It is with regret that we report the death of Captain John Wilson Dickinson on 29 March 2010.
John Dickinson, who was a life member of the Company, went to sea at the age of 16 when he sailed from Liverpool on the Henderson Line ship SAGAING in December 1940 as a cadet. After one trip to India and Burma he returned to Glasgow and joined H Hogarth and Sons where he was able to sign indentures in June 1941.
He survived the war and obtained his 2nd mates certificate in 1944.
He joined the Union Steam Ship Company in 1947 and came out to New Zealand on the KOMATA.
He was mate on the MANUKA from 1948 until 1951. MANUKA was the mother ship for the cod fishing fleet at the Chatham Islands.
In 1951 he was appointed Master of the PORT WAIKATO, which was running to the Chatham Islands for Holm & Company.
In 1957 he was appointed General Secretary of the New Zealand Merchant Service Guild and in addition General Secretary of New Zealand Airline Pilots Association in 1962, a position he held until 1985.
He retired from the Merchant Service Guild in 1987 and was appointed to the Arbitration Commission for 4 years until 1991.
He joined the Company of Master Mariners in 1951 and was well known and respected by all ship masters and officers.