Harrisons & the Hayletts

My "Harrisons of Liverpool" book - see earlier post here - has in it much that is very personal to the Hayletts, with details of which I was not aware until I read it. 

I knew that my grandfather was a captain with the Scruttons line, his last ship being the Savan (above). When Scruttons sold their ships to Harrisons after the end of the First World War, she was renamed Speaker: it's interesting to note that the picture shows her with the Scruttons name and the Harrison funnel. Captain Haylett continued as a master with Harrisons, though not very happily at the time of the takeover, according to.... 

....this account in the book.

Although he is not mentioned, my grandfather's last command was Defender. He didn't die aboard her but at sea on his way back to England after he had been landed, terminally ill, at Madeira.

This picture, taken from the book, is of the ship aboard which I had my most personal experience of Harrisons. I went out to Cape Town on the Arbitrator in January 1963 on my way to teach for two terms at Bernard Mizeki College in what was then Southern Rhodesia. I sailed as a supernumerary, doing odd jobs around the ship: I can't think I was of much use but I am eternally grateful to Harrisons for their kindness.