Tomorrow (3rd December) will be the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the SS Ellan Vannin, popularly considered to be the Island's worst maritime disaster.

To mark the anniversary, Charles Guard will give an illustrated talk on Friday 4th December which explores the ship's tragic history.

In the early hours of 3rd December 1909, one of the Isle of Man Steam Packet’s most popular passenger ships, the SS Ellan Vannin, sank at  the mouth of the Mersey; the lives of all on board were lost.

In the midst of a violent hurricane, the ship broke in two and was found by divers the next day buried in sand and silt in 30ft of water.

All of the 35 men, women and children on board were drowned and some of the bodies were never found.  The lifeboats were gone, though one later came ashore nearby, with its canvas cover intact.

Then a message in a bottle was found, supposedly from the ship’s cook, who claimed they were sinking after a collision with another vessel.  Was this a cruel hoax, or did he have time during those last moments to send a message to his family?

Charles Guard's talk will investigate the circumstances of the sinking and look at the many theories current at the time.

He will recall the passengers and crew who were lost, and recount the stories of those who would have sailed that night, had fate not intervened to save their lives.

The loss of the Ellan Vannin produced an outpouring of grief on the Island, and started an international effort to raise money for the Disaster Fund, which helped the many dependants of those who drowned.

The details of the fund provide a fascinating insight into Manx society at the time of the tragedy; Charles will describe how it was used to benefit the widows and orphans, and how the Steam Packet reacted to the worst tragedy in its long history.

The lecture takes place at the Manx Museum lecture theatre on Friday 4th December, starting at 7.30pm (doors open at 7.00pm).

Pictured: SS Ellan Vannin leaving Douglas.