Meets: Kempston Constitutional Club, 196A Bedford Road, Kempston, Bedford MK42 8BL, (located 100 yards from Sainsburys store toward Bedford), on the 3rd Thursday of each month, at 19:30 for 20:00 start. EXCEPT DECEMBER (see below)
Contact: David Menzies, 149 Spring Road, Kempston, Bedford, MK42 8NR. Tel: 01234 352014.
On the Horizon: our forthcoming Bedford & District Branch meetings
Branch Notes
July 2024
Recovering from health issues by the sea Jim Charnock was unable to make his annual visit to Bedford in July. His place was taken by Alan Moorhouse who up to his teens lived at Timperley within walking distance of Jim. They both enjoyed viewing ships on the Manchester Ship Canal at the same area but never meet in this period, not meeting until 1995 when Alan visited the Manchester branch. Alan structured his presentation on views of shipping they would have both seen on the canal in period of the 1970’s. Many thanks for Alan for stepping in for Jim and best wishes to Jim from Bedford for continued improvement in his health.
May 2024
Michael Galley gave an insight into the world of international shipbreaking at his presentation for the May meeting. Staring with an overview of the history world shipbreaking then concentration on the main sites currently breaking up ships. In India and Pakistan ships are run ashore on gently sloping sand tidal beaches at high tide so that they can be accessed for disassembly with it seems little thought to contamination to the environment. The dangers of process were illustrated by excellent photos. The one photo I still have in my mind was an Indian lady who at first glance appeared to be preparing food . The correct description for the photo was that she was processing asbestos teasing out the fibres without wearing any form of Personal Protective Equipment. Michael finished with new working practices that have been introduced by the Basel Convention and Hong Kong convention stating that getting these agreed has been a slow process. A thoroughly enjoyable presentation, looking at another aspect of the shipping industry.
April 2024
The April meeting evening was devoted to members DVD’s. We started with the Snowbow DVD Ships to Manchester. This port was once the nation’s fourth biggest port and in its heyday would have been full of ships. This was made possible by the construction of the Manchester Ship Canal which was completed in 1894 to enable ships from all over the world to sail right into the heart of industrial Briton. The DVD was a collection of films showed ship movements of the period and was a real maritime treat. The film enabled the meeting to watch ship after ship sailing to and from Manchester. But as an extra, the film also followed some of the ships on their voyages after leaving the canal. These were ships that were once operated by shipping companies such as Harrison Line, Manchester Liners, Clan Line and Furness Withy. The second DVD was the Port of London Waters of Time which was filmed in 1951 and showing shipping of the period and followed the arrival of the Highland Princess into the port and her eventual departure after being worked in the dock.
February 2024
Many thanks to Alan Pepper for stepping in at short notice when the intended February presentation was not available. Alan’s presentation was a draft of a show intended for a non-ship enthusiast audience, in this case a local church. It aims to remind the audience that merchant ships still exist and the important role they play. Container ships, bulk carriers, oil and LNG tankers, car carriers and cruise ships were shown to illustrate the changes that have taken place in our lifetime. The Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth transatlantic liners were included as these ships would be known to most in the prospective audience. We are often asked to speak general audiences and the feedback from branch members was most useful.
January 2024
The branch started 2024 off by showing 2 DVD’s about the Port of London. The first DVD was based on period News Reals. First images being taken in 1919 of the concrete constructed coaster ARMISTICE also completed in 1919, seen at East India Docks. The DVD took us through the history of the port showing the changing methods of working and equipment in the dock ending with the demise of majority of the London Dock and the Opening of the London City Airport in 1987. Along the way several spectacular fires in the dockside warehouses were seen along the magnificent views of the Cunard liner MAURENTIA entering the Royal Docks in August 1939. The second film was a Museum of London film showing more recent history of the docks and views of handling of bulk goods within the docks. Also seen were the failed proposed plans for the Maplin Seaport Development including an airport.