He started in 1952 and finished 1964 when the Japanese were involved. He ended up as Number 1 Store Keeper in charge of harpoons and other supplies.
His pre-whaling life was just as interesting as his life in South Georgia and Shetland. Having grown up in London and serving in the Royal Army Medical Corps during WW2, he married Chris Mouat, a Nurse from Shetland in 1946. Together they returned to Shetland after the war where Bill did various jobs until 1952 when he joined Chr. Salvesen & Co. as a Grade 8 Whaler and took a post as assistant shopkeeper in the Slop Chest.
Bill Lynch was assistant shopkeeper and then shopkeeper in the Slop Chest at Leith Harbour. He was promoted to become Store Keeper in Number 1 Store in Leith Harbour. Where he worked until the whaling ended in South Georgia. He, along with Captain Willem Johansen, were tasked with being Salvesen’s representatives when a Japanese company took over the whaling station in the 1960s.
He frequently reminisced of his time working in South Georgia and enjoyed his time working with the Norwegians. He himself was well-known among the post-war whalers. He had many interesting stories. One being his involvement in bringing back penguins to the Zoo in Edinburgh, who requested a certain species of penguin were brought back to them. Presumably, Bill could have been responsible for some of the present day penguins at Edinburgh Zoo!
After the whaling era ended in South Georgia, Bill was offered a job in Salvesen’s office in Leith, Edinburgh. Here he worked as Accountant until he retired. Bill died on 2nd March 2025, he was 107 years and nearly 6 months.