Thomas Jack was a multi-faceted figure within the maritime fraternity of Larne. From 1888 he participated in collier owning, through numerous companies that, in 1897, united as Shamrock Shipping, and became associated with J. T. Duncan of Cardiff. Thomas Jack was also involved in yacht building and brokerage. David Dorman, in 1881, commenced business in the timber trades with sailing vessels, before withdrawing from the ship-owning aspect through involvement with Glen & Company of Glasgow. In 1976, the Belfast based Dorman Timber Group rescued the struggling Shamrock Shipping Company and through that action returned to ship-owning. This A4 – hard laminate colour cover volume, contains 128 pages of facts and figures, on both the aforementioned companies together with their fleets, totalling 94 vessels. Profusely illustrated with over 100 illustrations and photographs, this work gives an insight into the vagaries of the coal transportation and timber trades from the late 19th Century, through two World Wars, The Depression, a brief venture into deep sea shipping, onto the modern day coastal container and bulk trades, the latter continued today through the Dorman Family investment in several ship-owning partnerships.