Mexborough & Swinton Times – Saturday 03 February 1940

“Something About a Sailor”

Autobiography of an Admiral

Manvers Main Official’s Book

Those who are privileged to have the acquaintance of Rear Admiral Sir Thomas Spence Lyne, K.C.V.O., C.B., D.S.O.. Chief Welfare Officer of the Manvers Main Collieries, Ltd., will find the autobiography he has just published, “Something About a Sailor” (Jarrolds, 21s.), pleasantly reminiscent of the genial and jovial character already so popular in this part of the South Yorkshire coalfield. The book is brimming over with good anecdotes with which the Admiral’s rich sense of humour has liberally laced it. Here is the story of a remarkable career, but it is always told simply unassumingly with the emphasis more upon the Service than the man who made such a mark in it.

Exceptional Promotion.

Admiral Lyne, by sheer merit, worked his way up from the lower deck until in retirement the exalted rank of Rear Admiral was conferred upon him, not to mention other distinctions and honours ne of which was that of Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order when he was promoted Captain in 1918 e was the first “ranker” to attain the position for nearly a century.

Admiral Lyne blazed a new and notable trail and his book shows just how deeply he had the Service at heart, and how his unique position enabled him to see it in a focus not open to many of his highly placed naval colleagues.

But apart from the personal aspect of the book it has a special value in the picture which it paints of the transitional period when our Navy was gradually transferring its allegiance from sail to steam Trained in sail, Admiral Lyne tells many stories of hair-raising incidents aloft though to him they were just part of the job in hand and as such are not unduly dwelt upon. The disappearance of masts and the development of the modern ironclad with all that these changes meant to the Service are set down, not by means of dry-as-dust data but as the author personally experienced and noted the changes his transfer from ship to ship.

The numerous illustrations also help to mark this metamorphosis and to colour graphically many personal chapters in the author’s life. The naval officer can hardly be other than a much-travelled man and Admiral Lyne has not only seen a good deal more of the world than most of us but has the faculty of writing interestingly of it He has seen service in the near East, the far East, South African waters, the less remote stations in the narrow seas surrounding these isles, and the Mediterranean, and an can even describe the novelty of a personal overland trip via the Trans-Siberian Railway nearly thirty years ago. All is told with an authenticity of detail which makes the personal character of this book so fresh and vivid a feature of it.

Local Links.

Admiral Lyne concludes his story with references which will be especially interesting to those associated and acquainted with Manvers Main Collieries

In the course of a description of work on his last command, the training ship “Impregnable,” he says: “Lieutenant Commander H. H. G. Begbie was responsible for the physical training instruction, among other accomplishments swimming being his strong point.” Lieutenant Commander Begbie will be remembered by many readers as a former Welfare Officer to the Manvers Main Collieries. Ltd.

Admiral Lyne goes on to describe how he went into politics on his retirement, taking over an organising secretaryship in the Unionist cause in Scotland. It was through this work that he struck up a close friendship with the late Mr. Hylton Murray-Philipson, brother of Mr. 0. J. Philipson, managing director of Manvers Main Collieries, Ltd. He later assisted in Mr. Murray-Philipson’s return to Parliament as Member for Twickenham, the seat which he held at the time of his death. Of Mr. Murray-Philipson, Admiral Lyne writes. “He was a man of the strongest and most lovable character chivalrous to a degree, with a heart of gold, one who (had he, been spared) would have gone far in the service of his country. I could write a volume on his activities before his death at the premature age of thirty-two.”

Writing his concluding paragraphs, the author mentions his association with Mr O. J. Philipson. “On the demise of his brother,” he writes. “O.J. took over nearly all his (brother’s) activities except politics and to-day, among other things, is largely Admiral Lyne concludes his s e ry w references which will be especially interesting to those associated and acquainted with Manvers Main Collieries

In the course of a description of work on his last command, the training ship “Impregnable,” he says: “Lieutenant Commander H. H. G. Begbie was responsible for the physical training instruction, among other accomplishments swimming being his strong point.” Lieutenant Commander Begbie will be remembered by many readers as a former Welfare Officer to the Manvers Main Collieries. Ltd.

Admiral Lyne goes on to describe how he went into politics on his retirement, taking over an organising secretaryship in the Unionist cause in Scotland. It was through this work that he struck up a close friendship with the late Mr. Hylton Murray-Philipson, brother of Mr. 0. J. Philipson, managing director of Manvers Main Collieries, Ltd. He later assisted .in Mr. Murray-Philipson’s return to Parliament as Member for Twickenham, the seat which he held at the time of his death. Of Mr. Murray-Philipson, Admiral Lyne writes. “He was a man of the strongest and most lovable character . . . chivalrous to a degree, with a heart of gold, one who (had he, been spared) would have gone far in the service of his country. I could write a volume on his activities before his death at the premature age of thirty-two.”

Writing his concluding paragraphs, the author mentions his association with Mr O.J. Philipson. “On the demise of his brother,” he writes. “O.J. took over nearly all his (brother’s) activities except politics and to-day, among other things, is largely directing his attention to Manvers Main Collieries where he is managing director.

Today he is keeping me busy in helping him to organise a welfare scheme for 7,000 miners, and incidentally I have taken over, with his general manager Major P.H. Lloyd, the A.R.P. administration of the collieries. He gave me much help in constructing this book, I have spent many hours mints the delightful surrounding of his home dictating his reminiscences into a dictaphone.”