Falmouth Quay Punts

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0 height="100%"><tr> <td valign="top" width=185 BGCOLOR="#003333" TEXT="#F7F7FF" background="040b9c00dduajq.jpg"> <div> <B> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="70" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 76 WIDTH="66"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="76" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="66" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></tD> </tR> </TABLE></B></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="http://www.ememories.com/pf/default.asp/PF=A0A19D8F7F92" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.ememories.com/pf/default.asp/"><U><B><IMG SRC="08fa8d30.jpg" border=0 width="168" height="211" ALT="'Wild Cat' Falmouth Quay Punt, built by R.S. Burt" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A></div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <B>Wild Cat (1901) built by R.S. Burt, Falmouth</B></div> <bR> <div> <B><IMG SRC="08da57c0.jpg" border=0 width="165" height="124" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <bR> <bR> <div> <B><IMG SRC="1eaaa6b0.jpg" border=0 width="170" height="107" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <B>Skackleton's NIMROD and Falmouth Quay Punts</B></div> </td> <td valign="top" BGCOLOR="#FFFBF0" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" ><B>Falmouth Packet Archives 1688-1850</B></FONT>    |     <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Falmouth Packet Archives 16881850"><U>home</U></A></div> <div>                                                   </div> <div> Falmouth Quay Punts</div> <div> Tradesmen and merchants operated two, four and six-man rowing gigs to communicate with ships in and off the port of Falmouth.  Several also operated their own quay punts, with permanent crew, who were licensed watermen. Regatta racing was keen, prize money attracted competition!  Eventually, so many Dandy (yawl) rigged cruising versions of the quay punt form were built that they raced in a class as "yachts of the quay punt type" - as opposed to "working boats" in their various length categories<FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >.</FONT></div> <bR> <div> <B>Whilst the following cuttings are intended to help cross-reference with names from the packet era, another site I have created, primarily as an image database, provides a more comprehensive list of</B><A HREF="http://www.falmouthmaritime.co.uk/id38.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.falmouthmaritime.co.uk/id38.h"><U><B> </B></U></A><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><A HREF="http://www.falmouthmaritime.co.uk/id38.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.falmouthmaritime.co.uk/id38.h"><U><B>Falmouth Quay Punts</B></U></A><B>. </B></FONT></div> <bR> <div> FP 21/1/<B>1871</B>: A Salvage case before Mr. Lean (Mayor & shipbuilder) and Mr. W. Silley (ex-Mayor)</div> <div> Mr. George Watts and Alphonso Vincent - who <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#BF0000" FACE="Arial" ><B>were employed to board vessels by Mr. Lelean, outfitter </B></FONT>[of Falmouth] claimed salvage not exceeding £200 for services rendered assisting the brigantine <I>Cassandro</I> of Whitstable, on 12th December <B>1870</B>.... "about 7 p.m., saw the vessel on the rocks at St. Anthony's Lighthouse,  Watts got out of the large boat, and went into a small one whilst Vincent went ashore to get the steamer <I>Dolphin,</I> Capt, Thomas."  [which towed her into the harbour].  Cargo of 190 tons of currants, dispute over value [claimed at £25 a ton] Awarded £20.</div> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#BF0000" FACE="Arial" >J.B. Lelean won the contract to supply clothing to the Harbourmaster & staff in 1901</FONT>. [FP 20/7/1901] A clothing outfitter, <B>he raced his quay punts regularly,</B> including; <I><B>Ada</B></I>, 24 ft, Cruiser / yawl of the Quay Punt Type. It is interesting to note the classes were all for "working boats" - which today consists of a racing class of 24-32 ft wooden (and fiberglass versions) of the Truro River Oyster Boats.</div> <bR> <div> FP 27/2/<B>1897:</B>     For Sale Quay Punt "<I><B>Gypsy"</B></I> - about 23 ft., drawing 5 ft. 6 in.  of  water; also Small Punt. Apply to E. Pitts, Butcher, Church Street. </div> <bR> <div> FP 22/5/<B>1897</B>:     Sales by Auction.          At Mylor Dockyard, Friday May 28th, 1897.</div> <div> Mr. J. R. Nicholls has received instructions from Captain Coke, H.M.S. <I>Ganges</I> to sell by auction</div> <div> Two condemned Copper-fastened Boats, viz.: A 27 ft. PULLING CUTTER, and <B>a 32 ft. PULLING YAWL</B>.  [See image of a large, well-laden, quay Punt alongside  H.M.S. [Ganges / Foudroyant ?]</div> <bR> <div> FP 22/5/1897:     Yawl Yacht "<I><B>Taddywag</B></I>," 23 ft., for sale.  Hull and gear all sound. Can be seen on application to Mr. Jackett, Victoria Yard, Falmouth.</div> <bR> <div> FP 22/5/1897:     Claim against the Corporation.     Jeopardising a House.</div> <div> At the Falmouth County Court on Wednesday, <B>Arthur Allan Martin</B>, <B>Custom House boatman</B>*, sued the Falmouth Urban District Council for £5 for damage to a house.</div> <div> The plaintiff occupied a dwelling house at 12, Arwenack street, [owner Mrs. Gill] and in October last, defendants, by their Surveyor and workmen demolishing the adjoining building for street improvements, omitted to take proper precaution for the protection of the plaintiff's house, which in consequence became ruinous and dangerous for occupation.  Plaintiff was compelled to remove with his family [wife & one child] from the said dwelling  house into lodgings, and in consequence sustained loss and damage for which he claims £5. [itemised list of expenses].  </div> <div> <B>Robert Troon, Custom House boatman</B>* corroborated. Judgment for the plaintiff, for £4 and costs. </div> <div> [* boatmen employed by H.M. Customs, or boatmen working from Custom House Quay?]</div> <bR> <div> FP 27/8/<B>1898</B>:     St. Mawes Regatta</div> <div> Working boats, not exceeding 32 feet</div> <div> Working sailing boats, not exceeding 28 feet.</div> <div> Working sailing boats, not exceeding 24 ½ feet</div> <div>      1.     <I><B>Queen of the Bay</B></I>     S. Furze     3hrs 37mins</div> <div>      2.     <I><B>Ada</B></I>               J. B. Lelean     3hrs 44mins          </div> <div>      3.     <I><B>Minnie</B></I>               W. Tong          3hrs.54mins     </div> <div> <I>Ada </I>protested against <I>Queen of the Bay</I> on the ground of shifting ballast.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> FP 14/9/<B>1901</B>: (Advertisement)     PERCUIL REGATTA   [Tuesday September 10th, 1901]     </div> <div> <I>Would the two gentlemen in the white boat that witnessed the collision between the half-rater and the quay punt kindly send their names and addresses and oblige.</I> H. Rees, Bar, Falmouth.</div> <bR> <div> FP 7/4/<B>1905</B>:  Messrs. Thomas Brothers, the Bar, are getting ready for launching a 24 ft quay punt type yacht for Mr. J. Meyrick of Douglas, Isle of Man.  She is named the <I><B>Uala</B></I></div> <bR> <bR> <div> FP 18/8/<B>1905</B>:     Royal Cornwall Regatta.     Quay Punts not exceeding 28 ft.</div> <div>      1.     J.B.               J. Pascoe     3. 35. 32</div> <div>      2.     LOOK OUT          G. Scantlebury     4. 14. 32</div> <div>      3.     MAID of the MILL     W. Morrison     4. 15. 27 [*]</div> <bR> <div> A good idea of how many were employed on the water in Falmouth can be seen from:</div> <bR> <div> FP 18/8/<B>1905</B>:Falmouth Harbour Board.</div> <div> It was reported that 90 men had taken out licenses for 117 boats.</div> <div> Last year [1904], <B>82 men</B> took out licenses for <B>118</B><B> </B><B>boats.</B></div> <bR> <div> FP 7/4/<B>1905</B>: At Mr. N. S. Burt's yard at the Bar [R.S. Burt]  - a 28 ft quay punt designed by Mr. Harley Mead, son of Mr. J. Mead, is being built for Mr. F. C. Baddeley, who formerly owned the fine racer <I>Whimbrel</I>.  She is 28 ft in length, and when ready, will be taken to Cowes to be fitted with a motor.  </div> <bR> <div> Mr. Burt has also nearly completed a new 28 ft quay punt for Mr. F. Jose, Falmouth, who has disposed of his old boat Bessie, to Sir Joseph Fayrer, Bart.  She will be named the <I><B>Curlew </B></I> <A NAME="curlew__1905_"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A>and was designed by the builder. Great interest is being manifested at the Quay as to whether the <I>Curlew </I>will beat Mr. J. Pascoe's "<I><B>J. B</B></I>." which was also designed and built by Mr. Burt, and at present probably the fastest 28-footer in the port.</div> <bR> <div> During the season, a new yacht, "<I><B>Qui Vive</B></I>" was built for Dr. Ward Humphries.  She is yawl rigged and has been used throughout the winter.  [CHECK: a  yacht quay punt?] Boats of the quay punt type are also being got ready for Mr. Peterson of Fowey, and Mr. Hutchenson (a visitor).</div> <bR> <div> FP 26/9/1930: Falmouth's Shipping - <B>Recollections of Sixty Years </B><B>Ag</B><B>o - </B>Race to Lizard in six-oared gigs.</div> <bR> <div> A chance meeting with Mr. Henry Wills, who, many years ago was one of Falmouth's most popular boatmen,......</div> <div> Tended 700 ships</div> <bR> <div> Mr. Wills has "tended" [acted as boatman] seven hundred ships and has boarded many hundreds more.  One night he was in his boat with the late Mr. William John Lowry <A NAME="william_lowry_pilot"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A>, a Trinity pilot, when a vessel carried away the old Governor Buoy.   By some means the chain was lifted and the buoy was tossed in the air for several yards.  As a result, a new buoy had to be fixed.  It was just at that spot that an Italian ship foundered in a gale and all her crew were drowned.</div> <bR> <div> The Fastest Twenty-eight Feeter [quay punts]</div> <bR> <div> There used to be some exciting racing between the Falmouth quay punts, used by the boatmen to get their livelihood.  They were magnificent craft and many old Falmothians will remember the thirty-two footers <I>Minnie Campbell, I.C.U</I>., <I>Our Jim</I>, <I>Norman</I>, and the late Mr. Hewitt's yacht,<I> Black Cat</I>.</div> <bR> <div> Mr. Wills owned the fastest 28-footer in the port, the <I>Louie Wills</I>, which won hundreds of prizes.  Sailed by the owner and his son, the late John Wills, of H. M. Customs, she used to beat all her rivals, which included Mr. G. Scantlebury's <I>Look Out</I>, Mr. N. Campbell's <I>Coquet</I>, Mr. E. Thomas' <I>Eclipse</I>, Mr. Stangby's <I>Norden</I>, and Mr. T. Rowe's <I>Ida.</I></div> <bR> <div> The little craft was always in demand during the summer months, and hundreds of visitors still have very pleasant memories of their boating in the <I>Louie Wills</I> and their associations with her genial owner.</div> <bR> <div> Mr. Wills still corresponds with many old visitors to Falmouth, who look on him as an old friend.  Although 83 years of age [thus born circa 1857 [same as <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><A HREF="http://www.ememories.com/pf/default.asp?PF=A0A19D8F7F92&PFR=7419" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.ememories.com/pf/default.asp?"><U>John Henry West,</U></A></FONT> artist] Mr. Wills still enjoys excellent health, and it is a real pleasure to have a chat with him of the days when Falmouth flourished as a port of call for sailing ships, <U>sixty years ago</U>.</div> <bR> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#BF0000" FACE="Arial" ><B>Enlargement: Shackleton's</B></FONT> <I>Nimrod</I> <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#BF0000" FACE="Arial" ><B>and Falmouth Quay Punts</B></FONT></div> <bR> <div> <B>Sailing Quay Punts</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Name               Builder          LOA Type</B></div> <bR> <div> <I>Ada </I>(pre-1898)     <I>               24 ft  Cruiser / yacht of the Quay Punt Type</I></div> <div> <I>Bessie     </I>          </div> <div> <A HREF="#curlew__1905_" TITLE="Falmouth Quay Punts"><U><I>Curlew     </I></U></A><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >          Burt          28 ft</FONT></div> <div> <A HREF="id61_kernick.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Ship Boatbuilders"><U><I>Kernick</I></U></A><A HREF="id61_kernick.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Ship Boatbuilders"><U> (1897)</U></A>          <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >Jackett           36 ft   Cruiser of the Quay Punt Type</FONT></div> <div> <A HREF="id61_uala__1905_.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Ship Boatbuilders"><U><I>Uala </I></U></A><A HREF="id61_uala__1905_.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Ship Boatbuilders"><U>(1905)</U></A><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >          Thomas          24 ft   Quay Punt Type (for Douglas I.O.M.)</FONT></div> <div> <I>Wonderful</I> (1880)</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <B>Falmouth's Motor Quay Punts</B></div> <div> <B><IMG SRC="1a52f730.jpg" border=0 width="559" height="371" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <div> Tallships - July 1982. All 5 motor quay punts belonging to the Falmouth Watermen's Association</div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> (L-R) 1:<I>Princess</I>,  2:   3:  4:<I>Alert</I>,  5:<I>Victory</I></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <I>Alert (19??)</I>               32 ft  Shared by the Falmouth Licensed Watermen's Association</div> <div> <A HREF="#_bessie___ferret_morrison_" TITLE="Falmouth Quay Punts"><U><I>Bessie</I></U></A><I> - twin engined (Kelvins)</I></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <I>11/6/98: John Pentecost recounts:</I></div> <div> <I><B>Bessie </B></I><I><B> <A NAME="_bessie___ferret_morrison_"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></B></I><I> Ferret Morrison had her, I can remember her going up the river with coal, when I was a teenager. "He used to cock his ass over the side, no matter who was coming down the river, 100's of passengers coming right by, he couldn't care."  </I></div> <div> <I>"Coming back from St. Mawes, Ferret got one engine going, tried starting the second Kelvin, cursing and swearing all the way over; got the other started just as we came to the moorings - when I told him to shut it down!"   </I></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>LINKS</B></div> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>The Gaffers And Luggers Association</B></div> <div> <I>Contact: </I><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#800000" FACE="Arial" >Clive Ffitch at:</FONT><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><A HREF="mailto:ffitch@clara.co.uk" TARGET="_top" TITLE="mailto:ffitch@clara.co.uk"><U><U>ffitch@clara.co.uk</U></U></A></FONT></div> <div> <I>Boats in the G & L fleet include the following</I></div> <div> 46 ft St. Malo Pilot Boat</div> <div> 35 ft Falmouth Quay Punt</div> <div> 23 ft and 28 ft Falmouth Working Boats</div> <div> 18'6 and 20 ft Mevagissy Toshers</div> <div> 16 ft Clovelly Picarooner</div> <div> 14 ft Oyster Punt<FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> "Anyone interested in Gaffers & Luggers is always welcome"</div> <div> [above data courtesy of<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#800000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><A HREF="http://dspace.dial.pipex.com/tradboat/" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://dspace.dial.pipex.com/tradboat/"><U>Tradboat</U></A></FONT>]</div> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>