Leney, John Michael

January 15th, 2006 by JCB
Posted in Obituaries | No Comments »

John Michael Leney

Mike, the oldest of three children, was born and brought up in Bolton, his father being a local dental surgeon. He attended the local primary and grammar schools before transferring to St Columba College in Dublin.

In 1951 at the age of 16 he joined HMS Conway leaving in 1953 to join The Anglo Saxon Petroleum Company (later renamed Shell Tankers). He finished ‘serving his time’ in 1956 and on obtaining his Second Mates certificate joined Esso with whom he remained for the rest of his sea going service being appointed relief master in 1968.

He joined the Milford Haven Pilotage Service in August 1970 being appointed a VLCC pilot in 1973. Mike served on the local pilots’ committee and was its chairman 1988/89.

He was elected to the UKPA national committee in 1989 becoming its chairman in 1994 and remaining so until ill-health forced him to retire from active pilotage in 1997.

In April of that year Mike had a successful quadruple by-pass operation and enjoyed good health but was back in hospital in 2004 for a new knee and was due to have a hip replacement early this year. He bore these illnesses with grace and good fortitude retaining his fine sense of humour throughout.

Mike had other interests apart from pilotage. He was a keen non acting member of the local operatic society, being stage manager for many productions and was rewarded by being appointed an honorary life member, this was an interest shared with his wife Anne who is currently President of the Society. He was a past member of the local Lions and set up the Pembrokeshire Branch of the Institute of Advanced Motorists.

More recently, with the development of LNG terminals at Milford, Mike, a man of great integrity, was to the forefront in publicly voicing concerns regarding their siting adjacent to the main navigational channel with associated risks.

His sudden death on 21^st December at the age of 70 came as a shock to all who knew him and indeed, due to his exposure locally on the foregoing safety of navigation issues for which he was much respected, to the wider public in Pembrokeshire. Mike is survived and will be sorely missed by his wife Anne, son Christopher, daughter in law Cathy and much loved grandchildren Tom and Emma. He will also be missed by his many friends in pilotage and from his other interests.

Ian Evans