June 2024 The Branch welcomed Glyn Evans for its meeting on 27 June to give us his presentation on ‘The maritime art of Kenneth Shoesmith.’ A highly illustrated talk which the speaker had trawled from many sources. We learned that Shoesmith had started his sea-going career as a cadet at HMS Conway before joining Royal Mail Lines as a deck …
Bedford Branch May 2024
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 …
Merseyside Branch May 2024
May 2024 It is with great regret we have to announce the passing of branch member Christy MacHale aged 75. Christy was a great friend to us all, a man of very many talents; our condolences go to his wife Sam and all his family. Our May 2024 meeting was a great night when David Hearn from Wallasey came to …
Haven Ports April 2024
April 2024 The branch is operating on basically a bi-Monthly program for 2024. Our February meeting was via Zoom due to the usual worries about unreliable weather.Steve Thomas showed images from Gibraltar taken in 2023. He presented a well researched showwhich prompted comments and discussion for most images. We were joined by branch memberTony Millat from Mersea who cannot get …
Bedford Branch April 2024
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 …
Isle of Wight – April 2024
The Branch held its AGM on 25 April last. At this the following Committe members were re-elected: Branch Chairman-Nick Hawkins. Branch Secretary-Richard ‘Dick’ de Kerbrech. Branch Treasurer-Ken Lowe. Visits & Social Sec- Vacant Newsletter Editor-John Cheverton. The AGM business was followed by Past Chairman, Chris Bancroft, showing some of the slides and photos taken be the late Phil Fricker. Chris …
Merseyside Branch April 2024
April 2024 John Hooley travelled from Macclesfield to give us his Western Isles to the land of MacBraynes presentation. It was a wonderful evening when John showed us many quite rare images of very old MacBraynes vessels starting with shots of the very unusual 1880 Linnet at Crinan. Many shots of Paddle Steamers followed and all these came with an …
Merseyside Branch March 2024
March 2024 Our March 2024 meeting was an exceptional meeting. For the first half we welcomed once again Keith Hick from Southport who gave us a wonderful presentation entitled The Dockers Umbrella featuring the much loved Liverpool Overhead Railway. Keith showed us many images of its life from 1893 to 1956. The Overhead was unique and was modelled on a …
Isle of Wight – February 2024
February 2024 Our 22 February Meeting was held at our new venue, Arreton Village Hall in Arreton. The Branch’s Annual Photographic Competition was postponed from January was held and judged by Ian Pratt LRPS. The winner of the Phil Fricker cup [for the second year in succession] was Andrew Collins with his photo of a starboard quarter of the PS …
Bedford Branch February 2024
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, …