I received an email from Harry Edmonson about the SS Ellan Vannin, which we have mentioned a few times on this site: here, here, and here. In his letter he asks about a couple of Americans he met — was it one of you?
Please permit me to introduce myself. My name is Harry Edmondson and I live in Liverpool, England. I am not Manx and my only connections with the Isle of Man are holidays and work related over many years, plus on the 3rd December 2009 I organised the 100th anniversary memorial service for the Isle Of Man Steam Packet Passenger boat SS ELLAN VANNIN which sank in Liverpool Bay on the 3rd December 1909.
Details of the service along with photos and comments from relatives from the disaster can be found on my web site www.waterlootheplace.com and on web site www.manxtube.com
The memorial service last year was held onboard a Mersey Ferry and included floral tributes cast to sea by Chief Minister of the Isle Of Man, The Hon Tony Brown MHK, Chairman of IOM Steam Packet Robert Quayle, plus representatives from Coastguards, Lifeboats, and Mersey Docks. We also had 21 youngsters from the local Sea Cadets who cast single red roses in memory of the 21 crew members who lost their lives in 1909 plus 14 children from a local school who also cast single red roses for each of the 14 passengers who died.
I am helping to organise a memorial service for the 3rd December this year to be held at the Ellan Vannin Memorial Plaque in Ramsey.
A new website is under construction for www.ellanvanninmemorial.co.uk which will contain all of the details with photographs and pages for relatives of those who died to post family messages etc.
I would love to have a link to your web site and I wonder if you could put details of the memorial service on your website and invite comments and contributions.
I met a couple from America at the memorial last year but unfortunately the local TV and radio stations took up all of my time and I was not able to introduce myself and have a discussion with the lady & gentleman. I would love to make contact again if this couple are members of your group.
Leave a comment if you are one of the people he mentions of if there is anything more you’d like to know from Harry.
