Mariners Memorabilia

Mariner's Memorabilia - A guide to British Shipping Company China of the 19th & 20th Centuries” in two volumes by Peter F Laister.

Each Volume £23.50, total for both £47.

Member Peter Laister is a U.K-.based Society member.  He started his seafaring career with Ellerman’s Wilson Line, then had ten years with Union-Castle (later B & C), which included a brief foray into Clan Line and Bowaters.  Following his seafaring days he spent the next 25 years travelling around the world dealing with marine casualties, as a marine surveyor and consultant. 

During one assignment he was involved with a small Greek vessel that had put into Brest as a port of refuge following a disasterous fire.  The only item intact in the fire-gutted accommodation was an egg cup from the original German owners, Atlas Levant Line.  This started his collection, and as the saying goes, “The rest is history!”. 

His subsequent large collection of such items forms the basis for his interesting and unique history of china and crockery used on British ships.  Softback, A4 size, total of 323 pages, profusely illustrated with 1,160 colour photos (taken by his photographer wife Pamela Laister) of shipping company cups, saucers, plates etc, showing crests on the china, together with well-researched historical notes. 

The subject is so extensive that two volumes are required to do it full justice. The shipping companies are featured alphabetically from Aberdeen & Commonwealth to Yeoward Line, and a total of 116 companies are covered.  Not cheap, but printed on good quality paper  because of the numerous coloured illustrations and printed in U.K..  A lifetime labour of love, this is a unique history of a subject that has not, to my knowledge, ever been covered before. 

Order from:- Peter F. Laister, “Mariners”, Gorse Way, Hartley, Longfield, Kent, DA3 8AE, England, U.K. 

Payment by either UK£  cheque, or by Pay Pal.  Cost for the two volumes is £47, plus postage from U.K. to New Zealand, either £8.50 surface mail or £16.75 airmail.

Telephone:- (01474) 705288.  E-mail:- mariners@anchorage65.fsnet.co.uk