Comments on: The Groote Beer http://gorey.com.au/the-groote-beer Random thoughts and observations Sun, 12 Feb 2012 19:37:22 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: George Sulski http://gorey.com.au/the-groote-beer/comment-page-1#comment-60012 George Sulski Sat, 21 Jan 2012 19:18:44 +0000 http://gorey.com.au/?p=2847#comment-60012 Surprise! Dear Thea, Just to let you know that I have the original List Of Passengers on board the s.s. Groote Beer dated September 26th 1955. I can see 8 members of your family is on this list. My family and I also were on board sailing from Holland to New York. I can make a copy of the first page and the passengers page with your family's name on it, if you're still interested. Please let me know where to send it to. Sincerely, George Sulski Surprise! Dear Thea,

Just to let you know that I have the original List Of Passengers on board the s.s. Groote Beer dated September 26th 1955. I can see 8 members of your family is on this list. My family and I also were on board sailing from Holland to New York. I can make a copy of the first page and the passengers page with your family’s name on it, if you’re still interested. Please let me know where to send it to.

Sincerely,
George Sulski

]]> By: john http://gorey.com.au/the-groote-beer/comment-page-1#comment-59772 john Mon, 19 Dec 2011 23:00:53 +0000 http://gorey.com.au/?p=2847#comment-59772 I came over on the same voyage and have been searching for the same list, please let me know if u are able to locate it, I would appreciate a copy thanks john I came over on the same voyage and have been searching for the same list, please let me know if u are able to locate it, I would appreciate a copy
thanks
john

]]> By: Hans http://gorey.com.au/the-groote-beer/comment-page-1#comment-59563 Hans Wed, 14 Dec 2011 13:36:47 +0000 http://gorey.com.au/?p=2847#comment-59563 July 1954, the beginning of my American adventure. In Rotterdam, I board the Groote Beer and immediately find myself immersed in a microcosm of the world’s languages and cultures. 19 uneventful (?) years of childhood and boring school lie behind me, 19 years of life in a little German cow-town. I throw them overboard and look with great expectation at my future. My first encounter with the ocean. I breath a curious mix of brisk, salty air and exhaust from the huge chimneys, sea gulls shriek in excitement. A last look at the sad mass of people left behind. Prevailing color: GRAY. Go west, young man. For the first time in my life, I am completely on my own. I feel rich with $30 cash and an American Airlines ticket , NY to LA, in my pocket. A vague concept of what expects me at the end of this trip. What the heck, I’ll handle my life one day at a time. One sure thing: I know Oxford English (but will have to learn American English, an unending series of colloquialisms: “Would you be so kind as to shut the door“ translates into “Shut the f***ing trap behind you, dammit“) July 29, 1954. After nine days of feeding the fish in a rough sea, we pass Manhattan on the way to Hoboken, NJ. Scores of speed boats with bikini clad , smiling blonds waving at us. On the left, Miss Liberty brightens this scene with her raised torch. Groote Beer responds with monotone bursts from her foghorn. Prevailing color: BRIGHT, WARM PASTELS. It is a very hot, soggy day. I have 10 hours to take the grand tour: Central Park, Empire State Bldg, United Nations -- all per pedes Apostulorum. I wear my European suit, with shirt, tie, pullover under my formal jacket. In front of the UN building I jay-walk across a wide, busy boulevard. The traffic noise is overbearing and I can’t hear, nor understand, the angry language thrown at me as taxi drivers are forced to slam on their brakes. In a dingy restaurant I ask the waiter, what I should order. He brings me a huge, tough, salty steak, for $3. I nibble at the edges, then leave in hopeless despair. The waiter calls me back and demands a tip. Later, an endless flight across the continent, in a four-propeller plane loaded with soldiers returning from the European tour of duty. Looking out the window at the pitch-dark night, I see absolutely nothing except sparks and flames coming from the engines. I am tempted to call the stewardess to tell her the plane is on fire. But nobody seems to care and hours later the plane safely lands at LAX. I awaken from my youthful dream of illusions. I have enrolled in the school- of-hard-knocks. But heck, now, 57 years later, I would do it all over again, given my energy and enthusiasm at the time. July 1954, the beginning of my American adventure. In Rotterdam, I board the Groote Beer and immediately find myself immersed in a microcosm of the world’s languages and cultures. 19 uneventful (?) years of childhood and boring school lie behind me, 19 years of life in a little German cow-town. I throw them overboard and look with great expectation at my future. My first encounter with the ocean. I breath a curious mix of brisk, salty air and exhaust from the huge chimneys, sea gulls shriek in excitement. A last look at the sad mass of people left behind. Prevailing color: GRAY. Go west, young man. For the first time in my life, I am completely on my own. I feel rich with $30 cash and an American Airlines ticket , NY to LA, in my pocket. A vague concept of what expects me at the end of this trip. What the heck, I’ll handle my life one day at a time. One sure thing: I know Oxford English (but will have to learn American English, an unending series of colloquialisms: “Would you be so kind as to shut the door“ translates into “Shut the f***ing trap behind you, dammit“)
July 29, 1954. After nine days of feeding the fish in a rough sea, we pass Manhattan on the way to Hoboken, NJ. Scores of speed boats with bikini clad , smiling blonds waving at us. On the left, Miss Liberty brightens this scene with her raised torch. Groote Beer responds with monotone bursts from her foghorn. Prevailing color: BRIGHT, WARM PASTELS. It is a very hot, soggy day. I have 10 hours to take the grand tour: Central Park, Empire State Bldg, United Nations — all per pedes Apostulorum. I wear my European suit, with shirt, tie, pullover under my formal jacket. In front of the UN building I jay-walk across a wide, busy boulevard. The traffic noise is overbearing and I can’t hear, nor understand, the angry language thrown at me as taxi drivers are forced to slam on their brakes. In a dingy restaurant I ask the waiter, what I should order. He brings me a huge, tough, salty steak, for $3. I nibble at the edges, then leave in hopeless despair. The waiter calls me back and demands a tip. Later, an endless flight across the continent, in a four-propeller plane loaded with soldiers returning from the European tour of duty. Looking out the window at the pitch-dark night, I see absolutely nothing except sparks and flames coming from the engines. I am tempted to call the stewardess to tell her the plane is on fire. But nobody seems to care and hours later the plane safely lands at LAX.
I awaken from my youthful dream of illusions. I have enrolled in the school- of-hard-knocks. But heck, now, 57 years later, I would do it all over again, given my energy and enthusiasm at the time.

]]> By: Gerrit Visser http://gorey.com.au/the-groote-beer/comment-page-1#comment-59180 Gerrit Visser Sun, 06 Nov 2011 20:55:56 +0000 http://gorey.com.au/?p=2847#comment-59180 We left Holland on Oct 20, 1953 on De Groote Beer. And 58 years later, almost to the week, I visited Halifax on the MS Maasdam. Both Holland America Line ships! Apparently I was sea sick the whole trip across. My dad found a salami in Halifax, this was all we had to eat for 2 days until we arrived in Toronto by train. Pier 21 is now a museum, very moving to be there again. We left Holland on Oct 20, 1953 on De Groote Beer. And 58 years later, almost to the week, I visited Halifax on the MS Maasdam. Both Holland America Line ships! Apparently I was sea sick the whole trip across. My dad found a salami in Halifax, this was all we had to eat for 2 days until we arrived in Toronto by train.
Pier 21 is now a museum, very moving to be there again.

]]> By: Huvertina Ladeur http://gorey.com.au/the-groote-beer/comment-page-1#comment-59172 Huvertina Ladeur Mon, 31 Oct 2011 03:25:42 +0000 http://gorey.com.au/?p=2847#comment-59172 I came to Canada on the Groote in 1957 to Quebec I came to Canada on the Groote in 1957 to Quebec

]]> By: Gerd Roemer http://gorey.com.au/the-groote-beer/comment-page-1#comment-58990 Gerd Roemer Sun, 31 Jul 2011 07:42:06 +0000 http://gorey.com.au/?p=2847#comment-58990 Thanks Rolf I'll check it out Gerd Thanks Rolf
I’ll check it out
Gerd

]]> By: Rolf Poelman http://gorey.com.au/the-groote-beer/comment-page-1#comment-58989 Rolf Poelman Sun, 31 Jul 2011 06:54:06 +0000 http://gorey.com.au/?p=2847#comment-58989 Would Melbourne's State Library of Victoria, and Sydney's State Library of NSW, and the Maritime Museums in those 2 Capital Cities, also have the passenger lists? Contact them on their websites. Would Melbourne’s State Library of Victoria, and Sydney’s State Library of NSW, and the Maritime Museums in those 2 Capital Cities, also have the passenger lists?
Contact them on their websites.

]]> By: Gerd Roemer http://gorey.com.au/the-groote-beer/comment-page-1#comment-58987 Gerd Roemer Sat, 30 Jul 2011 12:06:22 +0000 http://gorey.com.au/?p=2847#comment-58987 Thanks Leo Thanks Leo

]]> By: Leo Van Vliet http://gorey.com.au/the-groote-beer/comment-page-1#comment-58979 Leo Van Vliet Thu, 28 Jul 2011 10:17:44 +0000 http://gorey.com.au/?p=2847#comment-58979 Hi Annelies, I bet the the ships carpenter on your voyage on the Groote Beer was my father Leendert Van Vliet. Aye Leo, Perth, Australia Hi Annelies,
I bet the the ships carpenter on your voyage on the Groote Beer was my father Leendert Van Vliet.
Aye
Leo, Perth, Australia

]]> By: Leo Van Vliet http://gorey.com.au/the-groote-beer/comment-page-1#comment-58978 Leo Van Vliet Thu, 28 Jul 2011 10:14:30 +0000 http://gorey.com.au/?p=2847#comment-58978 Hello Gerd. You can obtain passenger lists from the Maritime Museum in Fremantle or possibly from the WA State Library. Aye Leo, Perth Hello Gerd.
You can obtain passenger lists from the Maritime Museum in Fremantle or possibly from the WA State Library.
Aye
Leo, Perth

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