Hongkong Personality Introduced – Capt. R.W.Thomas (”Cappy Thomas”) – connection to HK shipping

HF: IDJ has kindly sent the following newspaper article which, I think, was published in the Hong Kong Daily Press on 1st June 1939.

Thanks to SCT for proofreading this retyped version of the original version of the newspaper article.

HONGKONG PERSONALITY INTRODUCED – CAPT. R.W.THOMAS

”CAPPY THOMAS” – such is the nickname his many friends on the Kowloon piers and in the Colony, selected long ago for Captain W.H. Thomas, port-captain of the American President Line.

It was in 1875, in the city of Bangor, Carnarvonshire, North Wales when ”Cappy Thomas” first saw the light of day. Childhood memories are crowded with events involving his parents, a brother and two sisters.

At fourteen years of age life turned very interesting: the profession of chemist, selected by his father was ruled out and the young man went to sea under the command of Captain Davies. His job of mess boy soon turned into that of seaman, and it was then his parents realized that their son was headed for a career of ”sea and ships.”

Captain Thomas apprenticed in sail four and a half years on the full-rigged vessel Cetic Monarch, a five top-gallant yard design. His most thrilling recollection of that time was ”going aloft to furl the Royals,” the highest sail of all. ”It is a great sensation to be on the Royal yard of a lofty ship, especially when she is rolling” reports ”Cappy Thomas” with a twinkle in his eye.

”CHANTEYS”

Other happy memories for this jolly Captain are the various ”chanteys.” The chantey-man would sing the words and the crew answer with the chorus, there were appropriate ”chanteys” for the different hoists.

The ceremony of ”burying the dead horse” performed after the ship was a month at sea was always a lark for the crew. It was to celebrate the day on which their wages really commenced, due to the fact, that when they signed the Articles they were given a month’s advance wages which was invariably grabbed from them by the boarding-house keepers. The ritual includes an old straw mattress put over a wooden horse and placed on a grating, on hatch board.

A rope is made fast to this and then the ”chantey-man” mounts the horse and is hauled from the forecastle door to the break of the Poop with short hauls to the tune of ”chantey” – ”Poor old horse is dead and gone for they say so and we hope so,” etc.

On arrival aft, the Captain sends the steward out with a jug of rum, the main brace is spliced and with three cheers a match is applied to the mattress, overboard it goes, ”the dead horse is buried!”

SAILED TO AUSTRALIA

During the many years that followed Captain Thomas sailed to Australia, America, around the ”Horn,” South Africa and South America. Finally with hard work and persistance he received his ”Master’s Ticket” for sail and steam in June 1902.

In this same year, he sailed to the Far East out of San Francisco, a city he prefers to any he has visited. However, this may be due to Mrs. ”Cappy Thomas” whose home is there, and where she met and married her husband.

Captain Thomas remembers old Hongkong of 1902 when there was only one pier in Kowloon, and also when travelling to Shanghai they sailed up the Yangtze River to Woosung and from that port passengers continued by tender.

In 1906 this ”sea-going” gentleman was back in San Francisco just in time to be one of hundreds witnessing the famous earthquake of the West Coast city.

ATTEMPTS ON LIFE

Continuing his sea travelling to the Far East, Captain Thomas, acting as first officer on the Doric sailed to Hongkong in 1911. Icebergs, gales, typhoon, fire, mutiny, and two attempts on his life ”Cappy Thomas” had experienced to this date, and in this ship he was to have his first shipwreck. The tragedy occurred 230 miles south of Shanghai, off ”Finger Rock.”

The passengers and crew travelled in lifeboats to nearby islands, the ship was wrecked beyond repair, deserted and sank to the bottom. Then the shipwrecked band were attacked by pirates.

The war in 1914 found the salty seaman near Honolulu. His ship, under the British flag, was chased about the Pacific Ocean by a German cruiser but with luck they arrived in Hongkong late summer and were put into service transporting troops to England. Arriving in the port of Southampton were new duties: the transportation of wounded soldiers from Boulogne to England.

ARMISTICE DAY REUNION

Armistice Day found Captain Thomas in San Francisco. It had been five years since he had left Mrs. Thomas and the reunion neither will forget.

Then followed commands in the Dollar boats and in 1928 ”Cappy Thomas” was appointed port captain in Hongkong for the Dollar Steamship Line and American Mail Line.

And any day that an American President Line vessel is due in our harbour, you can find a short, chubby, white haired, blue eyed, gracious man over on the Kowloon pier ordering, arranging, supervising and sometimes cussing the workmen responsible for the loading of the Line’s transports: it will be Hong Kong’s ”Cappy Thomas.”

This article was first posted on 10th October 2024.

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