Booth Line’s BERNARD was photographed passing Battery Point at speed in order to dock at Avonmouth very late on the ebb tide of Saturday 1st July 1967. She was on voyage from Manaus via Belem, probably with a cargo of brazil nuts.

Built by Wm. Pickersgill at Sunderland in 1952 as SIDDONS for Lamport & Holt, she took the name RUBENS in 1955 before becoming BERNARD in 1965 for the duration of a bareboat charter to Booth. Subsequently loading at Porto Alegre in August 1967 for Lamport & Holt, she was soon renamed ROSSINI until being transferred to Booth Line in 1970 and reverting to the name BERNARD.

Sold by the Vestey Group in 1973 to the mysterious Sopac Bulk Carriers with a charter back to Booth Line and renamed BERWELL ADVENTURE, she was repossessed by Booth in July 1974, doubtless due to non payment of the purchase price.

Soon sold to Abbas Gokal’s Gulf Shipping Group and renamed AL TURAB, she was first reported as such sailing from Bayonne on 2nd September 1974 bound for Saigon and finally arrived at Gadani Beach on 16th December 1977 to be broken up.

This photograph and caption can be seen in my book Bristol Port and Channel Nostalgia published by Coastal Shipping.