The news has only just been received that David Burleigh, former Purser, died on the 30th December at the age of 87
David joined P&O in the mid 1950s as an Assistant Purser and remained at sea to become Purser. He left in 1986 and his last ship was Canberra.
The funeral will be at 12 Noon on Thursday 23rd January at the Church of St Cuby and St Leonard, Duloe, Liskeard, Cornwall, PL14 4PW.
Derek Warmington
I have received the sad news that Commodore David Brown died on the 30th November in San Rafael, California. He was 75 and had been suffering from cancer.
David joined British India in 1961 as a Deck Cadet in the cadet ship Chantala. During the years that followed he served in several BI cargo and passenger vessels before joining the school ship Uganda, remaining with that ship when, in 1971, it was transferred to P&O Passenger Division. Within P&O he subsequently moved up through the ranks to become Captain and his last seagoing appointment was Canberra. He was then seconded ashore to the Southampton office for a period before being appointed Vice President Maritime Affairs of Princess Cruises in Los Angeles. Later, he became Senior Vice President and was appointed Commodore, He retired in 2008.
His family are making plans for his ashes to be scattered at sea near Skagway in Alaska during the coming summer.
Derek Warmington
I bring the sad news that Mike Parsons passed away on Saturday 2nd November at the age of 84.
Apart from two years away in the Royal Air Force for National Service, Mike spent his whole career with P&O in Southampton. Initially he was with Escombe MacGrath & Company Ltd, a P&O company which was the Port Agency for P&O, and then from 1969 when Escombe’s closed, with the Fleet Operations Department of P&O Cruises.
The funeral will be at 2.00 pm on Monday 18th November in the East Chapel of Southampton Crematorium, Bassett Green Road, Southampton, SO16 3QB.
Derek Warmington
Bryan joined P&O as an Engineer Officer in the 1960s and stayed to become Senior 2nd Engineer Officer before leaving P&O Princess in 1985 to join P&OCL.
Derek Warmington
Froggie joined the Orient Line as an Assistant Purser in 1948 following his discharge from the army. (He had been commissioned into the Prince of Wales Dragoon Guards in 1944 and posted to India where he had remained until the end of World War II.)
During the years that followed he progressed through the ranks to Purser and was the Tourist Purser of Oriana (1) for the maiden voyage in December 1960.
He left P & O in 1974 and after a short period as Secretary of the Travellers Club in London, he was appointed Domestic Bursar of St Catherine's College, Oxford in 1976. He remained there until his retirement in 1987 at which time he was made an Emeritus Fellow of the College.
The funeral details are still awaited.
Derek Warmington
The news has been passed to me that David Roger passed away three weeks ago at the age of 80.
David was a Deck Officer with P&O in the 1960s, sailing in Himalaya, Aden and Pando Cape amongst others, rising to the rank of Chief Officer. In 1969 he transferred ashore to be Cadet Training Officer and then left P&O two years later to join Denholm Ship Management where he remained until his retirement in 2009.
Derek Warmington
Many of you will probably already be aware, Mark Elliott sadly died of cancer on the 18th September last year at the age of 77.
After attending Warsash School of Navigation, Mark joined P&O as a Deck Cadet in 1960 and served in a number of cargo ships and Cathay before leaving in December 1964. His last ship was Iberia where he was the Senior 4th Officer and it was there that he met his wife Jill who was the Children’s Hostess.
After leaving the sea, he initially joined a glass company in Manchester until in 1975 he joined a ship-broking company in London and became a member of the Baltic Exchange.
Derek Warmington
News has been received that Captain Jerry Walker died on the 18th September at the age of 71.
Jerry joined P&O Ferries in the mid 1970’s and progressed through the ranks to become Captain. His last command before his retirement in 2005 was “Pride of York”.
In 1982, he served aboard “Norland” during the Falklands campaign.
After his retirement from P&O Ferries, he joined the Humber pilot service.
The funeral will be held at 12.30 pm on Tuesday the 15th October at Chanterlands Crematorium (large chapel), Chanterlands Avenue, Hull, HU5 4EF.
Derek Warmington
Charlie was an Electrical Officer with P&O who joined in 1970 and sailed only in Oronsay until 1973 when he left to move to Australia, settling in Campbelltown, south of Sydney with his wife Maggie. At the time he left, he held the rank of 2nd Electrical Officer.
A celebration of Charlie’s life will be held at 11.30 am on Wednesday 25th September at Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Camden Valley Way, Leppington, NSW, 2179. Maggie has requested that those attending wear bright colours.
Afterwards, refreshments will be available at Campbelltown Golf Club from 1.00 pm onwards.
Derek Warmington
David joined P&O as a Deck Cadet in 1966 and progressed through the ranks to become Captain of Island Princess in 1992. His subsequent years in command included Captain of the newbuild Sea Princess before transferring ashore to assume the role of Vice President Marine with Princess Cruises and ultimately Senior Vice President with Carnival Corporation.
He will be particularly remembered for overseeing the design and construction of the new training facility, the Arison Maritime Centre, home of CSMART Academy, in Almere in The Netherlands, which opened in 2016.
Derek Warmington
News has been passed to me that Dennis Della-Valle passed away on the 31st May at the age of 90.
Dennis joined P&O in the early 1950's working within the Security & Signs Services Department. Initially based in London, he transferred to Southampton in 1969 and was based at the Peel Street office until he retired.
The Funeral will be held at 11.30 am on Tuesday the 18th June at Southampton Crematorium - West Chapel, Bassett Green Road, Southampton, SO16 3QB.
The family have requested no black to be worn.
Derek Warmington
John joined P&O as an Engine Cadet in 1978 and became an Engineer Officer in 1982. He remained at sea with P&O for the rest of his career, becoming a Ventilation Officer in 2000. He retired as Senior Ventilation Officer in 2018 due to ill health, his last ship being “Sea Princess”, which he left in April 2017.
The funeral will be at 2.00 pm on Monday the 24th June at Bournemouth Crematorium, Strouden Avenue, Bournemouth, BH8 9HX
Derek Warmington
News has only just been passed to me that Mike Sutcliffe passed away in Portugal recently at the age of 79.
Mike joined the Orient Line as a Cadet Purser in the late 1950s and by the time he left around 1970/71, he had become a Senior Assistant Purser. After spending a period with Southern Ferries aboard ‘Eagle’ where he met his wife Angela, they moved to Southern Rhodesia/Zimbabwe for several years, before finally settling in Santarem in Portugal.
The funeral has already taken place
Derek Warmington
I have received the news that John Lees died on Sunday the 28th April at the age of 84.
John spent many years at sea in the Hotel Department of P&O and P&O Princess Cruises, and will be mainly remembered as an Accommodation Supervisor. He left in the early 1980s.
The funeral will be at 12.20 pm on Monday the 20th May at the North Devon Crematorium, Old Torrington Road, Barnstaple, EX31 3NW.
Derek Warmington
The news has been passed to me by her son David that Catherine Curtis passed away on the 25th April at the age of 81. She will be remembered as Catherine Southern who was a Nursing Sister with P&O In the 1960s.
David writes:
“Catherine completed her state registered nurse training at St Thomas Hospital in 1959 and her Registered Midwifery at Whittington Hospital in 1963.
Catherine then went to sea as a registered nurse between 1963 and 1967 for P&O serving on ships including Oriana and Chusan. Catherine then worked for ICI for a year until 1970.
Catherine married Paul Curtis (who sadly passed away in 2018) and had two sons before returning to nursing in Winchester between 1977 and 1979, working in St Johns Hospital, Chelmsford from 1979 to 1984 and then working in Lee House Surgery in Danbury, Essex between 1984 and 1997.
Catherine then carried out voluntary work as a nurse in Sri Lanka in 1998 before retiring to Manorbier, Pembrokeshire.
The funeral service takes place on the 13th May at St James Church, Manorbier at 12:00 followed by cremation at 1:45 at Parc Gwyn Crematorium, Narbeth.
There will be family flowers only, donations if desired, made payable to Air Ambulance Wales C/O W & MJ Rossiter and Sons, The Old Rectory, The Norton, Tenby. Pembrokeshire. SA70 8AB.“
Derek Warmington
The sad news has been received from Perth in Western Australia that Captain Peter Broome died on the 24th April. He was 80 years of age.
Peter joined P&O as a Deck Cadet in early 1956 and had become Chief Officer by the time he left in the early 1970s. He then moved to Western Australia where he initially commanded one of P&O Australia’s fleet of oil rig supply ships before leaving to join the Harbour Service in Fremantle as a Tug Master at the Kwinana Oil Refinery, remaining there until his retirement.
The funeral will be private.
Derek Warmington
I bring the sad news that Len Stuckey, the former Marketing Manager of P&O Cruises, passed away in Edinburgh on Saturday 13 April. He was 92 years of age.
After serving in the Royal Navy in World War II, Len joined the Orient Line in the late 1940’s, initially as a seagoing Assistant Purser. He then transferred ashore to join the West End Passenger Department where he specialised in Sales and Marketing for the remainder of his career.
There will be a family funeral in Edinburgh, and plans are being made for a Memorial Service to be held in London later in the year. Details will be circulated when these are known.
Derek Warmington
The sad news has been passed to me that Keith Jones died on the 23rd February after a short illness. He was 85.
Keith was a Radio Officer with P&O from 1953 to 1966, his last appointment being as 1st Radio Officer of Iberia. After leaving P&O, Keith joined Kelvin Hughes where he stayed to become Director of Charts and Maritime Supplies until his retirement.
The funeral will be at 2.00 pm on Tuesday the 26th March at St John the Baptist Church, 55 Main Road, Danbury, Essex, CM3 4NG.
Derek Warmington
I bring the sad news that Joe Clark died on the 5th January at the age of 81 after having a massive stroke on Christmas Day from which he did not recover.
Joe joined the Orient Line in 1954 as a Cadet Purser. He served in "Orion", “Orcades", "Orontes", "Empire Orwell" and "Orsova", becoming Accounting Officer (Senior Assistant Purser). He was Deputy Purser of "Orontes" for the last voyage to the breaker's yard in Valencia in 1961.
After leaving the sea he had a successful career in banking.
The funeral will take place at 2.00 pm on Wednesday the 30th January at St Stephen's Church, 37 Waterloo Road, Tonbridge, Kent, TN9 2SW.
The church is a five minute walk from Tonbridge main line station. Parking is available in Sainsbury's car park nearby. For any further information please call his wife, Queenie, on 01732 362 227 or email her at queeniew.clark@gmail.com
Derek Warmington
