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Yachting
Yachting
In the 19th century yachting became the new sport of the
wealthy. Three roads in the parish ( peartree) still perpetuate the names of yachts
famous in their time - Ailsa, Defender, and Shamrock. The fears of the
ferry men that the coming of the Floating Bridge would take away their
livelihood proved groundless, as many of them were sought after to
skipper or crew some very famous yachts. Ben Parker became the captain
of the German Emperor's yacht "Meteor". Charles Dyke and Henry Parker
were skippers in succession of Thomas Chamberlayne's "Arrow", which,
bought from a breaker's yard, redesigned and rebuilt, was the only
English yacht ever to beat the 1851 Queen's cup winner "America". This
happened in a race off Ryde, in the following year.
 The German Emperor's Yacht the "Meteor" Captained by Ben ParkerAmongst the crew was Ernie Cock , Uncle(by marriage ) of Tom Holmes The barometer from the "Meteor" liberated by Uncle Ernie! The floating bridge terminal at Itchen Ferry became a place for
sailors to meet to find work. One skipper recalled that "if a
captain of a yacht wanted a crew then he knew where to go to find
one. A great meeting place was down at the Toll [bridge] and the
men used to gather outside Cockett`s, the little coffee place.". In
fact, the Woolston Independent newspaper proclaimed
that "no British yachts crew is complete without a [Woolston]
`ferryman` amongst it."
Tom Holmes' boat
 Itchen Ferry boatTommy Holmes (Brixham smack) with the "Grove Gang"   |
