Reuben Goossens, Maritime Historian

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Reuben Goossens

Maritime Historian, Cruise‘n’Ship Reviewer & Author

By Kosta Specis and Hun-Eng Tan

*Updated May 2011

Reuben Goossens in the Crow’s Nest aboard MV Aurora 29 January 2006

Fifty One Years in the Passenger Shipping/Cruise Industry

Having known and worked for maritime historian Reuben Goossens as a secretary and personal assistant since the early eighties, and Mr. Hun-Eng has worked with him and been a close friend since 1995, thus we feel that we are well qualified to write this item about him.

Reuben has spent all his secular working life in the passenger shipping industry, the industry he obviously greatly loves. His incredible knowledge of classic liners as well as the modern world of cruising is beyond question. We have both sailed with Reuben and have witnessed first hand his in-depth knowledge as Captains, officers and many of the crew we have met on countless ships knew Reuben either personally or by reputation and they obviously greatly respect him. On each voyage we were invited to the captain’s private lounge, the bridge, and on several special occasions we were given a tour of the engine room whilst in port, in addition Reuben is invited to many private functions. In the past he was booked as the guest maritime lecturer, but he has now retired from doing this for his own reasons, as he feels that every cruise is a vacation! Although I recall, whilst he was on TSS Fair Princess’ final cruise to New Zealand in 2000, Reuben was on a vacation but he received a special request from cruise director Dan Styne, who asked him if he would be so kind as to give a lecture in the Meridian Lounge as so many passengers and many of the senior crew already knew him by sight. Reuben decided to say yes and astonishingly the Meridian Lounge was packed to capacity with passengers sitting on the floor and standing down the hallway. Captain Phillip Pickford and a number of his officers were also in attendance. We knew of his long-standing renown, but that day really blew us away!

Recent pdate: Since 2010 and recent years may not have been too kind to Reuben, as he has had considerable health issues, but to say the least, he has battled on! Amazingly during the past six months I believe that he has completed a further 40 features on various classic liners, which is amazing considering the amount of work that is already available online and Reuben does all this for the love of it. His rewards are the emails that he receives when past passengers write and say that they have relived their time on their voyages and have enjoyed seeing the ships they sailed on. These kind people thank him for reviving their memories. However, due to the massive number of emails, and also the nuisance emails that tend to arrive, it is for this reason that all email addresses have been removed from all pages except the one from his main (front) page at www.ssmaritime.com. This will lessen Reuben’s work a great deal. But thankfully he continues to cruise on!

Thus this is the latest, and now back to Reuben’s story!

Rotterdam 1945 - 1955

Reuben Goossens was born in Rotterdam the Netherlands Just over a week after World War II on 16 May 1945. Coming from a Jewish family his mother was lucky to escape the Holocaust. However, his families’ tragic wartime detail is very long and a sad story and we feel that this is not the place to tell it. Although after a very long stint in hospital for both the babe and the mother, they both moved and lived in Winterthur, not far from Zurich, Switzerland for some time, but they returned to Rotterdam being Reuben’s mother’s home town, but a City with horrible wartime memories!

From an early age Reuben would spend much time along the harbour side whenever it was possible, and he would sit just across from the Holland America Line wharves in Rotterdam. Almost every day a liner would be in port, including ships from the Royal Rotterdam Lloyd such as the MS Sibajak that at 12,000-ton would be considered these days as a small passenger liner. She had steel grey hull and a single tall black funnel and was built in 1928. Unknown to Reuben in those early years, it would be this very ship that would change his future and mould his working life, for this voyage would make his love for ships and the sea grow to the point that he would end up working all of his secular life in the passenger shipping industry.

*Royal Rotterdam Lloyd’s MS Willem Ruys, which later to become Flotta Lauro’s Achille Lauro

Other ships in the port of Rotterdam included the imposing twin black funnelled MS Willem Ruys, however Reuben’s all time favourite liner of the day was the stately two funnelled Holland America Liner SS Nieuw Amsterdam, a ship that is still regarded to this day as the most beautiful liner ever built. Whenever possible, Reuben would sit alongside the Maas River and watch the river barges, tugs, cargo ships and other passenger liners pass by. At times he would be quayside as a liner departed for a far away destination, bedecked in flags and streamers flying in the wind.

*Holland America’s SS Nieuw Amsterdam

Amsterdam 1955 - 1958

At the age of ten, he and his mother moved to Amsterdam, being another Port City to watch ships come and go. Whenever the liner MS Johan van Oldenbarnevelt and her newer running mate MS Oranje of the Netherland Line were in port he would make a special effort to be at the Java Kade (Java wharves) to watch passenger’s board and experience the excitement of their departure. I recall him telling me that he would be as excited as those who were aboard ready to depart. He would dream that one day he would be standing at the railing of a great ship just like that waving goodbye to those ashore as he would be heading to far away countries across the ocean. Little did he know that late in his adult life he would not only have done just that, but that he would have sailed well over a hundred times, but also that he had managed major Shipping Companies and owned and operated a Cruise Company in Australia, as well as having *sailed or °visited all of the ships seen on this page!

*The Netherland Line MS Johan van Oldenbarnevelt. She was sold to become the ill-fated Greek cruise ship, Lakonia

*Whilst The Netherland Line MS Oranje was sold to become the Flotta Lauro Angelino Lauro

MS Sibajak 1958

On 17 May, 1958, one day after his thirteenth birthday Reuben’s dream of sailing across the oceans became a reality as he and his Mother departed Rotterdam for Wellington New Zealand on the MS Sibajak, one of the ships he used to watch come and go from Rotterdam. This voyage to New Zealand sailed via Southampton, across the Atlantic to the very Dutch and very quaint town of Willemstad in Curacao, Balboa, then transiting the Panama Canal, with a port call at the then notorious and dangerous city of Panama. Whilst crossing the Pacific a visit was made to Papeete, the Capital of Tahiti before arriving in Wellington in middle of the Southern Hemisphere winter early in July.

*The Royal Rotterdam Lloyd – MS Sibajak – The first ship Reuben sailed on in May 1958

MS Sibajak was built especially for the luxury Indonesian service, later she operated migrant services to Canada, the USA and then she was placed on the Australia and New Zealand service. Her original first class lounges and dinning room were superbly luxuriant and simply elegant, these rooms featured superb dark timber carvings and her Dining Room was sever decks high with a stunning balustrade surrounding it on two decks above. However, in 1958, the Sibajak was already an ageing ship, although not that Reuben noticed it, he simply loved the ship! In 1959 Royal Rotterdam Lloyd sold her to the breakers and she was broken up in Asia. However, this fine old liner gave Reuben the experience of a lifetime and this voyage cemented his love of the sea and the ships that sail on them. At the age of thirteen onboard MS Sibajak he decided that he would work in the shipping industry no matter how, and he did, and although he is now long retired, he continues in the world of passenger shipping as a maritime historian and as a cruise and ship reviewer, simply because he still loves what he does!

Wellington

To date Reuben has had fifty one years of experience in the passenger shipping industry. However, he commenced his first job May 1960, and he started as an office boy with Russell and Sommers who were the General Sales Agents (GSA) for “Royal Dutch Mails,” that included all the Dutch shipping companies, such: “Royal Rotterdam Lloyd”, the “Nederland Line”, Holland America Line” “Europe Canada Line”. At the time ships in their portfolio included the MS Willem Ruys, Oranje, Johan van Oldenbarnevelt, SS Zuiderkruis, Groote Beer and Waterman and the SS Seven Seas.

°SS Zuiderkruis one of 3 US built & rebuilt “Victory” Ships – including the Groote Beer & Waterman

In 1961 the Union Steamship Company of New Zealand sought his services to join their ship provisional (providoring or supply) department. Within six months Reuben was the assistant manager of USSC Wellington’s providoring department, which looked after all Union Steam Ship Co passenger ships that included the inter Island ferries, and passenger cargo ships sailing the South Pacific from all New Zealand ports.

Union Steam Ship Company Head Office in Wellington

Reuben’s employment in the shipping industry gave him many opportunities to visit and sail on many ships, and although he had been on a “line voyage”, he finally went on his very first “cruise” departing Wellington on December 20, 1961, being a Christmas and New Year Cruise on the Dutch liner, MS Johan van Oldenbarnevelt (JVO) visiting Auckland, Melbourne, Sydney and back to Wellington. Reuben has written a work on the JVO, which is now available online on ssMaritime.com. (www.ssmaritime.com/jvo.htm).

Brisbane Australia

In the mid sixties Reuben moved to Brisbane and joined Australian Express Co, first as a travel agent, but soon, due to his expertise and leadership he became its Manager. Australian Express was the General Sales Agents (GSA) for the massive Greek Passenger Shipping Company, Chandris Lines. Australian Express also operated the now famed; “Around the World Tours,” with a voyage to and from Southampton on a Chandris liner, and then touring the UK and Europe by coach. To ensure quality control and to make sure his staff were selling optional tours, etc, Reuben would sail on various sectors and thus would spend a great deal of time on the Chandris liners, especially the SS Australis, which had been built as the SS America the forerunner to the grand SS United States. Then there were two ex Matson liners, the two funnelled, SS Ellinis and SS Britanis. Eventually the company (Australian Express) was sold to Trafalgar Tours and its Australian offices were closed.

Reuben then became involved with a brand new company, which many will all know as Jetset Tours, which became one of the largest brands worldwide, although it was first known in Queensland as “Astronaut Travel”, being the retail outlet and “Jetset Tours” the wholesale business. During its establishment Reuben worked with the late and famed Mrs Marie Watson-Blake, the late Mr. John Julius and Mr. Tony Newton.

Later, having moved on, Reuben managing “Atlantic & Pacific International” in Brisbane, working together with Lord Bollingbrock of New Zealand and Tony Millmore of Sydney to commence a new cruise operation in Australia and they chartered the Russian liner TSS Fedor Shalyapin (ex Cunard liner RMS Ivernia, later TSS Franconia) for their company “Shaw Savill Holidays,” but marketed their venture under the banner of a brand new venture named … “Celebrity Cruises.” The first cruise departed Sydney in October 1975 being the beginning of a popular cruise venture that had an average loading of 97.6%. At the same time CTC Cruises were also operating Russian ships from Australia, however their ships, including the Fedor’s identical sister the TSS Leonid Sobinov sadly did not enjoy the same success as “Celebrity Cruises.” It was for this reason her Russian owners without warning decided to rescind their charter agreement with us” later in 1976, and the Fedor Shalyapin was transferred to CTC Cruises, being a wholly Russian owned Company, although they had their head quarters based in London. Whilst the Fedor was with CTC she never again regained the popularity she enjoyed during Reuben’s halcyon days. We have always known from his many future marketing successes that he was a marketing genius and he always worked with integrity and total honesty, never offering a fare in the media that was not available to Mr and Mrs Average as it seems to be these days where you have to be able to read the fine print on TV or in the paper, that is if you can! Sadly today lead in advertised fares that are shown as lead in fares, is usually based on four persons booking together in an inside four berth cabin on the lowest deck, located far forward in the bow. Considering the majority of sales are twin bedded cabins, these fares are usually not relevant to Mr and Mrs Average!

The name “Celebrity” was later taken over by Reuben’s old time associates and friends at Chandris Lines for their new cruise company as they were in need for a name suitable for an upmarket Luxury Cruise Line thus, “Celebrity Cruises” was born, although later sadly, Chandris sold “Celebrity Cruises” to Royal Caribbean Cruises.

At 30 years old, Reuben is seen at the very top of the game!

He is seen (in the middle) with famed Australian TV and singing super-star Jimmy Hannan (left) and actor

Ken James (right) during “Hawaiian Night” on board Fedor Shalyapin during a Pacific cruise ex Sydney January 25, 1976

Photograph: Ships photographer © ssmaritime.com

*TSS Fedor Shalyapin seen in Auckland February 1976

Photograph by & © Reuben Goossens – ssmaritime.com

Happily CTC Cruises would suffer the consequences in due course as there was an occurrence that would end their operation in Australia for a long time when the Fedor Shalyapin rendezvoused with a Russian submarine whist crossing the Tasman Sea towards Sydney. Upon her return to Sydney, passengers told the media of the strange events encountered and how both cargo and crew were transferred to the submarine. This caused great controversy in Australia, however, what and why it happened was never fully explained. Australia banned all Soviet based passenger ships for a considerable time. Never let it be said that a wrong does not get repaid in some way or another!

During Reuben’s work in the shipping and the travel industry in the seventies and eighties he also managed “Orbit Travel” and was the founder and Director of “Coronet Travel Service”, operating “CTS Tours” as well as “FunPac Tours.”

In the mid eighties Reuben decided to retire and spent his time travelling and sailing the world. However, whilst in India in October 1987 he was involved in a car accident, which caused a serious illness that almost took his life. However he always remained on the maritime scene continuing with his vast experience in shipping, as he began to write and give lectures in his new role as a maritime historian and author.

In addition Reuben decided to become a part time freelance journalist writing cruise and ship reviews, either by invitation or whilst on personal cruise vacations. In addition in the nineties he commenced a new website MaritimeWorld.com that covered cruise ships and articles on the great ocean liners of the past. However, with MaritimeWorld.com becoming far too big, this site was split into a number of new sites; ssmaritime.com for articles on vintage liners, savetheclassicliners.com being Reuben’s long standing campaign to save worthwhile ships from being broken up and turned into museums and/or hotels, etc., and he has succeeded with some important ships! In addition there is cruise-australia.com and .net aiming mostly at the Australian and New Zealand cruise market although the world seems to love it, and then there is Reuben most loved classic passenger ship; the 1914 built MV Doulos. Reuben’s maritime and cruise have to date received around 338.8 million visitors to date, making these sites the most read maritime sites on the net!

Reuben on stage with Captain Philip Pickford 8 February 2000
A lecture had been presented during Fair Princess’ final New Zealand cruise in a packed Seaward Lounge

Photograph: P&O Fair Princess Ships photographer

“Save the Classic Liner Campaign”

As noted above, one of the strengths of ssMaritime.com has been the “Save the Classic Liners Campaign” (www.savetheclassicliners.com), which Reuben founded 1999. He was the very first to commence the “Save the SS Rotterdam Campaign” when she was still the SS Rembrandt when she was laid up in Freeport on September 21, 2000. Thankfully, the SS Rotterdam has now been saved and she has been fully restored and was returned to her home port of Rotterdam on August 4, 2008. She has been opened as a hotel and a tourist facility and museum to the public in 2010. Other ships saved are the 1914 built MV Doulos (ex SS Medina, SS Roma, MS Franca C) currently MV Doulos Phos and being refitted to become a hotel and museum in Singapore. MV Royal Star (ex MS San Giorgio, later MV Royal Star) today sailing as the PV Ocean Mist from Mombasa. Other ships worked on were; SS OceanBreeze (ex Shaw Savill Lines, Southern Cross), the Margarita L (ex Windsor Castle), Princesa Victoria (ex Victoria, Dunnottar castle) Big Red Boat II (ex Eugenio C), Madagascar (ex Stella Maris) Norway (ex France) as well as a good many others. However, all of these ended on a Bangladeshi or Indian beach and have been broken up. His battle to save the great SS Norway (ex France) has taken a toll on him health wise. Two other ships in the firing line are the SS Oceanic, ex Independence (which has now been lost in the sea off the coast of India) and the SS United States, which has been saved recently. Read Reuben’s “Save The Classic Liners” page for details!

Line Voyages, Cruises and other voyages undertaken to date

To date Reuben has now undertaken a total of 124 voyages/cruises. His first experience at sea was on the Royal Rotterdam Lloyd liner MS Sibajak that departed Rotterdam the Netherlands on May 17, 1958. Since then he has sailed on countless liners and cruise ships either once or a good number of times. All voyages undertaken (and that are listed) are from 7 nights to 106 nights. However, during his well over a half a century working in the Passenger Shipping Industry Reuben has also inspected countless ships around the world and undertaken many shorter voyages from overnight ferry crossings to 3 and 4 night cruises, which are not included in the list above, but many were on a number of substantial ships.

List of ships sailed on - (listed in alphabetical order) …

Achille Lauro - Arcadia (2 & 3) – Athena (March 2011) Aurelia – Aurora – Australis – Britanis – Canberra - Club 1 – Dawn Princess - Dominion Monarch – Doulos – Ellinis - Fairsky (I & II) - Fair Princess - Fairsea (1) – Fairstar - Fedor Shalyapin – Flavia - Franca C – 2 cruises on Funchal in Feb 2012) – Galileo - Gothic (2) - Himalaya (3) - Iberia (3) - Johan van Oldenbarnevelt – Karelia - Mariposa (3) – Matua - Mikhail Sholokhov - Monterey (3) - Nieuw Amsterdam (2) – Oranje - Orcades (3) - Oriana (1 & 2) - Orsova (2) - Pacific Princess (2) Pacific Sun – QM – QE - QE2 – Rangitoto - Reef Endeavour - Rotterdam (5) – Russ – Sibajak - Southern Cross (Shaw Savill) - Southern Cross (CTC) – Sun Princess - SuperStar Leo - SuperStar Virgo – Tofua – Volendam - Willem Ruys and other ships he has simply forgotten! On a good nu,mber of ships he has sailed a number of cruises on, sycg as Fairdstar, Fair Princess, the Chandris P&O UK and Princess ships.

Reuben and travelling companion and one of the co author of this page Mr. Hun-Eng Tan with their excellent Steward Frank on MV Oriana 2005

In August 2008: Reuben sailed on his all time favourite classic ship the MV Doulos. His time on this ship was very special to him, as Reuben spent almost a month onboard the then 94 year old MV Doulos. First whilst she was in Brisbane and then sailing on this fine 1914 built ship, along the coast of Australia down to Sydney. This was Reuben’s 119^th voyage.

*Reuben is seen here in 94 year old Doulos’ propeller shaft tunnel

MV Doulos was originally the American vegetable transport/cargo ship SS Medina, which was later rebuilt as a migrant ship SS Roma. As the Roma she made a single visit to Newcastle Australian December 1950. Eventually she became the Linea C (Costa Lines) Liner to South America, then Costa’s luxury cruise ship MS Franca C. Until December 2009 she was a charity Book-ship and the Doulos is crewed/staffed by an all volunteer crew. Reuben celebrated her 94^thbirthday onboard on August 22 by cutting the official birthday cake after the official ship’s opening to her Sydney season.

Whilst in Brisbane Reuben entertained a number of ex 1950 SS Roma passengers who came to Australia on her onboard the Doulos as Eastern European refugees and he has added their stories and photographs to his online 30 plus page MV Doulos Feature. There was also one gentleman in Sydney who has provided a most interesting story of his time onboard the SS Roma’s from Bremerhaven to Newcastle in 1950!

*Captain Justin Lawes and Reuben Goossens aboard P&O’s MV Pacific Sun. This photograph was taken on November 20, 2008

at the Captain’s Club Party. As Reuben was one of the most cruised passengers on board he received his orchid & a bottle of champagne

Photograph presented to Reuben by P&O and taken by the Ships Photographer

There are quite a few cruises not included Here such as world voyages as well New Zealand cruises on ships such as P&O’s MV Oriana, MV Aurora and Princess’ MV Pacific Princess, although these ships are all included in the “List of ships sailed on above.

*MV Dawn Princess in Istanbul Turkey – September 8, 2009 – The ship he calls a “turkey of a ship”

It was a poor experience indeed, as this ship is not designed for this kind long voyage!

This was a 106 night around the world voyage 104 nts Sydney to Sydney, plus 2 nts Sydney to Brisbane

Photograph taken by © Reuben Goossens

Reuben, myself (being the birthday boy that day) and Hun-Eng Tan having diner on MV Dawn Princess on August 8, 2009 whilst in Aruba

*The elegant Holland America Line 61,214-ton MS Volendam – the best of the best!

This will be Reuben’s 123rd.cruise being a New Zealand Cruise – ex Auckland October 22, 2010 14 nights

Photograph provided by Holland America Line

Reuben on board Volendam’s “Rotterdam Restaurant” – formal night

Reuben sailed on the delightful MV Athena from Fremantle on March 6, 2011 for her relocation voyage to Portsmouth England for 40 days. He met many ship lovers onboard as well as providing several maritime lectures during the voyage. He loved the MV Athena and Classic International Cruises so much that he has booked to go on two consecutive cruises on the completely refurbished and partially rebuilt MV Funchal in Asia next year, and this will be Reuben’s 125th.& 126th!cruise.

Visit Reuben’s - MV Athena Cruise Review

*Reuben took photo the Athena whilst in Phuket on March 15, 2011.

Reuben sailed on her to the UK on March 6, 2011 and that was his 124th voyage!

Mr. Hun-Eng Tan, Captain Pedro Pinto and Mr. Reuben Goossens

Reuben’s next two cruises booked!

Reuben has booked two consecutive cruises on the delightful MV Funchal sailing from Singapore on February 5, 2012, to Hong Kong and returning from Hong Kong on February 15 to Singapore arriving on February 25. These are two 10 night cruises, making this a delightful 20 night voyage, However, what makes this voyage so special is the superb itinerary in each direction! The Funchal will visit the following exotic ports: Kuching, Borneo Malaysia; Banbdar Seri Begawan, Brunei; Kota Kinabalu, Borneo Malaysia; Manila, Philippines; Hong Kong. Then Funchal will cruise back to Singapore via 4 ports in Vietnam; Halong Bay; Da Nang; Nha Trang and Ho Chi Minh. As Reuben states online “During these two voyages I may, if time permits provide one or two maritime lectures, thus why not join me and enjoy the delights of the Funchal and enjoy a real ship and of course some wonderful ports, especially the delights of Vietnam, for - except for Nha Trang - the other three ports in Vietnam are overnight stays, providing extra time to explore these wonderful places and friendly people! Contact Reuben, or Corie at: info@cruisespecialists.com.au. But hurry as these cruises will fill fast!”

The following is also from Reuben website:

“For interest: Currently the MV Funchal is in Lisbon undergoing one of the most extensive seven month 12 million Euro internal rebuilding program and refit and she returns to cruise duties in August 2011. Work undertaken means that the vast majority of cabins, except for those already replaced earlier in 2010, and all crew cabins will be completely rebuilt, all cabins will have flat screen TV’s and every possible facility and that include all crew cabins who will have every luxury including private, or a share bathroom between two cabins. Lounges will see changes with the bar removed in the forward Gama lounge making it more spacious, the ship will be lighter as much of its darker timber work will sadly have to be removed due to the stringent fire regulations, but the company will ensure that her beloved classic feel will remain as this is one of her features, yet now she will feel brighter and thankfully will be able to sail on long into the future! It is also said that she may have her hull painted black again, thus she could look like as she was originally built. Although I do have an artist impression of her in this new guise, we decided against showing it, as I have been advised by the Managing Director that it has not as yet been decided upon at this stage. In addition to all the above, new engine work is being undertaken, thus this is one of the most major works under taken on a classic ship and thus the delightful Funchal that sailed from Australian waters from 2004 to 2008, becoming one of the most popular cruise ships ever to sail from our shores she will be with us for many years in the future!”

The elegant 1961 built MV Funchal seen departing Lisbon – Reuben’s two cruises booked on her will be his 125th.& 126th!voyage/cruise since 1958

Photograph source unknown – Please see photo notes at bottom of page

In conclusion.

There is no doubt that Reuben Goossens is a stalwart of the cruise/maritime industry and he is greatly respected by his readers, maritime historians and shipping companies worldwide. There are countless thousands of emails that come in from those thanking him for the massive task that he has undertaken, for few people would have done what he has done to have written so much and all for no profit or personal benefit. But he does receive so much from it, for all those emails of gratitude is really all he needs to hear about the joy it has brought into the lives of so many!

PS. When I told him that I was going to write this piece (originally in 2000), he gave me a just one instruction; “As long as you include photographs of ships you might mention.” Obviously there are far too many listed on this page to do so, however, I have used at least those early ships that were so important in his early life, as well as the ship he operated, being the SS Fedor Shalyapin. The personal photographs, well they were my choice from the massive catalogue of photographs I searched through, and I know he will hate them all!

Kosta Specis & Hun-Eng Tan

Photographs: Photographs on this page are by: 1. Reuben Goossens. 2. Hun-Eng Tan. 3. Kosta Specis. 4. Various ships photographer’s. Postcard/photographs of the Nieuw Amsterdam, Sibajak, Johan van Oldenbarnevelt, Oranje and Zuiderkruis are all from Reuben’s private collection.

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Photographs on ssmaritime and associate pages are by the author or from the author’s private collection. In addition there are some images that have been provided by Shipping Companies and private photographers or collectors. Credit is given to all contributors. However, there are some photographs provided to me without details regarding the photographer/owner concerned. I hereby invite if owners of these images would be so kind to make them-selves known to me (my email address may be found on www.ssmaritime.com only), in order that due credit may be given. I know what it is like, I have seen a multitude of my own photographs on other sites, yet these individuals either refuse to provide credit or remove them when asked, knowing full well that there is no legal comeback when it comes to the net. However, let us show these charlatans up and do the right thing at all times and give credit where credit is due!

This notice covers all pages, although, and I have done my best to ensure that all photographs are duly credited and that this notice is displaced on each page, that is, when a page is updated!

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