Speaker: Dr. Roy Fenton, trustee BCMH

The small cargo-carrying steamers popularly known as ‘puffers’ played important roles in Scottish transport, on both inland routes, and across open and often boisterous waters to the western isles and to Ireland. The crew’s work was hard, as they had not only to navigate, fire and maintain their craft, but also had to labour to unload the cargo at a destination that could be just a lonely beach. Through the work of Neil Munro and the fictional crew of the ‘Vital Spark’, the puffer became well known, with the legend perpetuated by an Ealing comedy ‘The Maggie’, and a series of television films. The size and handiness of a 66-foot craft appealed to those hardy sons who wanted their own puffer, and it is possible to relive history and experience steering, stoking and berthing a 60-year-old, solid fuel-fired steamer. The three phases of the story will be illustrated by photos, film clips, music and personal experiences.

About the speakers: Roy Fenton’s major research interest is in cargo-carrying steamers and motor ships, their construction and operation. In 2005 he was awarded a PhD for his thesis on the transition from sail to steam in the British coastal bulk trades, which established the importance of the east coast coal trade in opening up this sector to steam ships. As well as a number of papers in Mariners’ Mirror, he is the author of some thirty books on cargo ships and the companies that ran them.

This event is open to the public and free to attend both in-person and online (via Zoom). In-person spaces are limited, so register now to secure your spot!

For those joining online, the Zoom link will be sent by email two days before the event.