The Belfast Child: S.S. Nomadic, Exploring the World’s Last Great Link to R.M.S. Titanic

i folks, just thought i'd stick my head round the door again as i have been up to my eyes in it for a while.

For anyone who has an interest in surviving links to our maritime history the new book about S.S.Nomadic is now out... all proceed go towards the restoration of this most historic of steam ships.

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Some details...

The finished book is at the printers and copies should be in the post to readers within the week. Response has been fantastic and i am thrilled by how well the publication has been received by all those who have seen the draft copy which was unveiled at the Thomas Andrews awards at the Belfast harbour Commissioners and also onboard Nomadic during a recent Nomadic Preservation society members event.

It is listed on Amazon...
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Belfast-Chil...3190249&sr=1-1

and is available through the N.P.S. on Ebay.co.uk and Ebay.com

The best way to order though is probably directly via our contact us page on the website at...
http://www.nomadicpreservationsociety.co.uk/contactus.asp
Frances our merchandising coordinator will be able to confirm orders and advise on postage costs etc.

In the meantime i would appreciate any help you can offer in promoting the book, as you all know, all proceeds will be used by the society to advance the restoration of S.S. Nomadic and we are already in talks about an exciting new fund raising drive.

I hope this information is helpful.

Mervyn Pritchard
Comittee member,
Nomadic Preservation Society

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Sounds like a book I'll by Merv.
Well done and congratulations. From reports I’m hearing back you’re all doing a great job with the ship.

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Wow that was quick Steve, i had'nt even finished editing my post!

Thanks for the support. Nomadic is a work in progress and not without its hiccups but i know all you chaps are behind the Society. We are hoping to plan plan a few exciting things in the near future and what we need above all is the help and support that the Titanic community have shown from the get go.

Thanks again, hope you like the book, it is not TTSM, but its a good start.

Regards - Merv.

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For some reason, the Amazon.uk link which Mervyn posted led to a 404 Page Not Found. The full link is
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Belfast-Child-Nomadic-Exploring-Titanic, etc.

And yes, I just ordered a copy. Every little bit helps.

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I usually read through all the ET posts, TRMA and TITANIC TITANIC boards (and yours) each night before getting off to bed.
The book sounds great. I like reading about the ship, i.e. Nomadic, Titanic etc.
I hope to one day travel to Belfast and see the ship, and to stand next to the drydock where Welsh snapped off those Olympic Titanic images.
You have the support of all the guys at the TRMA.
If I can assist in any way just let me know.

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Sorry about the broken link folks, not sure what happen there!

Amazon is currently saying the book is not in stock, let me know what feedback you get from them as they have yet to submit an order to the Queens Island Press.

As i say in the initial post, the main NPS website is probably the best way to order, especially when the proper sales page goes online. It cuts out the middle men.

Thanks again - Merv.

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Hello, Mervyn---

The second link didn't work, either, but I've now fixed that, I think.

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>>but I've now fixed that, I think.<<

Worked like a charm for me so I guess the fix worked. Wish I knew what it was about the software that causes it to gag on some of them.

>>I hope to one day travel to Belfast and see the ship, and to stand next to the drydock where Welsh snapped off those Olympic Titanic images.<<

I'd love to do that myself but the circumstances of my life right now make that impossible. At least the book will get me as close as I can get if I can't get to the ship herself. I let you all know when mine ships.

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Right now (as has been the case for some time) there is not a great deal to see down there. Perhaps it comes from living under the shadow of those massive cranes all my life, my father and his father before him were "yard" men and you will pick up on a certain throwaway acceptance about all that stuff among the old hands. I suppose that working and living amid such an environment was a bit like being a small culture unto themselves(it is almost like the shipyard is part of the eternal landscape - i know the collapse of shipbuilding in Belfast stunned many here. Like on the Clyde it had dominated industry for generations and its absence seemed almost unthinkable, so interwoven was it into the fabric of the community). Many enthusiasts and historians can tell you what happened and why, but all that is just so many words on a page. For those who experienced it first hand it was a way of life which set them apart.

Nevertheless, standing there amid the desolation and often discordant developments which now spring up like weeds in a once grand industrial empire you need to use your imagination to envision the monumental feats which were an every day occurance here, so long ago now it seems. Much of that has been bulldozed and the remainder is a sad collection of neglected and delapidated remnants waiting for a resurgent sense of civic pride to offer hope of restoration (of some description, historicity and heritage are not viable commodities to corporate developers).

There are some works in progress but primarily cosmetic stop gap measures... who knows if the will or money will ever materialise to properly celebrate what remains of these priceless monuments, who knows?

I would like to believe, but have seen too much and learned to become a cynic.

- Merv.

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Hi guys

As we haven't yet had an order from Amazon themselves we have it listed on Amazon as a Marketplace seller.
The direct link is http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/offer-listing/0955931401/ref=dp_olp_1

The multiple listings and prices are due to the book being heavier than Amazon thinks and so costing us more that the set postage amounts for shipping out of the UK.

Frances

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