Thank you,

Hello Mr Payne. My post is more of a thank than a question. A big thank you for all the joy and pleasure sailing on world cruises on QM2 as given us. Also your entertaining lectures and the books you have compiled about this beautiful liner. I know how much you loved the SS Rotterdam ship that inspired you so. She was a wonderful liner that I had the privilege to work onboard, and I have had the pleasure of meeting you on QM2 in the past and hope to hear from you again on future voyages.
Congratulations on your achievments in life.

Maggiemou,

Thank you for your very kind comment. I am very pleased that you like Queen Mary 2.

I'd like to share something with you and others on this Forum.

I first knew that I wanted to be a naval architect at the age of 5 after watching a BBC children's programme called Blue Peter -which is still running today. The programme is a magazine style show providing reports about interesting items, things to do etc. In May 1965 when I was 5 the porgramme did a tour of Queen Elizabeth and even though we only had grainy black and white television I was hooked. Interest in passenger ships grew with a visit to Queen Elizabeth 2 in June 1969 at Southampton and a one day trip Le Havre to Southampton on France in May 1974.

Although I kept telling my school that I wanted to be a naval architect they told me that they didn't know what this was and that I'd never get a job doing it. As nobody from my family had been to university before I was dependent on the school's advice and they said that I would be better off becoming a chemist. So I started a chemistry degree. One year in to the course I met my former physics master, Justin Johnson, who was one of the more younger school masters that had taught me and he said that he thought the school had ill advised me and that I should have become a naval architect. He urged me to reconsider and with his help I was able to switch degree and join University of Southampton's Ship Science course, where I gained my degree in June 1984. Justin kept in touch and took a lot of interest in my developing career. He was particularly interested in the design of Queen Mary 2 and always wanted updates of how construction was progressing. Justin sadly died of prostate cancer a few months before the ship was delivered. A terrible blow for all those that knew him.

I owe a tremendous debt of gratitude to Justin and in recognition of this, hidden away behind a lining on Queen Mary 2 is an eulogy to him, clearly stating that if he hadn't persuaded me and subsequently assisted me in becoming a naval architect, Queen Mary 2 in the form that she now exists wouldn't be with us today. Its important for me that his contribution, alongside everybody else involved, is recognised.

I hope Justin is able to look down with pride at what he did.

Thank you for your comment once again.

Stephen

[quote name='Stephen M. Payne']Maggiemou,

Thank you for your very kind comment. I am very pleased that you like Queen Mary 2.

I'd like to share something with you and others on this Forum.

I first knew that I wanted to be a naval architect at the age of 5 after watching a BBC children's programme called Blue Peter -which is still running today. The programme is a magazine style show providing reports about interesting items, things to do etc. In May 1965 when I was 5 the porgramme did a tour of Queen Elizabeth and even though we only had grainy black and white television I was hooked. Interest in passenger ships grew with a visit to Queen Elizabeth 2 in June 1969 at Southampton and a one day trip Le Havre to Southampton on France in May 1974.

Although I kept telling my school that I wanted to be a naval architect they told me that they didn't know what this was and that I'd never get a job doing it. As nobody from my family had been to university before I was dependent on the school's advice and they said that I would be better off becoming a chemist. So I started a chemistry degree. One year in to the course I met my former physics master, Justin Johnson, who was one of the more younger school masters that had taught me and he said that he thought the school had ill advised me and that I should have become a naval architect. He urged me to reconsider and with his help I was able to switch degree and join University of Southampton's Ship Science course, where I gained my degree in June 1984. Justin kept in touch and took a lot of interest in my developing career. He was particularly interested in the design of Queen Mary 2 and always wanted updates of how construction was progressing. Justin sadly died of prostate cancer a few months before the ship was delivered. A terrible blow for all those that knew him.

I owe a tremendous debt of gratitude to Justin and in recognition of this, hidden away behind a lining on Queen Mary 2 is an eulogy to him, clearly stating that if he hadn't persuaded me and subsequently assisted me in becoming a naval architect, Queen Mary 2 in the form that she now exists wouldn't be with us today. Its important for me that his contribution, alongside everybody else involved, is recognised.

I hope Justin is able to look down with pride at what he did.

Thank you for your comment once again.

Stephen[/QUOTE]

What a truly touching story and I am so pleased you were able to share this with us here on Cruise Critic. I have always admired your talent.
You have never forgotten where you came from and the likes of Justin who inspired and encouraged you. I wish you all the best in the future and maybe we will meet again on QM2, although we first met on QV transatlantic crossing. I will be on QE on her world cruise 2014. All good wishes from Cyprus. Maggiemou.