Sep29
Another instalment of Jeff Cole’s collection of hundred-year old yacht racing photos
Moonbeam as depicted in a supplement to The Yachtsman, No. 658, November, 1903. Photo is by Kirk & Son of Cowes. Jeff points out that the sides of the cockpit are rolled. I’m not quite convinced – I think there may be a tender on the port side, and a rolled-up sail on the starboard.
Double-click on all the photos for a larger, clearer image.
Tutty and Nevada battle it out in a photo from a supplement to The Yachtsman, No. 556, December 1901. Photo is by West & Son of Southsea.
Gleniffer. There’s no attribution but the image is a Photomezzotype,and was probably taken before 1895. St Andrew’s flag flies on the forepeak. She looks new, says Jeff, even in this old picture.
Iverna. Again, there’s attribution to show who took the shot. Jeff says that he thinks she is carved and gilded under the bowsprit, and adds that she’s also an interesting hull shape with lots of room inside.
Colombine, winner of the Emperor’s Cup, 1900. This photo appears in a supplement to The Yachtsman, No. 489, August 1900. The photo is by W U Kirk & Sons of Cowes.
A bonus photo tonight, but as yet with no information. This is Heartsease:
For more of Jeff Cole’s amazing collection, follow this link:
http://intheboatshed.net/?s=cole
7 Comments »Cruising yachts, Culture: songs, stories, photography and art, Events, Racing rowing and paddling, Racing sailing craft
jeff cole Oct 1st 2007 at 01:13 am 1
“Heartsease” Supplement to the Yachtsman No 654, October 1903
Photo Kirk & Sons, Cowes I have several pix of Heartsease and I’ll have to check but forked pennant on the peak looks Danish, or maybe German, seems to be the Red Ensign on the mizzen. Quite possible with the family connections in the Royal Yacht club, practically all the Royal families in europe and Scandinavia were cousins via Victoria and Albert.
I think you are right about Moonbeam, but it seems a a rather large boat for the normal tender.
Jeff
nick smith boatbuilder Oct 3rd 2007 at 12:42 pm 2
Matter of interest, seeing Jeffs picture of ‘Iverna’ the first time I remember seeing ‘ Iverna’ she was on the foreshore up the ‘bag’ in Salcombe,about 1981, a hulk, the yard I was working for sent me over in a dinghy to remove some of her teak planking, I then used the superb quality teak for a toe rail repair on a yacht, having to bung up a few original fastening holes mind you.I was down there last summer on the foreshore looking at the remains of the ‘Rulewater’ (my father lived on the ‘Rulewater’ in the late sixties) and all thats left or ‘Iverna’ are her iron frames and a few deck beams and some of the backbone mostly under the mud.
Shame as at the time that they were still rescuable no one was interested , not like the resurgence we are now experiencing.
Nick Smith Boatbuilder and Shipwright
jeff cole Oct 15th 2007 at 12:45 am 3
Thanks for the info Nick, I can add that to my files. Sad, though it’s amazing that she lasted so long, about 100 years. I don’t know the year of her build but from the kind of reproduction and the paper used ( I am a restoration bookbinder in another incarnation though not active at present), the pic dates before 1894-5 and probably from The Yachting World.
Martin Black Aug 11th 2008 at 11:28 am 4
Gleniffer was designed by G L Watson and built by D & W Henderson on the Clyde for James Coats Jnr, the cotton thread tycoon. She was launched in June 1899 and at 157.6 ft overall was the largest sailing yacht built on the Clyde.
Her masts were enormous spars of Oregon pine, the main and main topmasts together reached 134 ft above the deck, while her fore and fore topmasts reached 111 ft.
Without large engine and boiler rooms, it was said that Gleniffer had more spacious cabins and better accommodation than a steam yacht three times her size.
Her two masted schooner rig proved to be too powerful in strong winds and in 1903 her rig was switched to that of a three masted schooner.
Martin Surgey Aug 30th 2008 at 12:03 pm 5
My heart lifted at the images on your website! I spent from the age of 13 to 21 holidaying on Iverna through the 60s and 70s and her last owners are very close friends. I have seen several Beken photos of her but never the one’s shown here from Jeff Cole. I would be very interested to know what other images exist. By the way, the ‘carved and gilded’ fiddlehead mentioned has recently been sold to a chap in America.
Do you know the name of Iverna’s sister ship?
Martin Surgey, Historical Archivist
Gavin Atkin Aug 31st 2008 at 07:51 pm 6
I’m sorry but I don’t – but thank you for the comment.
Gav
Iverna McAnulty Oct 22nd 2008 at 09:46 pm 7
Several months ago, I started a web search for my name and became intrigued by the Corbis picture of the Iverna in full sail. Mr Cole’s date for the picture would be the same ship, since she was built/registered in Southampton in 1890. I’ve read enough to realize that she was a phenomenal ship, but haven’t seen anything past 1913. Sounds like she lasted much longer than 23 years. Are there more pictures of her online? Was she ever on the U.S. west coast, perhaps Seattle, Washington? Whatever happened to her?