I don't think that any of the thousands of us who plied the world's trade routes in the conventional cargo liners of the British Merchant Navy in the forties, fifties and sixties ever dreamed that within a generation our way of life would cease to exist as the trade moved into containerships.

As a memorial to the last days those ships I offer a few pictures of them and life aboard them. The pictures are sized to fit an 800 x 600 screen. I was in the Blue Funnel Line and most of the pictures reflect that. Folk who have visited the site before might like to know that I have rejigged some of the pictures now that I know a bit more about how to do it. The links are at the foot of the page.

When the Blue Funnel ship Rhexenor, carrying an innocuous cargo of cocoa from West Africa to Canada, was torpedoed and sunk in 1943 it took the lifeboats three weeks to reach safety. I have transcribed the reports of the officers and offer them via the link below.

I have added a section showing some of the maritime documents and papers associated with British seamen and will add more as time goes by. These range from 1890s Articles (crew lists) to a 1960s Chinese New Year dinner menu.

I will continue to add bits and pieces. If you have any suggestions please feel free to send them and I'll see what I can do.

I joined the flourishing Blue Funnel Association some time ago. I haven't yet been to any of the monthly meetings at the Cornmarket pub in Liverpool but I've thoroughly enjoyed the monthly newsletter and have made contact with a few old shipmates as a result. If you would like to see what it has to offer write via snail mail (Dave does not have an email address) to :

Dave Molyneux
Secretary, Blue Funnel Association
375 Leasowe Road
Moreton, Wirral
CH46 2RE
U.K.