From: Peter Thompson
Date: 11/11/2008 11:18:12
To: steve worthington
Subject: Manchester Liners Old Shipmates Association

Dear Capt Steve Worthington

First I wish to thank you and all the others who organise the Didsbury Reunion 2008 Myself and my wife enjoyed it immensly.It is the first I have attended since joining and it was interesting to see old associates and shipmates from the past.

I was digging around when I returned home and found some photographs from those heady days of the 60's and 70's.

I was with Liners from the late 60's up to 1977. However I was on the Manchester Miller as 3/0 with Capt Espley as my first number of voyages (couldn't has got such an easy number) anyhow it was during these early days with the ship that Capt Espley discovered I was a keen model maker and with his usually persuasive manner he approach myself and Ernie May the ships carpenter with a task.He informed us that the Miller was adopted by a local school and he had the idea that between us we build a model of the ship and then present it to the school. Ernie May used his skills to make a solid wooden hull and it was my job then to complete the model by adding the superstructure and all the smaller pieces to complete the model.I did most of the work on her at home. I must confess that the paint etc was from ML stores but was considerable less amounts to the real thing.

We went on to present the model to the school in question and I also took the attached photograph and copy of the thank you letter on behalf on the school. I note however in the rather poor photo that there is a dark stripe which appears to be coming from the funnels.This reminds me of the real ship when it was usual for the engineers to ring the bridge on the 8-12 when dark to ask permission to bow tubes. I cannot admit to that much realism in finishing the model with that effect (I think it is a gap in the back cloth).

Sadly I doubt whether the model still exists.

I have other photographs of another event which I will email later.

Yours sincerely
 
Peter Thompson     (I wear the tie with pride)

As a matter of interest I telephoned Partington County Primary School and sadly they did not know anything about the model of the S.S. Manchester Miller (2) or of the school's link with her. However it was forty one years ago.

Derrick Howarth, ML Hon Webmaster

From: Dave Brown
To: info@manchesterliners.co.uk
Sent: Saturday, November 08, 2008 3:13 PM
Subject: Asian Renown, Asian Reward 1974-1975

Dear Sir,
 
I served as electrician on board the above ships on the Far East run during 1974-75.
I am enclosing a photo of the Company's name plate from Liners House which I bought last year on Ebay.
 
Regards
 
David Brown.

Ed:     Amazing what comes up  for sale on eBay

From: Alan Jones May 2008 Alan Jones sent in this photograph of Bosun Paddy McGann, David Geddes and Chippy Dougie Smith enjoying a "smoko" on the S.S. Manchester Shipper whilst he was serving his Apprenticeship in 1964.

"Smoko" on the S.S. Manchester Shipper (2) in 1964 Photo: Alan Jones