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Research in Other Countries => Immigrants & Emigrants - General => Topic started by: bibliotaphist on Wednesday 13 September 17 22:02 BST (UK)

Title: 'Oxfordshire' ship movements, Hong Kong 1957
Post by: bibliotaphist on Wednesday 13 September 17 22:02 BST (UK)
I'm trying to trace the movements of the Bibby Line troopship Oxfordshire [II] after it entered service in 1957, replacing another ship of the same name. Specifically I'm interested in its first two round trips between Liverpool and Hong Kong (via Cape Town—at least on its maiden voyage, owing to the Suez Crisis—and Singapore).

I've located the dates of its arrivals and departures in Liverpool [edit: and now Singapore], but does anyone know of a source where I might find the exact dates it arrived in and/or departed from Hong Kong? I can't find anything in the Old Hong Kong Newspapers Collection (https://mmis.hkpl.gov.hk/old-hk-collection).
Title: Re: 'Oxfordshire' ship movements, Hong Kong 1957
Post by: Romilly on Wednesday 13 September 17 22:21 BST (UK)


Seaweed on here is the resident expert on all things Naval... I should ask him.

Romilly.
Title: Re: 'Oxfordshire' ship movements, Hong Kong 1957
Post by: Jebber on Wednesday 13 September 17 22:24 BST (UK)
Sorry I can't answer your question, but your request brought back happy memories of her final outward trooping voyage to Malta.
Title: Re: 'Oxfordshire' ship movements, Hong Kong 1957
Post by: bibliotaphist on Wednesday 13 September 17 22:27 BST (UK)
Quote from: Romilly on Wednesday 13 September 17 22:21 BST (UK)


Seaweed on here is the resident expert on all things Naval... I should ask him.

Romilly.

Thank you - have send a PM.
Title: Re: 'Oxfordshire' ship movements, Hong Kong 1957
Post by: bibliotaphist on Wednesday 13 September 17 22:28 BST (UK)
Quote from: Jebber on Wednesday 13 September 17 22:24 BST (UK)
Sorry I can't answer your question, but your request brought back happy memories of her final outward trooping voyage to Malta.

 :) Some good photos of the ship on this website: http://www.ssmaritime.com/oxfordshire.htm (http://www.ssmaritime.com/oxfordshire.htm)
Title: Re: 'Oxfordshire' ship movements, Hong Kong 1957
Post by: Jebber on Wednesday 13 September 17 22:34 BST (UK)
Thank you, I have used the site in the past for the Oxfordshire and other ships.  :)
Title: Re: 'Oxfordshire' ship movements, Hong Kong 1957
Post by: seaweed on Thursday 14 September 17 00:42 BST (UK)
Sailed Liverpool 28/Feb/1957
Arrived Hong Kong 06/April/57

Sailed Hong Kong 07/April/57
Arrived Liverpool  18/May/57

Sailed Liverpool 12/June/57
Arrived Hong Kong 18/July/57

Sailed Hong Kong 24/July/57
Arrived Liverpool 21/Aug/57

Source. British National Archives Piece MT40/148

See also http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=622870.0
Title: Re: 'Oxfordshire' ship movements, Hong Kong 1957
Post by: bibliotaphist on Thursday 14 September 17 08:26 BST (UK)
Quote from: seaweed on Thursday 14 September 17 00:42 BST (UK)
Sailed Liverpool 28/Feb/1957
Arrived Hong Kong 06/April/57

Sailed Hong Kong 07/April/57
Arrived Liverpool  18/May/57

Sailed Liverpool 12/June/57
Arrived Hong Kong 18/July/57

Sailed Hong Kong 24/July/57
Arrived Liverpool 21/Aug/57

Source. British National Archives Piece MT40/148

See also http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=622870.0

Hello seaweed. Thank you so much. That is fantastic.

I see on the attached thread that you posted some images of typed pages. Can I ask - are those your own images taken from MT40/148 ?

Thank you again,
Title: Re: 'Oxfordshire' ship movements, Hong Kong 1957
Post by: seaweed on Thursday 14 September 17 11:54 BST (UK)
Yes. The image is from MT40/145 referring to EMPIRE KEN. Much easier and quicker, than taking notes. Take photographs and digest them at your leisure and of course they are always there for reference.

Title: Re: 'Oxfordshire' ship movements, Hong Kong 1957
Post by: bibliotaphist on Thursday 14 September 17 21:19 BST (UK)
Quote from: seaweed on Thursday 14 September 17 11:54 BST (UK)
Yes. The image is from MT40/145 referring to EMPIRE KEN. Much easier and quicker, than taking notes. Take photographs and digest them at your leisure and of course they are always there for reference.

Brilliant. Thanks.
Title: Re: 'Oxfordshire' ship movements, Hong Kong 1957
Post by: seaweed on Friday 15 September 17 11:16 BST (UK)
If you require totally accurate times (to the hour and minute) of dates of departure and arrival, this should  be recorded on pages 20 and 21 of the vessels official logbook.
If anywhere the logbooks for 1957 should be stored, together with the relevant crew agreements in the Maritime History Archive at the Memorial University of Newfoundland.
As these sort of documents are not catalogued from 1951, you would have to contact MUN directly. Give details of the dates your are interested in together with the official number of OXFORDSHIRE 187155. https://www.mun.ca/mha/about/orderagreements.php
Title: Re: 'Oxfordshire' ship movements, Hong Kong 1957
Post by: bibliotaphist on Friday 15 September 17 12:18 BST (UK)
Quote from: seaweed on Friday 15 September 17 11:16 BST (UK)
If you require totally accurate times (to the hour and minute) of dates of departure and arrival, this should  be recorded on pages 20 and 21 of the vessels official logbook.
If anywhere the logbooks for 1957 should be stored, together with the relevant crew agreements in the Maritime History Archive at the Memorial University of Newfoundland.
As these sort of documents are not catalogued from 1951, you would have to contact MUN directly. Give details of the dates your are interested in together with the official number of OXFORDSHIRE 187155. https://www.mun.ca/mha/about/orderagreements.php

Excellent. I hadn't thought of going to the precise time of day but I will follow it up. Adds colour to the story, and extra verification of the date from the newspaper/passenger lists/TNA records.

Cheers,