Model Boat Mayhem
Mess Deck: General Section => Chit-Chat => Topic started by: chuffy on July 17, 2013, 08:57:07 pm
-
Going back through the archive material that is available to me at the Wicksteed Park Model Boat club it would seem that we can trace our history back to 1934 as a club at Wicksteed, though going through several phases over the years.
Does your club go further than that? It would be nice to know how many clubs still going have their roots that far back or earlier.
Paul.
Good question. Ken :-))
-
Hi Paul Well Blackheath if my memory is right goes back to 1928 I will see Phil this weekend and interrogate him
Dave
-
Runcorn & District has been around since 1947-8 :-))
-
The Fleetwood Model Yacht & Power Boat Club was formed in 1929 and the lake, as we know it today, was officially opened by Earl Bettie of “Jutland” fame in 1932,
good pedigree.
-
Hello Dave
Phil doesn't go that far back does he? lol.
Just a bit of an update really, I've just come across another newspaper clipping with hand annotation "Nov 13th 1934" and it says that
" A plea that youthful members should be encouraged and that members with engineering knowledge should impart it (their knowledge) to their less fortunate brethren, was made at the third annual meeting of the Wicksteed Model Yacht and Power boat Club....."
So that now takes us back to 1931. The park had it's beginings in 1913 and I have a picture of skating on the frozen main lake in 1922 so it's not beyond the realms of posibility that model boats/ yachts were sailed from around that time but to date I have no hard evidence of this or a club being formed that far back.
Paul.
-
tynemouth model boat club was established in 1893 by the then duke of northumberland and still going strong today with a 100 members
an artical appeared in the north shields local paper THE SHIELDS DAILY GAZETTE on the 30th may1893 with the duke present on its opening day
brian_c t.m.b.c.
-
The Grays Thurrock club was founded in 1906 and is one of the oldest in the country ,for many years its activities were based at various locations in Grays Thurrock & Tilbury , it now has 60 members and is still going strong.
-
The first A.G.M. of the Llandudno Model Yacht Club was held in 1888 and was reported upon in that week's local newspaper ( North Wales Chronicle 17/3/1888 ).
The Club was combined into other clubs in the 1970's and tonight is the first meeting of a re-born Llandudno Model Yacht Club.
So not the longest continuously active club, but certainly one of the earliest.
-
Hi all and Chuffy, I love the thought that non-engineering types were 'less fortunate brethren'!
Our club was officially formed in 1947 but many of the members had been "playing" together before WW2.
We do have a member who has been an active continuous committee member for over 50 years, he is currently in charge of boiler testing.
I do not think many people are aware of how popular sailing model yachts was at the turn of the 1900's with many model yachting ponds and if you read some of the literature there were 'yacht captains who had a 'man' who sailed his yacht in competition while he picked up the trophy!
So much for the good old days!
regards Roy
-
Many thanks for the responses to date.
It would seem that there is a lot of heritage out there, just from the feedback to date and heritage that the present day members should be proud of. Could we perhaps open up the topic and ask if those members who have posted here are fortunate enough to have archived records and if so could they be made available to us all, perhaps via their club websites if they have one, just a thought.
I have put a selection of the Wicksteed material on our site www.wicksteedparkmbc.com (http://www.wicksteedparkmbc.com) in the club history section and will post the rest on as time allows.
Paul.
-
Hello Roy
I was typing as you posted, it is clear from some of the reports that there were, at times a them and us attitude around in the early days of the hobby, could it be that this was just a reflection of the attitudes and ways of the time/ era?
Some of the pictures show dozens of spectators around the lake men and boys, in the summer all wearing shirts, ties, pullovers and jacket and the men all seem to be smoking pipes! Truly another world. It would seem that the vast majority appeared to be paying homage to the small minority who were able to afford to own and run by todays standard very expensive power boats that would seem to be almost entirely hand made, including the engines.
I pass no judgement on the way of life at the time and reflect perhaps on what camp I would have fallen into had I been around at the time and when you look at the pictures you can't help but wonder how two world wars affected the lives of many of those portrayed.
The important thing is that our hobby has survived, and there are still plenty of people who still enjoy it, though I for one wish there were a few more.
Paul.
-
The first A.G.M. of the Llandudno Model Yacht Club was held in 1888 and was reported upon in that week's local newspaper ( North Wales Chronicle 17/3/1888 ).
I'd love to see some of the models that those guys brought down to the club for sailing that day............are there any photos around of that auspicious day....would love to see them.
neil.
-
A slightly oblique answer to the same question: the average age of our members is 68/69.
-
I'd love to see some of the models that those guys brought down to the club for sailing that day............are there any photos around of that auspicious day....would love to see them.
neil.
The "old Llandudno " website carries lots of photos of model yachts on the West Shore boating lake.
The eighth photo on page 1 of the West Shore Gallery shows the vast boating lake built in 1887 especially for Llandudno Model Yacht Club by the local Unemployed Relief Fund............. http://www.oldllandudno.co.uk/gallery/gallery.php?dir=west%20shore (http://www.oldllandudno.co.uk/gallery/gallery.php?dir=west%20shore)
and even some of Llandudno lifeboat ........... http://www.oldllandudno.co.uk/gallery/gallery.php?dir=lifeboats (http://www.oldllandudno.co.uk/gallery/gallery.php?dir=lifeboats)
-
:o Wow you guys have some history , the Goole club was formed in 1997, but members have been sailing a few years longer wherever they could access the water.
daz
-
The "old Llandudno " website carries lots of photos of model yachts on the West Shore boating lake.
The eighth photo on page 1 of the West Shore Gallery shows the vast boating lake built in 1887 especially for Llandudno Model Yacht Club by the local Unemployed Relief Fund............. http://www.oldllandudno.co.uk/gallery/gallery.php?dir=west%20shore (http://www.oldllandudno.co.uk/gallery/gallery.php?dir=west%20shore)
and even some of Llandudno lifeboat ........... http://www.oldllandudno.co.uk/gallery/gallery.php?dir=lifeboats (http://www.oldllandudno.co.uk/gallery/gallery.php?dir=lifeboats)
is that lake still in existence as it was then...........looks a lovely lake to sail on.
-
yes it is Neil and used a lot by myself and members of Colwyn Bay model Boat club as well
Dave
-
is that lake still in existence as it was then...........looks a lovely lake to sail on.
Still exactly as shown on the photos, 138metres long, 30metres wide and kept filled by a fresh water stream running off the adjacent Great Orme.
In it's time it was one of the main model yacht racing venues in the U.K. and we are trying to get regular competitions back on the lake.
Last month, the MYA ran one leg of the USA/UK International Challenge on the lake with boats from as far away as San Diego racing there.
-
I really wish events like that were PROPERLY advertised
Dave
-
I really wish events like that were PROPERLY advertised
Dave
There was no funding available for paid advertisements and a Press Release was sent to all the local newspapers, BBC Wales and local radio and only one paper had an article about the event.
-
There was no funding available for paid advertisements and a Press Release was sent to all the local newspapers, BBC Wales and local radio and only one paper had an article about the event.
Advertising events like these is free on Mayhem :-))
Ned.
-
were a much younger club than most shown on this page , we officially formed THE PORTSMOUTH MODEL YACHT RACING CLUB this april , although a group of us have been sailing together on a regular basis for a couple of years , we sail mostly micro magics although a few of us are also buying the new dragon force rg65s , although i understand from older members of our comunity theres been model sailing on the canoe lake since the 1800s
-
Southend model Power Boat club (SMPBC) established 1948 65year this August.
Come to our fun day on 10 Aug-13 Sailing yacht Regatta.
Sunday 11 August-13 Scale event all welcome.
See our website http://www.smpbc.co.uk/ (http://www.smpbc.co.uk/)
Destroyer42
-
An addition to Brian C s posting, is that Tynemouth club has ran continuously since its inception. It did not close down during the war years like so many other organisations. Nemesis
-
And before any wisecracks, Brian C and Nemesis were NOT at the founding of the TMBC. I know we are getting on a bit, but not that old,YET. Nemesis
-
:-)) Don't worry about it my son say's that I am so old that my birth certificate is written in hieroglyphics,some times I feel so old that I should be in the British Museum myself,some times clubs die out and come back again,some are born and some go on for ever, as long as we have our clubs I don't think it matters,long live model boating in all it's forms and the great guy's that take part in it :-)) :-)) :-))
-
Further to the postings from Brian_c and Nemesis re. Tynemouth MBC, I thought that a selection of really old photos may be of some interest.
I'll post them in batches of 4.
From the dress of the onlookers I'd suggest that they were taken around 1900 (ish). The lake itself hasn't changed much at all. It still has the sloping stone edges, and we still use the original 1893 clubhouse (although it has had a couple of annexes added over the years.
Model boating was obviously a major spectator attraction....although the participants, then as now all seem to be "of an age".
-
Brian, your images are not showing.
ken
-
Brian, your images are not showing.
ken
Thanks kenny....I'd sort of noticed that!.
All a bit mortifying really. They are all around the 160kb mark and are all in JPG format.
I tried re-posting them but they just weren't accepted and I was presented with a rather odd screen showing different sites for model boating. All very strange.
I wouldn't care so much except that some of them were posted by me a few years ago quite successfully. All ideas welcome! Bryan.
-
Having "re-processed the photosI'll have another go...with just one of them and see what happens!
-
Can see that one ok Bryan.
Can you imagine that sort of crowd gathering today
just to see a few yachts blown about the lake?
Ned
-
And it looks like a collision on the lake as well
Dave
-
One Airborne Top Right {-) {-) {-)
Ned
-
Well, as that one worked....try 3 more.
These all date (I guess) from either the late 19th or very early 20th century.
I've done all I can to improve a rather blurred pic, but you can see that it wasn't all about sailing yachts. But at this time, it does appear to have been a rich mans hobby.
-
Well worth the wait.
Thank you Brian
Ken
-
This batch shows some of the people who made models so long ago. I presume they are all different people…although there’s a certain similarity between them and their rather large models. I love the indoor formality of No.4! I’d also hazard a guess that No.24 was taken some while after the others. 1930s – 1940s?
-
hello Bryan these are great pictures do you have more?
I think the mention of clothing and formality is answered by the likelyhood that most working men had a suit perhaps for work and they would have a sport jacket to wear with the suit trousers for the weekend.
Shirts had detachable collars so you wore the same shirt for a week.
You can't kill talent though, perhaps the boats were funded by the fellows in the top hats?
Then of course you wonder what happened to the models boats?
Carry on if possible I love these close up pictures and they are very good pictures too.
regards Roy
-
Thanks Roy.
Not too sure about your take on the attire though. This was a “heavy industry” area until relatively recently. It’s more than likely that the one suit would last for years. Only worn on Sundays (church or chapel). Then relegated to allotment gardening and finally as work clothes. After the first relegation the stiff collar would be discarded.
Even in the mid 1950s we (as cadets) had to wear those blasted collars…but at the time we (or most of us) felt that wearing such a thing put us one rung up the social ladder! Ours were made from a sort of plastic that played havoc with the neck skin.
Like you, I’m constantly amazed by the sheer quality of the models that were produced, but in all likelihood reflected an intimate knowledge of shipbuilding and repair work. Especially in areas such as the Tyne and Wear ….and others, of course.
However; this next batch of 7 will be the last I’m afraid. The very few not being posted have resisted all my efforts to tweak them up to a reasonable standard….even some of the ones I have posted took an age to do…..computers can be a boon now and again!
The first 2 (10 and 7) have to be from the WW1 era. Possibly a reason why models of that time seem to have all been built by men of a “certain age”.
No’s 11 and 13 are (to my way of thinking) from the late 1940s/early 1950s period.No’s 12, 21 and 22 just have to be from the 1950s. I say that because I could well have been one of the schoolboys in any of them. I particularly like no.22. It recalls my envy when somebody with a “rich” father had a size 10 Meccano set while all we could afford was a no.5!
-
hi just reading back through some old threads, cos I been away for a bit, to try and catch up. I noticed this thread regarding the age of clubs, South Shields Model yacht club was established in 1886 and is still going stong but the Tynemouth Club members say that it was closed during the war so therefore it doesnt count. Well, I know the club was completely demolished due to enemy action and I will copy a link (page which is interesting reading of how it was demolished. The reason the two clubs were formed was that the Tyne pilots on the river used to meet and race their yachts along with other gents and there were fierce competitions of yacht racing between the classes.
Miss Flagg's is a more comprehensive report of the above raid on South Shields, but there are minor differences.
South Shields.. This night will be long remembered in South Shields. 130 enemy aircraft were engaged in an action on the coast from Hull to Berwick. Bombers& minelayers came over in waves and were met with intense AA fire.At 00.25.. a Heinkel 111, was hit by gunfire& collided with a Barrage Balloon cable on the North Foreshore. Part of one wing was broken off and fell on the shore. The plane lost height very quickly and crashed in Beach Rd., exactly on the crater made in 1940. One member of the crew bailed out but his parachute caught on the overhead wires and he hung downwards until rescued. He was badly injured and died shortly after admission to the Ingham Infirmary. The remainder of the crew perished with their plane on impact with the ground.
At 00.50.. a mine, which had not been released from the bomb rack of the plane, exploded with terrific force. Some idea of the explosion may be gathered from the facts that it was seen and heard from beyond Newcastle and many windows were broken as far away as Tynemouth, North Shields, Westoe and Laygate.
The Model Yacht House in the South Park and a small building were completely wrecked; and parts of the plane, maps, papers and clothing were subsequently collected from the South Park and dredged from the Lake.
Unhappily the explosion had tragic results; one officer of the Borough Police Force& one Auxiliary Fireman were killed; two other members of the AFS died in hospital. Seventeen more members of the Police Force, Fire Brigade and Auxiliary Fire Service were injured, some very gravely, and were admitted to the Ingham Infirmary.
Other enemy aircraft, apparently taking the flames as target, dropped bombs on Brodrick Street, where an elderly couple lost their lives and several houses were demolished; on the junction of Lawe Road and St Aidan's Road, damage was caused to a number of houses; "Sea Marge"& "Tyne View" being completely wrecked; and to St Aidan's church. During the same raid six Parachute mines descended on the South Sands near Trow Rocks, and on some fields near the New Marsden Inn, but caused no damage or casualties.
Bombs and Casualties: HE bombs fell as follows:- 00.36, 1 on Brodrick Street, 3 killed, 2 injured / 00.55, 1 on St Aidan's Road, 5 injured / 01.05, 1 near Redwell Lane, no casualties / 02.30, 1 on South Sands, no casualties / 03.13, 1 on South Sands, no casualties / plane explosion, 4 killed, 17 injured / TOTAL 5 bombs, 7 killed, 24 injured. Many houses severely damaged and widespread breakage of windows
aye
john
bluebird
-
Our records say our club started in 1933 ( Canterbury Society of Model and Eperimental Engineers ) which includes a model boat section . We also have a large exhibition coming up in 2014 called CanMod with visitors coming from arround the world with their locos .
http://csmee.org.nz/
Malcolm NZ
-
Pentland Model Boat Club is 20 years old this year and is the most northerly club on mainland Britain
-
It's good to view those old model photo's, thank you....
-
My local club swindon model boat and engineering club were started in 1931 my family starting from my grandfather joined in the early 1960s then my dad joined the hobby when he was 13 and there's pictures of me using rc boats from the age of 2 started building when I was 14 and I have been hooked ever since