2012 AGM Venue in Poole, Dorset. Photo courtesy RNLI website. Poole Lifeboat College with Severn 17-44 Castletownbere lifeboat, ON 1277 ANNETTE HUTTON Crowds gathering at the college as HM The Queen boards to sail around the bay.
The 2012 Annual General Meeting of the World Ship Society will be held in Poole, Dorset on the 11th to the 13th of May 2012.
The Dorset Branch is hosting the AGM at the RNLI Lifeboat College in Poole. The RNLI have an excellent website giving a virtual tour of the Lifeboat College. www.rnli.org.uk All hotel and conference rooms have a harbour frontage and it is only a short walk to Poole Quay. The Lifeboat College has full hotel amenities. Members wishing to book a room should contact Lifeboat Reception on 01202 308500, quoting code RED ID-WORL 110612
We suggest you book now to avoid disappointment as the Lifeboat College are only holding a limited number of rooms for WSS members. Come and support us for what we are hoping will be a record attendance at the 65th WSS AGM.
For a Booking Form and details of the weekend activities click here.
Jan 23, 2012 — The RNLI Lifeboat College are keeping more rooms for us. The orginal allocation of 30 rooms has been taken up already. They are also prepared to book rooms for Sunday and even Monday night if there are vacancies.
An index to Warships magazine for issues 101 to 165 has been mailed free of charge to current subscribers. Further copies are available at £5 for UK addresses, £6 for overseas addresses. Also, a few copies of the index covering issues 1 to 100 are available at £3 UK, £4 Overseas.
Jan 4, 2012 - Do you have difficulty reading Marine News?If you have a sight problem that makes it difficult to read Marine News, and you are online with an e-mail address, we can now e-mail each issue to you so that you can download it and then increase the print size to suit yourself. Just send an e-mail to membershipsecretary@worldshipsociety.org including your name and membership number and each month's issue will be sent to you in this way (in addition to your printed copy).
ENTERING THE 21ST CENTURY
MARINE NEWS – THE FUTURE
The AGM report published in the July 2011 issue of Marine News contained a statement that “with effect from 1st January 2013, “Marine News” will become a digital magazine sent to each member’s preferred e-mail address on or about the first of each month”.
“Marine News” from 1.1.2013
The new digital “Marine News” will: (a) Be in the same format as the current magazine. (b) Contain all the material that you have come to expect. (c) Be an all-colour magazine. (d) No longer be limited to 64 pages by the need to keep postal costs to a minimum. (e) Contain additional features and more photographs. (f) Use the additional pages to incorporate news breaking after the final copy date. (g) Be compiled in a pdf format that is still interactive which will mean that members will be able to “cut and paste” information from it to their own databases. (h) Allow members to make a hard copy of the whole or part of the magazine. (i) Be “user friendly” to those members who find the small print size of the current magazine difficult to read.
Membership fee from 1.1.2013
The change to a digital format means that the Society’s costs will be reduced substantially from 1st January 2013. Consequently the membership fee will be reduced to just £20 per annum from that date.
The new membership fee has been set at £20 to pay for (a) the costs of producing and despatching the “Marine News”, (b) the purchase of research materials used in the compilation of the magazine, (c) the annual cost of running the Society, (d) an annual contingency reserve, and (e) some research projects which will benefit members. The membership fee was set at £20 with the intention of being able to hold this price for 5 years.
Management of the changeover to a digital magazine
In July 2011 Council appointed a committee to oversee this changeover: Dr Richard Osborne (Project Manager), John Williams, Jim McFaul, Oliver Sesemann, Krispen Atkinson and Peter Wynne. This committee will remain in being until the AGM in May 2013 at which time it will make a final report on its activities and the lessons learnt.
Monthly progress reports will appear in “Marine News” from now on.
Paper or CD copies of “Marine News”
Members need to recognise that the cost of producing a small print run of the current A5 magazine will be prohibitive after 1st January 2013. Consequently, those who really must have a paper copy of “Marine News” will receive the 64 page magazine as a high quality, double-sided, A4 photocopy. Members will have to pay the full cost of photocopying, packing and postage over and above the new £20 membership fee. An initial estimate suggests, that for UK members, their total membership fee will be similar to that expected for 2013 if the digital changeover had not occurred – i.e. approximately £40 - £42. Those members preferring to receive a CD of the 64 page will have to pay the cost of the CD, packing and postage over and above the new membership fee of £20.
Trialling the new system
From the Autumn of 2011, members, whose e-mail addresses are known to the Society, will receive occasional digital copies of “Marine News” in addition to their usual paper copy. Our Membership Secretary, John Williams membershipsecretary@worldshipsociety.org , will be pleased to receive your e-mail address if you have not already supplied it, but be sure to include your name and membership number. [07.2011]
Due to the death of the Mutual Interests Scheme's Co-Ordinator, Fred Kissack, the programme has been temporarily suspended. A notice will appear here when a new Co-ordinator has been appointed. [07.2011]
It is with great sorrow that we have to report the passing on the 22nd June, 2011, of Fred Kissack, a very long-standing member of both the main body of the W.S.S. and the Isle of Man branch. If not a founder member of the I.O.M. branch, he was on its committee for most of its existence and his input and ready willingness to help out in times of crisis were immeasurable. He also served for a number of years as the Mutual Interests Seretary for the W.S.S. and he always made every effort to attend the A.G.M., wherever it might be held. Fred had a multitude of friends, both on and off his island home, and his passing will be sorely felt throughout the W.S.S. and beyond. For many years he kept a diary of shipping movements around the Isle of Man which was published in each week's local weekend newspaper, which gave the branch much welcomed publicity. We send our sincere condolences to his loyal wife, Iris, and all his family who supported him so well during his life. Good sailing Fred, we shall all miss you greatly. [Malcom Magee] [08.2011]
SLIDE SHOW CO-ORDINATOR STEPS DOWN —— VOLUNTEER NEEDED
After many years as the Society's Slide Show Co-ordinator, Bryan Tedd has reluctantly had to step down due to ill-health. We know he will miss the strong contacts he built up with many branch secretaries and many thanks are due to Bryan for his efficient management of the slide show distribution, often promtly responding to requests for late minute fill-ins for programmes that had gone awry. Jim McFaul will act for the present as a contact and recipient for the return of any shows but is unable to undertake the distribution of any further shows. However, this does mean that anaother volunteer is urgently required to take over the role. Anyone interested or requires further details, please contact Jimmy Poole or Jim McFaul. [PJW 08.2011]
Members are reminded that membership dues are due annually on 1st January. The reverse of the address sheet with the October (& December) magazine will contain a renewal form which should be completed and sent with your cheque or credit/debit card details (VISA or MasterCard only), to the relevant address shown thereon. If you have been paying your dues through a Branch or Representative, continue to do so as you have in the past. Prompt renewal is requested to save the Society costs and time.
As a result of further rises in postal charges it has been necessary to increase the total membership cost for 2012 by £1, to £39 for UK members and £44 for overseas members, with a further £1 required for family members. The subscription to Warships magazine stays the same, but the cost of the WSS calendar and binder have increased slightly.
As in previous years, Life Members are asked to consider making a donation to cover the postage for their magazine which costs more than £5 a year. Donations by any member to the Venture Fund, which helps fund society publications and other development activities, are also very much appreciated.
Members living in the United States are reminded that for 2012, any dues payment in US dollars MUST be made through the Vancouver Branch. There is no longer any Representative in the U.S. Glenn Smith sends ALL U.S.A. (and Canadian) members a detailed personalised Renewal Form about the first week of October detailing the costs in local currencies. Please wait for this form to arrive before attempting to make your payment in pound sterling (£) to the Membership Secretaries in the U.K. For more information, contact Glenn at glenn.smith@worldshipsociety.org [08.2011]
REMINDER: Please take note that a light blue-coloured Membership Renewal form was included in everyone's copy of the October and December issues of Marine News. The inclusion of the slip does not mean we have not received or processed your payment. Nor does it apply to LIFE members' membership. Nor does it necessarily apply to payments made to branch secretaries/treasurers, who may not have submitted their collections to the Membership Secretary. If you received a Renewal form with your copy of the December issue, and have made a payment, please be assured that it will be processed in due course. [12.2011]
A NOTE FROM THE MEMBERSHIP SECRETARY: The Society's subscription renewal system has for many years operated by sending out a first membership renewal form with the October MN followed by a second one going out to all members with December's edition. With only about 600 members actually paying by end-November and further ones arriving in each post, it is not feasible to identify those who have paid and to tell the printers not to send them the second reminder, so they go to everyone.
Publication is no longer available in print format, but is now available on CD
Ships of the East India Company, by Rowan Hackman
Rowan Hackman, who died in 2001, devoted many years to researching the ships owned by the Honourable East India Company, and this CD book is the fruit of his work. In 345 pages it lists many thousands of ships, giving for each - name, rig, major dimensions, builder, owner, a list with dates of voyages in East India service, and details of their fate where known.
Ships are listed in the following sections: Major Ships 1600-1708, Major ships of the United Company 1708-1834, ships chartered 1708-1834, 'interlopers', company warships and pilot vessels. There is a brief chronology of the main events in the company's history and a full biliography. Using Adobe Reader version 6 or later (provided), the CD is totally serachable.
WSS Members can obtain copies at a cost of £13 (UK) or £14 (overseas), including Value Added Tax, postage and packing. Non-member cost is £19 (UK address) or £20 (address outside the UK). Orders are to be sent to World Ship Society, 101 The Everglades, Hempstead, Gillingham, Kent ME7 3PZ, United Kingdom. Payment can be made by £GB cheque (payable to the World Ship Society) or by credit/debit card. Please state whether VISA or MasterCard quoting card number, exact name on card, card expiry date and the security number (last 3 digits from the signature strip). [09.2011]
The Society’s second Merchant Ship Day, held at the Civil Service Club, London on 26th March 2011, was at least as successful as the first. The meeting began with Malcolm Cooper providing answers to his fiendishly difficult quiz, sent out to all attenders ahead of the meeting. For the second year, David Tranter triumphed with the highest score and claimed a prize.The talks were of a very high standard and these began in rousing fashion with John Cook’s paper ‘Freights down - ships down: a look at one of the consequences of the slump in freight rates in 1920’. Drawing on an under-used research source, ‘Lloyd’s Lists Law Reports’,
John gave some jaw-dropping examples of ships scuttled in the 1920s by unscrupulous owners who, in the face of falling freight rates, fell back on insurance fraud. Tony Breach’s paper ‘Development of the reefer vessel during the 20th century’ drew on the author’s wide experience as both master and shoreside manager of refrigerated vessels, and had some stunning illustrations.
After lunch, another maritime professional, Andrew Bell, shared his intimate knowledge of a British liner company in ‘Elder Dempster: a fleet shaped by its trade’. The West African theme was continued by Trevor Cox, who succeeded in describing and illustrating every class of ship owned by United Africa Company and its successor Palm Line between 1929 and 1985. Following the tea break it was time for ‘Confessions of a marine superintendent’, in which Ken Garrett amusingly drew on his years in this role with the late lamented F. T. Everard and Sons Ltd. There was a flavour of the Grey Funnel Line in the day’s last talk, in which RFA historian Tom Adams presented ‘Evolution of the fleet supply ship’.
We are now planning for next year’s meeting, scheduled for Saturday 31st March 2012. We already have several volunteer speakers, but would be pleased to hear from anyone else prepared to give an illustrated talk of up to 40 minutes. If necessary, help can be given with obtaining illustrations.
The cost for attenders will be £17.50 per person, which covers hire of the room plus tea and coffee (lunch and other drinks are available to buy at the venue). If you wish to attend, please send a cheque for £17.50 made out to the World Ship Society Ltd. to Dr Roy Fenton, 18 Durrington Avenue, London SW20 8NT.
The venue is the Civil Service Club, 13-15 Great Scotland Yard (off Northumberland Avenue and close to Embankment station), London SW1A 2HJ. The meeting will start at 10.30 and finish at about 17.00. Nearer the time a detailed programme will be sent out to those registering, plus a copy of the pre-meeting quiz. [09.2011]
The 34th Annual Naval Meeting will take place in the Hawthorns, Woodland Road, Bristol BS8 1UQ on Saturday 2nd June 2012. The event will start at 10:30 and finish at 17:00 and speakers include Professor Andrew Lambert (Scott Russell: Ships, Science and Scandal in the Age of Transition) and Dr Jon Wise (The RN and the Group Deployment Policy: Origins and Development 1962 - 97). The morning session entitled, The Royal Navy and the Battle of Britain - the influence of the Royal Air Force on the Royal Navy, will include a lecture and a panel discussion. [10.2011]
Ever wanted copies of old Marine News, or fill a gap in your collection, or dispose of your paper copies? The Archive Digitisation Committee, with the help of a team of volunteers to scan back numbers of Marine News, now have made available the years 1966 to 1985 on CD. Each year consists of one CD with 12 monthly issues with around 400 to 700 page images, plus the index of ship names. It is hoped to add further years in due course.
Price for 1 CD to members £8. (Non members £12). 2-4 CDs £7 each (£10.50). 5 CDs or over £6 each (£9).
P&P First CD UK £1.00, EU £1.50, Rest of World £2.00. Each additional CD: UK 20p, EU 35p, ROW 70p.
Please send orders and payment (payable to World Ship Society) to: Peter Hobday, Woodville, 35 Hillside Road, Portishead, Bristol, BS20 8EU, UK. If you want member’s price, please give your membership number."
MEMBER PRICE — £7.00 (UK), £7.50 (Overseas Surface Mail) Ten or more sent together to one Branch address only £6.00 (UK) or £6.50 (Overseas Surface Mail) per copy.
Orders to — WSS, 101 The Everglades, Hempstead, Gillingham, Kent, ME7 3PZ, United Kingdom
Please make cheques payable, in GBP£, to the “World Ship Society” or pay by debit/credit card - please quote type of card (VISA or MasterCard), name shown on the card, card number, expiry date & 3 digit security number from the reverse of card.
Don't forget to enclose your address!, and your WSS membership number in order to take advantage of the members' discount. [09.2011]
The Leslie Sargent Memorial Quiz for 2010 was held at the Ingatestone and Fryerning Community Centre, 7 High Street, Ingatestone, Essex CM4 9ED, on Saturday 9th October at 2:00 p.m. The Mid-Essex Branch hosted the event with the Southend Branch winning the quiz. Therefore it is traditional for the winning branch to set the questions for the next year's quiz, which will be hosted by the South Coast Branch.
As mentioned, the 2011 quiz will be hosted by the South Coast Branch, with details to be posted in due course. We hope to see as many members as possible at this popular event. [10.2011]
Note: CANCELLED FOR 2011
Due to a poor response from the branches in the South/Southeast, it has been decided to cancel the inter branch quiz scheduled for 8th October. It is hoped something can be arranged next year in a more central location. [09.2011]
UPDATE by Ian Buxton: Since the last report in February's Marine News, steady progress has been made in archive digitisation. Our IT partners have developed a basic website with sample material on a free-for-all basis. This included some back numbers and pages and index of Marine News, some sample pages from Bonsor's North Atlantic liner movements, and an example of Colledge's naval notes.
The Committee met in September. Thanks to the generosity of many donors, it agreed to progress to the next stage of the website. This will have a greater range of material, some material free to WSS members, and some material on a pay-to-view/download basis (at a lower rate for WSS members). Thanks to the efforts of several volunteers, over 20 years of Marine News back numbers have been scanned in the 1960s/70s/80s. It is planned for these to be purchasable on CD. An announcement will be made in Marine News and on the website when they are available.
Steaming the Empire to War: British, Imperial & Dominion Troop Convoys, 1914-1915
Call for Contributors
The World Ship Society has commissioned Dr Malcolm Cooper to lead a project aimed at producing a book which will provide comprehensive coverage of the convoys, naval and merchant vessels, and military units involved in the mass movement of troops to the theatres of conflict in the first year of World War One. The book is scheduled for publication in early 2014 to take advantage of heightened reader interest stimulated by the 100th anniversary of the outbreak of the Great War in August 1914. It will require extensive co-operation between naval and merchant shipping experts and input from members overseas.
As a first step, the Society would like interested potential contributors to contact Dr Cooper personally via email at coopermalcolm@hotmail.co.uk . Given the nature of the project, it is essential that volunteers have themselves got regular access to the internet, and at least a basic knowledge of the history of the early campaigns of the Great War. Beyond that, the Society would be particularly interested in hearing from members with any of the following specialisms:
Access to and knowledge of the main relevant record classses (Admiralty, Board of Trade, Cabinet Office, Colonial Office, Foreign Office, India Office and War Office) at the National Archives in Kew.
Access to relevant national, regional and company archival sources in Australia.
Access to relevant national, regional and company archival sources in Canada.
Access to relevant national, regional and company archival sources in India.
Access to relevant national, regional and company archival sources in New Zealand.
Access to relevant national, regional and company archival sources in Pakistan.
Access to relevant national, regional and company archival sources in South Africa.
Knowledge of the major liner shipping companies which provided most of the troop transports.
Knowledge of major Cross-Channel ferry operators which took the BEF and other troops initially landed in the UK to France & Belgium.
Knowledge of the broad organisation of the British Army and its Imperial/Dominion adjuncts.
Knowledge of the broad organisation of the Royal Navy, the RAN, the RCN, the RINS and the RNZN.
The exact parameters and organization of the project, and the responsibilities of individual contributors, will be defined over the next 6-9 months. For the moment, we very much want to get the project rolling, and thus encourage interested members to contact Malcolm direct. [12.2009]
Harry Spong and members of the Cobh Branch at the National Maritime College of Ireland, in Cork Harbour on 30th October, 2009, for the Irish Shipping Lecture and Exhibition. Photo by Eoghan Allen.
During 30th October to 1st November, the Cobh Branch of the World Ship Society, hosted a programme at the National Maritime College of Ireland, in Cork Harbour, to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the demise of Irish Shipping Limited. The programme included a lecture by Harry Spong, author of "The History of Irish Shipping" and an exhibition of documents, photographs and artefacts tracing the company history. The lecture was delivered twice, once for college students and later for the general public. Some 500 people, including ex-Company staff, families, historians and enthusiasts attended the weekend event.
The programme was opened by Captain Mike Langran, the last Marine Superintendent of Irish Shipping and two of Ireland's renowned marine artists, Brian Cleare and Kenneth King, exhibited at the event. Harry got a very enthusiastic reception from an interested and committed audience and the last 21 copies of his book, which was published two years before the company was liquidated, were sold out after the lecture. Perhaps the final chapter of the story of Irish Shipping can now be written. The success of the programme was due to the dedicated work of the Cobh Branch Ireland, of the World Ship Society supported by a small band of enthusiastic friends from Wexford ion the South East of Ireland. [12.2009]
Capt. John Landels now has available Supplement Seven to a new 2007 Catalogue of yard lists. For a copy please send a large, stamped addressed envelope (or an international reply card coupon) to John at Belhelvie, Abbey Road, Dalkeith, Midlothian ED22 3AD, Scotland. [12.2009]
For the calendar years 2011 & 2012, all members who have previously paid their annual dues to Andy Kilk in Oakland, CA, are asked to mail their dues payments (by way of a US dollar check) to the North American Representative, Glenn Smith, 701-1011 Beach Ave., Vancouver, BC V6E 1T8, Canada (postage minimum 80¢)
Kelly's Navy: A Group Fleet History of John Kelly Ltd of Belfast, by W.J. Harvey
WSS Members Only price of £18 plus packing/parcel post of £5 (to a UK address), or £7 (elsewhere - surface mail) — Non-member price of £27 plus packing/parcel post of £5 (to a UK address), or £7 (elsewhere - surface mail). Please contact booksales@worldshipsociety.org for more information.
This 128 page A4 hardback, which describes fleet of colliers-general cargo ships run by John Kelly Ltd, starts with a historical overview of the Company's development from Samuel Kelly's early ventures into ship owning from 1861 to the establishment of John Kelly Ltd in April 1911. Thereafter the author considers the effects of the 1914 - 18 war; the post-war depression and the General Strike of 1926 and the 1939-45 conflict on the Company. Post-war, the Company faced several major problems including an ageing fleet, a shortage of coal and the potential changeover from the use of coal to oil by Irish customers. On the 1st April 1948, control passed out of family hands after 108 years and shareholders received a substantial sum to invest elsewhere, instead of having to raise a considerably larger amount to update their fleet and depots, for what was a doubtful future. Thereafter, the collier fleet gradually declined as oil brought about the demise of this coal-based "empire". As the seaborne coal trade became evermore limited to supplying coal-fired power stations so the size of colliers increased which limited the number of ports that could be used. The rise of the road network also helped to kill-off coastal shipping and the Company responded by using road transport to distribute oil and coal. In 1987 they established, in association with Ken and Margaret McClelland, the Dragon Line in 1987, to ship containerised coal to Northern Ireland, initially smokeless fuel from the S. Wales coalfields. So it was that the new generation of Kelly 'collier' would henceforth travel by rail, sea and road 'door to door'. In 1990 the surviving four ships of the Kelly fleet were sold to Powell Duffryn Shipping Ltd., managed by Stephenson Clarke Shipping Ltd. Although the name Kelly is still seen around Ireland in the 21st Century, it is but a distant memory of the family business and 'Kelly's Navy' in the many ports around the country in the 19th and 20th Century. [12.2009]
The bulk of the book is devoted to providing a detailed three-part list of the ships that formed "Kelly's Navy". Part One contains a list of Family Fleets surrounding the main fleet. Part Two contains the fleet of John Kelly Ltd and ships managed by John Kelly Ltd and Part Three contains shipowning subsidiaries of John Kelly Ltd. This volume, which describes over 200 vessels, is completed by three appendices, a ship index and illustrated by 140 black and white photographs.
Please address orders, quoting your WSS membership number, to: WSS, 11 Beechwood Road, Nailsea, Bristol BS48 2AF, United Kingdom. Payments by £GBP cheque or credit/debit card - state Visa or MasterCard, quoting card number, exact name on the card, the card expiry date and the last 3 digits (card validation number) as shown on the signature line on the reverse of your card.
Nineteenth Century British Steamships: Issue 2: Steamers built up to 1830, by F.W. Hawks
This CD makes available the most detailed research ever conducted into early British steam ships. The first release includes all 350 British-registered steam vessels built up to 1825, while the second issue adds the years 1926 to 1930, with details including name; dates of British ownership; Official Number; year of build and builders where known; tonnages and dimensions; engine details; registration ports, numbers and dates; dates of registration, sales, name changes; and references to sources. The disk also includes files in which the ships are listed by owner and by builder and - a new feature - by ownership in the major ports of London, Liverpool, Glasgow and Newcastle.
The primary source for the data is the official registration documents held in the British National Archives, the ultimate authority on British vessels. Additional information has been added where available from other sources. The result of many years of research by Fred Hawks, this is an invaluable source of data for anyone researching or otherwise interested in the earliest steam vessels.
The data on the CD is presented as read-only files in Word format, which can be read by the Adobe Reader installed on most up-to-date PCs. Using this software, the files are fully searchable.
As research continues, it is intended to issue new editions taking the data forward, probably by decade. Each new edition will provide cummulative data, and effectively will replace the previous edition. Details of price and availability will be announced on the website and from time to time in Marine News.
Issue 1 is available at £8 each including postage from:- WSS, 25 Cherry Tree Close, Billingshurst, West Sussex RH14 9NG, United Kingdom. Please make cheques payable in £GBP to the "World Ship Society". You may also pay by debit or credit card — Visa or MasterCard. Please include name as embossed on card, card number, validity dates and security number (last three digits on the signature line on the reverse).
CDs will be copied on demand, so please allow time for your order to be processed
MARINE NEWS" SHIP INDEX FOR 2010 (Volume 64) — — Now Available
The 2010 Index can be obtained direct from Brian Franklin, 1 Sherwood Drive, Harrogate, North Yorkshire, HG2 7HE, UK
mailed to a UK address — £4.60
mailed to a EU address — £5.60 (Airmail), or €7
mailed to any other address — £6.40 (Airmail) or £5.60 (surface)
NOTE: Payment is to be made direct to the compiler -- not to the WSS. Payment methods include GBP pound sterling cheque, payable to "B. Franklin", or by way of International money order, Sterling or Euro notes. No credit cards accepted.
Sorry - International Reply Coupons are no longer acceptable. If you need to send Euros, please remit €7
Send your order to: - Brian Franklin, 1 Sherwood Drive, Harrogate, North Yorkshire, HG2 7HE, United Kingdom.
Indices for Marine News for 2008, 2009 are also available from Brian, at the same rates as quoted above. NOTE: Only 2008, 2009 & 2010 Indices available from this volunteer — all others must be ordered separately as stated below.
- - - - - - o o o O o o o - - - - - -
Indices for "Marine News" 1949 to 2007. A central ordering system operates through the address below also covering the two earlier series produced by the late John Griffin (1971 to 1995) and Cliff Parsons (1949-1970).
Please order from - George Robinson, Southwood Cottage, 79 Southwood Road, Cottingham, East Yorkshire, HU16 5AJ, UK. £3.50 or 5 euros or 8xIRCs per copy, post free
Please make your remittance payable to "G Robinson" (not the World Ship Society). Overseas members may remit by Euro banknotes, Sterling GBP£ cheque, international money order or International Reply Coupons only. The indices convert your "Marine News" into a valuable work of reference.
The Society is credited with the net proceeds from the Parsons and Griffin series, after reproduction and postage costs. Some of the older indices may be supplied in A4 format, due to increasing problems in reproducing from the booklet masters.
All World Ship Society memberships are due and payable by no later than January 1st of each year. If your membership has expired, you can still renew for the full year - just send your dues payment to a Membership Secretary a.s.a.p.
If you paid an Overseas Secretary or Representative in the past, continue to do so (except for those who previously paid Andy Kilk). If you have been paying a local branch secretary, continue as in the past. Otherwise send your £ sterling payment (or Visa/MasterCard authorisation) to one of the Society's Membership Secretaries — the sooner the better. Keep in mind that all Branch Secretaries and Representatives will cut off collections by the end of January, which means any dues payment outstanding can only be paid to a Membership Secretary in England (or the North American Representative, Glenn Smith).
Membership and Subscription Rates for 2012:
Annual ORDINARY membership to UK address = £39
Annual ORDINARY membership to any other address = £44
Extra for FAMILY membership (per member) = £1
Subscription to WARSHIPS magazine (3 issues) to UK address = £13
Subscription to WARSHIPS magazine (3 issues) to any other address = £14
WSS Colour Calendar for 2011 to UK address = £6.50
WSS Colour Calendar for 2011 to any other address = £7.00
Marine News binders = £9.50 (to any UK address)or £10.50 (to any address outside the UK)
DONATION to the Venture Fund = whatever amount you care to donate
LIFE MEMBER DONATION towards postage = any amount gratefully received
DONATIONS to the WSS Archive Digitisation Project must be sent separately to Dr. Ian Buxton (12 Grand Parade, Tynemouth, Tyne & Wear, NE30 4JS, U.K.) (£ sterling cheques payable to the "World Ship Society" or by Visa/MasterCard)
BRANCH dues or branch fees are payable direct to the branch concerned (these items cannot be paid through the Membership Secretaries, nor can they be charged to a charge card such as Visa or MasterCard).
WSS PUBLICATIONS including the new Kelly's, OBDURATE to DARING books or our newest FORTY YEARS ON book must be ordered separately through our Central Orders, and not sent to our Membership Secretaries. [09.2011]
Lloyds Register for 2010 / 2011 - Fairplay Publications offer to WSS members
This illustrates the 4-book set of the Lloyds Register for 2007-2008 - current set appear the same.
Once again we are pleased to announce that unused copies of a number of Lloyds Register books are to be made available to WSS members at highly competitive prices.
Stocks are limited and members are urged to order promptly to avoid disappointment. As in previous years the publications will be dispatched direct from IHS Fairplay Publications, so please be patient when awaiting your order.
REGISTER OF SHIPS 2010 / 2011 Four volumes A-F, G-M, N-S, and T-Z are available together for only £230.00, including postage and packing.
LIST OF SHIPOWNERS 2010 / 2011 available for only £110.00, including postage and packing.
BOTH PUBLICATIONS available as a set for just £330.00, including postage and packing.
Please send orders by post to World Ship Society, 101 The Everglades, Hempstead, Gillingham, Kent ME7 3PZ. Payment with order by £GBP cheque payable to "World Ship Society" or by credit cards (VISA or MasterCard) detailing card number (please be accurate), name on card, expiry date and 3-digit security number on reverse of card.
Please provide a contact telephone number to assist with delivery.
Following a recent Branch Officers meeting, it was agreed that the Society would commission the production of additional slide shows for use by WSS Branches. The Society would like to produce six to eight new shows per annum using colour slides from our archives. Council invites members who would like to produce a slide show to contact the Chairman suggesting possible topics. A show will consist of between 125 and 150 35 mm colour slides supported by a paper script, or an appropriately sized digital presentation. Each show must have a specific theme rather than just being a miscellany of ship pictures. Themes could include specific ship types, shipping at particular ports, shipping companies, warship topics, etc. If you would like to author a WSS slide show please send your suggestion to the Chairman, Dr. Richard Osborne, 11 Beechwood Road, Nailsea, Bristol BS48 2AF; Tel: 01275 852183. E-mail: chairman@worldshipsociety.org. Once your suggestion has been approved, you will be given access to relevant slides in the Society's collections as well as detailed guidance as to achieve the successful completion of your project within an agreed timescale.
List of slide shows available as at January 2009
Due to the ill health of the Slide Show Co-ordinator, no new requests can be accepted at this time.
Australian Shipping — R.E.J. Varns, Victoria Br / 200 slides + script
Oceans Joined — John Gunning / 119 slides + tape + script (2004 - addl slides & new tape)
Ocean Ports of Tasmania — Bill Barber, Tasmania / 165 slides+tape+script
Ocean Voyages with Port Line — John Gunning / 119 slides + script
Place for a Village (Port of Melbourne)—Victoria Br /173 slides+tape+script
Port of Boston (USA) — Boston Br / 119 slides + tape + script (copy of 1985 show)
Port of Burnie — (1992) Burnie Br / 174 slides + Tape + script
Port of Devonport — Burnie Br / 100 slides + tape + script
Port of Hobart — (1985) Hobart Br / 162 slides + script
Port of Poole — (1993) Dorset Br / 200 slides + tape + script
Ports & Shipping of Japan — (1975) Yoshitatso Fukawa, former Rep for Japan / 174 slides + tape + script
Ports of Swansea & West Wales — Swansea Br / 206 slides+tape+script
Port of Vancouver — Vancouver Br / 192 slides + 54 min tape + script. NOTE: This show has been returned to the Branch for updating and is currently unavailable for booking
Port of Wellington — (1969) Wellington, NZ Br / 128 slides + script
River Highway (Paddle vessels of River Murray) — (1996) Robin Clark, Australia / 117 slides + 60 min tape + script
Royal Australian Navy Review -(1996) Victoria Br / 64 slides+tape+script
List of digital shows available as at February 2009
Spain, Portugal and the Atlantic Isles on ORIANA — (2004) Bert Novelli, Manchester Br / 316 images including title and interval pictures with script / running time approx 1 hour 20 minutes / description - Southampton - Vigo - Lisbon - Lanzarote - Tenerife - Recife - Funcahl - Southampton
The Port of Barbados — Bert Novelli, Manchester Br / 138 images, approx. running time 40 minutes, with script
The Port of Cartagena — 02/12/2009 - updated - Bert Novelli, Manchester Br / 162 images approx running time 1 hour 25 minutes, with updated script with built-in interval and exit images. NOTE: The 2009 AGM of the WSS is scheduled to be held at Cartagena, Spain. Members considering attending the meeting will find this presentation an excellent introduction to the Port, shipping interests and surrounding area.
For further information, or to book, contact Bryan Tedd, 276 Quinton Road, Harborne, Birmingham B17 0RF, or tedde@blueyonder.co.uk
The webmaster is seeking your help in adding content to the website.
Your webmaster hard at work.
We are hard at work re-constructing the WSS website. Many new additions are being made, such as the various Photo Albums (which can be accessed from the menu items to the left), a search feature which allows you to find any book that we have listed on our website, and an Enquiries Board. In addition, you can now search for any book catalogued in our Chatham Library, should you wish to visit. If you have any suggestions to improve the readability of the website, please contact the webmaster@worldshipsociety.org
A forum has been set up which allows you to make your views known to the Council. Check the page marked WSS Forum 1
It has been decided to compile a list of speakers willing to give talks to local WSS branches. Council Member and Zeeland Branch Secretary, Hans Mornout, has agreed to compile and keep an up to date Register of Speakers willing to give talks to Branches. The register will list as many speakers/lecturers as possible, their subject matter, what they can provide or need providing (e.g. slide projectors etc.), how far they are willing to travel and their cost (if greater than reimbursement of reasonable expenses). Information may only be added to the register with the express permission of each speaker. Similarly, procedures will be established to protect the information held on the database under the terms of the Data Protection Act. If you are willing to be a speaker or can provide information about potential speakers or if you wish to access the database please contact Hans Mornout, Boomstraat 17, NL5291 ND Gemonde, The Netherlands, e-mail: hans.mornout@worldshipsociety.org.
A wealth of history from the early days of the Society which was formed as the Ship News Club in 1946, 60+ years ago. A fitting tribute to the brainchild of the Society, Michael Crowdy.
These volumes include Michael's editorials and notes on the building of the Society along with the news of ships being refitted after war service, scrappings, transfers, new buildings and orders. These electronic copies of the 1965 reprint have had a certain amount of 'cleaning up' carried out on them. This reprint is 70 pages in A4 format and is soft bound in a folder.
Copies are available at £6.00 + p&p
Add £1.00 post and packing for UK addresses, Add £2.00 post and packing for addresses in the EU, Add £2.50 post and packing for addresses outside the EU
Please send cheques, payable to "World Ship Society", to: Mr. M. Flatman, 8 The Pines, Cringleford, Norwich, Norfolk NR4 7LT, UNITED KINGDOM
NOTE: This offer is not available online through the website
Crash Boats - Part 1 (63' Aircraft Rescue Boat - the MIAMI)
A new publication from the WSS Small Craft Group
Crash Boats (Part 1) (63' Aircraft Rescue Boat - MIAMI) is a new compilation which covers all the WW2 built craft of the 63ft MIAMI types. In over 200 pages with over 200 photos, and with 40 profile drawings in around 80,000 words the types are described from their concept through to craft built by the end of WW2.
It contains full known histories of all RAF and other Commonwealth craft of the type with extensive lists, photos and service details of those built for or operated by other nations, including the U.S.A. Due to the large number of boats, and information now made available, the compilation has to be in two parts.
In Part 2 the major sections will cover construction details and full listing of survivors since WW2. A proposed contents for Part 2 will be included. In short, the main title is Crash Boats - Part 1. The printing is now underway and will be for orders only. The cost of each Crash Boats, Part 1 is £22 (incl p&p) for orders to be sent to a UK address, or £27 (incl. p&p) for orders to be sent to an address outside the U.K. Orders with payment to Tony Holtham, 5 Rogate Drive, Thornbury, Plymouth, Devon PL6 8SY, United Kingdom. Please make cheques (in GBP only, drawn on a British bank) payable to "Small Craft Group". E-mail enquiries to aholtham@smallcraftgroup.freeserve.co.uk
A Note to all Branch Treasurers, re: Branch Rebates
Just so that there is no confusion when fee collecting time comes around, here is an outline of how to take advantage of the Branch Rebate system. The following is an explanation of the Rebate System. However, some Branch Treasurers have been under the false impression that they can collect rebates calculated on the postage surcharges - which is not, and never has been, true.
If you are a registered branch Treasurer/Secretary, and you collect annual membership dues on behalf of an International WSS member, you were entitled to reduce your remittance to the WSS by 10% of the base cost of membership. This has now changed. For the calendar years 2009 through 2012, the base cost was £32. (All memberships are now calculated on the base cost, plus the added surcharge for postage.) This means that you are entitled to a rebate amount equal to £2.00 on each membership you collect and remit to the WSS. Rebates do not apply to Warship subscriptions or any other collection on behalf of the Society - just the membership base cost of £32.
Changes for 2010 and future years
For the calendar years 2010, 2011 and 2012, the Branch Rebate has been reduced to £2.
So to put it another way, make sure your 2012 remittance to the WSS includes sufficient amount to cover the £32, plus £7 (or plus £12 as the case may be, postage surcharge), less £2.00 rebate for a grand total of £37.00 (or £42.00 for Overseas). Your remittance to the WSS should be in pound sterling by way of a GBP cheque (drawn on a British bank) or for Overseas by way of an International bank money order in GBP drawn on a British bank. Special arrangements have been made for US secretaries/treasurers to pay their collections through the Vancouver Branch in US$. Contact glenn.smith@worldshipsociety.org for details.
The purpose of the Branch Rebate was to help financially with the cost of collection, such as writing letters, bank conversion fees and bank money order costs. But how the branch secretary/treasurer apportions the £2.00 is up to the branch. Some branches choose to credit the member with the rebate amount, while other branches add the collected amount to their general revenue account.
All collections of WSS Membership dues should be done before the deadline of December 31st of each year. A list (using the forms provided by the UK Membership Secretary, for use by UK branch secretaries) of those renewing members is to be sent to the Membership Secretary at membershipsecretary@worldshipsociety.org (for UK memberships) or membership2@worldshipsociety.org (for Overseas memberships) by no later than December 31st. Remittance of sums collected (less rebates) should be made no later than the end of January (for UK Branches) or end of February (for Overseas Branches) — of the upcoming year. [01.2012]
2012 AGM Venue in Poole, Dorset. Photo courtesy RNLI website. Poole Lifeboat College with Severn 17-44 Castletownbere lifeboat, ON 1277 ANNETTE HUTTON Crowds gathering at the college as HM The Queen boards to sail around the bay.
Harry Spong and members of the Cobh Branch at the National Maritime College of Ireland, in Cork Harbour on 30th October, 2009, for the Irish Shipping Lecture and Exhibition. Photo by Eoghan Allen.
WSS Members Only price of £18 plus packing/parcel post of £5 (to a UK address), or £7 (elsewhere - surface mail) — Non-member price of £27 plus packing/parcel post of £5 (to a UK address), or £7 (elsewhere - surface mail). Please contact 
This illustrates the 4-book set of the Lloyds Register for 2007-2008 - current set appear the same.
