By Allan Jackson - April 2009

The following few pictures were sent in by Dave Trudgeon whose grandfather, John Trudgeon, worked aboard the whaling factory ship Abraham Larsen on trips to the Antarctic. By coicincidence, John is also visible in the background of one of the pictures already on Terry Tribe's page.

John Trudgeon appears in the background of this picture.
Picture courtesy Terry Tribe.
Click to view enlargement.

Sadly, not much is known about John Trudgeon as Dave explained in his e-mail to me:

"I read with interest on your website of a gentleman called Terry Tribe who worked on the Abraham Larsen whaling ship. My grandfather John Trudgeon worked on that ship at the same time, there is even a photo of my grandfather at work on the ship in the background of one of Terry’s photo’s. Sadly my grandfather passed away in 1976 so I never knew him. I have a whales tooth with one of the Abraham Larsens smaller boats [catcher?? Ed.] painted onto it in the 1956-57 season. It probably isn’t worth much, but is priceless for sentimental reasons."

And later he wrote:

"I know he was born and raised in Malvern in Johannesburg and went to look for work in Durban after WW2. I think he was a painter and decorator when he moved to Manchester, England after he had finished on the Abraham Larsen. So he may have done that before moving to Durban. My grandfather passed away in Southampton, England in 1976. He may have been back working on the ships as Southampton is one of the major ports in Great Britain."

And later still:

"As far as I can remember, my father Phil Trudgeon said he remembers my grandfather telling him he did take photos in South Georgia in the Antarctic."

My informant Arne M Horntvedt, who went to the Antarctic aboard the Abraham Larsen for six seasons between 1951 & 1957, said:

"I remember John Trudgeon from "Abraham Larsen", he was crewman on board and he followed the ship to Sandefjord some times also.  -  But I do not know where the pictures are taken. It must be on a whalestation inshore some where in Antartic."

Anyone who can throw any more light on John Trudgeon's career and the likely location the pictures were taken in, is welcome to contact me here.

Picture courtesy Dave Trudgeon	<== Click picture to view an enlargement.
Picture courtesy Dave Trudgeon	<== Click picture to view an enlargement.
Picture courtesy Dave Trudgeon	<== Click picture to view an enlargement.
Picture courtesy Dave Trudgeon	<== Click picture to view an enlargement.
Picture courtesy Dave Trudgeon	<== Click picture to view an enlargement.