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Fishing Memories by John Bradshaw

I did my first trip in Fleetwood as a galley boy on the Wyre Vanguard. It was unusual in those days (1961/2) for an out of towner to be a fisherman. I was from Radcliffe north of Manchester, and ran away to sea at 15 years of age. I had to first do my deep sea fishing training with Bill Carruthers at the fishing school on the docks. The training was mainly for non Fleetwood people, and they came from all over Lancashire. I do have a photo from within the school when we were learning knots.

We lived in the deep sea fishermans mission on dock st. Thats where I got my first tattoo, and had to have a gold earring in my right ear before going to sea. It was good luck for the ship to have its youngest member wear an earring in the right ear (so I was told???)

After a couple of trips as Galley boy, i went through the ropes as Brassy, quarter half and into full decky. This was a bit unusual for a none Fleety…and bloody hard going. I lasted for a couple of years at this, eventually the sea sickness got the better of me, and I joined the merchant Navy out of Manchester.

I wonder if anyone remembers the training school on the docks, and Bill Carruthers?

Many years later, I look back on the discipline and lessons I learned at sea, especially on the different trawlers, and never regretted a minute of it (apart from sea sickness of course, always fixed up with cooks greasy bacon butty)

I hope my memories come in handy. I also have a half model of the Boston Seafoam, which I commissioned later in life. Its travelled round the world with me, and is now in my office in Australia!!

John Bradshaw

Below are some images John has been kind enough to send to me including 2 images of the half model of the Boston Seafoam.

John Bradshaw's Training Certificate

John Bradshaw's Training Certificate


John's Service Book

John's Service Book


A page from Johns service book, The number 125 indicates days at sea towards your decky days

A page from Johns service book, The number 125 indicates days at sea towards your decky days


John Bradshaw

John Bradshaw


Finally John's pride and joy. His model of the Boston Seafoam

Finally John's pride and joy. His model of the Boston Seafoam


A closer view of the Boston Seafoam model John built.

A closer view of the Boston Seafoam model John built.

Date: November 24th, 2008 @ 19:53

Categories: Trawler Tales

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glyn jones

in December 9th, 2008 @ 20:21

Hello John, I was at the Navigation school, Station Rd in 1957 doing my pre-sea training prior to joining the MN in ’58. The school was then mainly for those sitting fishing tickets, myself and two others where the only cadets enrolled at that time. Cpt McFarlane was the principal,Cpt Caruthers was teaching seamanship & shiphandling and Cpt Trickett was teaching signals & ship construction.
We cadets had to make tea for the lads sitting tickets and as Cpt Mc was a bit tight with money for milk(but not for Woodbines)a pint had to make about 30 cups twice a day! needless to say it was well watered down? Happy times. As a footnote, my son who now work offshore in the oil industry now attends the new college for his sea survival courses.

John Bradshaw

in December 11th, 2008 @ 08:03

Hi Glyn…Thats interesting, and I’m pleased someone remembers capt Caruthers. Do you remember at the end of training you went to the Chandlers for your kit and gutting knife that they knocked out of your wages later?

How did you feel moving from fishing to MN? I found it an absolute treat, like being on holidays, and not much use of the seamanship we had learned !!

Best Regards

glyn jones

in December 14th, 2008 @ 21:01

Aye Aye John,I was only at the school for pre-sea training prior to joining MN,I did’nt go fishing as such, so we never got any kit or gutting knives,probably we were’nt to be trusted with a knife at 15! I remember that Bill Caruthers had an old boat moored on the mud over at Knott End, which we had to go and caulk,paint etc as part of our training or so he said. It seems ironic that I went in the MN first, then ended my seagoing days trawling down in Cornwall. I was in digs in Fleetwood for 12 months while at the Navigation school, then moved to Larkholme in ’69 until the floods in ’76, still have a soft spot for the old town.Cheers, Glyn.

ron spencer

in February 13th, 2009 @ 22:49

Is this the John Bradshaw who also worked for Computervison in the ’80′s? If so this is Ron Spencer who was not a trawlweman but a CV’er! Now retired after a five year secondment with SUN Microsystems in the US.