MUD

In 1953. I joined PLA grab dredger Tolverne in Tilbury basin. I had not seen so much mud in my life. It was the beginning of a life long love of the river and tugs. I went on to join PLA Thorney. From there I spent 8 years deep sea, and returned to join a Sun tug relief crew at Gravesend, from where I was sent to Woolwich steam tugs to learn dock work. I relieved most deckhands before joining the Sun 5 with Dick Collins. The years roll around, and I am back in the PLA dredging, mostly on the Lord Tugs which came to an end in 1991. We handed the craft over to Tilbury Dock which was brought by scotch ports (Forth Ports). I tied the Broodbank up in Tilbury dock 500m from where I started 40 years earlier.