Mick Dolman

Yeah, well, he was a seafaring man.

In fact, he was a Glaswegian who came to Australia via the Middle East.

He was a policeman in Palestine under the British regime in those days and he had a great sympathy for the common folk and he instilled that in me in many respects and my siblings.

But he was a hard case guy, big drinker, and he died at a pretty young age, about 46.

It was a bit strange, actually, because we never had much in the way of wages and all that stuff.

And he used to invite us down to the ship when he was in port in Yarraville.

And I had to endure the haircut.

from the cook.

Was it a pudding bowl haircut?

Absolutely.

Was he actually put the bowl on your head?

He did, and he did.

And I dreaded those days when he'd invite me down for a haircut.

But one good thing came out of it, that he took me on a sea voyage from Melbourne to Portland as a ring bolt, which most people would call it a stowaway, but in maritime vernacular, it's a ring bolt.

So I was in there...

And I never had so much food in my life.

The cooks were always prepared.

I'd go up in the mess room.

Nobody cared that I was there.

And I nearly ate the place empty.