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The Massey Shaw

The Massey Shaw is a fire tender, built in 1935, which served on the River Thames and also took part in theDunkirk evacuation, after which she played a vital role during the Blitz. Today she is run by a Trust, manned by volunteers and is undergoing restoration with the aid of a substantial grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund. The vessel will be ready by May 2012. If you google ‘Massey Shaw’ you will find all her details and her history. But I can tell you that the great water jet which she shoots out is pretty impressive.

I have been contacted by Barbara Reid, an ex-Maritime Museum colleague, who has been helping the Trust plan the project. She has contacted me she thought that there could be people in the GMI who might take an interest in the Massey Shaw. At the end of the year the Trust will be looking for volunteers, and also for 12 passengers to take part in the Queen’s Jubilee Pageant on 3 June 2012, accompanying HMQ up theThames – one of a thousand vessels in the Pageant.

If you would like to enquire further, please let me know, and I can pass you on to the right people.

Roger Knight

Sailor’s 111 year old Christmas Pud Donated to Museum

111 year-old tinned plum pudding
 
A Christmas pudding has been donated to the National Museum of the Royal Navy.   The pudding was one of those sent to members of the Naval Brigade for Christmas 1900 during the Boer War from philanthropist Agnes Weston.   Agnes was the founder of the Royal Naval Sailors’ Rests in Devonport and Portsmouth, and  also superintendent of the Royal Naval Temperance Society – so not surprising that this is a ‘teetotal plum pudding’!

Limerick Lecture – ‘Piracy: Then and Now’

You are cordially invited to the annual Limerick Lecture at London Metropolitan Business School. The event will take place on Tuesday 29th of November 5.30 for 6.00 pm.  Proceedings shall commence with a presentation on Piracy: Then and Now by Professor Christopher Bellamy, Director Greenwich Maritime Institute, University of Greenwich and chaired by Dr. Robyn Pyne. This will be followed by a presentation ceremony of student prizes for the graduating class of 2011 and a networking reception.  

RSVP Dr. Reza Mirmiran r.mirmiran@londonmet.ac.uk

Tel: 02073201576

Venue: Room MG1.17
           London Metropolitan University
           84 Moorgate, London EC2M 6SQ

Maritime History Seminar – Monday 7th November 2011, 5pm.

Hosted by the University of Greenwich History Department, Emeritus Professor Sarah Palmer will be presenting ‘The Power of Prestige; the Cunard Line and the British Government in the Postwar Era’ on Monday 7th November at 5pm in Queen Mary, room 368, University of Greenwich.

Everyone is welcome.

Singing for the Nation, Wednesday 2nd November 2011, 6pm

Dr James Davey, Research Curator (Naval and Maritime History), of the National Maritime Museum will be presenting his paper ‘Singing for the Nation: Balladry, Naval Recruitment, and the Language of Patriotism in Eighteenth Century Britain’.

The ballad was one of the most important vehicles of mass communication during the eighteenth century, geographically ubiquitous, and available to a broad spectrum of the British population. Ballads concerning the navy were a consistent and popular theme, particularly in times of war. In this seminar, James Davey will analyse the nature of these ballads, considering their market and potential political and social roles. Almost without exception, these ballads painted a positive picture of naval service, forwarding patriotic stereotypes alongside more tangible pecuniary benefits. This seminar will consider how ballads contributed to eighteenth century ideas about the navy, about patriotism, and indeed how this form of cultural media influenced the contested subject of naval recruitment.

This seminar will take place in room 075, Queen Anne Court, Old Royal Naval College, University of Greenwich at 6pm. Tea & Coffee will be available from 5.30pm and a glass of wine afterwards. The seminar is free and there is no need to book, everyone is welcome.

MV Iceberg – Hostages released after 19 months

On Tuesday 25th October, MV Iceberg, along with 23 hostages has been released from Somali pirates after 19 months with the help of Dubai Government.
The ship carried a crew including people from several countries.
MV Iceberg, a Panama ship, was hijacked by pirates on March 29, 2010 and later demanded 8 million dollars for the release of the ship along with crew.
The chief engineer of the ship had committed suicide after it was hijacked by the Somali pirates.
The BBC made no reference to the release on their website at all and Lloyd’s List published a small article on page 2 in Wednesday’s edition.