News release Warsash Jubilee
Friday October 9 2009
Seafarers past and present swapped stories spanning the years as the Warsash Association celebrated its Silver Jubilee recently.
More than 100 former cadets celebrated at Warsash Maritime Academy – part of Southampton Solent University - where they swapped sea stories and memories of WMA, including the daily dormitory bugle wake-up call. They also viewed a collection of old campus photographs.
Many were fascinated by the technological advances used in today’s maritime training – including the academy’s bridge simulator, which gives trainees a chance to take the helm in a range of simulated conditions.
Celebrations continued with a cruise on Southampton Water and dinner at Southampton’s Hilton Hotel in the presence of Southampton Solent University Chancellor Lord West and Warsash Maritime Academy Dean, John Millican.
Joe Finlayson, 23, from Gibraltar is still to go on his first voyage. He was one of eight cadets helping to guide Warsash Association members around the facilities.
Joe, sponsored by SSTG company, said: “I was fascinated by stories of how things were for cadets in years gone by. Many of the Association's members reminisced about the early morning wake-up followed by a run to what is now The Rising Sun pub half a mile from the campus and returning for drill parade. In the old days there were six to a room, whereas today it is two to a room.”
Guests travelled from all over the world to attend the event at Warsash, which has been a world leader in maritime training since 1935. Andrew Hooper, 68, who graduated from Warsash in 1958, travelled from Canada. He said: “There were some people there who I hadn’t seen for 50 years. I enjoyed my time at Warsash where I was a young cadet. It helped me into the career I had always wanted when I was growing up.”
Andrew’s maritime career took him all over the world on both freight and passenger liners. “I walked off the gangway for the last time on the seventh day of the seventh month in 1977,” said Andrew, who went on to become an engineer on shore.
“The view coming into Southampton Docks was my view of home for so many years. It was great to see Warsash again and the changes – as well as some of the things that continue to look the same.”
The Warsash Association, which was established for WMA alumni in 1984, has branches in Canada, New Zealand, USA and Australia.
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