# Somers Isle



## ALAN TYLER (Dec 22, 2007)

Anyone got any info/history on this vessel, i believe she was owned by PSNC/Royal Mail in the 1950s.


----------



## Tmac1720 (Jun 24, 2005)

I think this is her:-

Somers Isle built by Harland and Wolff Belfast under yard number 1622 launched 9th April 1959 delivered 10th July 1959 Cargo vessel of 5684 gross tons. Built for Pacific Steam Navigation Company but operated on delivery by Hull & Netherlands Steamship Company.


----------



## Gulpers (Sep 8, 2005)

Alan,

It's always worth a look in our Gallery - there are some comments and photographs *here* which back up Tmac1720's information and may be of interest to you. (Thumb)


----------



## keith ratcliffe (Oct 5, 2005)

Alan. I sailed as Radio Officer on the Somers Isle, a short coastal voyage from Liverpool 26.6.1963 and left her in London 14.7.1963. The Somers Isle 5684grt,built Harland & Wolff, Belfast in 1959, sold by PSNC in 1971. She became the Eldina under a Cypriot flag, in 1975, she was sold to other Cypriot owners and renamed Commencement then Caribbean in 1981. She was sold in 1981 to become Jersey registered Melpol. on Dec 8th 1981 she was gutted by fire in the English Channel and towed to Le Havre. At the end of that month she was towed to Ghent for breaking up. It was a very sad end to a beautiful little ship which I wished I could have stayed on, as after London in 1963 she loaded for South America. I hope this information helps you in your research. Keith.


----------



## keith ratcliffe (Oct 5, 2005)

Alan. Further to my last message regarding the Somers Isle. In Ian Collard book, ' Liverpool Shipping Groups' (Tempus Publishing Ltd), Page 99, there is a photograph of the Somers Isle, together with information about her and her sad fate. Ian Collards books are a wonderful pictorial record of merchant ships both old and new and well worth having. Regards. Keith.


----------



## Pat Thompson (Jan 25, 2006)

Greetings,

Have a look HERE for some details and photographs of the rescue


----------



## BOB.WHITTAKER (Dec 3, 2008)

ALAN , for your interest following your request about the "Somers Isle", she was my first deep sea ship having been "round the land" on various PSNC motorships . I did three trips on her as a junior engineer, this would have been around 1966-67. We did all the good places like Bermuda / Bahamas / Puerto Rico then Panama and right down the West Coast all the way to Punta Arenas and then back up again home to Liverpool . Happy Days !!!!! Cheers Bob Whittaker


----------



## Kenneth ex MN (Oct 13, 2021)

ALAN TYLER said:


> Anyone got any info/history on this vessel, i believe she was owned by PSNC/Royal Mail in the 1950s.


I shipped out on this vessel MV Somers Isle in 1966 at the end of the Seaman’s strike, joined her in Salford Docks. The voyage took me through the Panama Canal and down the west coast of South America to the port of Antofagasta where a load of copper ingots was loaded and taken to London Dockland. It was a happy ship good food and friendly company. I did another trip on MV Pacific Northwest but it was pretty miserable, a whiskey boat taking a hold full of Scotch Whiskey to Vancouver lots of drunkeness.


----------

