Took a wander around Whitton Marine, Hoo. Aside from the WW2 Ferro-Concrete Barges there, I was able to step on to Violette, a concrete schooner built Faversham by James Pollock & Sons, designed by Walter Pollock himself. She was one of two, the other being called Molliette.
Molliette, her elder sister, had been launched in November 1918 and was registered to Bernard Oppenheimer. Her ultimate fate was to be used for target practice by the American Air Force at Mersea in 1943. After WW2 a gent called Douglas Stocker dredged the area around the wreck for brass shells, making enough money to buy a piece of land and build a dwelling that he aptly named Molliette…)
Violette was launched 22nd May 1919 and completed 16th May 1919. 125’ 6”long, 25’ wide, draft of 10’4”, TDW of 300 tons and fitted with a 120-130 bhp Bolinder crude oil marine engine. Following sea trials in August 1919, she was NOT accepted by Bernard Oppenheimer (probably because Molliette had suffered a number of calamities) and so was registered to Pollocks.
18th January 1921, during a storm of unusual severity, she was driven into Southend Pier causing serious damage to the pier and damage to Violette such that she was declared a total loss. Pollocks patched her up, took her back to Faversham and redeployed her engine and left the hulk on the beach at Seasalter.
14th July 1923, she was sold by public auction on the condition she was moved by 15th August of that year.
Next known position was above Sun Pier, Chatham used as a refuelling tanker for the New Medway Steam Packet Company.
1975, she was moved to the shoreline where she is today. She is listed, No. 716, in the National Historic Fleet Register
Molliette, her elder sister, had been launched in November 1918 and was registered to Bernard Oppenheimer. Her ultimate fate was to be used for target practice by the American Air Force at Mersea in 1943. After WW2 a gent called Douglas Stocker dredged the area around the wreck for brass shells, making enough money to buy a piece of land and build a dwelling that he aptly named Molliette…)
Violette was launched 22nd May 1919 and completed 16th May 1919. 125’ 6”long, 25’ wide, draft of 10’4”, TDW of 300 tons and fitted with a 120-130 bhp Bolinder crude oil marine engine. Following sea trials in August 1919, she was NOT accepted by Bernard Oppenheimer (probably because Molliette had suffered a number of calamities) and so was registered to Pollocks.
18th January 1921, during a storm of unusual severity, she was driven into Southend Pier causing serious damage to the pier and damage to Violette such that she was declared a total loss. Pollocks patched her up, took her back to Faversham and redeployed her engine and left the hulk on the beach at Seasalter.
14th July 1923, she was sold by public auction on the condition she was moved by 15th August of that year.
Next known position was above Sun Pier, Chatham used as a refuelling tanker for the New Medway Steam Packet Company.
1975, she was moved to the shoreline where she is today. She is listed, No. 716, in the National Historic Fleet Register
