Dunkirk Little Ships at St Katharine Docks from 24 to 26 May 2024
St Katharine Docks will hold a festival which is a celebration of the Dunkirk ‘Little Ships’ which took part in the evacuation of Allied soldiers during WWII from the beaches of Dunkirk between the 26th of May and 4th of June 1940. Alongside 20 warships, 850 civilian boats assisted with the evacuation. A number of these boats live on, privately owned and well preserved. The Dunkirk At The Docks Festival welcomes a fleet of them to St Katharine Docks over the May Bank Holiday weekend.
Kicking off the festivities will be the annual St. Katharine Docks Tea-Dance Party on Thursday the 23rd of May. Visitors can enjoy charm of a bygone era and dance the afternoon with authentic vintage music from the 1920s to the 1950s, period costumes and dancing displays, and tea and biscuits on the waterside.
Everyone is welcome to participate, from beginners to advanced dancers, lessons with the ‘Round in Circles’ dance troop will take place between 1pm-4pm.
As part of its Commemorative Cruise, the Association of Dunkirk Little Ships fleet will be arriving at St Katharine Docks from Friday 24th May onwards and opening doors to the public all weekend
Friday 24th May – 10am-4pm
Saturday 25th May – 10am-4pm
Sunday 26th May – 12am-4pm
The current list of confirmed boats in attendance are:
Aquabelle
Breda
Brown Owl
Firefly
Gay Venture
Hilfranor
Iorana
L’Orage
Lady Lou
Maimonde
Margo II
Marsayru
MB278
Naiad Errant
Papillon
Wanda
White Wing
The festival is suitable for all ages and is free. For more information go to the SKD website here
Scintilla Maris in West India Dock
The arrival of Scintilla Maris in West India Dock offers a bit of a mystery, it looks like a trawler but with plenty of modern equipment.
The story around Scintilla Maris is quite a fascinating one, built at the Dutch shipyard Maaskant in 1988 as a fishing vessel named Vertrouwen, the boat spent the first twenty years of its life in the North Sea trawling for flatfish.
After decommissioning in 2006, Vertrouwen spent over 10 years gathering dust at Damen Maaskant before the project to turn the boat into an expedition yacht began.
During an extensive four year rebuild at Damen Maaskant, the renamed Scintilla Maris was stripped down to bare steel, fully modernised and rebuilt. Maintaining her original exterior lines, the interior and technical spaces was transformed into a fully modernised expedition yacht.
In the last few years, the West India Dock has seen a few of these expedition yachts which suggests that a few owners have had probably enough of the Mediterranean or Caribbean and are looking for a bit more adventure. The boat is due to go to Svalbard, Greenland and coastal Norway this year.
Scintilla Maris is now a 45.6m (149.6ft) full-custom rebuilt expedition yacht with a thickened steel hull built to RINA classification. It has accommodation for 12 guests.
It is such a unique boat, Scintilla has been nominated for a 2024 World Superyacht Award.
SS Robin to move to Trinity Buoy Wharf on December 10th 2023
In 2017, We proudly announced that SS Robin was returning home but things did not quite work out that way because of various issues. However, we can bring the news that the move from the Royal Docks to Trinity Buoy Wharf will eventually bring SS Robin home to the Orchard Yard on the River Lea where she was built by Mackenzie, MacAlpine & Co in 1890.
SS Robin is the world’s only surviving complete Victorian steamship, she was laid down at Orchard House Yard at Bow Creek, Blackwall, London, in December 1889, ‘Robin’ and her sister ship ‘Rook’, were launched into the River Lea in 1890.
Bow Creek and the banks of the Thames have been considered the world centre for shipbuilding with a proud tradition going back many hundreds of years, it was part of a global trading empire and supplied the bulk of the ships used in the Royal and Merchant Navies. The Thames Iron Works was one of the largest yards in the country, building the biggest ships either side of the River Lea at Bow Creek.
By 1890, ship builders in Scotland and on the north east coast with lower overheads had become fully established and had taken over the market, causing the yard to finally close in 1912. This brought large shipbuilding to an end in London and few smaller yards to go into a steady decline. Bomb damage in the Second World War, development and urban regeneration have largely cleared the Blackwall area of its maritime past.
SS Robin is one of very few London built ships left of this era. Trinity Buoy Wharf is only 220m down river from the slip where Robin was built. TBW has various advantages being open to the public and already has a group of heritage vessels. Permission was granted by the Port of London Authority for the SS Robin trust to drive two piles to provide secure mooring at the mouth of the Lea.
The SS Robin will begin its final journey to Trinity Buoy Wharf on Sunday morning, December 10th 2023. It is expected that SS Robin will depart the Royal Docks between 7.30am and 8.30am, reach the King George V lock at 9am and arrive at Trinity Buoy Wharf between 10am and 11am. The timings are approximate.
Best viewing point: you’re invited to watch the SS Robin arrival from the quayside at Trinity Buoy Wharf. The Orchard Café based on site will be open from 9am to 4pm this Sunday serving hot drinks and various hot lunch options.
The Dirty British Coaster was immortalised in John Masefield’s poem ” Cargoes .”
Dirty British coaster with a salt-caked smoke stack,
Butting through the Channel in the mad March days,
With a cargo of Tyne coal,
Road-rails, pig-lead,
Firewood, iron-ware, and cheap tin trays.
The British coastal cargo steamships were the workhorses of the Merchant fleet in the late 19th, early 20th Century around the ports of Britain and Northern Europe. However by the 1960s they had virtually disappeared.
SS Robin is a traditional raised quarterdeck coastal cargo steamer built in Orchard House Yard near the famous Thames Ironworks on the eastern tip of Isle of Dogs and launched in 1890.
She was built to high standards regarding materials and workmanship with her hull fitted out in East India Dock. From there she was taken to Dundee to have her boiler and engines fitted. After trials she was taken to Liverpool to begin her career as a coastal steamer in 1890.
For the next ten years she plied her trade around the ports of Britain and occasionally some of the continental ports carrying the heavy cargoes such as coal, steel and china clay for which the steamers became famous for.
However in 1900, she was sold to a Spanish owner who renamed her Maria and spent the next 70 odd years going up and down the North Atlantic coast, she survived Two World Wars, once getting an escort from the French Navy to protect her from U Boat attacks.
But then at the end of a hard working life and due to be scrapped, there was another twist of fate she was recognised by the Maritime Trust as a one of a kind and in 1974 was purchased and travelled back to Britain under her own steam.
From 1974 she was given her original name back and moored in St Katherine’s Dock and her restoration began. In 1991 she moved to West India Quay where between 2003-2007 she was used as an Education Centre and Gallery.
However more structural restoration was needed, so in 2008 she went back to the coast this time to Lowestoft to prepare for her latest reincarnation in the Royal Docks where she returned in 2011.
The SS Robin may still be a Dirty British Coaster of John Masefield’s poem but now she is in elite company. She’s part of the National Historic Fleet and one of only three ‘Core Collection’ (Grade 1) vessels in the capital. The other two ships are the Cutty Sark and HMS Belfast.
Fashion City at the Museum of London Docklands from 13 October 2023 to 14 April 2024
A major new exhibition at Museum of London Docklands showcases the role of Jewish designers, makers and retailers in making London an iconic fashion city. The East End in particular has seen many waves of migration over the centuries and has been the location of many industries based around textiles and clothing.
Fashion City West End © Museum of London
Fashion City tells the stories of Jewish designers and entrepreneurs who became leaders in their industries, created some of the most recognisable looks of the 20th century, founded retail chains still on the high street today, and dressed the rich and famous from David Bowie and Princess Diana to Mick Jagger and Muhammad Ali.
Fashion City Photographer’s Studio © Museum of London
The exhibition features fashion and textiles, oral histories, objects, ephemera and photography, it is the first major exhibition in two decades centred on the museum’s extensive Dress & Textile collection.
Fashion City East End © Museum of London
Setting the scene is a space dedicated to London’s East End, where many Jewish migrants arrived between the late 19th and mid-20th century. Personal ephemera from ordinary Londoners will tell stories of some of the 200,000 Jewish people who arrived in Britain during that time, over 50% of whom were involved in the fashion, clothing, and textile trade.
Fashion City Tailor’s Workshop © Museum of London
A depiction of independent shops and businesses from umbrella sellers to bag makers demonstrates how the area grew into a hub of activity for the manufacturing of clothing, shoes and accessories from the late 19th century.
Fashion City Couture © Museum of London – Fashion Museum Bath
Travelling from East to West of the city, visitors journey from the heart of Jewish tailoring, manufacturing and accessory making, to the boutiques and couture salons of the West End.
Fashion City Sophie Rabin © Museum of London
Highlights include:
Menswear Boutique including Mr Fish dress, Courtesy of Westminster Menswear Archive and Collection of L. Kingston Chadwick
A Mr Fish maxi-smoking dress with beaded panels, Mr Fish was a leading figure of the Peacock Revolution whose flamboyant menswear was worn by stars including Jimi Hendrix, David Bowie, and Muhammad Ali.
Otto Lucas hats in Fashion City exhibition © Museum of London
Hats and objects relating to Otto Lucas, the ‘milliner millionaire’ who changed the global reputation of British fashion in the mid-20th century and whose hats graced the cover of British Vogue.
Netty Spiegel wedding dress in the Fashion City exhibition © Museum of London
A wedding dress by Neymar, a brand founded by Netty Spiegel who arrived alone on the Kindertransport at just 15yrs old, and went on to become one of London’s go-to wedding dress designers.
Fashion City Cecil Gee © Rowland, Nigel, and Michael Gee-Museum of London
Fashion City explores the stories of Jewish entrepreneurs and retailers who shaped the British high street. The exhibition tries to weave individual stories together with a broader social history.
Museum of London Docklands, No.1 Warehouse, West India Quay, London E14 4AL
Tickets
Off-peak entry: Monday–Friday (excluding school holidays)
Peak entry: Saturday–Sunday (and school holidays)
Adults from £12
Children from £6
Children under 12 go free
Concessions from £1
Arctic Pride II Superyacht in West India Dock
The traffic in West India Dock has been a bit slow recently, so it was nice to see the arrival of the Arctic Pride II Superyacht.
The Arctic Pride II Yacht is 46.3 m (151’9″ ) long, has a beam of 9 m and a draught of 1.91 m.
The yacht’s builder is Delta Marine from United States, who launched Arctic Pride II in 2020.
Like many superyachts, little is known about the owner although the boat flies under the Marshall Islands flag.
The boat has recently returned from a cruise around the Mediterranean but we do not know how long the boat will be in West India Dock.
West India Dock is always worth a wander with plenty going on and the Lord Amory and vintage ships near Dollar Bay. The Phi superyacht has been in the dock since lockdown due to its Russian ownership.
The Great River Race – 16 September 2023
It will soon be time for The Great River Race which is London’s River Marathon. It’s a spectacular boat race covering 21.6 miles from Millwall in the East to Richmond in the West.
The race started in 1988 with 61 boats crewed by a bunch of enthusiasts ranging from young scouts to hardened offshore rowing veterans coming from diverse organisations such as rowing clubs, pubs, schools, boating societies and the armed services. It now has around 300 crews taking part and is an international event with competitors from America, Australia, and many European countries. This is a race for ‘fixed seat’ only craft and a large variety of boats take part including the traditional Thames Watermen’s Cutters. The race is based on the Watermen principle and so each crew must carry a passenger and cox along with a 3’ x 2’ flag. A handicapping system is used to ensure fair play.
The Great River Race has over 2,500 competitors competing for 36 trophies, it has become the biggest and most prestigious event of its kind in Europe.
If you live on the Isle of Dogs or nearby, it is great fun to down to Millwall slipway on the morning of the race to savour some of the excitement and anticipation of the competitors. Collecting over 300 boats of assorted sizes in order would seem to be a logistic nightmare, however the organisation always seems assured and efficient.
Many of the crews dress up in fancy dress and take part to raise money for charity, so a few strange and unusual sights are about.
The start has the slowest boats starting first before the great bulk of boats are launched to create a great scene on the river with all the boats taking part and many other passengers boats following the race. The last boats to start are generally the dragon boats which are a wonderful sight as they make their way up to Tower Bridge.
For more information go to the Great River Race website here
William Schaw Lindsay, Victorian Entrepreneur Talk at the Docklands History Group – 6th September 2023
Bill Lindsay will be giving a talk to the Docklands History Group on 6th September about his new book entitled William Schaw Lindsay Victorian Entrepreneur.
William Schaw Lindsay (1815-1877) was a Victorian shipping magnate based in the City of London. Well known in his day, he is now largely forgotten. Which is a shame because his story is quite remarkable.
Lindsay was born in Scotland, he was orphaned by the age of ten, ran away to sea as a ship’s apprentice aged sixteen. Within nine years he was a ship’s captain sailing the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. Lindsay then set up a ship’s brokerage in London and assisted steamship lines with provision of coal. He was very successful and by the 1850’s he owned one of the largest shipping companies in Britain, chartering 700 vessels and owning (or part-owning) twenty-two. Some of his ships were commissioned by the Government as transport ships in the Crimean War.
He then went into politics and became MP for Tynemouth. In the House of Commons he focussed on maritime matters. During the American Civil War he advocated Independence for the Confederates and met with the French Emperor to encourage him to join Britain in recognising the Southern States as an independent nation.
He suffered a stroke a year before the end of the war and was wheelchair bound for the rest of his life, during which he was a prolific writer, publishing novels and maritime papers. He wrote a four volume History of Merchant Shipping and met many of the famous Victorians of his day including Brunel, Paxton, Gladstone, Disraeli, Lincoln, Garibaldi, Nightingale, Livingstone, and Queen Victoria.
Bill Lindsay is a researcher of Victorian Merchant Shipping and is the great-great-grandson of William Schaw Lindsay, he is conducting a lecture tour around the UK and just published William Schaw Lindsay’s biography.
The talk is for the Docklands History Group on 6th September at 5pm. It takes place at Museum of London Docklands, West India Quay, Canary Wharf. There is a small charge of £4 for non-members. There is no booking in advance. When people go downstairs to the meeting room there will be a register kept by the security guard on duty by the back door that they need to sign. The Museum closes at 5pm and if anyone is late they need to go to the back door, which is down a few steps and the security guard will let them in. The talk commences at 5.30pm and lasts an hour. It is based on unpublished papers in the National Maritime Museum, and focuses on a Victorian shipping magnate, William Schaw Lindsay.
For those who want to purchase a copy of the book, it is available here
LÉ George Bernard Shaw in West India Dock
An interesting visitor in West India Dock is the Irish Navy ship, LÉ George Bernard Shaw (P64).
The ship is the fourth and final ship of the P60 class vessels built for the Irish Naval Service in Babcock Marine Appledore, Devon.
The ship is designed as on Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV), she is 90.00 m (295.28 ft) long and a beam of Beam 14.00 m (45.93 ft).
The ship entered into service in 2018, and, following a military fit-out, has commenced Maritime Defence and Security Operations at sea.
The ship is named after one of Ireland’s most celebrated and well-known playwrights, critics and intellectuals, George Bernard Shaw.
It is unusual to see an Irish ship in dock and is a welcome visitor to the dock which still has the PHI and Reef Chief berthed.
Winter Wonderland in Canary Wharf
It might be a little early for Christmas but the snow has arrived in London, to enjoy the winter scenes, I took a stroll around Canary Wharf .
Jubilee Gardens has been decked out with artificial Christmas trees but the snow really adds to the effect.
The snow on the real trees add to the Christmas scene.
Cabot Square offers a mixture of statues, fountain and large Christmas trees.
People have been busy in Westferry Circus building snowman of different sizes.
But this chap has taken things more arty with a wonderful head sculpture made of snow.
The cold spell is due to last for a while, so have a look around before the snow disappears.
HNLMS Groningen (P843) and HNLMS Van Amstel (F831) of the Royal Netherlands Navy in West India Dock
Friday saw the arrival of a couple of ships from the Royal Netherlands Navy into West India Dock, another ship the HNLMS Karel Doorman is moored in Greenwich.
The HNLMS Groningen is a Holland-class offshore patrol vessel operated by the Royal Netherlands Navy. The vessel was built in the Romanian shipyards in Galati, by the Dutch firm Damen Group. The ship was laid down in 2010, launched in 2011 and commissioned in 2013.
It has a length of 108.4 m (355 ft 8 in) and beam of 16 m (52 ft 6 in). It has a crew of 54 and carries helicopter on board. The ship has been used counter-drug operations and coast guard duties in the Caribbean and off the coast of Somalia, as part of the EU anti-piracy mission Atalanta.
HNLMS Van Amstel (F831) is a ship of the Karel Doorman-class of multi-purpose frigates (also known as “M-fregat” class) of the Royal Netherlands Navy. Built by the shipyard Koninklijke Schelde Groep in Vlissingen. The ship is named after the Dutch Captain Jan van Amstel.
The ship was laid down in 1987,launched in 1990 and commissioned in 1993. The ships has a length of 122 m (400 ft 3 in) and beam of 14.4 m (47 ft 3 in). It carries a crew of 154 and helicopter.
The ship has been deployed in 2005 to assist victims of Hurricane Katrina. In 2012, Van Amstel apprehended 11 Somali pirates off the Somali coast. In 2016, Van Amstel joined Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 (SNMG2). In October 2022, Van Amstel along with HNLMS De Zeven Provinciën deployed to conduct drills with the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford.
There seems to be little information as to the reason for the visit but this is not unusual for NATO ships.
Isle of Dogs Life 