The history of Elder Dempster Lines
Read more about the history of Elder Dempster Lines - the largest UK shipping group between Western Europe and West Africa from the late-nineteenth century to the 1980s.
Read more about the history of Elder Dempster Lines - the largest UK shipping group between Western Europe and West Africa from the late-nineteenth century to the 1980s.
Expand your knowledge of Elder Dempster with our teaching and learning resources.
The Homeward Bound: A Liverpool-West Africa Heritage Project documents the lives and memories of Elder Dempster’s seafaring and office staff. As part of the project, we recorded 25 oral testimonies.
Throughout the year, we hold a number of events relating to Elder Dempster Lines. We'll post details about upcoming events on this page. Read more about the workshops, talks and training we've held in the past.
Mike was a Purser for Elder Dempster Lines. In his interview, Mike talks about the role of a Purser and the challenges he faced. Listen to Mike's interview.
John Martin was a catering officer with Elder Dempster Lines. Read his account of his experiences with the shipping company.
John Goble was the Chief Officer for Elder Dempster Lines. John joined Elder Dempsters in 1963 as Third Mate. In his interview, John discusses the challenges of working at sea, his first impressions on West Africa and how the impact containerisation had on the industry.
Jim was a Purser at Elder Dempster Lines. Listen to Jim's interview.
Derek Bailey joined Elder Dempster Lines in 1957. In his interview, Derek recalls what it was like living on a ship with a wife and children at home. Derek also speaks about Elder Dempster Lines’ latter years.
As Second Engineer at Elder Dempster Lines, David was responsible for: the care and maintenance of machinery, the power generation, the pumping system, the refrigeration and other electrical items. Listen to David's interview.