THE SEA AND DORSET

With the beautiful coastline of Dorset and the natural harbour of Poole - the largest in Europe - on many people's doorstep, it is no wonder that there is a deep interest in the sea and ships in the area.

Over the years the numbers and types of ships seen in the area have reduced because of trading and economic conditions, necessitating those with an interest in ships having to widen their field of vision to more distant places. However, there comes a time when distance and expense cannot be justified and other means of satisfying their desire to look at ships have to be met in other ways.

One way is by joining a group who come together to listen to talks and view slides of ships from far and wide. One of these groups is THE WORLD SHIP SOCIETY. Formed back in 1947 by the circulation of a quarterly news letter, produced by a then school boy with an interest in shipping in north west England. The group gradually expanded, until to day it has over 4,000 members, living in all parts of the world from Iceland to New Zealand, from Russia to South Africa. In this way facts and information, normally not available to an individual, is brought together in the Society's monthly magazine MARINE NEWS for the benefit of everyone.

Dorset has its own branch of the Society, meeting at the Broadstone Community Centre at 2.15 p.m. on the third Saturday of each month, between September and May. At each meeting a speaker comes along to talk to the members. Subjects covered could be serving at sea, (better still the joys of cruising to foreign lands), or ships and companies of the past, or the history of ports and harbours. The talks are usually illustrated by slides and thus interests are maintained, and areas of the World, which probably could never be visited normally, are brought to your doorstep. During the course of the afternoon, members gather in small groups to discuss their own particular interests.

We may no longer see too many ships in this area, but by attending these meetings, touch can be maintained with the past and the horizon beyond.

Marion Browning Secretary Dorset Branch 694338

Archive Summer 2002 | next

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