Keep the home fires burning

Keep the home fires burning

Not all civilian vessels were requisitioned, but those that escaped this still felt the impact of the War in other ways.  Many of the methods by which vessels were constructed and enjoyed were effected by the onslaught of the conflict.  Racing, both at sea and inland, came to a halt as did much pleasure cruising with the vessel crews and owners fighting or working for the war effort. Shortages of steel, iron and timber not only caused vessels to be laid up, or construction abandoned, but in some cases also led to a hunt for new materials for vessel design.

Vessels in this theme

  • Garlandstone

    Garlandstone

    GARLANDSTONE may have been one of the many sailing vessels that transported coal from South Wales to the allied forces in France

  • Glenway

    Glenway

    During the First World War GLENWAY ferried cargoes from the East Coast into the port of London and sailed unscathed through the minefields.

  • Kathleen and May

    Kathleen and May

    KATHLEEN & MAY was used in the coal trade between the Bristol Channel and Ireland throughout the First World War.

  • Concrete Canal Boat

    Concrete Canal Boat

    CONCRETE CANAL BOAT was built in 1918 as a response to shortages of steel and fabrication skills during the War.

  • Gondola

    Gondola

    During the First World War GONDOLA was laid up at Coniston Water

  • Greta

    Greta

    GRETA's usual cargoes were grain, malt and building products, but she once carried spars for the German Kaiser’s racing schooner METEOR IV.

  • Ethel Ada

    Ethel Ada

    At the start of the First World War ETHEL ADA continued to trade in coal around the Suffolk coast, despite having suffered a serious fire when loading coke in 1910, but switched to ballast work in 1915

  • John Constable

    John Constable

    At the outbreak of the First World War JOHN CONSTABLE was scuttled on the River Stour for fear she would be used by the Germans in the event of an invasion

  • Sharpness

    Sharpness

    During the First World War icebreaker-tug SHARPNESS worked on the Worcester & Birmingham Canal towing lighters through the Wast Hills tunnel

  • Charmian of Poole

    Charmian of Poole

    Built at the start of the war in 1914 as a gentleman's yacht

  • Britannia

    Britannia

    The fishing smack BRITANNIA had a friendly encounter with a German U-boat, with some of the crew coming aboard and exchanging food and drink

  • De Wadden

    De Wadden

    The schooner DE WADDEN was one of many Dutch vessels to take advantage of the country's neutrality, carrying cargoes for both the Allies and the Germans

  • Maidie

    Maidie

    The racing yacht MAIDIE was laid up during the war, while her professional crew provided the Royal Navy with many experienced hands