Ian Winter

My late father, Joseph Kenneth Winton (originally from Sunderland) sailed on the Madras City, I think this would have been some time between 1945 and 1955. He sadly died in 1991 but I remember during my childhood he often spoke of this ship.
I have a hand-tinted framed photograph of the Madras City, which appears to be the same as the one shown on the forum taken in Torreviega, Spain. I also have another photo showing a group of what I guess to be mainly officers, including my Dad, but I'm not sure how or if it relates to the Madras City.
My Dad would probably have been a second or third engineer. I remember him saying that he was working towards his Chiefs Ticket.
I always wished he'd written down a record of his experiences and time at sea. There must be so many accounts and stories he didn't tell me about (I wished I paid more attention as a child!) and many have got a little muddled in my memory. Ian Winter. Posted on the Forum 10 February 2011.

Good to hear from you, Ian, and thanks for the detail of your posting. I think we all share your sentiments about either not listening to what our parents said of their earlier years, or not being wise enough to ask the questions ourselves.
Hopefully, some of our older shipmates who look in at our Forum, may be able to shed some light on the time your father spent in the Company. Mike Jones. Posted on the Forum 10 February 2011.

Firstly let me, together with my collegues, welcome you to our Forum and thank you for your contribution. Contacts such as yours are invaluable as they help build up a wider picture of the Company and are of great interest. I just wonder if you, by any chance, retained your fathers Discharge Book in which would be a record of his seagoing career. As the "Madras City" was a steamship (as opposed to motor) it would appear he was working towards a Chiefs Certificate.(Steam).At the time you state, the Company operated both steam and motor ships, the steamers gradually being phased out.
Anyway, please have a look round the site- I'm sure you will find some postings of interest. John Cann. Posted on the Forum 11 February 2011.