The Branch
Welcome to the website of the Torbay & East Devon branch of the World Ship Society. Here you can find information about the branch, including recent and upcoming meetings, details of recent trips, and local shipping news. Feel free to look around, and use the contact page if you have a query that is not answered here.
Diary
14/01/2016: David Hawkins - Ships of the 1990s
11/02/2016: WSS slide show - Ships of the 1970s and 1980s
10/03/2016: Tom Walker - Malta
14/04/2016: Krispen Atkinson - Cornish Ports
12/05/2016: Members' Evening - Contributions of 15-20 minutes welcome
09/06/2016: David Walker - European Minicruises
14/07/2016: David Brown - My Life at Sea
11/08/2016: David Eeles - Bangkok, Rendsburg, and my favourite ships old and new
08/09/2016: Members' Evening - Contributions of 15-20 minutes welcome
13/10/2016: Ken Cload - More from the Hoek
10/11/2016: Rodge Musselwhite - Update 2016
08/12/2016: David Walker - Hamburg Visits
Branch News
May 2015: At our May meeting, David Eeles continued a presentation from last year; we saw a range of photographs of ships at locations in the UK, the Netherlands and Germany, supplemented with videos to take us closer to the action. The highlight was a series of photos taken in Maassluis showing tugs from the last century under way. Many thanks to both speakers for enjoyable evenings.
April 2015: In April we were visited by Roland Whaite, who presented "Mostly from the Mediterranean", a journey around various Mediterranean islands shown in the form of ferries, old coasters and cruise ships. Roland presented an enjoyable and informative talk as usual, and we look forward to his next instalment. It was particularly good to see some familiar faces that had moved on to new careers in the Mediterranean, before inevitably ending up at the scrapyard in many cases.
March 2015: In March Tom Walker opened his archives to present a talk covering his sixty years as a ship spotter. The evening was spent viewing excellent photographs, mostly taken by either Tom or his father, showcasing scenes in Teignmouth, Avonmouth, Southampton and further afield on the continent. There really was something for everyone, from war-built cargo vessels to the newest container ships with almost every conceivable type in between. The talk was meticulously researched, complemented with Tom's excellent local knowledge of the ports he showed. We thank him for his efforts, and hope that he can be persuaded to return next year.
Branch Newsletter
Since the beginning of 2014 the branch has published a newsletter. These contain monthly shipping movements and information about upcoming meetings, as well as short articles of local maritime interest. Back issues are available below.
Press
Here are some news stories about the branch.
- What looks like watching the ships roll in and away again has hidden depths (Herald Express, Nov 2009)
- Festive treat for cargo ship's skipper (Herald Express, Jan 2014)
The World Ship Society
The World Ship Society was founded in 1946, and has since grown into the largest organisation of its type in the world. Each month, the society distributes 'Marine News', containing information about branch activities, as well as information about newbuilds, renamings and sales, and ship breaking. The society holds a large photo library, covering all areas of shipping, and has an extensive library in Chatham.
The Branch
The Torbay and East Devon branch is based in Teignmouth, meeting at the Alice Cross Centre every second Tuesday. We have talks and slideshows on various nautical topics, and have a diverse membership. For more information about the branch, contact us here.
This Website
This website is intended to provide information to anyone who has an interest in joining the World Ship Society, or in the local shipping scene in general. It is hoped that the information it contains will be of use, however no responsibilty is taken by the World Ship Society, the Torbay & East Devon Branch, or the webmaster, for its reliability. Feel free to make comments or suggestions about the site, email the webmaster here.
