British Merchant Navy - Notable People

Notable People

A number of notable Merchant Navy personnel include:

• Joseph Conrad: joined the Merchant Navy in 1874, rising through the ranks of Second Mate and First Mate, to Master in 1886. Left in order to write professionally, becoming one of the twentieth-century's greatest novelists.
• Arthur Phillip: joined the Merchant Navy in 1751 and 37 years later founded the city of Sydney, Australia.
• Ken Russell: directed films such as Tommy, Altered States, and The Lair of the White Worm.
• Kevin McClory: an Irishman who spent fourteen days in a lifeboat and later went on to write the James Bond movies Never Say Never Again and Thunderball.
• Alun Owen: later wrote the screenplay for A Hard Day's Night.
• Victoria Drummond: MBE, (1894-1978) Britain's first woman ship's engineer.
• Frank Laskier: WWII Merchant Navy steward who became a public icon for recruitment efforts.
• Chris Braithwaite (c.1885-1944): seafarers' organiser and Pan-Africanist.
• Freddie Lennon: a Merchant Navy steward whose son John would later found the musical group The Beatles.
• Violet Jessop: stewardess who survived Titanic sinking, and author of autobiography about sailing.
• John Prescott: a Merchant Navy steward who became Deputy Prime Minister in 1997 under Tony Blair.
• Fred Blackburn: England footballer.
• Edwin Stratton: founder of Yoshinkan UK.
• Air Marshal Sir Peter Horsley: Deputy Commander in Chief (Strike Command) from 1973 - 1975. Started work as a deck boy in 1939 aboard the TSS Cyclops.
• Gareth Hunt: actor, notably in The New Avengers, and Upstairs, Downstairs

Members of the British Merchant Navy have won the George Cross and the Distinguished Service Cross while serving in the Merchant Navy. Canadian Philip Bent, ex-British Merchant Navy, joined the British Army at the outbreak of World War I, and won the Victoria Cross.