Captain G E Forsaith

From Harpenden to Ferry Master, Sydney Harbour NSW

Graham Forsaith

I was a Harpenden resident from the age of 9 in 1954 until 1969, living in a house my Dad had built at 22 Rothamsted Avenue. Our phone number was Harpenden 4748 !!  

Photo: Illustrative image for the 'Captain G E Forsaith' page
Photo:22 Rothamsted Avenue, built by a St Albans company for my Dad in 1954. It cost £4500! The road was unmade at the time.

22 Rothamsted Avenue, built by a St Albans company for my Dad in 1954. It cost £4500! The road was unmade at the time.

Graham Forsaith, Google

Photo:Graham Forsaith at Hatfield School 1961

Graham Forsaith at Hatfield School 1961

Graham Forsaith

My primary school was St Nicholas church school at the bottom of our road. There was a butchers shop [Steabbens] on the opposite corner and I remember getting a sheep's eye from them for a biology lesson....ugh!  I then went to Hatfield School -see photo.

If you can name anyone in the Hatfield School photo please let us know via  enquiries@harpenden-history.org.uk 

 

I left the town in 1969 to travel to Australia where I have lived ever since. Now I am a semi-retired Ferry Master on Sydney Harbour with the qualification of a Master Class 4, usually on the fast ferries.

Photo:Graham Forsaith at the helm of an old 1939 timber ferry, which he is on at times.

Graham Forsaith at the helm of an old 1939 timber ferry, which he is on at times.

My parents left Harpenden in 1976 or so and moved to Colyton Devon where they are now buried in the 11th century church yard.

I have an older brother John and a younger sister Jill. Our brother Richard died in France in 2011, aged 57.

Anyone who remembers me get in touch if you like, by leaving a comment below. [Ed. We can arrange to put you in direct contact.]

This page was added by Graham Forsaith on 29/05/2013.
Comments about this page

Well it's now the end of 2018. Five years since my last comment on this lovely and memorable site.

Living in Noosa Queensland until January 2019 when we go back to Sydney for a number of reasons. (74 next July :)

As always, anyone who wants to get in touch, please do so via the website controllers.

Ed: If you want to get in touch with Graham, we will be pleased to help 

By Graham Forsaith
On 11/12/2018

Ed. Received 23 June 2020

We are well into 2020 now and the COVID 19 pandemic has hit and to some extent moved on. Australia has had 102 deaths and as we are so big ( the UK fits into NSW 7 times ) , the virus has been contained or eradicated in some areas. Its still around and so at my age of 75, we need to be very cautious still. Our economy has been hit hard but Australia is a very rich country with resources in abundance so we should be getting back to "normal" over the next decade. Our views are welcomed by other countries who are way behind us during this time. We will survive of course. Stay safe in lovely Harpenden where I enjoyed the best childhood ever.

Ed. Harpenden is beginning to return to a new normal, with street signs to help control queues outside shops. But sadly huge quantities of rubbish are collected each morning from Rothamsted Park where the young ones gather. And nowhere seems safe from renewed outbreaks - so we wish the people of Melbourne well. 

By Graham Forsaith
On 28/07/2020

Hello Graham,

I wonder if you remember me, Peter Urquhart, we were at Church School (St Nicholas) together 1950 to 1956 and my teachers were Miss Hoare, Mrs Grantham and Mr Wicks.  I remember us being in school productions together too.  I am now fully retired and live in North Norfolk.  I found this piece about you in Harpenden History website and thought I would like to contact you.  I’ve been to Sydney a couple of times now but was totally unaware you lived there, or had such an exciting sounding career.

All the best
Peter Urquhart

Ed. Graham, if you would like to get in touch with Peter, let us know and we will forward his email address.

By Peter Urquhart
On 22/08/2020
Add a comment about this page

If you're already a registered user of this site, please login using the form on the left-hand side of this page.