It is with great sadness to announce that Mr. George Mann rang his final "Finished With Engines" on Sunday 13th May 2012 after a mercifully short illness whilst surrounded by his family at home.
George Man originally joined the Vestey Group in 1952 as a second engineer with Lamport & Holt line. After a trip back to his native New Zealand, where he had served his apprenticeship in the Hutt Railway workshops he joined the South Africa Star in 1954 as second engineer.
Following service on the Imperial Star and New Zealand Star, George was promoted to Chief Engineer of the Nelson Star in 1956.
Sea service was not to last, however, and George was appointed as repair manager with the repairers J. Russell & Co in London. The following year he returned to Blue Star Line, serving as Assistant Superintendent in the London Docks. Various periods in the dock office, London, the Technical Department Smithfield and Liverpool Docks followed.
It was while at Smithfield that George had a spell in personnel when he struggled to keep the old Sydney Star manned by engineers - who once they had sailed could not understand how they had agreed to make the voyage.
On the formation of BSSM in 1975, George Mann was appointed as Deputy Senior Superintendent in the new office in Liverpool. In 1980 he was promoted to Senior Superintendent, in which role he continued when BSSM moved back to London in 1984.
George held various titles over the following years, including Group Technical Development Manager, Director/Technical Development Manager, and finally Technical Consultant but whatever his title he remained a great source of wisdom and sound advice for managers and engineers alike.
George retired in 1992 and was awarded the MBE in the 1992 New Year Honours for his services to shipping.
Anybody that knew him will know that he was a most kindly and affable gentleman, with an encyclopaedic knowledge of all things related to ships and the workings of their engines.
To work for him was a always a pleasure and he treated you as a slightly wayward nephew and I regarded him as a kindly uncle. Whenever “problems arose” he always calmed one with the refrain “Worse things have happened at sea” and after retelling some grim story, would then advise and help to overcome the difficulty.
Not only was it a pleasure to work with him, it was an honour to have known him. He will be sadly missed by all his work colleagues and friends.
Sincere condolences are offered to his wife Margaret and family.
His funeral service was held at Holy Trinity Church, Rosemary Lane, Formby, Liverpool on Monday 21st May 2012
There was a large congregation and Blue Star was well represented by Capt. T. Crookall, Mr. Pat Groom & Mr. Paul Wilcock, Capt. & Mrs. P. Hutchinson, Capt. & Mrs. A. Brown, Capt. & Mrs. P. Mathews, Mr. M. Barber, Mr. & Mrs. M. MacKenzie, Mr. J. Cullen, Mr. D.F. Darrah & Mr. J. Taylor