Gloucester Docks History Talk for Severn Unit

Lucy Johns

Tewkesbury-based Severn Unit members were pleased to welcome local historiand retired National Waterways Museum Curator at Gloucester Tony Conder to be the  guest speaker at a recent meeting.  HOU Nic Price said “Tony gave a wonderful presentation of rare pictures depicting the history of  the commercial shipping and shipbuilding over the last 200 years around Gloucester Docks and the River Severn including the Severn Trows and the  great sailing schooners which finally gave way to the steam driven ships.  It really was a most interesting evening.”

 

In addition Unit Treasurer Gordon McDonald brought along the model of the Lucy Johns  which he  had carefully restored. The Unit learnt that this 180 foot topsail three masted steel schooner was built in Appledore in 1906 for her owner who also owned Pillar Warehouse in Gloucester Docks. The schooner carried cargo around the Bristol Channel and Irish Sea.  Tragically the ship along with several others sank in mid-December 1910 in a near hurricane force storm.  The Lucy Johns, carrying a cargo of oats, foundered off the Irish coast with the loss of all hands.

 

Picture shows the restored model of the Lucy Johns with  Unit Treasurer Gordon McDonald, HOU Nic Price, Speaker Tony Conder and Head of Seamanship Tim Huckvale