Lovely Old Ships

The Margaret Anne 5 and the Thornycroft Boat Yard pictured on 23rd October 2012

Margaret Anne 5

23rd October 2012 - Unfortunately I think my boat is probably one of the hulks you are thinking of. I bought her a few months ago for £4,000 and I'm afraid the previous owner had done too much of the wrong kind of DiY so she's not the prettiest of boats, However, inside she retains many of her original lovely features. I believe only a handful of the first fiberglass hulls by J.I.Thornycroft were ever made

They were built on Platts Eyot island where I work in Hampton, Middlesex. There's some information available on the Thornycroft boatyard but nothing at all on their cruisers. I bought my boat to restore back to original, but finding it financially impossible so I'm sadly parting with her, I hope to find her a good home so she hopefully will be restored to her former glory - Mandy Faulkner

The vessel build plate

Front of the J.I Thornycroft Hampton Launch Works on Platts Eyot

Side of building

Dating from 1908 the doors closed in 1966

John Issac Thornycroft (1843 - 1928)

Run by his son John Edward Thornycroft from 1908 the Company J.I Thornycroft built a good number of notable ships listed on the National Historic Ships Register

Built to serve the Scilly Isles the TSVM Scillonian was built by the yard in 1955 and ran until 1977

J.I Thornycroft merged with Vosper & Co in 1966 both high quality and respected ship builders see their history at Vosper Thornycroft

The island was purchased in 1960 with plans to build an industial estate but has since been declared a region of special natural scientific interest, there's more information here on Platts Eyot

or more history on Passanger & Car Ferries

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