Welcome to the Mid Essex Branch of the
World Ship Society.
Use the Menu selection buttons on the left to find out all you need to know about the branch and it's aims plus details of when and where we meet and other features of local and international interest that is included in the site.
Our monthly meetings are open to non-members and we look forward to meeting visitors and prospective members at any of our meetings.
There is a request for a donation of £4.00 for the evening to help with branch funds such as venue hire costs etc.
This site also Features: A brief history of the London County Council paddle ferry fleet of 1905. The maiden voyage of the sailing ship DERWENT to Australia in 1884/5 as described by Chelmsford (Essex, UK) resident, Midshipman Francis Bigg Copland, in his diary. The voyage of HMS PERSEUS to the East Indies Station (Middle East) in 1901-3 as described by A Barker in his diary.
INTERESTED IN SHIPS, BOATS and the SEA Why not come along and join us at our friendly meetings held on the first Monday of the month in Ingatestone A varied programme to interest all. Naval, Merchant, near and far. See our REPORTS page for notes on previous meetings content. Contact us through our CONTACT page or just turn up for a friendly welcome. |
NEXT MEETING Monday 4th March 2019 at 7.30 p.m. LONDON DOCKS 1963/1964 Ian Wells presents his fifth PowerPoint presentation compiled of scanned slides of ships in the London Docks and the River Thames in the early 1960s |
APRIL MEETING Monday 1st April 2019 at 7.30 p.m. Please make a note in your diary to attend this presentation by Barry Peck who is coming from Southampton Branch to present: THE STRICK LINE Visitors warmly welcomed |
LATEST NEWS The Woolwich Ferry Service has re-commenced and is operating a limited service 
Woolwich Ferries DAME VERA LYNN & BEN WOOLACOTTE Photo courtesy David Berg |
. THE ANNUAL PHOTO COMPETITION 2019 RESULTS The overall winner this year was David Brown  Secretary, David Brown is presented the "Colin Viney Trophy" by last year's winner Ray Smith, The highest scoring image from the 2019 Photographic competition held in February 2019 was taken by Ray Smith  | | V ARCTIC TERN © Ray Smith 2019 | | Click HERE to view all pictures entered in the competition |
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- A TALE OF TWO TID's 
Long time resident of Maldon's riverside the TID tug BRENT (ex TID 159) is joined by TID 172 which arrived last year for maintenence in the dry dock. Work completed she will soon move to the River Medway. | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
Mid-Essex Slide Shows Available NOW from Roy Cressey at WSS Photo Library (contact details are published in January Marine News) . "Tropic Voyage 1976" A PowerPoint presentation that traces the voyage of M.V. TROPIC in 1976 to the American Gulf Ports, the Panama Canal, Australia, New Zealand and the West Indies, with photographs by Captain Edwin Gregson. This show also includes photos of the QUEEN of BERMUDA and OCEAN MONARCH. . | "In Our Own Back Yard" Charts the history of our local ports of Maldon, Heybridge and Chelmsford, just a few miles from our HQ. It also includes many points of interest and ships that have used and been laid up in the River Blackwater over the years. . | "Yes We Have No Bananas" A shortened version of Martin Wright's double show of his cruise around Central America on QUEST for ADVENTURE in November 2012. Sadly this was Martin's last show before his untimely death in February 2013. His wife Anne has kindly allowed us to convert this to a single PowerPoint presentation. . |
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Ian Wells photos from his time in the London Docks have been assembled into a series of Powerpoint presetations which are available now from the Mid-Essex Branch . LONDON DOCKS 1972 Part 1, Part 2 & Part 3 (Ian Wells SHOWS 19 and 20 and 21) are now completed as PowerPoint presentations. Many of the photos have never been shown before. Ian has also researched each vessel and supply's the commentary. The first had its début at Mid-Essex branch in November 2016, the second in March 2017. Part 3 was shown in October 2017 at Ingatestone. Ian would initially like to accompany these shows to local branches before putting them on "general release". Contact Ian Wells or the branch to reserve these shows. "LONDON SHIPPING in 1962" Ian Well's fourth show (SHOW 22) in his London docks series features ships in the London Docks, the Thames, the Blackwater, Scarborough and Calais in 1962. This show is now available. . "LONDON SHIPPING in 1963 - 1964" Ian Well's fifth show (SHOW 23) in his London docks series features ships in the London Docks, the Thames, Great Yarmouth & in Lowestoft in1963-4. This presentation will have it's maiden showing at Ingatestone on March 3rd 2019 COMING SOON SHOW 24 A selection of Ian Well's Black and White photos of ships in the Thames and elsewhere taken in the late 1950s. These have been scanned from negatives and assembled into a PowerPoint show. Available sometime in 2019/2020 |
FORTHCOMING MEETINGS | May 6th | Barry Peck of Southampton Branch presents STRICK LINE | A PowerPoint presentation by Maurice Napier Ships of the West Coast of South America |
| Site last updated: Front Page, Southwold, | 13/02/2019 |
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