Please note that the hard copy newsletter differs from this one in which, for reasons of security unless otherwise requested, personal contact details are not shown on the web edition.

NEWSLETTER NO 15 -  OCTOBER 2009

Once again it is time to put pen to paper and pull together Newsletter no 15.  I think you will agree the newsletter has come on in leaps and bounds since our first attempt in September 2002, all on A4 sheets.

I cannot over emphasise the need for articles and news from you.  Without your input the magazine will die.

Our membership currently stands at 153 with many enquiries from overseas from people having seen our website - thanks again to Derrick for keeping our site up to date and interesting.

Please don’t forget our subscription period runs from 1st June each year so if perchance you have overlooked this item please contact our Treasurer Peter Cullen.

Your attention is drawn to the raffle of an original oil painting of Trafford Wharf in order to raise funds for the Association – see page 7.

If you haven’t yet booked for Didsbury Reunion please contact Peter Cullen as soon as possible – see page 3.

St Annes was as always a great reunion, well attended.  See centre pages for photos and report.  I am taking bookings now for next year.

Members will be interested to know we now have a copy of a very good article entitled ‘Manchester Liners 1959-1984’ written by R.B. Stoker and serialised in Sea Breezes. It is not possible to reproduce it in our small magazine due its size but Derrick hopes to put it onto our website soon. 

The DEEP WRECK MYSTERIES series was eventually shown during August & September on the History Channel. There wasn’t much to be seen of the old Manchester Commerce in the ‘Death of a Battleship’, (shown Sunday 30th August) but it was very interesting to see how the team pulled the whole mystery together.

Steve Worthington

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Changes to the Crew List

May I please remind members who change their email addresses to let us know. Also for anyone who has a service provider which requires incoming emails to be “passed” by its “white list” – please remember that unless you add Hon Sec, Hon Treas, and Hon Web to your list you are in danger of missing communications. There are one or two members in far corners of the world who we have been unable to contact owing to the above problems.   Sorry, but we really have tried!

See Crew List

Amendments. - Hard copy of Crew List is available to Members only from Hon Sec

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See Crossed the Bar

Obituaries

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See Crew Changes

Welcome Aboard

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MLOSA WEB SITE REPORT OCT

Our web site continues to cruise high on the search engines and generate interest from around the world. This is helped no end by the many items that are being sent to us. Some items are retained for the newsletter and only go on the site after publication, however I must confess that during the summer months I am not always able to update immediately due to my spending more time away from home on boating and holidays, so to this end I now have a pending file where all incoming items are stored in chronological order. This is why the New Items page has had a change of format.

I am currently working on two quite large items that will require new pages of their own. A Historical Scrap Book of Manchester Liners comprising forty nine pages of photographs and cuttings from 1942 - 1963 and kindly sent to me from Canada by Ralph Murray. The other is Manchester Liners 1959 – 1984 by Mr R. B. Stoker sent in by Alan Jones. He found it published in four parts in some old editions of Sea Breezes magazine and I thank Sea Breezes for granting me permission to reproduce from their magazines.

The co-owner and editor of Sea Breezes magazine is a very good friend of mine and we are currently in discussion about creating a specially discounted magazine subscription rate for MLOSA members. Sea Breezes are currently developing a digitised version of the magazine and you will also find a link on the Manchester Liners on the Web page to the Sea Breezes web site giving insights of their next copy.

Other items awaiting posting on Mailbag are: The Seaman’s Strike from Chris Morris and photographs of old shipmates from Geoff Merrick.

Both the Mailbag page, which is solely for the use of members, and Lookout where items and questions come in from world-wide, are all worthy of regular viewing. So please do keep your items and tit bits coming in as this is what makes it your web site and I thank all of you who have contributed to date.

Derrick Howarth
ML Hon Webmaster

 webmaster@manchesterliners.co.uk

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ST ANNES WEEKEND REUNION 2010

The weekend Reunion at St Annes is to be held on Saturday/Sunday  15th/16th May 2010.  Family and friends welcome.

First bookings get the best rooms – we already have 52 bookings for 2010
Don’t delay – get booked today!

WE HAVE HEARD FROM

From: Ernie Moore
Subject: Albert Kenyon

The Mate here on "Clwyd Supporter" is from Fleetwood, and as I was talking about 'ML', he was asking if I knew anything about Albert Kenyon. He was a well known bosun as far as I remember..

Perhaps you could check for me, and I can then pass on the information to George on here.
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From: Ralph Murray in Rothesay, Canada
Subject: Andy Shaw

 I have over the years maintained contact with Andy Shaw and his wife Floss. Andy was the first ML Container Terminal Manager in Montreal from 1968 through to the mid 70's . He came to ML in Montreal from St.John's Nfld. where he had been with Furness Withy for a number of years. In the mid seventies he relocated to Vancouver and joined the Port of Vancouver as Marketing Manager and subsequently moved to Nanaimo on Vancouver Island where he eventually retired.

I recently was advised that Floss passed away in early July and Andy is now in a Seniors Home in Vancouver.

John Heslop also keeps in contact with Andy Shaw and has given his address

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From Edmund Eccles in Montreal

Edmund sent in a colour picture of a painting of the first Manchester Merchant wearing the ‘defaced’ Blue Ensign when she was requisitioned as a transporter for the Boer War.  Derrick obtained  permission to reproduce this and you will find it in the art gallery of ships on the website.

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Trafford  Wharf Original in oils - By Geoffrey  Bardsley

John Wilkinson is offering this painting to be RAFFLED to raise funds for MLOSA

The painting is of a very atmospheric scene at Manchester Docks entitled ‘Trafford Wharf’ and features a Manchester Liners ship of the 1960-70 vintage. It came into John’s possession via a friend, Mr Pat Moran, a well known Liverpool seafarer and activist in preserving Merseyside heritage.  The painting was for sale in the beautiful India Building arcade situated in Water Street Liverpool and was purchased by John as he thought it would make an ideal item for raising funds for the MLOSA. It is an ideal size to be hung in a study or any wall alcove and with raffle tickets priced at only £2, or $5, each must make it a bargain so get busy and buy tickets to support our organisation.

The picture details are as follows,
Artist -  Mr. Geoffrey Bardsley of  Sale, Altrincham.
Framed Size.  18in. by 15in.

The Draw will take place at the Didsbury Reunion Lunch on Thursday 22nd October 2009.  The closing date for inclusion is Tuesday 20th October 2009.

Information for the overseas members – should you be the lucky winner the cost of postage based on the packaged weight of less than 2kg will be approx £35 to USA/Canada or £45 to Australia.

John Wilkinson,

Please note for legal reasons tickets may only be purchased by members.

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		50th Wedding Anniversary – Cath & Peter Cullen celebrated their GOLDEN WEDDING ANNIVERSARY quietly without anyone knowing at St Annes 2009 CONGRATULATIONS ! !

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Container Ships Across the Atlantic

BBC North ref RNW9023E

The above documentary first shown on  BBC in 1970’s, is believed to have been filmed on board two of the ML Container ships.

We have tried several different methods of obtaining a copy free of charge but to no avail.  The BBC makes a charge of £105.75 for each copy.  It would appear the request for a copy must come from a person who actually appeared on the programme.

Should anyone wish to apply, the address is –
BBC, Contributor Access Service, P.O. Box 1922, Glasgow G2 3WT

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ANNUAL ST ANNE’S REUNION - LINDUM HOTEL  15th/16th/17th MAY 2009

Thanks once again to the efforts of the Committee and the membership, the annual reunion was a great success – even the weather stayed fair for the weekend, by that I mean it didn’t rain!!

The only unfortunate circumstance was the absence (for the first time ever) of Captain Eric Askew due to illness.  However, we hope that he will be with us at our next meeting, - the luncheon in October.

The Dinner itself was attended by 50 people and although they were not with us for dinner, John and Marion Mitchell came to have afternoon tea with us by way of an M.G. Rally, and Alan Jones came on Sunday for lunch which he always does!  Thus making 53 attending, so all in all a very good turnout.

After Grace having been said by “Yours Truly” the Hon Sec Steve Worthington welcomed our new members Roy and Rita Featherstone and Geoffrey and Shirley Whitworth and mentioned that there had been apologies for absence from 26 members.

I was very pleased to be invited to talk about the Origins of the Manchester Ship Canal and subsequently the foundation of Manchester Liners – I hope members enjoyed listening to me as much as I enjoyed the research and talking about them.

The recent sad news regarding Capt Blake Nelson was of course not anticipated although we were aware that he was not well and could not travel, but as a legacy his donation of the book “British Shipping Fleets” was raffled very successfully in the form of a “Dutch Auction” by Captain Jim Illingworth thereby raising £72.  Philip Moran was the eventual winner of the book.  Captain Peter and Mrs Kath Cullen organised the general raffle and this brought a further £99.00 into the Association funds.

Raffle tickets were also sold after dinner for an original oil painting – “Trafford Wharf” by G. Bardsley, featuring one of our *older ships* in midstream.  The winning ticket is to be drawn at our Didsbury Luncheon in October.

To end the Dinner absent friends were toasted and the assembled company adjourned to the hotel bar for night cap (or two).

It would be remiss not to mention the Management and Staff of the Lindum Hotel who really make an effort to ensure that our weekends with them are as enjoyable and comfortable as possible.
Michael Kendall.

		Who was there?

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From: Bryan B Farlow
Subject: Ship Canal Memories

I am writing to acknowledge receipt of the MLOSA Newsletter, Vol : 14, February, 2009.  I have found the content of the Newsletter to be most interesting, enjoyable and informative.

I have only spent a relatively short period of time actually sailing up and down the ManchesterShip Canal.   However, my earlier childhood experiences give me additional substance, fond memories and a realisation of the tremendous contribution that the MSC has played in the development of the City of Manchester.   

I spent my childhood years living in Eccles.
During the war years, ships from the USA used to tie-up at Eccles wharf.
Local children would wait for the sailors to come ashore. We would ask the sailors....”have you got any gum, chum” ? 
The sailors were always very generous in complying with our requests.
The main cargo which was offloaded seemed to be sulphur, which would have been used in the armaments industry.  

When playing on our nearby football pitch, we could see the funnels of the many different shipping companies, as they went up and down the canal. By crossing over Barton road bridge, we could stand by the side of the Barton aqueduct. This was where the Bridgewater canal passed over the MSC.
In those days, it was always a pleasure to see the powerful, yet graceful, shire horses towing the barges along the Bridgewater canal.   

I now live in Ramsbottom, which is perhaps 20 or so miles further up the Irwell valley.   I am always conscious of the fact that the stream, which runs at the bottom of my garden, then flows into the nearby River Irwell, and then eventually, at the Woden Street footbridge, becomes the ManchesterShip Canal.  

I always return to Eccles on Remembrance Sunday.  After paying my respects at the cenotaph, I then travel to Salford Quays and to No. 9 Dock. (or should I say, what WAS No. 9 Dock..! ).  
The regeneration of the whole of the docklands area has been tremendous.

I am hoping to be able to attend the Grand Carvery Luncheon, at Didsbury Golf Club, on Thursday, 22nd. October, 2009.

With Best Wishes,
Bryan.  

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Manchester Crusade Tow

Captain Mike Robson's article and photographs are to be found in Mailbag May 25, 2009

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MANCHESTER MARINER ICED UP IN THE WINTER OF 1962

Ice build up		Ice build up
Ice build up		Ice build up
Ice build up		Ice melt

	S.S. Manchester Mariner (2) in Quebec
	All photographs by Brian Hulme

The Mariner was bound for Halifax / St.John.   We had quite a storm in the latter stages of the journey, I think on the Grand Banks.
These pictures were taken after the storm in calmer waters near Newfoundland.
I was sailing as 5th. engineer and had only been at sea eight months so it was all quite dramatic for me.

I was a 4th. Eng when I went ashore after about three years due to health reasons. I sailed with George Bettridge on the Pioneer and have always kept in touch.   
  

See you at Didsbury in Oct.    

Brian Hulme

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Quest for totem home

From: Rita Wilkinson

This article (about trying to preserve the Totem Pole)  was in the local Salford Advertiser.  Thought you may be interested. Audrey Malpas and I are back in touch with each other after 30years.  We actually met up a couple of months ago, and we recognised each other straight away, and chatted non stop like you wouldn’t believe.  Rita Enquiries have been made as to whether or not the totem pole had horns in the two holes that are on the top of its head. If you can help please send an email to webmaster@manchesterliners.co.uk Please also see Mailbag 2009 for other related Totem Pole items. Hon Webmaster

NEWSLETTER NO 14 - FEBRUARY 2009

It seems no time at all since we went to press with Newsletter No 13 in the autumn.  In the meantime we hope you all had a very pleasant Christmas and New Year.  Carol and I spent New Year ice bound on our boat on the Lancaster Canal, shades of the St Lawrence in winter only difference was we couldn’t find an ice breaker, with the exception of the stuff that went into the G&T’s.

Our total membership now stands just short of 150 with more requests for membership from the far corners of the world.  The majority of this is due to the fantastic website which Derrick set up and maintains for us.

Our Treasurer Peter Cullen reminds us that 2009 subs will due by 1st June.  Renewal forms can be sent by email or can be collected at St Annes in May.

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Changes to the Crew List

May I please remind members who change their email addresses to let us know. Also for anyone who has a service provider which requires incoming emails to be “passed” by its “white list” – please remember that unless you add Hon Sec, Hon Treas, and Hon Web to your list you are in danger of missing communications. There are one or two members in far corners of the world who we have been unable to contact owing to the above problems.  Sorry, but we really have tried!

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See Crew List

Amendments. - Hard copy of Crew List is available to Members only from Hon Sec

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See Crossed the Bar

Obituaries

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See Crew Changes

Welcome Aboard

Eight more members since Didsbury in October - WELCOME to you all.

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MLOSA WEB SITE UPDATE

Our web site has once again seen an increase in traffic with 10% more hits and 13.5% more pages accessed than the previous period. The site continues to be accessed from virtually every country on the globe and once again there has increased number of hits from the UK.

As last time, I attribute this to the upsurge in interest in ancestry created by television programmes as most of the enquiries coming in for Lookout our page.

In my previous update I mentioned that most of the enquiries are solely reliant on a name being recognised, whether it is someone who you have sailed with or just heard of.  So please do let Hon Secretary, Hon Treasurer or myself know as we have the enquirers’ contact details to forward it on to them. I will also put your replies on the Lookout page and link them to the original enquiry.

The Association continues to gain members, with eight having joined and several more applications pending, from ex-shipmates and people with shore side connections who have found, or been told of, the web site.

As we generate very little news of our own, in order to maintain the interest in the web site, please keep sending in your items, titbits of interest and photographs, of people, or ships, hopefully of ones that we do not yet have, to mailbag@manchesterliners.co.uk. which is dedicated to members only.

PLEASE BE ON YOUR GUARD as I have recently received an email purporting to be from Harry Tobin, and sent from the email address harrytobin@yahoo.com  to info@manchesterliners.co.uk. I opened the email, which was in poor English, and it had links to a Chinese web site.  I checked the member's lists and found that Harry was shown as deceased on the 2007 list. Someone somewhere has cloned his address book.  These links will I am sure, if opened, carry a virus. The email itself checked clean and I deleted it.  If any members should receive one please delete it immediately without even trying to open it.
 
Thank you all for helping me with new items since our last newsletter.

Derrick J Howarth
Hon. ML Webmaster

webmaster@manchesterliners.co.uk              

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DATES FOR YOUR DIARY

ST ANNES WEEKEND REUNION
Saturday 16th & Sunday 17th MAY 2009
at the LINDUM HOTEL  ST ANNES on SEA

THE GRAND CARVERY LUNCHEON at  Didsbury Golf Club South Manchester will be Thursday 22nd OCTOBER 2009

ST ANNE’S REUNION WEEKEND 2009
The Reunion this year will be held over the weekend of Saturday/Sunday May 16th/17th 2009 at the Lindum Hotel, St Annes on Sea. 

Many thanks to all who have taken the opportunity of booking early. 
For those who haven’t yet booked for this popular reunion a form is enclosed with this newsletter –  please send it in at your earliest convenience.  All bookings will be acknowledged either by email or by phone to save on postage, but if you would like a postal confirmation please help the funds by enclosing an s.a.e.   

Don't forget,  friends and family are always welcome.

Don’t miss it ------ see you there

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DIDSBURY LUNCHEON REUNION

Didsbury Golf Club  

Thursday 23rd October  2008

Following very heavy rains earlier in the month we were lucky the river adjacent to the Golf Club had receded and once again did not cause an access problem, much to Peter’s relief.

The luncheon went off very well indeed with 98 attending after one or two cancellations through illness, four short of last year’s record of 102.

We started gathering at 1200 whereupon stories and memories started to circulate which resulted in a fair bit of noise.  By shortly after 13.00 hrs the Restaurant Manager had managed to get everyone’s attention to take their places, and we sat down to an, as always, excellent carvery lunch prepared by the Golf Club catering staff.

Again the raffle was a great success with many excellent prizes donated by members, and several humorous “wooden spoon” prizes.  The raffle raised £197 which in the main goes towards the Christmas flowers which Peter Cullen sends to all the widows of former members.   The raffle also helps to cover the increasing costs of postage without increasing the subs.  Thank you to Ralph Murray who sent a donation from Canada to support this cause.

The Hon Treasurer Peter Cullen addressed the meeting thanking everyone for their attendance and for supporting the raffle.

The Hon Sec Steve Worthington proposed a toast to absent friends, read out the apologies messages, welcomed the new members who were present, and thanked the Club and catering staff for an excellent meal and excellent service.  The catering staff were given a resounding round of applause.

The last of the attendees finally left the Golf Club around 17.00 hrs.

Many thanks to Peter and Kath Cullen for organising another successful Didsbury Reunion.

The full set of photos taken at the Luncheon can be seen on the ML website.  If you weren’t at the Reunion – have a look at the website - you never know, you might recognise someone from the past.

The photos were taken by Derrick Howarth. If any member would like a copy of any photo, or its file, please contact Derrick at webmaster@manchesterliners.co.ukTo order the correct photograph please state the following as a reference: Function, Date and Photograph Number to be found above the top left corner of each.

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WE HAVE HEARD FROM  

From: David Lever
Sent: Wednesday, December 31, 2008

Happy New Year Everyone  (for 2009 may we progress as much in wisdom, as we have in time and technology).

Yours, Aye.
Sincerely.

Dave Lever

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From: Dave Brown

See Mailbag

Manchester Liners name plate

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Blake Nelson

I recently had a phone call from Blake Nelson telling me about the awarding of the Gold Cane to the Master of the first ship into Montreal 2009. 

As reported in the Montreal Gazette of the 2nd January 2009 the first ship in was the MAERSK PATRAS, British registered, with Capt Mike Rossiter in command.  

At the official ceremony held on board the ship the CEO of Montreal Port Authority, Patrice Pelletier, presented Capt Rossiter with the Gold Cane and the invited guests toasted the Captain on the bridge with champagne, whilst Captain Rossiter and members of his crew drank orange juice.

Capt. Rossiter went on to explain “this is an alcohol-free ship.  I am not allowed to drink aboard”.

Blake and I went on to discuss how certain Masters of our era would have approached this very tricky situation in a very different manner!             Wonderful days - wonderful memories!

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From: George Rushworth

In answer to your query re who is the Radio Officer in the page 17 photograph?           I think his name was Derek Hodgson, . I think your new format for ML News is very good, congratulations Best regards George Rushworth  Ed:  Thanks George for the compliment and thanks to both George & John – and several others for identifying Derek.  I wonder where he is now?

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From: John Cryer

Just received copy of the October Newsletter, and recognised the R/O in your picture on page 17 immediately. It's none other than Derek Hodgson. 

We were shipmates in the Manchester Trader when she was delivered to ship breakers at Split, in the former Yugoslavia, in January 1963.
 
The Master on that occasion was gentleman John Maclaren, who had been unfortunate to have been Master in the Manchester City when she grounded in the Cape Fear River, Wilmington, NC.

“Delivery to the breakers” was to run the ship up the beach. The word went round for all hands to be ready for grounding, and so full ahead up the beach - I was on the wheel at the time.

Once the engines had stopped, Captain Mac's luck changed, and the ship slid down the beach and back into deep water. He was heard to say, "when I try to put a ship aground, I can't do it!" 

Considering his previous experience, it seemed quite ironic!!  Anyway, a second attempt was successful, the engines were kept at "Full Ahead" until the insurance wire could be made fast ashore.
 
We were then transferred by rail to Zagreb, from where we were repatriated after staying for several days in a five star hotel - no expense spared!!

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Keith Darley

Subject: Re: Big Ray

Howdy,  
This is Keith Darley way out in West Australia,

I just received  the news letter and I was  extremely saddened to read of the demise of Big Ray  Camilleri. Ray was chief steward on the Manchester City on my first trip to sea in 1964, Captain Pete I believe was the First Mate with Captain Jones on the maiden voyage, if my memory serves me correctly.

I believe most people were a bit in awe of Big Ray, apart from his efficiency at doing his job, his main reputation was for his immense physical strength, and reluctant willingness to use it when pushed to it.

I was on the receiving end of that strength once and can surely vouch for it, but not in a bad way.

It was Christmas and like most young men on a ship at Christmas, I was full of the amber fluid.  It was a quiet spot in the festivities so I made my way to Ray's cabin. I think he was the only one with his own TV on the ship.

Anyway after sitting and talking and drinking some more beer I got up to go, or rather intended to, but I'd been sat with my legs crossed and my right leg had gone to sleep , so I commenced to fall directly into Ray's TV, except I never made it.  The next thing I knew Ray had a grip on my right arm and I felt myself being hoisted upwards. The sensation was a lot like going up in an elevator. Now considering that I probably weighed in around 187 lbs at the time this was no mean feat with one hand.,

Of course when I looked up in abject horror all I saw was Ray's look of concern that I was all right.

Mind you since I now weigh in at something closer to 265 lbs  I doubt that even Ray would be capable of saving the TV and my  embarrassment.

So that's it one more small tale in the many remembrances of Big Ray Camilleri, 

Do you think its possible he was Christened "Big" as a first name, I don't think I ever  heard him called anything else, and it suited him well, in all respects.

Yours sincerely  

Keith W Darley

Subject: Re: Big Ray
Hello Keith in the Outback,

Many thanks for your very good article about Big Ray. At our luncheon I read your e-mail out to all 92 assembled Old Shipmates, it was well appreciated. Alan Gunshon who was present had a good laugh over it.

It reminded me of another funny incident involving Ray, when he and I sailed in the SS Manchester Progress - fortunately we had six nurses as passengers going out to Canada.

On the ship we had an AB called Dennis Horrey, who half way across got hold of a Lifeboat Axe and split the top of his head open.

Dick Wreggit 2nd Steward dashed for Ray saying " Boss, Dennis has had a nose bleed".  When Ray saw him, he said  "some ...ing nose bleed" Fortunately the nurses were on board and I reckon they saved that lad's life.           

Captain Pete

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ST LAWRENCE SEAWAY'S GOLDEN JUBILEE

1959 - 2009

St Lawrence Seaway 50th Anniversary of the Opening
Proposed visit by MLOSA members

Members will recall the article in the last newsletter giving a broad outline of our intentions to investigate the possibility of organising a trip to Montreal by members to celebrate the occasion of the 50th Anniversary of the Opening of the Seaway.

Since then your officers have endeavoured to pull together the necessary information to offer both a total package with costs and a programme of events which would make a visit worthwhile, such as a boat trip around the harbour, a visit to the CSA Headquarters, and a 1000 Islands day trip, .

Regrettably we have been unable to establish a satisfactory outcome to the programme of events it would appear that neither the American nor the Canadian Seaway Authorities have anything planned that would warrant a visit, and it has been impossible to find out if our visiting members would be included in any official celebrations.

So, in fairness to the membership who will need to make other holiday arrangements for 2009 we are not going to proceed any further with our investigations.

If anyone wishes to pursue this on a personal basis please get in touch and we will provide you with the details we have on hand.

Meanwhile as we had a total of 37 people interested there is a thought afoot to perhaps try again for a reunion in Montreal on the Association’s 30th Anniversary in 3 year’s time.

Extract from the archives on the St Lawrence Official Website
Broadcast Date: June 26, 1959

As part of the 1959 royal visit to Canada, Queen Elizabeth joins U.S. President Dwight Eisenhower in the formal opening of the St. Lawrence Seaway on June 26. After addressing the crowd at the lock at St. Lambert, Ont., Elizabeth and "Ike" board the Royal Yacht Britannia, which soon pulls away and enters the lift locks, officially opening the Seaway for business.

With a slow and stately air, the magnificent yacht moves up the canal as the crowd of spectators cheer. And though the royal yacht has travelled around the globe, to the people of Canada, the most memorable entry in Britannia's logbook will be this brief voyage of a few hundred yards through the ceremonial gate.

In a clip from the opening ceremonies in 1959, Queen Elizabeth says "men have dreamed and worked for two and a half centuries to make this river navigable. And now at last, it is a reality."
http://archives.cbc.ca/
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Extract from memoirs by Edmond Eccles:

In June 1959 Royal Yacht BRITANNIA called at Port Alfred with the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh on board.  They were en route to meet President Eisenhower for the official opening of the St Lawrence Seaway.

In the Saguenay BRITANNIA was escorted by HMS ULSTER and Canadian Destroyers  ST- CROIX and RESTIGOUCHE.   I was invited by the Captain and Officers of HMCS RESTIGOUCHE for the passage from Port Alfred to QUEBEC, that night. 

Britannia was beautifully illuminated and, in the Saguenay, she put her escorts through their paces, changing station and various other manoeuvres.  In the St Lawrence we joined up with 8 other escorts.  Arriving at Quebec we could see dense crowds on Dufferin Terrace, outside the Chateau Frontenac, and in the Lower Town.

It was well worth an effort to see this flotilla of 12 ships.

Edmond Eccles

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Royal Mail to MontrEal

Poem Royal Mail to Montreal by Derrick Howarth

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MANCHESTER MERCHANT GOLD CANE 1952

The photo below is from Bryan Whitby and is taken after the presentation of the gold cane aboard Manchester Merchant (4) on 13th April 1952.  

Bryan tells the story that they were expecting another ship to get it and that the local paper had a cartoon depicting Capt Raper with the ship around his waist hopping from ice flow to ice flow. ..

Sadly we do not have a copy of the cartoon.

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Another St Lawrence Memory An invitation to the Reception in honour of the the Maiden Voyage of the FAITH          May 1959     Jones Island Colin Spence

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WHAT TO DO IN RETIREMENT -------- ??

When we lost our dog Bessie, I always promised myself that we would have another dog once I was fully retired, which would give me another interest - in addition to golf!  Having trawled the Kennel Club website for registered breeders in East Anglia, we decided that a Golden Retriever would be the most suitable companion; and so, in due course, Gracie arrived as an 8 week old pup.
 
Whilst surfing the net, I found links to the charity "Pets as Therapy" whose function is to recruit volunteers, with a suitable dog or cat, who are prepared to give their own time - and at their own expense - to visit residents of Residential/Care Homes for the elderly, patients in Hospices and hospitals, etc. 
  
Nothing ventured - nothing gained. So I applied for an Information Pack, which duly arrived and upon digesting the content, thought this to be a worthwhile spare time activity. There were a few conditions to be met - references from a previous employer, and one from a long time friend or associate. It didn't end there.  A full investigation had to be made by the Administrators to make sure that the Criminal Records Bureau had nothing on file about me - or at least, nothing more serious than a speeding ticket - obviously this must have drawn a blank!!!

Gracie had to be assessed by a vet to determine her temperament and suitability, which she came through "with flying colours".

We made our first call to a care home on the outskirts of Ipswich in October 2008, which had made a request for a visit through the charity co-ordinator. The response from the residents had to be seen to be believed; the home manager was truly amazed at the way Gracie was appreciated - all for the sake of stroking a friendly dog. We now make four visits a week to three establishments, and our little dog's fan club now has a waiting list!! So for anybody with a friendly dog (or cat), and time on their hands, be a PAT dog volunteer - the rewards for everyone are very satisfying. John Cryer
		Gracie in her uniform off to work

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HOBBIES AND INTERESTS -

Here’s an interest with a difference – from Alan Jones

During my 5 years working for a Singapore company I befriended (in 1991) a family living in Cebu, near the berth, in conditions of some hardship.   I had a proper house built for them and got the 6 kids through school.

We have remained close over the years.   My last visit was 8 years ago so I am going again in Jan 2009 (Mcr-Doha-Cebu) for three weeks.

We usually get away to one of the adjacent islands. Ferries are cheap rustbuckets and accommodation pretty basic but it's all a huge adventure for them.

For me, it's a good time to get away from UK suburbia and Brown's Britain! 

 Alan. Jones

The Chief Steward

Poem The Chief Steward by Greville Matheson - printed in Sea Breezes July

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MANCHESTER COMMERCE (1) ON TV ….. April 14th 2009

Last summer the MLOSA website received a letter from the television documentary makers MSP requesting any information on the SS Manchester Commerce (1) which was lost on October 27 1914  after hitting a mine laid by the SMS Berlin near Tory Island,  Donegal.

This TV series has now been completed and is to be shown on the HISTORY CHANNEL of Sky and Virgin TV in March and April.  The series title is “Deep Wreck Mysteries”, and the particular episode involving the Commerce will shown on Tuesday 14th April at 9.00 pm entitled “Death of a Battleship”.

The battleship mentioned is the HMS Audacious which was sunk on the same day.

The background to the story is that the SMS Berlin having sailed from Wilhelmshaven laid around 200 mines in the shipping lanes off Northern Ireland.  It had been ordered to lay them in the Irish Sea Firth of Clyde area but the commander thought that was too risky and decided to go to NW Ireland instead. 

 The Manchester Commerce was the first ship to run into one of  these but news of the event did not reach the Admiralty straight away.   If it had the HMS Audacious, at that time a brand new battleship, part of the Grand Fleet based in Loch Swilly in Donegal and engaged in gunnery practice, would have been ordered to stay in base until the minefield had been swept.  Unfortunately the information was not known in time to stop the battleship steaming to that area for gunnery practice, and was sunk only a few hours after the Commerce.

One lifeboat was launched and the Master, Captain Payne, and other crew members were preparing to launch another lifeboat when the ship sank, within seven minutes of striking the mine. Those left on board had to jump into a very rough sea; some made it to the first lifeboat, but the captain and 13 others drowned. The Fleetwood trawler City of London put into Carlough Bay Co Antrim with 30 survivors.

The series starts on 31st March …….All will premiere Tuesdays at 9 p.m.

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Snowbow Productions have just released another DVD No 30, entitled "The Great Port of Manchester" which uses archive film to look at the port’s development in the 1940’s, 50’s and 60’s.  It is a very interesting production especially to those who used the Port and worked there. 

DVD No 28 entitled "Ships to Manchester" will also be of interest to members.

Copies can be obtained from Snowbow Productions at www.snowbow.co.uk