John on the left

2nd Officer Southampton Castle

Email from Gina 2013

Best thing that happened to me (during my first Party on board the Windsor Castle – still in Southampton, awaiting sailing), was that I met my future husband for the first time.  

He was then the 2nd Mate, John Simpson, and had been at sea virtually since leaving school (Berwick Grammar) when he was 17.  

The date we first met was 4th November 1971, and we were married exactly one year later to the day – 4th November 1972.  

We had a wonderful life  together – I “retired” from shipboard life on my marriage because at that time we were not allowed to work on the same ship, but spent two years coasting or voyaging with John when I could, until the birth of our first child, Helen, in September 1974, followed by Kathryn in December 1976.  

Following Kathryn’s serious illness in the Spring of 1977 John made the decision to pursue another (still sea-based) life where he could have closer contact with his young family, and in March 1978 we all set off for Dar es Salaam in Tanzania, where he served for 4 years as Port Pilot followed by 4 years as Harbour Master in the port of Tanga.  

In 1980 our son, Duncan, was born in Dar,  and in 1986 we made the decision to return to the U.K. so that our three children could settle in English schools.  

Sadly John died in 1988, but over the years I have tried to keep up connections with a number of shipboard acquaintances from my short time at sea, plus many sea-faring colleagues from our 8 years in Tanzania.   

Clansman - June/July 1973

Service Record

From

To

Clan Stewart

Cadet

4/1961

5/1961

Clan MacLennan

Cadet

6/1961

7/1962

Scottish Lion

Cadet

8/1962

1/1963

Clan Farquharson

Cadet

1/1963

2/1963

Richmond Castle

Cadet

4/1963

5/1963

Clan Menzies

Cadet

6/1963

11/1963

Tantallon Castle

Cadet

12/1963

4/1964

Pendennis Castle

Jnr 4th Officer

5/1964

12/1964

Clan MacTavish

3rd Officer

1/1965

11/1965

Clan Ramsay

3rd Officer

3/1966

5/1966

Clan Ranald

3rd Officer

7/1966

7/1966

Clan Grant

3rd Officer

8/1966

1/1967

King Alexander

2nd Officer

1/1967

5/1967

Clan MacDougall

2nd Officer

7/1967

2/1968

King Henry

2nd Officer

3/1968

7/1968

Clan Ramsay

2nd Officer

8/1968

5/1969

Elizabeth Bowater

2nd Officer

7/1969

9/1969

Southampton Castle

2nd Officer

12/1969

11/1970

King Alfred

2nd Officer

11/1970

5/1971

Clan Robertson

2nd Officer

7/1971

10/1971

Windsor Castle

2nd Officer

11/1971

2/1972

Clan Ross

Act Chief Officer

2/1972

10/1972

Clan Menzies

2nd Officer

1/1973

1/1973

Elbe Ore

2nd Officer

1/1973

2/1973

Clan MacGregor

2nd Officer

3/1973

4/1973

Clan MacIntosh

Chief Officer

7/1973

7/1973

Clan MacLeod

Chief Officer

8/1973

5/1974

Clan Alpine

Chief Officer

5/1974

7/1974

Clan MacNair

Chief Officer

8/1974

9/1974

Clan MacIver

Chief Officer

11/1974

2/1975

Clan MacLaren

Chief Officer

5/1976

8/1976

Clan Malcolm

Chief Officer

12/1976

10/1974

Left Company

1974


Died

1988


Memories of John

John Simpson

John on the right with Gina his future wife

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