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96The Newsletter of the SOUTH WEST MARITIME HISTORY SOCIETY` ISSN 1360-6980CONTENTS –NO. 96 – August 2014Edited by Jonathan Seagrave

EDITORIAL 3

REPORTS OF MEETINGSAGM Mike Bender 5Mt. Edgcumbe Jonathan Seagrave 9Launch of Maritime History of Somerset A Webb 12

ARTICLESHMS Mantua and the Spanish Flu Su Startin 14Pilgrims Progress Roger Hare 17Exotic plants Joan Price 20

REVIEWSSouth Devon’s Shipwreck Trail Jessica Berry rev.Tony Pawlyn 22Maritime History of Somerset ed. A Webb rev. David Clement 23

LETTERS NOTES AND NEWS 25

OFFICERS and COMMITTEE back cover

WEBSITE. http://www.swmaritime.org.uk/FACEBOOK www.facebook.com/SWMarHistSoc

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David Clement presents an award cheque to Joan Price at the AGM

Individual contributions © Individual contributors. Entire journal© South West Maritime History Society 2014.

Views expressed are the authors’ and not necessarily those of theSociety or editor.

Please note the Society cannot be held responsible for theaccuracy of information on websites and that references in oldereditions may not be accurate.

Annual Subscriptions Due 1st April. £20.00 or £15if paid by Standing Order. Students can takeadvantage of our special annual subscription of £10.A reminder/invoice is included with the April edition.If you pay by SO please ignore, but ensure your SOsetup includes a reference that identifies who you are,and send to membership secretary (see back page)

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FUTURE MEETINGS AND OTHER EVENTS

6th September Daysail Pilgrim from Brixham FULL(contact David Clement for a reserve)

27th September Swansea Waterfront. PLEASE CONSIDERBOOKING David Clement organising. Calling noticeenclosed.

18 April 2015, SW Ship Show Portishead

(Italics indicate an event of interest but not organised directly by theSociety)

Confirmation of events will be published either in the next editionor in calling notices for bookings, which will be sent to members atthe appropriate time.

Next copy date: October 10th 2014

EDITORIAL AND MEMBERSHIP

At the formal AGM, Derek Tyrrell, our new Treasurer, introducedhimself, and other officers were returned en bloc. This belies issuesarising from poor health among the usual suspects. We need one or twonew and active members to either join the Committee and/or to reliablyassist. In particular, a new Secretary is needed, and a non technical webeditor.

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The latest Maritime South West was distributed, and those of you whohave paid £15 or committed a standing order will have received yourcopy then or in the post. Those who have yet to do so will have receiveda final reminder with their copy. It is final, and “Twelve Pounders”, stillaround 80, will in future only receive Soundings (Thanks to those whohave settled up). If you haven’t heard from us, please contact Gill,contact details are on the back cover. Total membership appears to beholding up reasonably well, but there is no room for complacency.

An insert sheet shows the accounts, which are reasonably healthy, but itcan also be seem that on a continuing basis, printing & postage broadlyequates with the subs, and this leaves gift aid as the source of anydonation, prizes and other expenditure.

We continue advocacy work. Martin responded to the National HistoricShips consultation, and we are currently making representations on thelow sulphur fuel issue, which affects all historic steam vessels. Therewill be more on this next time.

We face a major problem with the website. Unfortunately Dave Hills,who has built up our excellent and extensive website over the years, anddone a huge amount of work quietly behind the scenes, is seriously ill,and can no longer manage it. The Committee are considering waysforward, it is far too significant to simply freeze, but for the momentthere will be few if any updates, and we need to act swiftly. Unlikemany Society sites, it is hand crafted and big (4GB), so a paid input willbe necessary to make it sustainable. We have a proposal we areprogressing. We will need a non technical volunteer web editor toprepare “Webery” and upload the various articles, news etc. after SWScomes out. Contact me or Martin if you are interested. There is noWebery in this edition, and the changeover may mean a brief periodwhen the site is frozen.

Please note we will be away till mid October

We all wish Dave all the very, very best in his battle with illness.

Jonathan and Gill Seagrave

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REPORTS OF MEETINGS

Topsham - the AGM, 6 June

Going to the AGM concentrates my mind. As a yachting historian, Ireally would like to see two volumes published ; firstly, Ivy Carus-Watson’s diary: she was an early female dinghy racer, and a good one,much to the men’s disgust; it’s her racing journal and it stops when shemarries Morgan Giles, as is only right and proper; and Janet Cusack’sthesis, or the important bits of it, with two or three intros explaining herimportance and innovativeness. The problem, with both her and hersister, Bridget, having passed away, will be to get copyright consent.

Anyway, to Topsham for the presentations by Exeter Uni. History Dept.students, organised by Mike Duffy.

Javier Albini talked of the planning and strategy involved in William theOrange’s invasion and landing at Dartmouth and Brixham. We talk ofspin and advertising hype, but the rewriting of history in this case isbreath-taking. It is only in the last two years I have come to realise thathe was invited by a few traitors and rather than being the figurehead ofan English ‘spontaneous’ uprising, as Javier pointed out, landed with50,000 troops! The nonsense of saying William the Conqueror was thelast invader…. I suppose that’s what makes history so interesting. Thepowerful control record taking and making, and it is the job of thehistorian to get more basic facts and check out the narrative.

Mike Wilson gave a short talk on the importance of the re-taking of theScheldt in 1944, and how his father was part of the force; and how itshortened the war by allowing Antwerp to be used as an ordnance depot.Incidentally, the Nobel prize winning novelist, William Goldingcommanded a landing craft on what was nearly a suicide mission toretake Walcheren on November 1, 1944 (see John Carey’s detailedbiography of Golding). I often think that his inversion of plucky-English-boys-on-desert-island (Ballantyne’s Coral Island for example)into the dystopian Lord of the Flies was, in part, due to his war-timeexperiences.

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Joan Price is the wife of consultant psychiatrist, Mike Price I workedwith for many years in Plymouth, then realized she was doing a Ph.D atExeter. Small world. She gave a wide-ranging, well illustrated talk onthe various types of specimens – botanical, zoological, shells etc. thatthe explorers (and Falmouth packet captains bought back) and how theypreserved them, or tried to, on passage. I had heard about how thePacket skippers brought back specimens for the rich ship owners aroundthe Fal and created those amazing gardens (Trebah, Glendurgan,Trellisick) in a talk by Megan Westley at the one day conference inFalmouth Maritime last November, so this area seems to be topical (or ifnot tropical!)

Sarah Parsons, assistant curator, Falmouth Maritime, is doing sterlingservice setting up and encouraging the Facebook and Twitter accountsfor the society, which she explained to us. I’m sure, with Dave Hills’superb webpage, that our future depends on the success of their efforts.

Up stepped Adrian Webb, to promote the just published second volumeof The Maritime History of Somerset. It was a very nicely presentedplug, with the title of each chapter, a relevant picture, and a mug shot ofthe author for each section. And since it was going for £15 instead of£20, and since I had Vol.l, naturally I was in the queue and got him tosign my copy…. There was good enthusiasm in the room, with memberssaying we should contribute or co-publish Vol. 3. (Which seemed to meto depend on maintaining our membership and not being crippled bypostage costs). The only lack I can see so far is a chapter on yachting,and I think I know someone who might help…

The formal AGM passed off peaceably and the morning session endedwith Dave Clement giving out this year’s Journal, with its full colourcover. The amount of work that goes into each year’s production and theever-improving production standards is belied by his modesty, but Itrust is not irreplaceable. I am finding the Journal in second-handbookshops, which always gives me a good feeling.

Lunch at the Globe is always pleasant, partly because the sandwichesare good and partly because they provide tables seating about eight,which is just the right number for chatting…

After lunch, Dr. Mike Wilson explained to use how to make a decentmast for a warship; the difference between curly and pointy trees; the

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supremacy of the Scotch pine and importing them from the Baltic statesand America. In short, all you ever wanted to know about making amast for your warship…

Doug Brodie is the chairman of the Save S/S Shieldhall campaign. Histalk was a fascinating example of how to play and win in the muddywaters of a major ship restoration, culminating in a grant from thelottery of £1.4 pounds to prevent the need for any major structural workfor twenty-five years ! (what chutzpah – who thinks in 25 year cyclesnowadays?). It was the more powerful for the modesty of thepresentation but the careful planning, laced with a bit of cunning and aknowledge of the terrain, came across clearly.

The day ended with Geoff Harvey, internationally renowned model boatbuilder, explaining how and why he built a model of HMS Terror, abomb ship that when its mortar lobbying days, for example againstAmerican targets in the 1812 war, was over, was used, because of itsmassively strong build, for polar exploration, eventually disappearingalong with Erebus, on Franklin’s disastrous search for the North-Westpassage, 1845-1846. We were then invited to see the model in Topshammuseum.

I had to delay my visit till I scanned the excellent maritime section ofthe second-hand bookshop, so conveniently only a few doors up fromthe Globe; and just got into the museum in time. The exhibit on the firstfloor is both staggeringly beautiful and accomplished, and is also verynicely presented with its own display area and explanatory notes. Wellworth a visit, if you didn’t make it. (Open 2-5, except Tuesday and

Friday; museum@topsham.org.uk; 01392-783244).

I wandered back along the river, finding small clusters of membersreluctant to go home, mulling over my thoughts.

Once again, a very stimulating day – there is so much maritime historythat needs to be done. We must record the history and experiences ofthose who sailed in the British merchant fleet before GPS, satellitephones etc. before it’s too late. To give a simple example, up to the 90’s,Hoshi, an Edwardian yacht with an undersized engine, skippered byDes Sleigtholme and later by the fearsome female skipper, H, (rumourhad it she didn’t like being called Henrietta), used to leave Salcombe

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every week with its paying crew and reach the French coast arounddawn, when there was often mist along the rock-strewn coast, and comeinto Treguier or Lezadrieux up winding rivers, with only echo, compassand not very reliable RDF… week after week without mishap. Accountsof a flourishing British merchant fleet – for how much longer can theybe told from personal experience?

I despair that we can make any headway in schools (a point made byDoug Brodie). It is very sad how original, creative thought is beingsystematically destroyed in our children and our grandchildren by theall-absorbing attention to exams and their questions; which is so alltime-consuming that any deviation into an interesting topic isautomatically discounted.

But we might have more success at undergraduate and especiallypostgraduate level, if we can produce and advertise a number ofenthusiastic historians who can support the student in a wide range oftopics. I have absolutely no doubt that this range exists in the society byjust listening to the discussion after the papers – the wealth of personalexperience and the depth of historical knowledge always makes me feelquite inadequate. Hence, the importance of our initiative of linking upwith Plymouth Uni. History dept.

Those are longer-term hopes and there are more immediate worries –the continuation/replacement of committee members; the age of ourmembers. So, as they say, ‘everything to fight for’, and the future maywell lie in the website, facebook and twitter links to keep maritimehistory topical and bring in new members.

Mike Bender

[ The Chair’s annual report will appear on the website in due courseand/or in the next edition. Ed]

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North Devon

[ I haven’t had a report on this. Perhaps someone who attended wouldlike to offer us a short report? Please get in touch first. Ed ]

Meeting Mt. Edgcumbe, Saturday 5th July 2014

Some 23 members and Friends of Mt. Edgcumbe enjoyed a mostinteresting programme in the charming surroundings of the stablebuildings.

Martin Hazell surprised us by giving us “Jenny Wren Bride”, a songfrom the 1920’s collected by Cyril Tawney, which put us in the moodfor a day of wrecks, disasters and recovery.

The day was promoted by Promare and many associates in the SHIPSand Liberty 70 projects, which aims to elucidate the wrecks in thePlymouth area, by both archaeology and archive research .

Allen Murray talked about the wreck of the SS Rosehill, one of the lessdived wrecks. Not all the information in dive guides is accurate. Shewas built for Stephenson Clarke for the London gas coal trade, a largeship for this, indeed too large, and was soon sold to Welsh ownersTilletts, a small firm, for bunkering to Devonport. Torpedoed in 1917off Rame Head, she stayed afloat, a confused attempt to tow her failedafter changes of tugs, and she sank quite close to Whitsand Bay. Shewas one of a staggering 1100 losses that year. A typical triple expansionsteamer, there are still boilers, a gun, and rudder visible. Allen’s archiveresearches showed a complex history of changing names, she wasoriginally Minster, and he had found the original plans in the NMMwhich helped confirm her identity which was not entirely certain at thestart. Plans and other records can be really useful for identification, egcalibre of guns, specific repairs etc.

There was a curiosity in the records, a “most secret” recording of namechanges. No reason was immediately apparent. The meeting thought itmight be part of a trail of disinformation related to Q ships.

Our next talk was on the James Eagan Layne, a much dived Liberty shipwreck, Peter Holt had tracked a good deal of information on herconstruction and early history, and has the complete log. Built in 40

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days by Delta Shipbuilders in New Orleans, one of the new shipyardsthrown up in the remarkable wartime construction effort, she waslaunched October 1944. The only photo of her is her sideways launch.She was leading a convoy, and was laden with US Corps of Engineersmateriel for France, but was torpedoed by U399 as part of Doenitz’ lastthrow of coastal attacks. The crew abandoned ship, but the Libertieswere tough and she stayed afloat. She was towed towards Plymouth, butthen was beached off Whitsand Bay. Some cargo was salvagedimmediately, including a couple of small boats which remained in thearea for many years! Later about 600 tons was taken off by salvors, andfor many years her masts were above water, making her a lot easier fordivers to find before GPS was invented!

We had a lunch in the excellent café, and then Martin resumed hissqueezebox and regaled us with “D Day Dodgers”, before giving us anaccount of some of the personal histories of Polish WW2 naval veteransfrom Plymouth.

Harry Bennett followed with a very interesting take on the SlaptonSands disaster, which has been the subject of several books anddocumentaries. He was interested in how conspiracy theories arise, andhow documentary makers in particular, often exaggerate the widersignificance of the events they cover. The 640 odd casualties were notlarge in the wartime context. The secrecy was part of D-Day, andcontrary to the myth makers, there were press accounts in the US at theend of the year when there was no longer any operational need forsecrecy, as well as mention in the official histories. The escort wasfeeble but there was an outer screen of destroyers that missed the s-boats. The Germans knew there was a convoy from radio chatter, butwere basically doing what they did on a regular basis, fishing for targets.They didn’t need spies.

The account by one credible 90 yr. old veteran of rescuing men with asmall boat just off Slapton had to refer to another incident, the convoywas 3 hours away when attacked. Casualties during exercises werecommon, and the records show that some men were playing casualty onthe sands as part of the exercise. Harry has advised on the definitivedocumentary which should be shown over here soon.

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Mike Williams then returned to the depths of the Sound with the storyof lost minesweepers. Requisitioned trawlers were used extensively inboth wars and incurred significant losses, especially if the mine wasn’tcut clear. A sixth of those requisitioned in WW1 were lost. The Abelardof 1909 was lost on Christmas Eve 1916, reason unknown, maybe afloating mine.

WWII was characterised by the German effort with acoustic andmagnetic mines, which posed greater dangers to targets and sweepingvessels, and were often dropped from aircraft.

In WWII, both Poulmic and Elk were lost in November 1940. Poulmicwas an escapee from France, and was on minewatch duties, looking forair dropped mines whilst sitting outside the swept channel. She was verynoisy and probably detonated an acoustic mine. Her remains have beendispersed. Elk was an old trawler similar to Abelard. She was used forminesweeping trials, and the new methods didn’t always work! She wasdamaged on Nov 9th, and sunk weeks later. She lies at 30m, is sandfilled but fairly intact.

All the wrecks had suffered from divers scavenging, but a wide range ofartefacts had also been donated to the project, and it is now looking for ahome for them. All the wrecks had also suffered major damage thiswinter, in some cases exposing previously hidden material. Currentdivers will be the last to see them as damaged ships rather than a layerof rust and plate on the bottom.

One of the interesting aspects for many of the wrecks was the use ofmultibeam scanning giving a detailed 3D image, and the ability to repeatthis to provide a detailed visual record of disintegration. The project hadrecently acquired a metal thickness gadget which will enable assessmentof the point when collapse is imminent.

Mike emphasized the importance of the collaborative approach in theSHIPS project, and noted a couple of good books on the history of theminesweeping effort. (see p 31)

Our grateful thanks go to the Friends for venue arrangements andjoining us, the speakers for engrossing presentations, and Martin andMike Williams for organising an excellent day.

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Launch of Volume Two Maritime History of Somerset Series

On a hot June evening, a good crowd packed themselves into BrendonBooks’ upstairs room for the launch. It is four years since Volume Onewas published by the Somerset Archaeological and History Society,with support from private individuals and the South West MaritimeHistory Society. Volume Two follows the same model. The PublicationsCommittee have used this model of joint funding to enable the Society’sto publish on a sound economical footing. Following welcomes, thestage was set for Phillip Ashford to give a talk on the experience oftravel to and from the Somerset coast during the Age of Sail. This light-hearted talk was based on the examination of over 200 accounts ofsailings which Phillip used in his chapter in volume two.

The audience was treated to stories of hair raising experiences on the seajust a few miles from the Somerset coast, as well as an insight into thecauses of travel. Phillip spoke at length about the Irish connection,emigration to the New World, religion and trade, to name but a fewsubjects covered in his heavily illustrated talk. Volume Two in thisseries contains research from five other authors. Sue Berry’s researchappears as ‘An Account of the Development of Somerset’s SeasideResorts’, which is really brought to life through the use of photographs,prints, maps, plans, brochures and posters. Dr. Joseph Bettey and Dr.Adrian Webb have written about the now defunct river ferries thatcrossed the Avon at Pill and Rownham. Captain Paul Hughescontributed a chapter on the development of Minehead’s harbour andpier in 1700 which is based on an impressive manuscript report nowheld in the Lutterell papers at the Somerset Heritage Centre. Last, butdefinitely not least, is Commodore Bill Kelly’s chapter on sea fishing,which not only looks into the past but also into the future. How ourformer chairman managed to fit this research in to his busy schedulewhilst steering the Society into safer waters is highly commendable. Thevolume can be ordered through the Society’s website, thanks to BillKelly, as can volume one. The Society are particularly grateful to theSouth West Maritime History Society for their continued support withthis project and to members who continue to purchase the occasionalpublications produced by the Society.

Dr. Adrian Webb, Chair of editorial committee

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Crew member HMS Mantua

HMS Mantua under way. Source Clydeships

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ARTICLES

How HMS Mantua brought the Spanish Flu to West Africa – anaccount from her logbooks

Built in 1908 and operated by the P & O line, the Mantua was one ofmany liners leased by the Admiralty on the outbreak of the First WorldWar. She went into service in August 1914, initially with the 10th

Cruiser Squadron and was engaged patrolling the North Atlantic.However, in September 1916 Admiral Tupper took the view that theMantua was built for fine weather service and was not fit to face theheavy gales and rough weather experienced in the winter months on theNorthern Patrol. Following a refit she was transferred to the 9th CruiserSquadron. Her UK base was at Devonport and she was engaged onconvoy duty on the route to and from West Africa.

The Mantua holds the dubious distinction of being the ship that broughtthe Spanish Flu to West Africa. In his book "Living With Enza", MarkHonigsbaum states that in August 1918 "the HMS Mantua arrived atFreetown, Sierra Leone, en route from Southern England, with 200 sicksailors on board. Within a week 600 employees of the Sierra LeoneCoaling Company had come down with the disease."

The Mantua left Devonport on 1 August 1918 with just 4 on the sicklist. It has been reported that the first flu symptoms appeared two daysout of port and the sick list figure increased gradually during the firstweek through 5th, 6th and 7th until 8 August when the figure jumped to14, falling by one the next day, only to increase to 25 on the 10th, 38 onthe 11th, 74 on the 12th and 103 on the 13th.

On 14 August, the Mantua arrived in Sierra Leone with 124 on the sicklist, and the log states "Vessel ordered in strict quarantine". It would beinteresting to know what "strict quarantine" actually meant in practicalterms, since the next day the log contains the entry at 10.00am"Commenced coaling, native labour". Hence the rapid spread of thedisease to the employees of the Sierra Leone Coaling Company.

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There was subsequent criticism in the local press of the government’sfailure to act when made aware of the presence of influenza on the shipand the Colonial Office instituted an enquiry, though this neversubmitted a report or recommendations (“The Influenza Epidemic of1918-19” by Sandra M Tomkins).

The first death is recorded at 9.30am on 15 August, Fireman PatrickMcFarlane, Mercantile Marine Reserve. The cause of death for allfatalities from the epidemic is recorded as pneumonia. A surgeon and asick bay rating joined the ship from HMS Africa and another sick bayrating arrived from HMS Britannia. The number on the sick list reached132. Four warrants were read at 8.45am that day – of course, wecannot at present know what for, as these records remain sealed for 100years, but it is tempting to speculate that frustration at the cancellationof shore leave may have played a part.

The sick list numbers continued to rise to 159 on the 16th, and 164 onthe 17th, finally reaching 176 on 18 August. This was to prove to be thepeak figure; another sick bay rating joined the ship from HMS Africa.The sick list figure fell for the first time since the epidemic took hold on19 August, dropping to 170, and reducing again on the 20th to 157. Asecond death occurred on 20 August, William Sutton AB. The sick listfigure fell again to 117 on the 21st, but two more deaths occurred:Private William J Glazzard RMLI and Herbert Tilling OS RNVR (aged22).

With the number of cases on board continuing to fall (103 on the 22nd,77 on the 23rd , 57 on the 24th, and 48 on the 25th) there was anotherdeath on 23 August, Petty Officer Gilbert Francis Brown, age 30. Fourdeaths occurred the following day: Albert J Young AB (age 31); PonnyMorris (Steward MMR Rating); Leading Seaman H A Taylor; EdwardDawson AB. The tenth death occurred on 25 August, Sidney Durston,Ward Room Steward. Two Royal Naval Reserve officers joined theship: Lt Otterson from HMS Africa and Lt Middleton from SS ChepstowCastle. Lt Otterson may have thought he had rather a raw deal here atthe time.

On 26 August the Mantua sailed from Sierra Leone escorting a convoyfor the return journey to Plymouth, with the sick list figure havingdropped to 30. The next day saw the death of Private Daniel Copland

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RMLI, who was buried at sea on 28 August. The sick list figuresdeclined steadily (27 on the 27th, 20 on the 28th, 17 on the 29th, 13 on the30th and 11 on the 31st).

On 1 September at 2.00am the twelfth and final death from the epidemicoccurred, that of George Morris, Steward MMR Rating, age 29. He wasburied at sea later the same day, and the log records that three volleyswere fired by the Marines. The sick list totals had dropped to arelatively normal 8 by 1 & 2 September. However, on the 2nd it isrecorded that the Mantua sent a boat across to one of the convoy ships,SS Chepstow Castle, with two sick bay ratings and a quantity of drugs.The Mantua eventually arrived back at Devonport on 10 September,with only 5 sick.

The second wave of the Spanish Flu epidemic started in August 1918.However, because all the deaths which occurred on the Mantua arerecorded as being from pneumonia, it appears that the strain involvedhere was still the first wave virus, which was not as lethal as the mutatedsecond wave virus. Although no-one knows for sure where the secondwave originated, it has been postulated that the mutation may actuallyhave occurred in West Africa ("The Biology of Epidemic Influenza,illustrated by Naval Experience" by Sheldon F Dudley). The outbreakof the flu affected so many of the employees of the Sierra LeoneCoaling Company that HMS Africa and HMS Britannia had to lendparties of men to help coal the ships, with the virus then beingtransmitted back to the crews. However, the outbreak of flu on HMSAfrica in September 1918 was far more severe than that experienced onthe Mantua. So Lt Otterson, who was sent to the Mantua from theAfrica, may have been a great deal more fortunate than he probablyimagined at the time.

Both Honigsbaum and Dudley quote a figure of 200 sick on the Mantua,while the peak figure shown in the logs for the sick list is 176. Thisapparent discrepancy may be explained if some of the earlier cases hadalready recovered by 18 August, so the 200 figure may be the totalnumber of cases altogether.

Su Startin

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References:

Log books of HMS Mantua, held at National Archives. The logs for thisperiod will be available at www.naval-history.net in due course; logsfor earlier in the First World War are already available.

Living with Enza – Mark Honigsbaum, Macmillan 2009

The Biology of Epidemic Influenza, illustrated by Naval Experience –Sheldon F Dudley, Proceedings of the Royal Society of Medicine 1921http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2152381/

Colonial Administration in British Africa during the Influenza Epidemicof 1918-19 – Sandra M Tomkins, Canadian Journal of African StudiesVol 28 No 1 (1994)

Pilgrim's Progress (with apologies to John Bunyan)

I joined SWMHS in about 2005, and have been a largely silent membersince then. Recently, however, I've become involved as a humblevolunteer in the project to restore the Brixham sailing trawler Pilgrim.On looking through my archive of copies of 'South-West Soundings'and 'Maritime South-West', I see that the last time that this restorationproject featured in any of the Society's output was way back inNovember 2008 (as far as I can see). I thought that perhaps it was timeto bring the record up to date so here; with the approval of the directorsof the Pilgrim Preservation Project Ltd is an update on what ishappening to/with Pilgrim.

I'll keep it brief - this isn't the place for a blow-by-blow detailed accountof the restoration. Suffice it to say that, with generous financialassistance from the Heritage Lottery Fund, South Devon Coastal LocalAction Group, Pilgrim BM45 Trust Ltd and many other generousdonors, the boat was first returned in mid 2008 from Mashfords inPlymouth to Ashley Butler's yard on the Dart. Then, simple to say but anenormous task to undertake, the remaining interior fittings and structurewere stripped out and, in consultation with the HLF and monitored by

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their specialist, the boat was restored from the keel upwards. A newdeck was fitted and finally, after she had returned under her own powerto Brixham in October 2011, the interior was fitted out to a highstandard. None of this work would have been possible without thesupport of a small number of volunteers dedicated to the restoration andsailing of these wonderful old boats. Their ‘formal’ contributionsamounted to the equivalent of £340,000 – the ‘informal’ work amountedto much more.

There are 12 berths for guests (8 in the main saloon and 4 in theforepeak), and 4 crew berths in the stern cabin. There are twoheads/showers, a fully equipped galley with microwave, 3-functionoven, induction and diesel hobs (the boat is gas-free), dishwasher,fridges and freezer. The boat is powered by two large diesel engines andhas a generator and inverter bank.

The restoration is 'complete' as far as the restoration of any old boat iscomplete, but of course, at a low level, the work is on-going and never-ending - touching up woodwork, checking splices and rigging, etc.

The boat was sufficiently restored by 2013 to have a short season, but2014 is the first full season of operation. Because of the exigencies ofthe current financial climate, the boat will not be operated in perhapsquite the way originally intended. To quote from the Pilgrim web site"The aim of the project is to conserve Pilgrim but strike the rightbalance between making the vessel available to support local maritimeevents such as Brixham’s Pirate Festival, Fishstock and the Royal DartRegatta, with a commercial programme of unique and interesting sailingexperiences that can generate the revenue needed to sustain operations."There is also a budding relationship with South Devon College, who runa number of marine related courses, and the hope is that some of thestudents from these courses will spend their placements working withthe Pilgrim Project in various guises.

So, this is the start of the boat’s first full operational season. It has gotoff to a good start by being awarded the prestigious “Best restorationover 40 ft” at the 2014 Classic Boat awards’ ceremony in London. Thestylish trophy was presented by Mark Horton from BBC’s “Coast” toPilgrim Director Mike Chater.

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The boat will now operate a full program of day and half-day sails basedon Brixham and Dartmouth, and a series of longer cruises includingtrips to France (including the Douarnenez and Paimpol festivals), a visitto the Yarmouth Old Gaffers’ Festival, and three trips operating out ofFalmouth with the intention (weather permitting) of visiting the Isles ofScilly.

You will find much more information, including the full sailingprogramme on the Pilgrim web site.

To conclude this short article, here are a couple of pictures. Note thecopy of Maritime South West on the saloon table!

Left: The carved name at the sternRight: The saloon table and a selection from the ship's library.Website: http://pilgrimofbrixham.co.uk/ Telephone: 01803 858148Electronic mail: info@pilgrimofbrixham.co.uk

Roger Hare

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The Importation of Exotic Plants and |Animals into Britain from theSeventeenth to Nineteenth Centuries (AGM abstract)

Joan Price surveyed the kinds of specimens brought back from exoticplaces, by scientific parties accompanying voyages of exploration.Naval officers, early travellers and ordinary seamen brought backsimilar specimens as mementoes or items that might be sold. She hopedthat the images she showed might uncover overlooked specimens, thecontainers that were used to bring them back, drawings or artefacts. Thedismantled remains of larger glasshouses may also be lying unnoticed inlofts and store rooms of the smaller South West Museums.

Whilst a live rhinoceros may survive a voyage, and beetle collectionsare not attacked by insects, they were the exceptional survivors. Onlythe very toughest of living plants can survive changes in hemispheres,tropical or freezing temperatures, contamination with salt or lack ofwater. Even carefully packed seeds might be soaked in seawater, gomouldy, germinate or just be one of the 99% that never sprouted. Driedanimal and bird skins were often infested, chewed by rats or damagedduring storms. Glass containers were heavily taxed, so specimens werestored in barrels of alcohol. They could be thrown overboard in anemergency or broached for the alcohol. The three ships that transportedthe most live specimens did so at a personal cost to the men on board.

She showed how well known engravings made from sketches orpreserved remains included imaginary features, have been misattributedor were given an English background. They were reused many times,often attached to different regions of the same continent. Specimensmay be overlooked, because their significance has not been recognised.Geological samples may have been discarded as ballast or used inrockeries. Who now would recognise balls of woad or the extracts madefrom natural dyes? Medically important barks may be disregarded, andowners may not realise how truly exotic was the timber used to make anantique chair.

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The development of the Wardian case changed things dramatically.Charles Veitch was able to send his plant collectors to places withsimilar climates to Devon. Falmouth merchants could use their maritimecontacts to plant gardens reflecting the British Empire. Even whilepreparing her talk, the speaker realised that she owned the rattle of arattlesnake in a bamboo container – perhaps you have somethingsimilar. If so please contact her on joanprice2@yahoo.co.uk.

Joan Price

Wardian case. Wikipedia

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REVIEWSSouth Devon’s Shipwreck Trail by Jessica Berry, with illustrations byJorvan Djordjevic. ISBN 978-1-4456-0674-3.128 pp. AmberleyPublishing, 2013. £14.99.

I must confess that I have been sitting on this review for some months asI have not found it easy to get to grips with this book. A maritimearchaeologist with a background in journalism, Jessica has delved intothe history of a number of Devon shipwrecks, that have come under herarchaeological attention. In this she has produced an informative ifslightly quirky text, but throughout the continuity of the reader’sthought is broken by an eclectic range of illustrations. Interesting thoughsome are in their own right, too many of them seem to have no bearingon the subject in hand. Most of these appear to be sections of earlywood-cut prints and the like, lifted from 19th C. works. Unfortunatelymost of these lack captions or attribution,, and I found them distractingand irrelevant – very much as dazzle-pattern camouflage confuses theshape and size of ships. For instance, the un-captioned illustration ofJohn Smeaton is appropriate - though to the uninitiated it might havedepicted John Rudyard, or Henry Winstanley, each of whom is alsomentioned in the adjacent text. But the opposing page filled with asection of ship’s rigging, lifted from one of the numerous treatise on thatsubject, is just so much padding.

In 20 chapters, Jessica looks into some notable ships, their careers andwrecks in some detail; overviews a few South Devon graveyards ofships; covers a 1929 flying-boat crash; and the disastrous trials of aprototype ‘diving sloop’ in 1774. All in all embracing maritime disastersfrom the Armada to the Second World War, most of which appear tohave some current archaeological interest.

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There is a brief glossary of some maritime terms, a useful bibliographyof wreck books, and a whole page spread of a period map, marked withthe locations of the 20 chapters.

While the subject clearly fascinates the author, I’m afraid this one wasnot for me.

Tony Pawlyn

A MARITIME HISTORY OF SOMERSET (Volume 2) Edited By AdrianWebb SOMERSET ARCHAEOLOGICAL & NATURAL HISTORYSOCIETY Somerset Heritage Centre, Brunel Way, Norton Fitzwarren,Taunton, TA2 6SF. Softback 210mm x 297mm, 213 pages, with 175illustrations, mostly in colour.£20.00. publications@sanhs.org

This book is a large A4 sized volume beautifully produced to a veryhigh quality by a local Society, with financial support from South WestMaritime History Society.

This book went on sale in July 2014 and is the second book to beproduced in an intended series. The quality of its illustrations isoutstanding, and the volume covers five topics in depth, written byacknowledged specialists in their fields.

Chapter 1 looks at Four Hundred Years of Maritime Travel via theSomerset Coast 1435-1835 by Philip Ashford. This is a fascinatingexamination of Somerset coastal ports (therefore not Bristol specific)covering the trades from King Road, Pill, Bridgwater and the mostimportant, Minehead. The economics of trade, and what was traded aredealt with in a very comprehensive analysis of the conditions prevailingover the 400 years covered, with 59 illustrations – some A4 in size, and12 pages of notes and sources- which in themselves are very complete.We are drawn though the development and the close ties with Irelandand Wales to say nothing of travel to the Americas and West Indies. Thechapter also looks at the merchant families engaged in the trades. Theauthor examines the reasons for sea travel:- trade, leisure, religious,political, military, troop movements, government and economic reasons.Altogether this is a fascinating and very comprehensive overview.

Chapter 2 is An Account of the Development of Somerset’s Seasideresorts by Sue Berry with 44 illustrations and covers the progress of

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holidaying and leisure from the late 16th. Century, and bathing machinesfrom the 1700s, right up to the 20th century and the development ofholiday camps, passing by coastal pleasure voyaging and theconstruction of facilties to meet the demand – both piers and hotels.

Chapter 3 examines Two Somerset River Ferries by Dr Joseph Betteyand Dr Adrian Webb with 25 illustrations and covers the ferries atCombwich or Crokern Pill, and Shirehampton; with Rownham Ferry –illustrated on the Cover (above). This looks at the history fromMediaeval times until Rownham ceased to operate on 31 December1932 after 800 years of existence.

Chapter 4 covers Thomas Surbey’s 1701 Survey of Minehead Harbourby Paul Hughes, with 25 illustrations. Minehead had become possiblythe most important port in the immediate area and in 1701 Minehead’stwo MPs commissioned the survey, which is closely examined both asto the old harbour works and Thomas Surbey, himself, a noted civilengineer. His cartography is commented upon and comparisons drawnwith Minehead up to the 21st. Century. The illustrations are particularlydetailed and well presented.

Chapter 5 concludes with an examination of Sea Fishing in Somerset:Past, Present and Future by Commodore Bill Kelly, with 22illustrations. This is a particularly interesting article examining thehistory of a thousand years of fishing using an ecosystem approach.The sale of fish at localised markets is considered, together with theeffects of global temperatures over some 2000 years, and associatedwith variations in population. The technology of sea fishing isconsidered and how this evolved, with Statutory Regulation dating backto at least 1376. The chapter concludes with a section seen fromSomerset’s point of view, covering potential Sea Fishing in 2060 andthe supply/demand issues that arise; and the possible effects of a SevernBarrage being constructed.

Altogether this is a really outstanding book, brilliantly produced andillustrated. This book should be in every Somerset ship lover’scollection at its very reasonable price.David. B. Clement

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LETTERS NOTES AND NEWS

Gail Honoured

Boat builder Gail McGarva of Lyme Regis was awarded the BritishEmpire Medal in the Queen's Birthday Honours. Her award recognisesher services to Heritage Crafts and Clinker Boat Building.

She said: "A huge thank you must go to the Heritage Crafts Associationfor nominating me and for their determined efforts to give focus to thetraditional crafts of Britain.

"I hope this award will shine a light on the craft of traditional woodenboat building, helping give vibrancy to the life of this craft for futuregenerations."

A7 Project Announced

January 2014 was the 100th anniversary of the loss of HMsubmarine A7 in Whitsand Bay near Plymouth, so the A7 Project hasbeen started to study the life and loss of this submarine.

HM Submarine A7 sank with the loss of all hands in January 1914,probably as a result of a diving accident. All salvage attempts at the timefailed so the submarine was left on the seabed in Whitsand Bay with herlast crew still on board. The submarine was discovered by sports diversin 1981, but after unauthorised recoveries of items by divers the wreckwas designated as a Controlled Site under the Protection of MilitaryRemains Act 1986. This prohibits all diving operations without licencefrom the Ministry of Defence (MOD). The A7 Project has now beengranted a license to conduct a survey of the site, the first licence to visitan MOD Controlled site given to a civilian organisation. The site is adesignated military maritime grave therefore it will be treated with theutmost respect.

The A7 Project is a non-intrusive underwater archaeological survey andrecording exercise. Shipwrecks degrade over time so the A7 Projectwill record the condition of the wreck as it is today enabling the currentcondition and any further degradation to be assessed. The work on the

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site will include a comprehensive geophysical survey, a photographicand recording survey of the submarine hull and external fittings as wellas measurement of the thickness of hull plates. The Project will alsoresearch the story of HMS/M A7 and her place in the development ofearly Royal Navy submarines. The story of this submarine is not wellknown so the A7 Project aims to raise awareness locally and nationallyabout her life, her loss and contribution to WW1 as a training boat forsubmarine crews. The reason why the A7 sank has never beenconfirmed so the Project will also investigate the possible cause of loss.

A key aspect of the project is the creation of a 3D virtual reality (VR)computer model of the submarine and wreck site, developed by theHuman Interface Technologies Team at the University of Birmingham.This model will be used in all aspects of the project for training, hullrecording, the investigation in to her loss and for public outreach aboutthe project.

The work on site will be followed up by a public outreach programmewith a series of public lectures and a display about the submarine inmuseums. Frequent reports about the work on the project will be postedon the SHIPS Project facebook page and a new web site has been set upfor the A7 Project at www.promare.co.uk/a7project. The results of thiswork will be made available to heritage archives and relatedorganisations.

Work on the A7 Project will start in June of this year and the final reportis expected at the end of the year. The work on the submarine will benon-intrusive and no divers will enter the hull. The A7 Project is acomponent of the SHIPS Project, a wide ranging study of theshipwrecks around Plymouth, England. More information andphotographs see: www.promare.co.uk/a7project

Peter Holt ffi pete@promare.org

The wreck that appeared on Whitsand beach has been identified asthe Daisy by the SHIPS Project team. At the beginning of March an oldiron shipwreck appeared from the sands of Freathy Cliff in WhitsandBay, uncovered by a severe south-westerly gale. The name of the wreckwas not known, so Whitsand resident Bill Honey and Roger Collinsfrom the Rame Peninsula History Group asked the SHIPS Project tohelp find out. The SHIPS team went to see the wreck a few days later

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but by then the wreck was already being covered over by the beachsand, even so the team could see that the wreck was a large ironsteamship of an old design. Using the team's database of shipwrecks inthe area a ship of the right age and right type was soon identified,followed by research on the Web and in old newspapers the story of theship was discovered. The wreck is a ship called the Daisy, a 66m longsteam coaster that was wrecked in a storm in 1903. The Daisy wasoriginally called the Emerald and was built in Sunderland in 1872,spending her life sailing between ports in Europe and the Baltic.Just after midnight on 27th February 1903 the Daisy was takingadvantage of a break in the stormy weather when she was caught in afierce gale which blew the ship onto the rocks off Freathy, luckily all thecrew were saved by a rescue party on the shore. The ship ended upsideways on to the rocks, broken in three places and over the next fewweeks the sea broke her up, and what remained was buried under thebeach.

The remains of the Daisy can be found on very low tides on the seawardside of the rocks at Freathy Cliff, just to the east of Sharrow Point. Alarge part of the hull of the ship is there lying on her port side withrigging, fittings and even her iron propeller still in place. The wreck ishistorically important and would be great to study as it could tell us a lotabout how ships were built at that time, so it is a shame that its is beingburied by the beach again. The SHIPS Project is funded by ProMare, aUS research foundation. More information andphotographs: http://ow.ly/uuZPeter Holt

Portishead Lifeboat station

The independent Portishead lifeboat has now come under the wing ofthe RNLI. A new lifeboat station is under construction at Portisheadadjacent to the pier. John Elver’s group helps fundraise for this.

Shieldhall and Shemara

Your Editor joined one of John Elver’s tours to Southampton forShieldhall. She started her season almost full, and on a grey but dry daywe watched five cruise liners sail in line ahead out of Southamptonwater.

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It is, I think, fairly unusual these days to see big ships in line ahead likethis. Pictorially, it was a little reminiscent of WW1 battleships. Thestatistics were impressive, around 700,000 tons of ship and close on20,000 passengers. Cruising is indeed big business.

Shieldhall made extensive use of her two sirens, and is looking good,her repairs are complete and she awaits the full license from the MCAfor open sea cruising.

Her next problem is the new emission regulations which will force herto wastefully burn high grade diesel instead of already low sulphurbunker fuel, putting the cost up by 50 percent. We have maderepresentations on this issue.

Next to Shieldhall on quay 48 was Shemara, with its classic1930’slooks. Originally Bernard Docker’s yacht of 1938, many members willdoubtless recall her notoriety as a party vessel in the Dockers’ mediaheyday. After languishing, laid up, at Lowestoft for decades, she wasbought by Sir Charles Dunstone and has been given a complete rebuildand refit by for her new owner. We watched lead ballast being loaded asshe is finally fitted out. Maybe we will see her at sailing events in theSouth West as her owner is a keen yachtsman

Bristol Harbour Festival July 2014

The harbour festival was heaving on Sunday after a wet Saturday.Balmoral was resplendent after her repaint. The survey revealed nomajor nasties, but £200k is still needed to get her fit for a 2015 season.By contrast, that other resident tripper, Matthew, looks in need ofvarnishing. M shed regulars John King and Pyronaut were also inaction. Visitors included Kaskelot, and regular visitor Irene which isstaying on to offer harbour cruises, somewhat in competition withMatthew; and also Avon gorge trips. Your Editor feels obliged tosample her offering, so watch this space.

The other visitor was tug Brocklebank from the distant MerseyMaritime Museum. Built in 1964, she had over 800 visitors by 2pmSunday, but it is doubtful if the bucket collection contributed much tothe 5 tonnes of diesel needed to take her there and back, not muchchange from £4000. She looked smart, a credit to the museum, thoughthe crew said she isn’t a good seaboat. She isn’t certified for

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passengers. A pity as, the engine room is spacious, and like Shieldhall,offers the potential to get up close and personal with serious marineengineering.

One other visitor was Isambard Brunel, the Bristol Port survey shipwhich had an interesting panel display of some of its work, including amultibeam survey of the wreck of the schooner Johann Carl whichsank on 1.9.17. in the estuary, and apparently is still fairly intact.

The ferries were doing a roaring trade, and the pretty steam launcheswere to be seen around the harbour. There was a demonstrating of thefairly crazy sport of “flyboarding”, balancing high up on a watercolumn, which undoubtedly wowed the crowd. Gig boats had a show,so a balance was kept, but it would be good to see more historic ships.

Young shipwrights aged 9 made and launched 100 model Bristol pilotcutters and other vessels . [ I didn’t get to see this, but this is a project ifrepeated, where we might lend some support and maybe even offer amodest prize. Ed]

http://www.bristolpost.co.uk/Ship-Shape-Bristol-Fashion-Young-Bristol/story-21652653-detail/story.html

Newport Ship Conference

There was a major conference on the Newport ship at the Great Britainin July. If any member attended, a brief write up would be welcome.

Business leaders and campaigners join forces to boost tourism andlocal economy

It is the jewel in Bristol's crown and has long been the main drivingforce behind the city's wealth and power. The Harbourside has longbeen seen as the beating heart of the city and one of the main reasons forBristol's emergence as the economic capital of the South West.

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And now a group of business leaders and campaigners are joining forcesto make the Floating Harbour a thriving centre once more. The groupcalling itself the Bristol Ships Board has been set up with the backing ofrestaurateur and entrepreneur Arne Ringner.

The aim of the voluntary group is to attract historic ships and craft backto the docks and to revitalise what once was Bristol's bustling centre oftrade, commerce and wealth.

As well as owning two successful restaurants on Welshback, MrRingner is the man behind the successful revamp and relaunch of theClifton Lido. He has lived and worked in the Harbourside area for morethan 20 years and believes one of Bristol's biggest assets could become amajor centre for tourism and business.

The Bristol Ships Board is aiming to attract historic and interest boats tothe harbour which in turn would provide the Harbourside with a muchneeded shot in the arm. Under the scheme historic craft could use theFloating Harbour and its facilities and in return the owners would allowmembers of the public on board to look around them.

The idea has already got the backing of the city council and Bristol'smayor George Ferguson in principle, and talks are taking place to bringthe first boat to the city.

National Historic Ships

Seen on the Fal

In late June, the moorings had both old and new. Ex Trinity HouseWindsor Castle has been there for over a decade, and was moored nextto the elegant 1929 Dona Amelia, which has had a long career andmany names, lately starring in the film “Mamma Mia”. She receivedattention at Falmouth docks before lay up. Two 1985 reefers, SummerBay and Summer Flower, arrived in February. The one most in line forthe scrapyard is the Ukrainian owned Sea Breeze, ( no connection to theadmirable journal), which nearly foundered off the Lizard in March,and is now the subject of legal wrangles over salvage costs.

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Minesweeping book references ( see p11)Glory Passed Them ByEwart BrooksJarrolds 1958 (may have been reprinted since)

Out Sweeps The Story of the Minesweepers in World War 11Paul Lund & Harry LudhamW. Foulsham & Co. Ltd1978 (again I suspect it has been republished)

Service Most Silent The Navy’s Fight Against Enemy MinesJohn Frayn TurnerGeorge G. Harrap & Co. Ltd. 1955(now republished by Pen & Sword)

See also:http://www.promare.co.uk/ships/Wrecks/ListAll.html

FOR SALE

For sale due to ill health. Trapper 501 8.5M bilge keel GRP sailing cruiser,built 1983, the builder's London boat show exhibit in Jan 1984, part 1registered. In present ownership since Jan 1998. Stored ashore every winter.Engine lovingly serviced by present owner according to manufacturer'srecommendations supplemented by advice from the RYA diesel engine course,log of all servicing available. Sails in good condition, hull professionallyepoxied. Many extras, especially electronic include refrigerator, wind generatorand solar panels for battery charging, AIS transponder with transmit andreceive not just for seeing other vessels but own vessel appears on all AISequippedvessels within range. Navtex, chart plotter with display unit showing chartswith own and other vessels plotted in real time by reference to GPS. VHF DSCradio. Brand new replacement magnetic compasses and replacement electronicauto-pilot installed April 2014 and tested but these items not yet swung fordeviation. At present moored near Wareham Dorset, not sailed since Sept 2013

Ffi Dave Hills, webmaster (back cover)

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SOUTH WEST MARITIME HISTORY SOCIETYRegistered Charity No. 289141

(Updated 12.6.14)

Chairman Martin Hazell124 Molesworth RoadStokePlymouthDevon PL3 4AH Tel. 07941 603097 /01752 550768Email: chair@swmaritime.org.uk

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Bristol BS16 2RXTel: 0117 9566127Email: soundings@swmaritime.org.uk

Editor Maritime S.W David Clement& Monographs/

web research queries The Holt, Exton, Exeter, Devon EX3 0PNTel. 01392 875604.E-mail: journal@swmaritime.org.uk

Secretary Peter SimsCoombe Rise Noss MayoPlymouth Devon PL8 1EGTel: 01752 872443Email secretary@swmaritime.org.uk

Treasurer Derek Tyrrell` 113 Parson Street

BedminsterBS3 5QH

Tel: 0117 907 7373Email: treasurer@swmaritime.org.uk

Membership/Asst treasurer Gillian Seagrave(new/renewals/changes) 10 Woodlands Rise, Downend

Bristol BS16 2RX(Tel: 0117 9566127 : note email/post preferred)Email: membership@swmaritime.org.uk

Facebook Sarah Parsons s.parsons.m@gmail.com

COMMITTEEMike Bender, Julia Creeke, Michael Duffy, Maria Fusaro, PeterFerguson, David Hills (webmaster), Mike Williams, Peter Skidmore.