My father’s brother, Jeremy was a yacht designer and builder, as well as doing quite a lot of sailing. This article is has some random snippets about him, which do not fit anywhere else.
Apprentice Boat Builder
Jeremy did a 5 year apprenticeship at Vospers from 1947 to 1952, working mainly on Minesweepers. He followed this with a further 2 years as an ‘improver’ (draughtsman). Note that another email he sent me, and Tim’s letter from 1953 suggests that his apprenticeship was with the Dorset Yacht Company, rather then Vospers.
Second place in Sea Spray Magazine Yacht Design Competition – 1952
Sea Spray Magazine was first published in December 1945 in Aukland, and continued to be published for at least 60 years. In 1952 it announced a competition to design a 20ft Cruiser which could provide sleeping accommodation a couple of adults and either two children or a third adult, suitable to for short cruises, with a galley etc. The designs should be capable of being constructed in New Zealand by an amateur builder, and be submitted by 31st May 1952.
Jeremy would have been 22 at the time, and his address was given as Pickwick, Warren Drive, Kingswood, Surrey, England. I have no idea how he came across a design competition in New Zealand, but it must have been fairly prestigious as other winning or commended entries came from Ireland and Sweden as well as other English and New Zealand entrants. Jeremy won Second Prize, which was worth £20. The design was called “Windrush”
National Service
As someone with a long association with the sea and boats, Jeremy was naturally sent to the R.A.F. to do his National Service from around 1954 to 1956.
I was a Junior Technician in the R.A.F. working in the calibration room at Wyton servicing instruments on Lancasters, Canberras, Victors and Vulcans, training also included radio which was useful. Did you know our bombsights used Meccano gears, special compensation was made for lack of precision!”
Email from Jeremy
Return to boat building
After National Service Jeremy worked for Thornycrofts from 1956 to 1957, before joining Camper and Nicholsons in 1958.
Maiden
Maiden was the yacht sailed by Tracy Edwards and an all-female crew in the Whitbread Round the World Race.
Jeremy appears (very briefly) standing next to King Hussein of Jordan in the film Maiden (at about 29:12 to 29:18).
