The manx maid was launched 3 weeks before i was born, 16 years later, i had the privilege to work on her, i worked in the pantry, with Ronnie and rab from Fleetwood, i remember the cook, bert, and billy mills, nostalgia at it's best, I'm nearly 59 now, and this ha brought back great memories in a shite time

I used to go with Grandad on manxman .lady of man .monas isle absolutel loved every minute very fine ships ,adventures once landed at llandudno and many times liverpool Douglas still remember every detail 😁👍

I have great memories of sailing from Ardrossan to Douglas on the Manxman in the summer of 1970 during a fierce gale. I think I was the only passenger on board who never threw up although I might have felt better for it If I had done. Nice to see the footage of these old ladies. Thanks for posting

Great films remember going on some of these ferry's in late 1970,s going to TT and Manx GP

I'll never forget my first experience of these wonderful vessels.It was 1964 and my dad took my brother and me on a day excursion to the Senior TT.I can still recall the smell that was peculiar to these boats...a mix of fuel oil,kippers and vomit!The magical first sight of the Island as we neared Douglas in the very early morning,the beautiful green sea and the wake churned up by the twin screws of the purest creamy white.Stepping onto the Island was like going back 50 years in time.And the fare?For us kids it was 11 shillings return.That's 55p in today's money.Fantastic memories.

Some top memories amongst these clips John, thank you. I remember you when you were on the King Orry as purser, sailing out of Fleetwood. I was a young whipper snapper and keen fan of the Steamers. Hope youre keeping well John.

Every year from 1960 to 1978, the last week in July and first two weeks of August… Liverpool to Douglas and onwards by steam train or bus to Port St. Mary, Castletown or Ramsey. This is terrific stuff, some is amazingly clear, and captures the experience exactly as I remember it. My younger self is probably in there somewhere. I’m of Manx descent and all three postings are quite wonderful. Occasionally I’d see people with cine cameras and have often wondered since the advent of You Tube, what happened to all the footage. The shots of Manxman at Ramsey Pier are particularly evocative. It was sometimes possible to join at Ramsey and sail round to Douglas, the perfect summer evening cruise. (Provided you were lucky with the Manx weather). The incidental and long vanished background details from the Mersey are fantastic too: the ferry terminal at New Brighton, The Tower Ballroom and so on. We even get a glimpse of the ‘Fish and Chip Boat’! To many I suppose this is of no significance whatever, but it’s these very ordinary things which make up history for most of us rather than great world events. Much has changed since those days: the Manx holiday industry was beginning to decline even then, and year by year the boats became less crowded. Times have changed too, and whilst there have been many changes for the better, there is much good from those days which has been lost, and its passing I bitterly lament.

Lovely to see these fine small ships that to us to The Island and back to the mainland in those far off days of long ago. Even their names invoke such nostalgia I could weep, and the music accompaniment is perfect. Wonderful and well done and many thanks for sharing your skilfull handiwork.

Wonderful choices of music to go with these fine images, John, thank you.

Loads of memories in the videos, I've been on the Manx Maid many times and other ferries..happy days :-)

I went on the passenger-only ferry from Liverpool one year in the late 70s or early 80s - it must have been the Manxman or the Mona's Isle. There was one stairwell that gave you a view down into an area full of machinery and pipes, something you didn't get on the car-ferries! The '60s car-ferries were great ships too though.

Very much enjoyed these fantastic images of the Isle of Man steamers. Takes me back, I remember these vessels very well back in the 60’s. It was really the start of our holidays to The Isle of Man stepping aboard on them. I believe they were nick named “Little Cunarders”. Going back this year (2016) to visit the I. O.M for the first time in over 50 years!

*Thanks for all the effort it must have taken to put this together John. It was serendipity that brought me here, but I just spent an extremely relaxing 15 minutes watching from beginning to end. Also really good original video work, given the limitations of 8mm analogue cine film back then. Great to watch, very nostalgic. Thanks again.*

I also remember doing extra trips to Ardrossan, what s great time to be alive

This footage is nostalgic gold john well done for sharing.

Sad that its silent. When the 1965 Ben My Chree left the landing stage the captain of the 1962 Manx Maid absolutely let rip with the triple bell whistle for five solid minutes and drowned out the Ben's insipid steam horn. The BMC had to wait until 1978 to be fitted with the SS Tynwalds triple bell whistle.

They wasn’t very big really was they -I used to go over every year in the early 70 s with my grandparents-I might be wrong but in my head on rough crossing’s the water from the waves used to be running across some of Lower decks?

great video..i am righting on here for a different reason..its if anyone has or knows where similar film exists of the mailboats between Holyhead and Dunlaoghaire..the mv Cambria and Mv Hibernia under BR in the 60s.ive lots of pics but cannot find film anywhere,these are not the later stena line ships..they were launched in Belfast Harland and wolfe..they sailed between the two ports 50s.60s.mid 70s..just though it would add this here..that a lovely film of the isle of Man boat...the Irish Mailboats were so memorable for my childhood..often crossing the Irish sea in terrible rough conditions..like in this video..

Hi John, Could you tell me the music you used on the films? Particularly part 2. Great cine shots brings back many memories as a regular visitor from 1957 to 1980 with family and later on my own.

Wonderful. Thank You Sir.

After that Ben-My-Chree send off the Manx Maid captain must have had to replenish the boilers!

Fantastic

Can anyone help?……….I have watched a few of these memoirs but so …..no mention of the Victoria, which could be like riding on a cork,……..the other was that the IOM boats were thr trial boats introducing stabilizers for later possible use on the Royal Yacht and also for the passengers improvement when crossing the Atlantic…..right or wrong ??

1962 bekamen wir Besuch von Isle 🇮🇲,George Carter und seine Frau Mary Carter , Cousan meines Papas

Interesting

My username is a deliberate misspelling of Ben-my-Chree which is Manx for Lady of My Heart. I however am male.

Good to see old material made available but it is over a minute before any pictures appear. Suggest a shorter less tedious intro.