	Asst Pursers	B Reynolds A Woodgate
Cadets	N Precious	Jnr Third Engineer	G Burbidge	Purser’s Clerks	P Stubbs D Coleman I Govett
First Radio Officer	D Bristow	Snr Fourth Engineer	N Rowse	Junior Purser Catering	P Fealey
Second Radio Officer	W Eckersley	Jnr Fourth Engineer	S Evans	Hostess	J Paynter
Third Radio Officer	L Bell	Junior Engineer	G Snow J Berry	Children’s Hostess	C Hutchinson
Fourth Radio Officer	J Johnston	Chief Frig Engineer	M Thomas
Surgeon	J Latham	Second Frig Engineer	R Shirley
Nursing Sister	F Gillies	Third Frig Engineer	T Rolfe
		First Electrician	E Wilson
		Second Electrician	W Street
		Third Electrician	A Wink

Pendennis Castle on her Maiden Voyage, 1959.

The keel of this vessel had been laid down shortly before the take-over of Union-Castle Line by the Cayzers and she was subsequently lengthened, equipped with technical innovations and given luxurious accommodation by the designer, Jean Monro.

Artist Norman Wilkinson

Pendennis Castle

Artist Roger H Middlebrook GAvA

Pendennis Castle - Art Gallery

Pendennis Castle at Cape Town

Water Colour by Tony Westmore

Senior Staff on her final mail voyage

From Left to Right

Arthur Jenner (Chief Catering Officer), Jack Eastman (Purser), Arthur Wigham (Staff Commander), Bob Gemmell (Chief Engineer), Capt Stan Catterall (Master), Tony Hodge (Chief Purser), Dr Mike MacNamara (Surgeon), Ralph Hough (Chief Radio Officer).

She was sold to Filipino owned “Ocean Queen Navigation Corp.” She departed for Hong Kong on July 7, 1976, arriving on August 9. She was given an attractive new look with a white hull and a gold-brown funnel. The intention was to use her as a cruise ship, but this never eventuated.

She remained laid up in Hong Kong until 1978, when she sold to a Liberian Company, Kinvarra Bay Shipping who renamed her Sinbad I, but, remained laid up.

Having been idle for four years, she departed Hong Kong in April 1980, heading for Kaohsiung, Taiwan where she was scrapped.

The delivery voyage over, Pendennis Castle alongside at the Hong Kong United Dockyard (HUD)

Withdrawal from Service - 1976

Pendennis Castle Left Southampton 23 April For South Africa
Master	J S Catterall
Staff Commander	A Wigham
Chief Officer	D B Morris
Second Officer	A Blakeley
Extra Second Officer	P I Philpott
First Radio Officer	R Hough
Surgeon	M MacNamara
Chief Engineer	R Gemmell
First Engineer	W Chirnside
Second Engineer	B Gillott
Extra Second Engineer	M Malone
Jnr Second Engineer	I Cochran
Snr Third Engineer	J Le Voguer
Chief Frig Engineer	P Yuile
First Electrician	H Windsor
Chief Purser	A J Hodge
Cruise Purser	M P Mears
Purser	W J Eastmond
Chief Purser Catering	A G Jenner
Second Purser	M Warner
Second Purser Catering	K Hanson

As Ocean Queen

As Sinbad

Life after Union-Castle Line

Vessel

Built

Service

Tonnage

Pendennis Castle

1958

1959 Deployed to The Cape Mail Service replacing Arundel Castle

1976 Sold to Ocean Queen Navigation

28582

Official Number

Ship Builder

Engine Builder

Engine Type

Screws

300793

Harland & Wolff

Belfast

Harland & Wolff

Belfast

4 x Steam turbines

46000 SHP

There was nothing they could do about her basic construction, she was far too gone for that, but she could be lengthened to accommodate Denny Brown stabilizers and given a more stylish profile.

Whether it was these modifications, or whether it would have happened in any event, I cannot say; the strains of the ship's hull in a seaway were taken up, in the upper decks, with expansion joints, visible as brass covers across the decks.

These joints allowed the hull to flex without damage. But the "Pendennis Castle" suffered all her life with cracks in the windows of the accommodation, clear signs that the hull was flexing more than expected. But she was a very popular ship.

Sold to Ocean Queen Vavigation Corp - 1976

Steaming slowly down Southampton Water on 7 July 1976 bound for Hong Kong via Suez