Gavin Atkin's weblog for the sort of people who like looking inside boat sheds. It's about old boats, traditional boats, boat building, restoration, the sea and the North Kent Coast
There’s something arresting about these hand-coloured postcards of Cornwall, which I gather are dated around 1895. See many more at How to be a Retronaut.
There’s a nice comparison with another Retronaut set of the area, this time of colour photos taken just a few years later in 1913.
Postcard collector Gary Vaughan has a fascinating website showing his many images of old Kent, including quite a few of Faversham and Faversham Creek in particular – this is just a small sample!
Notice how large ships used the creek, how hard the creek shore was back when the sluice gates were used regularly to wash the mud from the creek, and how different the area above the bridge used to be. They’re all eye opening to those of us who have only come to know the creek in recent decades – even the launch from the sideways slip at Pollock’s Yard is a surprise.
Got to his Faversham Creek page, or to his home page to see many more.
Click on the thumbnails for much larger images
These magnificent shots come from postcard dealer Laura Haggarty who would be grateful for some help identifying the vessels in these shots.
Does anyone know which 19th century yachts these might be please? Let me know at gmatkin@gmail.com and I’ll pass the message along. They may well be well known racers if someone has gone to the trouble of producing postcards, and it’s been suggested that the yachts in the lower photo might the J Class.
The cards will be available for purchase from Laura – if you’re interested, contact her at katydidscards@gmail.com.
PS – I have noticed the trailing line in the upper image. These embarrassing things can happen to professionals too, but it doesn’t seem to be slowing them down!
PPS – Intheboatshed.net reader Donan Raven has written in with some information relating tothe lower image of three cutters racing. Here’s what he says:
‘This was definitely shot between 1892 and 1906, and are most likely either 40-raters (for example Queen Mab if the photo is before 1893) OR 52-footers from the Linear Rating Rule such as like Penitent, Gauntlet and a few more.
‘I think it’s too early for 15 Meters yet, and they are certainly not J-Class.
‘If they are 52-footers, they could be any of the following:
‘Or they might be any of the earlier 40-raters, including Mohawk, Deerhound, Castanet, Reverie, Creole, Thalia, Corsair, White Slave, Lais, Vendetta, Queen Mab or Varuna. But I am quite sure you can omit the ones designed before 1891-1892, as they would have had clipper bows, not spoon bows as shown in the picture. Queen Mab, Lais
and Vendetta are the best candidates if this picture predates 1896.
‘See the table in the book Yachting in the Badminton Library of Sports and Pastimes edited by His Grace the Duke of Beaufort KG and Alfred ET Watson for more on these boats.’
Thanks Donan – I’m sure Laura will be delighted.