From the General Botha Old Boys Association Muster List

Godfrey White, a Capetonian, left Sea Point Boys’ High School to start his sea-going career at the “General Botha”.

On leaving the “General Botha” he joined the Clan Line and served in a large number of their ships. He wrote his Second and Chief Navigation Officer’s examinations in Cape Town while employed by Clan Line.

When Springbok Lines was formed, he was transferred across from Clan Line to them and when Springbok and Safmarine merged he was absorbed into the Safmarine fleet, sailing on a number of their ships.

On obtaining his Master Foreign Going Certificate he joined the Harbour Service in Cape Town where, after one year and the Suez crisis, he rejoined Safmarine as a Chief Officer and served on a number of their ships.

He then joined the Sea Fisheries as Chief Officer and Master on the “Africana II”, after which he took up a stevedoring position with Grindrod Cotts in Port Elizabeth. During this period he became involved in marine surveying, taking over Norman Caseley’s Marine Surveying business in Port Elizabeth, placing it under his own name and running it for 8 years. He then left Port Elizabeth to take up a marine surveying position with Rennie Murray in East London.

Having developed the taste for surveying, Godfrey then took a position as a Marine Surveyor and Examiner with the Department of Transport in Durban, rising through the ranks to Principal Ship Surveyor and Examiner. He was then transferred to Cape Town with the Department and later when it became the South African Maritime Safety Authority, serving as Surveyor, Principal Officer and as a Senior Examiner for Master and Mates, until his retirement.

Since retiring Godfrey has been involved in lecturing in nautical subjects at Northlink College Maritime Campus until Northlink closed the Maritime Campus.

In 2012 he was lecturing part time, assisting deck officers to prepare for the SAMSA oral examinations.

Godfrey married Eileen Manthey, a local Port Elizabethan, in that city in 1967.

They have two children, and four grand children. His son has followed the family tradition and is serving in the South African Navy.

Godfrey and Eileen are living in semi-retirement in Sunridge, Table View, Cape Town.