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With Reuben Goossens
Maritime
Historian,
Cruise‘n’Ship Reviewer & Author
Memories of the JVO
MS Johan van
Oldenbarnevelt
Chapter Six
Goodbye
JVO
The final voyage of the JVO from Wellington New Zealand
- 30 January 1963
Sadly, by mid 1962, due to the fall of passenger numbers and the
companies ever increasing cargo interests, it was decided that her services
would be terminated. She sailed her final round the world voyage departing Amsterdam Saturday 30
June 1962. Then, on Saturday 29 September, she departed her homeport of Amsterdam for the last
time. She arrived in Wellington New Zealand on
Friday November 9, 1962. The next day, JVO's master, Captain Klingen
presented the ships bell to a local school, the Upper
Hutt College
signalling the upcoming end of the JVO, 
before she headed back to Europe to become a Greek Cruise ship. One of the schools
pupils sang a song composed
for this special occasion, entitled "The JVO
Bell." A group of pupils were invited to visit the ship and before
leaving, they sang "The JVO Bell" song once more in honour of this
fine vessel. Sadly, on
the author’s last investigation, the ships bell was removed and has since
been lost. Someone in New
Zealand must have it. If you its
whereabouts, please email the author via the email link at the bottom of the
page.
-Above: The JVO Bell is handed
over.
Many have asked, “Why was the bell given to Wellington and not any other port?”
Over the years the JVO had become a Wellington
icon and the crew felt very much at home in this beautiful harbour city.
Well-known ships band, the Mimmo Bruno
Orchestra, even recorded their
album here. Wellington
had become the ships 2nd homeport.
Whilst in Wellington, she was contracted to serve as a as means of
transport and floating hotel for New Zealanders attending the 7th Commonwealth
Games to be held in Perth. She departed Wellington
on the 10th and sailed via Sydney
and Melbourne, arriving in Fremanthe
Perth on November 21. Astern of the JVO was another Dutch ship, the "Groote Beer."
JVO arrives in Fremantle
Above: JVO seen in Fremantle during the 1962
Commonwealth Games
She departed Fremantle and sailed via Melbourne to Sydney,
arriving on December 9. On that day she commenced her final series of four Trans Tasman
cruises.
Then on Wednesday, 30 January
1963 came the moment when Johan
van Oldenbarnevelt departed Wellington for the last
time. It was bright warm, slightly overcast afternoon as thousands lined the
shore to watch this fine lady depart. Obviously, the author was among the
multitudes taking photographs of this poignant event. A deep sense of emotion
swept over the crowd as a dear friend, our JVO, sailed out of sight. She
crossed the Tasman packed with past passengers, all having booked to have the
privilege of being able to sail on this grand old lady for the very last time
as the JVO.
On
January 30, 1963, the JVO departs Wellington NZ for the last time
All
Photographs by the author
The
author's very last photograph of the Royal Dutch Mails - MS Johan van
Oldenbarnevelt
On her final voyage from Wellington
direct to Sydney
saw passengers sharing their experiences on JVO with each other. There were
many joyful events on board as she crossed the Tasman,
but at the same time, many felt a deep sadness inside. The crew did all in
their power to make the voyage memorable and according to all accounts, it was!
Johan van Oldenbarnevelt arrived in Sydney
on Sunday February 3, 1963 ending her thirty three-year career. As she docked
many Sydney-siders had come to witness her arrival.
Later that day she was decommissioned by the Netherland Line and she departed
late in the afternoon with a crew, but without any passengers. Just as it was
in Wellington
many past passengers and those who had admired this ship for so long stood
quietly, watching her final departure. They sought the best vantage points
along the shores of Sydney
Harbour, including atop Sydney Heads.
As she gracefully she passed Sydney
Heads still looking beautiful, she
headed north to a “secret destination.”
Of course now know that she sailed via Singapore, Aden, Suez, Port Said, to
Genoa, where she arrived on 7 March 1963 and she was officially
handed over on the next day to "Ormos Shipping
Company" for the "Greek Line" and soon her comprehensive refit
commenced and she was renamed the “Lakonia” to become a fulltime
cruise ship.
The motor ship Johan van
Oldenbarnevelt, our beloved JVO, had touched all those
who had sailed on her, as well as those that had come to know her by sight as
she visited our shores in New Zealand
and Australia
for a good twelve and a half years.
And in those days, visitors were still permitted to come on board, thus so many
were able to enjoy the sheer beauty of her magnificent lounges, both her
traditional carved timber venues and the more modern ones, which were fitted
after her most recent refit! But, now she would become the illfated
cGreek cruise ship that had been insured by Lloyds of
London for a good one million British pounds, which was a great deal for those
days and would cover any eventuality!
Chapter 7 - Cruise Ship TSMS Lakonia
JVO Index
Chapters
with an * were recently updated
Introduction Remembering the JVO
Chapter 1 The New Pride of the Netherlands
Chapter 2 JVO the Trooper
Chapter 3 A New Service
Chapter 4 New Lease of Life
*
Chapter 5 JVO the Cruise Ship *
Chapter 6 Goodbye JVO *
Chapter 7 Cruise Ship TSMS Lakonia
Chapter 8 Lakonia's Final Voyage *This Chapter
has 17 new photographs and stories – Dec 2009
Chapter 9 The End is Near
Chapter 10 Conclusion
*
Passenger
stories
Page One Boelen Family – The
night the JVO almost went down
Page Two - NEW Pieter
Goldhoorn –1947 – a
soldier’s voyage to the East Indies (Indonesia)
Page Three William Hamlyn –
1945 Royal Signalman’s voyage home from wartime duties
Page Four
- NEW Laszlo
Pal – A Voyage to Canada
Page Five – NEW Harold Heasman – His service on the JVO from March 1942 to August 1943
***********************************
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Who is the
Author of ssMaritime?
Commenced in the passenger Shipping Industry
in May 1960
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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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