The Master

About the Book

The story of a young boy who left school at 14 to work in the shipyard of Harland Wolff, Belfast. He went to sea at 16 years as an officer cadet and eventually became a captain. He struggled to start his own shipping company, not for the love of the business but to be in shore employment, and to be with his family during the political problems in Northern Ireland. His return to the Merchant Navy and the formation in Northern Ireland of the Merchant Navy Association in the Province for the benefit of retired seafarers.

About the Author

Ralph Potts was evacuated during the early years of Second World War to the fishing village of Ardglass in County Down. It was those early years playing on fishing boats which kindled his interest in the sea. Realizing his educational short-comings, Ralph attended night and weekend school, spending many years in the Sea Cadet Corps and the local pre-sea training college before being accepted into the Merchant Navy as an Officer Cadet with Esso Transportation Company at the age of 16.

He served in tankers, coasters, cargo liners, tramps and ocean liners trading throughout the world. Eighteen years of his life was spent in command of bulk carriers. Eventually to spend more time with his family during the troubles of Northern Ireland, he came ashore and commenced his own shipping company, The Potts Line, with chartered tonnage trading to the Indian Ocean and the Mediterranean. He also operated Juggernauts to the Middle East. Due to a wee leprechaun called cashflow he gave it all up and returned to sea.