A life long career at Berthon comes to and end: Tony retires after 48 years
April 15th, 2024
Tony Humm retires after 48 years with many fond memories and good friends
On April 5th, 2024, Tony Humm hung up his hardhat for the last time, retiring after 48 years since starting at Berthon in 1976 as an apprentice joiner. He initially joined Berthon due to his love of boats, and trained under the tutelage of joinery foreman Don Slocombe.
One of his fondest memories is working alongside Martin Young (retired in January) on the recommissioning of the cruise ship SS Canberra upon its return from the Falklands War. The ship had carried the Paras and Marines to the war-zone, 18,000 miles there and back. On return to Southampton, she underwent a long refit at Vosper Thornycroft Southampton, with Berthon as a joinery sub-contractor in this naval shipyard. When Tony & Martin were given their job list, they swiftly completed all the tasks on it in efficient Berthon style. However, they were informed by the shop steward that this wasn’t the expected approach, and they needed to slow down!
CANBERRA famously steams ahead for Southampton with returning military personnel.
He remembers Berthon building riverboats for Hoseasons. Bare hulls were delivered, and the joinery team then fitted them out. When fitting the bulkheads, Tony tipped Evo-Stick at the top and then worked it down, which led to a powerful smell, and “one hell of a hangover”, and put him off the smell of Evo-Stick for life.
He worked on the build of Bob Miller’s 70’ Mari Cha, specifically the owner’s cabin, alongside Steve Philips (still working at Berthon). Steve handled much of the shipwright work while Tony focused on joinery.
Tony became multi-skilled, mixing and matching roles, especially when wood joinery was quiet, but other work was busy. He would fix bulkheads, windows, and deck fittings, jobs he could leave and come back to when required. For instance, on pilot boats for Abu Dhabi, he would cut out for the windows, then help with yacht rigging outside when the weather was favourable, and return a few days later to complete fitting the windows.
When the opportunity arose to work full time in the rigging department, Tony had to ask his joinery foreman, Don Slocombe, for permission to move. Don discouraged him, expressing a belief that Tony would eventually take over as foreman. However, Tony disagreed, believing Martin Young would be the one to take over. After discussions between rigging foreman John Urquhart and management, it was agreed Tony would join the rigging team full time.
Rigging was an intense all-or-nothing role; Tony remembers working through the night on Admiral’s Cup yachts to ensure the boats were ready for racing in the morning. During Berthon’s refit of the sail training ship Royalist, Tony was part of the rigging team which removed, inspected, repaired and refitted the two masts and eight spars. He recounts an amusing incident involving Gary Lancaster, an electrician, who was stuck clinging to the mast while wiring up the lights. As Gary was reluctant to swing out from the mast after the fear of heights overtook him, Tony had to go up and help him down. Tony also fondly remembers rigging the entire fleet of twelve Challenge 72 yachts ready for their round the world race.
TS ROYALIST
In the mid-1990s, Tony was the team leader for the gang which rebuilt every one of Berthon’s marina pontoons over two years, establishing a production line to unbolt each pontoon from the marina in turn, tow it to the crane using the yard launch, lift ashore, remove all the rotten wooden boards, weld repair the frames, coat with galvanic paint, then fit new boards, launch the as-new pontoon, tow it back to the marina and bolt it in place.
Tony also worked with Harry and Tom on the boat hoist. Eventually Tony adopted the boat-moving responsibilities after Tom retired, until his own retirement last week. His ability to move boats around the yard, squeezing boats in and out of tight spots, was incredible. Unseen by most was his dedication to come in to work evenings and weekends every time high winds blew, to check all the blocks, shores, wedges, shims and cradles, making certain that all yachts were secure.
Tony’s sons, Stuart and Steve, also joined Berthon as apprentices, with Stuart now shipwright chargehand. Tony is incredibly proud of their successes and delighted the family continues at Berthon.
Tony’s advice to future generations is “keep your eyes open, ask questions when unsure, and respect your elders, as they are the ones who will impart valuable knowledge”.
One item that Tony will be taking with him is his trusty wooden stool (featured in the first image), which has been with him for 48 years: when he joined as an apprentice, he noticed it in the yacht stores marked for the bin. He thought “you’re not throwing that out,” and he has used it throughout his time at Berthon.
Stuart Humm, Shipwright. Caulking the hull of the classic sailing yacht SARDONYX, built by Fred Parker in 1957.
Tony is going to miss the chaps in the yard and the camaraderie that goes with it. However, he is looking forward to the plans he has with his wife, which include finishing off his house!
Berthon director Dominic May commented: “Tony is a top man, he has worked hard every day of his career, turning his hand to everything, setting an excellent example to everyone, and we wish him a very happy, long and well-deserved retirement.”
