Sevenoaks Branch Talk: Mid 19th Century Merchant Shipping with William Lindsay

Bill will be drawing on his great-great-grandfather William Schaw Lindsay's journals.  William Schaw Lindsay (1815 – 1877) left home at 16 and worked his way up from cabin boy to ship owner and also became a Liberal MP. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Schaw_Lindsay

The talk will cover;

William Schaw Lindsay's adventures on a Ocean-sailing vessel in the 1830s when he left home at 16.

The shift from sailing ships to ocean steamships.  Transport ships during the Crimean War

Emigration to Australia and Canada.  Building the Confederate Navy in the American Civil War

About the Speaker:

After 35 years in Pharmaceuticals, Bill has now focussed on maritime history. He is editor of the online magazine Topmasts for the Society for Nautical Research.

He wrote his forefather's biography William Schaw Lindsay Victorian Entrepreneur last year and has embarked on a nationwide lecture tour. This will be his 34th talk. He has published several merchant history articles in journals.

Doors open 10.45am, meeting starts 11am.

There is a large public car park (payment required, 50p for 2 hours, £1 for 3 hours) adjacent to the hall but it can be busy.

No booking, just turn up.

The Society is a registered charity and membership fees and donations are an important part of our income. The Talk is free to members but guests and visitors are asked to make a donation towards hall hire and speaker's fee. There will be a donations box at the venue.

But Society membership only costs £10 a year (£12 joint members) https://www.nwkfhs.org.uk/about/membership/our-membership