| Description | Tape 1 Side A: GRANT FRASER born 17 December 1946 Aberdeen. Has twin sister. Details re birth. Has another brother, sister. Brother lives in Spain. Mentions his reproduction furniture business, award of MBE. Paternal family: didn't know them. Explains. Maternal family: recalls grandmother, great grandmother. Mentions own diagnosis for cancer. Grandfather a storeman, great grandfather a landau driver to a wealthy planter family. Details. Paternal grandfather a labourer. Both sides of family from Aberdeenshire. Recalls small childhood home in Woodside, Aberdeen. Difficult family financial circumstances. Father in Army during war, later in regular Army, Malayan Emergency. Details re his ranks, demotions of soldiers at end of war, effect of this on families. He was away a lot. Parents' marriage split up. Later became close to him after own time in Malaya when 16. Recalls time in Malaya. Describes father's military attitudes to appearance. Recalls Sunday inspections, cleaning chores, being dressed up for Queen's visit 1953, smell of tweed jacket. Mother's reaction to father's ways. Further details re father's disciplined army character. Recalls his Remembrance Days routines. Had no feelings about him. Hard life for mother - not on tranquilisers as many were. She brought up children after father left. Not well off but never poor. Mother never had debt. Own attitude to loans. Recalls mother's personality, her occasional depressions, refusal to take tranquilisers. She remarried to an old flame. Details. Recalls father's departure, his later work in textile industry. Work choices in Aberdeen. Change in relationship with twin sister. Details re circumstances leading to family rupture. Close to twin as children. Recalls coincidences involving her and self.
Tape 1 Side B: Further details re relationship with twin sister. Details re best friend since childhood. Kids well behaved then. Best man at each others' wedding. Sent to Sunday School. Attitude to religion, God. Recalls nearly dying four years ago, heart attack. Details re medical treatment. Mentions radiation damage, pain points. Details re children, grandchildren. Explains own luck with medical situation, treatment for cancer. Use of cannabis in treatment, current treatments. Changing attitudes to chemotherapy, anti-cancer drugs. Recalls giving advice to fellow patient. Feelings about negative media attitude to cancer treatment etc. Politics not important in family. Parents Labour supporters. Own attitude. Elder brother Eric joined RAF, great athlete, nominated for Commonwealth Games, youngest sergeant in RAF in peacetime. Explains own dislike for, lack of ability in sport. Uncle Doug was head fascist in North East Scotland. Details. He fought on fascist side in Spanish Civil War, in Army in Iceland during World War II. Recalls mother's stepfather, a socialist, his book collection. Always wanted to go to sea. Explains. Recalls scrapbook of ships and places, desire to see world etc. Upbringing was happy. Good at geography, English at school. Encouraged to read a lot, read throughout life until illness. Attitude to choice of reading. Comments on Captain Scott, his attitude to his men, reputation; character of Douglas Bader; competence of Lord Mountbatten, Operation Zipper, Malaya etc. Importance of wide reading. Left school at 15. Went to National Sea Training Centre, training ship Vindicatrix, ex-German ship, Gloucestershire. Details. Aimed to be an able seaman (AB). Details re progression, ranks, pass requirements, pay. Joined first ship, Kinnaird Head, 1963.
Tape 2 Side A: Recalls Aberdeen in pre-oil days. No wealth shown. Only nice houses were in West End. Money not seen or spent. Aberdonians not tight-fisted. Wealthy people had one car, not two. Most cars second hand. Recalls impact of brother's Triumph car, smell of leather seats, registration number, mother's pride. Impact of television, people started to outdo each other, took hire purchase. Recalls repossessions. Mother saved up for hers. People in and out of each others' homes, no doors locked. Has been in every large house in Queen's Road when mother a cleaner. Recalls arrogant owners, low pay, woodwork, smell of mouldy carpets. Now wealthy people are in Cults, Bieldside since oil industry. Feelings re own gains from North Sea. Recalls getting own first flat, mortgage, then a detached house in Bridge of Don, later house in country, land in Mintlaw. Mentions marriage break-up, back together since illness. Comments on own acute sense of smell. Mentions cancer treatment. Recalls first sea experience, learning escape route, counting steps etc. Excitement at being at sea. Recalls hygiene at sea, difficulty getting shirts white. Safety not an issue because crew so familiar with equipment. Gives examples of own injuries. During 7-8 years at sea went to 55 countries. Favourites New Zealand, Brazil. Explains. Importance of music in own life, effect during illness, favourite types. Recalls working with Brazilians, passport complications, enforced stay, nights. No thought of oil/gas in North Sea in 1960s. Recalls seeing first seismic vessel 1969, not realising what its purpose was. Details. Saw first oil rig tender 1970. Details. Conversation leading to employment in oil industry.
Tape 2 Side B: First entry into oil industry, worked on anchor-handling ship Lady Alison 1971. Crew all experienced seamen, fishermen etc. Captain, mate ex-trawler captains. Describes accommodation. Details re Shell Staflo semi-submersible, her eight anchors, anchor-lifting procedure, towing her to Brent Field. Explains sequence of actions. Role of present-day professional Rig Mover. In earlier days, job supervised by inexperienced Barge Masters. First impression of Staflo. Origin of name. Further details re anchor-handling procedure. Staflo had own power. Current requirements re minimum horse-power. Mentions green marker buoy for Brent Field. Recalls old Shell headquarters, huge banner saying 'Positively no vacancies', own reaction. Recalls wonderful Shell employment packages. Got job with American company Zapata, did some North Sea runs out of Great Yarmouth. Went to Gibraltar, Tunisia. Details re other jobs including supply boat Imperial Service, most powerful of its time. Went to Galveston, Zapata Tower, Houston 1972. Recalls meeting company President. Details re Ship's Articles. Joined supply boat Majestic Service 1973. Summary of time in North Sea. Went to Africa. Circumstance leading to Mate's job in Angola. Details re first appointment as Mate on Southern Service with skipper who was 76. Feeling re going to North Sea. Reference to war. Details re move to German ship. Worked in North Sea from 1974. American companies ruled the roost in 1970s. Americans greatest people to work for but have limitations. Explains their reliance on regular resources. Number of Americans in Aberdeen. They offered higher wages - reaction of Aberdeen Chamber of Commerce not to let wages go too high. Explains their power. Mentions oil wages in relation to average wages in city.
Tape 3 Side A: Great period for Aberdeen when oil came, more money around. Able to buy flat - unheard of before. Recalls social life. Few Aberdonians went offshore. Divers also highly paid, wild party men. Short expectations of life for North Sea oil - impact of this on wealth of Aberdeen, lack of investment. Companies came from outside. Comments on decline of shipbuilding, work that went to Norway, Germany. Describes typical British attitude to oil. Materials came from America. Compares Norwegian, British situation. Situation same in Aberdeen - few British-built ships. Recalls work with Norwegian company. Details re work routines as AB on supply ships 1971-7. Supply boats then small compared with today. Explains mooring routine alongside platform. Treacherous conditions, had to be fit. Duties of Mate. Details re procedures for unloading at sea, dangers on bad days. Examples of cargo. Introduction of canvas containers. Difficulties with items on wheels. Proposal from Edinburgh professor re use of airships. Recalls ideas for use of aircraft carrier in Brent Field because of numbers of flights, use of STOL (short takeoff and landing) aircraft. German passenger ship Stena Germania used to ferry workers to/from Brent Field. Mentions delays because of fog. Details re wages, compared with British wages. Mentions NUS (National Union of Seamen) boss. Explains pressure from union people to take cut in pay. Opinion of NUS. Comments on situation of union representation offshore, arrangements during hook-ups, power of Shell. Reference to OILC (Offshore Industry Liaison Committee), Tommy Lafferty. Unions on construction side onshore recognised. Was NUS member. Explains importance of unions, corruption. Union no help in own work. Reference to Harry Bygate.
Tape 3 Side B: NUS (cont'd): Feeling about lack of effectiveness of unions, their hands tied by oil companies. Recalls involvement of Harry Bygate. Further comments re NUS, its leadership, membership. Comments on John Prescott. Problem with membership being spread around world, difficulty with organising strikes, mass meetings etc. Majority of offshore workers came from poor wage situations to high-paying North Sea industry. Most wouldn't want to join union. Joined OILC. Reference to own memory for numbers. Reaction offshore to talk of unions. Situation in New Zealand and Australia re catering staff pay, unions. Recalls strike in Brent Field, foreign labour brought in. Married 1976. Details re wife. Mentions changes to own drinking patterns after arrival of children. Attitude to money, spending. Has never had to chase money. Recalls impact of shift work on family. More difficult when promoted to diving support crane barge in Singapore. Not recognised by son when coming home. Describes improved situation at home when on two-on/two-off routine. Never any financial issues at home. Didn't go out alone at night. Details re relationship with wife, payment of bills, family contacts. Explains situation re disciplining of children, wives' position as solo parents. Details re a friend who decided to come ashore for sake of family. Mentions other workers earning big money whose children are drug addicts. Describes relationship with own children. With them all through summer holidays. Details re children. Sees them often. Gives them advice e.g. re importance of learning consequences of taking on a loan. Did dive support work 1978-80. Many deaths in 1970s. Details re a fatal diving accident, crisis with incompatible equipment.
Tape 4 Side A: Fatal diving accident (cont'd). Describes diving routines, maximum time spent in saturation. Describes appearance of divers after time in saturation. They were apprehensive before dives, wild when they hit the beach. They kept to themselves generally. Many ex-Royal Navy. Saturation divers characters, had command presence. Explains how essential they were to industry. Recalls two who falsely claimed to be saturation divers. Describes work carried out by divers, eg repair work to Ninian southern leg. Own role as deck foreman/bosun with crew of riggers, maintaining ship, servicing divers, crane work etc. Diving season normally summer months. Based in Frigg 1978-80 then Ninian fields. Details re support ship, equipment. Details re crane work. Reference to AOC (Aker Offshore Construction). No interest in politics. Recalls Alexander Keilland disaster. Involved in salvage operation. Mentions offshore workers' insurance overload. Involved in Fulmar hook-up 1982. Explains hook-up processes, intricacies. Situation inside module like mass of spaghetti. Quiet, because no production. Workers cooperative, otherwise NRB'd (not required back). Describes normal noise of producing platform, atmosphere during night shift during hook-up. Recalls quiet night being only one on platform. No smells during hook-up - very clean. Recalls getting headaches from fluorescent lights. During hook-up accommodated in flotel. Mentions union involvement during hook-up, Tommy Lafferty recruiting riggers. Worked as rigger on hook-up. Explains role, reason for taking drop in status. Details re ownership of support ship. Reference to Japanese battleship salvage. Describes daily routine as rigger, pipework. Liked big machinery. Explains possibilities of leverage. Had to think all the time. Explains hierarchy on board during hook-up. Compares ratio of foremen on pyramids and during hook-up.
Tape 4 Side B: Always a company representative on board platform. Explains his role. His word was law, he didn't speak to anybody. Some foremen ruthless, made example of people. Gives example of cock-ups. Mentions delays to hook-up, e.g. Brent Charlie took five years. Recalls good wages. Describes different living conditions in flotels. Compares Norwegian, British accommodation in early 1980s. Recalls everyone on one accommodation rig getting chronic diarrhoea. Details. Recalls entertainment on Brent Charlie, 16mm films etc. Recalls watching film during storm. Details re other social activities offshore. Own entertainment was reading. Story of a worker interested in aeronautics who became senior commercial pilot. Mentions offshore workers with degrees. Only knew of two physical clashes offshore. Describes one in detail. Normally calm atmosphere. Piper Alpha disaster: recalls first hearing. Reference to September 11 2001. Recalls predictions of Piper disaster. Details re event, unnecessary deaths. Explains military routines, possibilities of rescue. Most people offshore have no sense of safety drill. Compares with Merchant Navy regular routines. Describes lifeboat routines, mechanisms used. On Piper, myth that choppers would come to rescue. Recalls experience on Beatrice 'A', pipe leak, slow response of authorities, their inability to get permission from London to shut down, repair pipe. Worked in construction during 1990s. Platforms always needing modifications with new legislation, safety regulations etc. Never out of work, enjoyed good money. Hook-up companies tried to get maintenance contract which would last for years. Worked for number of companies. First got ill in 1983. Details re medical situation, cancer diagnosis. Recalls collection taken by colleagues. Mentions camaraderie offshore, family situation. Attitude of doctor.
Tape 5 Side A: Recalls stability of offshore workforce. Younger workers don't stay so long. Details. Workforce has grown older. Example of average age offshore. Reason for this. Problem with inexperienced people coming in. Details. Future potential for oil/gas industry with use of new technology etc. Few women work offshore. Recalls first stewardesses on Beryl 'B' platform, engineers, chemists. Attitude of men to women working offshore. Contrasts attitudes of women, men to earnings. Mentions personal relationships between men, women offshore. Compares attitudes of contractor companies to their workers. AOC is the best, AMEC the worst. Explains. Mentions accident rates. Lot of cowboy companies after a quick buck. Describes. Comments on Wood Group, wage levels, improvement in worker conditions etc. Recalls recession. Details re own irregular routine during recession, working on large number of platforms in 1990s. Some platforms terrible. Describes. Mentions having a year's backup money in case of being laid off. Mentions others' use of wages. Mentions BP. Recalls Chevron, their attitudes. Retired 1996. Feelings about retiring. Details re family arrangements. Details re illness, medical treatment, chemotherapy, improvements. Details re stem cell transplant, risks involved. Feelings about situation. After transplant, restrictions on activities, travel etc. Put on disability allowance. Mentions symptoms. Current lifestyle. Explains own attitude to problems, solutions, avoidance of debt. Explains financial backup situation, maintenance of control, good name. Future looking rosy. Comments on smoking habit.
Tape 5 Side B: Career in oil industry got better as years went on. Money didn't improve. Explains negative change after oil started to flow. Loved job throughout. Keeps in touch with colleagues. Has difficulties getting around. Details re grandchildren. Mentions prayers to see children grow up. Details re medical situation. Recalls early days of industry, people living beyond their means. Recalls corruption, e.g. empty containers going offshore, missing tobacco. Recalls wages, mortgage, ways of concealing, selling copper. Recalls, in Stavanger, stolen chain dumped in sea. Details re other disappearances of goods. Goods deliberately tossed into sea from platforms. |