July

Thursday 28^th July

Tony Pass - The Isle of Man Steam Packet in World War 1

1914 could have been the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company’s peak year, exceeding the record achieved in the previous year when over two million passengers were carried over ten routes to the Island. But one week before Tynwald Day, an event in Sarajevo was the spark that led to the first global conflict. And by the end of 1914, ten of the Company’s fleet of 14 ships had been called up for war service with their crews. Four ships were lost and a further three did not return. This is a story of tragedy and heroism with a few forgotten historical facts. The final sequence will show some hitherto undiscovered film footage of the German naval surrender with a familiar Manx vessel making a star appearance.

Time: 11am                 Venue: Manx Museum SR1   Max 50           Free