Revised Bristol Channel Branch Meetings Programme
The Bristol Channel Branch are pleased to announce three new meetings in their area, together with one change, over the next four months. Full details are given on our Event pages but, in summary, the 2018 Branch diary is now as follows:
| Date | Topic | Speaker | Venue |
| 27 January | Branch AGM & Swiss Steamers | Paul Semple | Holiday Inn, Cardiff |
| 17 February | Cosens steamers outside and in | Brian Jackson | On board M.V. Balmoral, Bristol |
| 24 March | Crankshafts, Clerics & Chalybeate | Richard Clammer | Holiday Inn, Cardiff |
| 21 April | Campbells Solent to Sussex | Mike Tedstone | On board M.V. Balmoral, Bristol |
All meetings will start at 2 p.m.
The Bristol Channel branch is having its Annual General Meeting at the Holiday Inn, Castle Street, Cardiff on 27 January 2018. Following the formal business, in a change from the previously announced arrangements, National Chairman, Paul Semple, will be giving his fascinating talk on Swiss steamers.
Paul is travelling from his home in Scotland to support the Branch Committee at the AGM and has kindly offered to give his illustrated talk on the paddle steamers of Switzerland, which he has visited on many occasions.
One important purpose of the AGM is to seek to refresh the committee to take the branch forward in the light of the forthcoming retirement of at least two officers/ committee members. Without committee members the branch cannot function. So the meeting will not only be an opportunity for folk to volunteer their help in reinvigorating the branch but a rare chance to hear about the many and varied Swiss steamers. Please attend if you possibly can.
Richard Clammer’s talk, which is intriguingly titled “Crankshafts, Clerics & Chalybeate”, will now be given at a newly announced meeting at the Holiday Inn, Cardiff, on 24 March at 2 p.m. It will tell the fascinating story of the fleet of little steamers which once operated on the River Conwy in North Wales and served the famous mineral spa at the village of Trefriw. Despite the fact that both the steamers and spa were a celebrated part of the North Wales tourist scene for almost 100 years their story had been almost forgotten until, after many years of research, Richard published his book on the subject in 2014. If you want to discover how a chapel-going seafaring family, an entrepreneurial vicar and a eccentric Catholic priest all became involved in “taking the cure” and running river steamers, then come along to hear the full story…..