Jim Greenway

[Administrator]

My father Jim recently "Crossed the Bar" He had been the Chairman of the Merchant Navy Association (Wales) Barry branch. We considered the best use of the family flowers to be shared with those that we could at Merthyr Dyfan cemetery, Barry.


Master mariner Cecil P T Foster

As a first officer on supply ships during World War I, Cecil was torpedoed by U-boats twice in the same day.

"Cecil Foster's time in the lifeboat during WWI taught him that the survival rations were all wrong, and that many men died, simply because they'd ceased to have anything to keep living for."

"The rations stowed in the boats at the time were very similar to the ship's usual diet. It mainly consisted of tinned and/or salted meat, which was extremely difficult to digest, and sucked out a lot of scarce water from the men's dehydrated bodies."

"After the war, Cecil insisted that Hain changed the emergency drills and rations. Salted beef was replaced with condensed milk and hard biscuits, with high calorific content but easy for the stomach to break down."

"He also placed high stock by supplies of cigarettes, and maintaining daily routines of rowing and cleaning aboard the lifeboats. If the men had a job to do, and a reward for doing it, then they had a basic function which kept them wanting to live long after an idle man would have given up."

Following his escape from a shipwreck in the Indian Ocean in 1923, he became an overnight celebrity.

There were newsreel appearances, a best-selling book and even an audience with King George V.

On 4 June 1923, the Hain Line steamer Trevessa, heading from western Australia and loaded with zinc concentrates, sank 1,700 miles from shore.

Foster, a master mariner, was personally credited with having led over three quarters of his crew to safety. Thirty four of the 44 crew survived a 23-day lifeboat ordeal, until coming ashore on Rodriguez Island near Mauritius.

LINK


George Liosatos

1935 - 2006

Merchant Navy Association (Wales) Barry branch.

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LUCEY, PATRICK JOSEPH

Seaman

10/04/1942

Age:50

Merchant Navy

S.S. Westdale (Liverpool)

Grave Reference:Sec. D. Grave 159.

Cemetery:BARRY (MERTHYR DYFAN) BURIAL GROUND

Son of Michael and Joan Anna Lucey; husband of Mary Christina Lucey, of Scilly Kinsale, Co. Cork, Irish Republic.

LINK


COLEMAN, PATRICK JOSEPH

Donkeyman

15/09/1944

Merchant Navy S.S. Forte La Traite (London)

Grave Reference:Sec. D. Grave 48.

Cemetery:BARRY (MERTHYR DYFAN) BURIAL GRO

Son of John and Ellen Coleman; husband of Nora Coleman, of Barry Dock.

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FINNEGAN, CHARLES

Boatswain Death:17/10/1918

Age:42

Regiment/Service:Mercantile Marine Reserve Special Service

Vessel " Peggy,"

Grave Reference:D. 84.

Cemetery:BARRY (MERTHYR DYFAN) BURIAL

Husband of Mary Ann Finnegan, of 11, Bassett St., Barry Dock.

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[Administrator]

Master mariner Cecil P T Foster

[Administrator]

George Liosatos

[Administrator]

LUCEY, PATRICK JOSEPH

[Administrator]

COLEMAN, PATRICK JOSEPH

[Administrator]

FINNEGAN, CHARLES

[Administrator]

Tribute to Barry seafaring legend Jim Greenway

TRIBUTES have been paid to a Barry seafaring stalwart.

James Thomas Greenway, chairman and founder of the Barry branch of the Merchant Navy Association, died on March 21 after a short illness.

Better known as Jim, the Fryatt Street resident, has been described as a "major driving force" of the branch.

Mr Greenway's son, Keith, said: “For many years, Jim had been a major driving force as a founder member of the Barry branch of the Merchant Navy Association and its Welsh body.

"He passionately believed that all those who risked life and limb by going to sea and keeping essential supply channels open to Britain and its allies deserved much greater recognition.”

Mr Greenway's grandfather, Thomas Greenway, died in the First World War when the ship he was serving on was torpedoed. His great uncle, James, suffered the same fate in the Second World War, while his father, James Joseph Greenway, died at sea in 1938 when Jim was only five-and-a-half.

Mr Greenway attended St. Helen’s’ Roman Catholic schools, but could not go to nautical college in Cardiff because he was unable to afford the fees or the uniform.

He managed to go to sea by joining the Merchant Navy – starting off at ‘Sea School’ at Sharpness where he was taught the basics and subsequently did lifeboat and catering courses, excelling in the latter.

As a rating, his first ship was a Canadian cargo ship, the Gatineau Park in 1948. It sailed from Barry to Liverpool where it picked up a local cargo and went up the Manchester Canal to Salford and after that crossed the Atlantic to ports in Canada and the USA.

Mr Greenway travelled all over the world on marathon voyages - one as long as nine months – which took him through the Mediterranean Sea and Suez Canal, to Aden, Singapore and Communist China and countless ports in between, before medical problems forced him to leave the navy.

He then worked for BP Distillers for 25 years as a polymerisation (PVC) technician, and was a works convenor for the Transport and General Workers’ Union.

He chose early retirement in 1983 and was a Labour candidate in a local election.

Mr Greenway is credited with playing a major role in forging maritime links of friendship and fraternity and highlighting the role played by both Welsh and Irishmen in the Merchant Navy, especially during both world wars.

In 2000, as secretary of the Barry MNA branch, he presented his grandfather’s war medals at a reception in the Kinsale Regional Museum.

He and his colleagues were also said to have been proud of signing the Friendship Pacts between Kinsale Harbour Board and the Barry Branch of the Merchant Navy Association in Kinsale in May 1999.

The second leg of the Friendship Pact was signed at the Sea view Labour Club in Barry on September 29, 2001. A similar pact of friendship was sign between Barry and Kinsale Councils a few years ago.

His son added: “He will be sadly missed by all his family and friends.”

LINK

[Administrator]

James (Jim) Thomas Greenway.

Jim has crossed the bar.

“Sea stories were often recalled during his childhood”.

James Thomas Greenway, was probably better known to most as Jim. He was born in Barry and was a local lad who always had a great love of his childhood and family homes, which were both at Fryatt Street. He spent his early years growing up in his grandmothers’s home and he jumped at the chance to buy his own house in later life in the same street where he had fond memories of his mother and grand mother whom he adored.

After a short illness Jim died peacefully on March 21, 2016, aged 82; the beloved husband of Doreen, a much loved father of Kevin, Keith, Kerry and Claire, Daughter in laws and son in law. He was a cherished and well loved grandfather and great-grandfather. He will be sadly missed by all his family and friends.

For many years, Jim had been a major driving force as a founder member of the Barry Branch of the Merchant Navy Association and it’s Welsh body. He passionately believed that all those who risked life and limb by going to sea and keeping essential supply channels open to Britain and its allies deserved much greater recognition. 

Jim was descended from James and Mary Greenway, of Kinsale, Southern Ireland, parents of Thomas and James. His grandfather Thomas, lost his life in World War I when the ship he was serving on was torpedoed. His great uncle James suffered the same fate in World War II.

Like many Kinsale and Irish people his father James Joseph Greenway left Ireland in the early 1930’s and joined the Merchant Navy settling in Barry. In 1932, he married Elizabeth Daisy Trewicks a Barry girl and the family lived at Fryatt Street, Jim was raised with his two sisters, Joyce and Maureen. They have fond memories of growing up with their big brother always looking out for them and making sure that they were OK.

Jim’s father, James Joseph Greenway was lost at sea in 1938 when Jim was aged only five and a half. Following his father’s death at sea, which he found out about when he was asked to read from a newspaper by an elderly woman in the town, he was told that he would have to be the man of the house, at that very tender age although his mother subsequently married Len Arnold. Len and Elizabeth had two more boys together. Leonard (Deceased) and Paul.

A young Jim Greenway attended St. Helen’s the town’s Roman Catholic Schools and was interested in going to nautical college in Cardiff after that but, he was unable to afford the fees or the uniform. Undeterred, he managed to go to sea by joining the Merchant Navy. He started off at ‘Sea School’ at Sharpness where he was taught the basics and subsequently did lifeboat and catering courses, excelling in the latter. As  a rating, his first ship was a Canadian cargo ship, the ‘Gatineau Park’ in 1948. It sailed from Barry to Liverpool where it picked up a local cargo and went up the Manchester Canal to Salford and after that crossed the Atlantic to ports in Canada and the USA.

Over the following years, Jim was to travel all over the world on marathon voyages - one as long as nine months – which took him through the Mediterranean Sea and Suez Canal, to Aden, Singapore and Communist China and countless ports in between. Among many recollections was seeing a woman unloading heavy pit props from a ship in Turkey and the endless rows of white crosses dotted along the hills of the Black Sea route to Russia. He also spoke of the Commonwealth War Grave Commissions’ cemetries, which he recalled were the graves of some of the millions of young lives tragically lost during the Great War. He was always deeply saddened recalling the sheer numbers of young men who gave their lives during that conflict.

Some time during a voyage, he stopped off at Cobh, in Southern Ireland and attempted to phone his father’s cousin Gussie Greenway in Kinsale, but was not succesful.

When Jim was in Ireland in 2006 he said that: “It was only eight years before, that he had first visited the town of his fathers birth after more than half a century after being so close that day at Cobh”. Yet his first impression he recalled was like  “coming home at last”.

Recurring stomach trouble and doctor’s advice forced him to leave the Merchant Navy, after which he worked for BP Distillers for 25 years as a polymerisation (PVC) technician. He had also been involved during his time with BP, as a works convenor for the Transport and General Workers’ Union, a memory of which was actually holding a picket inside the gates of a factory. Jim was pleased that they never had to strike and they had secure pensions. He opted for early retirement in 1983. Jim was also a candidate for Labour in a local election.

Thankfully, he survived his days in peace time as a seaman and until now was the chairman of the Merchant Navy Association (Wales), Barry Branch. Jim played a major role in forging maritime links of friendship and fraternity and highlighting the role played by both Welsh and Irish men in the Merchant Navy, especially during both world wars.

In 2000, as secretary of the Barry MNA Branch, he presented his Grandfather’s war medals at a reception in the Kinsale Regional Museum.

Jim was pleased that the branch a few years ago received the honour of the Freedom of the County Borough of the Vale of Glamorgan in Barry.

A major achievement of which Jim and his colleagues were very proud of was the signing of the Friendship Pacts between Kinsale Harbour Board and the Barry Branch of the Merchant Navy Association. This took place in May 1999 in Kinsale after which he laid a wreath in remembrance of all Seafarers who lost their lives at sea.

The second leg of the Friendship Pact was signed at the Sea view Labour Club in Barry on September 29, 2001. A similar pact of friendship was sign between Barry and Kinsale Councils a few years ago.

Jim had lived a full life with many interests, as a youth he enjoyed cycling - the cycle club met at “Jocks” they cycled all over Wales. Voyages allowed time to enjoy reading and discover music from other countries, other local interests included Harbour United Football Club and the Labour party, locally the groups executive met at the Sea View Labour Club, Dock view Road at what they called 10 Downing, an enthusiastic stamp collector, previous keeper of tropical fish and in his time enjoyed both darts and Skittles, He enjoyed the rugby and for Wales to win, he was a little torn when they played the Irish.

Information compiled by the Merchant Navy Association (Wales) Barry branch

[Administrator]

The funeral took place on Tuesday April 12, the coffin was draped with a red ensign the flag of the Merchant Navy. The funeral car left from the family home in Fryatt Street, stopping briefly at the Merchant Navy monument, the Red ensign fluttered though at half mast at the Vale of Glamorgan County Council building. The funeral home service was well attended. Later as the coffin was taken to the crematorium, the car passed the half mast Barry Town Council flag outside the Council offices and stopped briefly near the Memorial Hall Cenotaph, which also flew the half mast Red Ensign. Merchant Navy, British legion and RAF Association standards were present through out. The Royal British Legion ensured a good send off together with other local groups. The family flowers were taken the next day to Merthyr Dyfan and placed on several Merchant Naval graves.

[Administrator]

For many years, Jim had been a driving force as a founder member of the Barry branch of the Merchant Navy Association and its Welsh body.

He passionately believed that all those who risked life and limb by going to sea and kept essential supply channels open to Britain and its allies deserved much greater recognition.

LINK

[Administrator]

Quote Kinsale Mayor, Tomas O Brien : "Many a young Kinsale man left to go to Barry, which to them was the gateway to the world. For some it was the first time they had left their native town, and their families survived on the money they sent home. "Some settled in Barry and have families there today. Many others died in the wars while serving in both the Royal and Merchant Navies." This is Barry. Thursday 1 September 2005

[Administrator]

Bon voyage safe passage to the next world missing you always in our hearts.

Kerry Greenway.

[Administrator]

Thoughts.

One sad year has passed away
Since our great sorrow fell,
But in our hearts we mourn the loss
Of those we loved so well.
We think of him in silence,
And his name we oft recall:
But there’s nothing left to answer,
But his picture on the wall.

Most merciful Jesus, lover of souls we be-seech Thee,
by the agony of Thy Most Sacred
Hearth and by the sorrows of Thy immaculate
Mother, cleanse in Thy blood the soul of Thy servant – Amen.

Roll on, Roll on, on Western deep,
That loved my lovely boy to sleep.
Were I to know Lough Swilly’s shore
Would be your grave for evermore,
I’d clasp you to my loving heart,
And never would I let you part.

Nothing Gold Can Stay
Robert Frost, 1874 - 1963

Nature’s first green is gold,
Her hardest hue to hold.
Her early leaf’s a flower;
But only so an hour.
Then leaf subsides to leaf.
So Eden sank to grief,
So dawn goes down to day.
Nothing gold can stay.