1923-24
Built at the shipyard of R. Jackman & Sons of Brixham and registered there (BM163), "Torbay Lass" was commissioned in 1923, carried a ketch rig and was powered by sail. She was built to work the Western Approaches out into the Atlantic and is one of less than ten Brixham Sail Fishing Trawlers (a couple are 'replicas')still afloat and in use anywhere in the world. Renamed "Kenya Jacaranda" in 1945, she remains one of about seven from an original fleet of some 400 Brixham trawlers.
1924-37
Most years from 1924 to 1936 the "Torbay Lass" competed in the Brixham Regatta for the King's Cup. In 1936 she romped home, winner overall.
For just thirteen years she plied her trade as a fishing trawler in the Western Approaches and the Atlantic. There is circumstantial 'evidence' that she landed fish in St. John's, Nova Scotia in the mid-thirties. It is possible that she worked the North Sea also but the only 'evidence' is that the Brixham Fleet was well known there and she was part of that fleet.
"Torbay Lass" entered the history books in 1935, when she towed a 3-masted schooner "Welcome" away from the Wolf Rock and into Newlyn.This is documented as the last salvage of a sailing vessel by another sailing vessel in British waters. The "Welcome" at 200 tons displacement and carrying 200 tons of coal for HM dockyard in Davenport, was ten times the weight of the "Torbay Lass". It was an extraordinary feat of seamanship, proving the extraordinary muscle of a Brixham Trawler. Due to the winds blowing on the day Skipper Alf Lovis was obliged to tack for eleven hours to haul "Welcome" into Newlyn
1936-1939
King's Cup: In 1936, she won the King's Cup and a marvellous photo exists of her on the day. The sail area is astounding
Bradshaw is believed to have taken "Torbay Lass" to Rainham Creek or Daganham Dock where engines, a wheelhouse, cabins and ablutory facilities were fitted. An old shipwright, Bill [Prout], seeing her as the "Kenya Jacaranda" in the late sixties, recalled ' working on that boat before the war ' but was scant on detail and not believed at the time. Bill had worked all his life around Dagenham and died about 1970.
So "Torbay Lass", a mere teenager of fifteen, came to the River Thames in 1937/38 and turned her back forever on fishing. It is believed that, after conversion, Bradshaw took her up the East coast in 1939. There is evidence she may have gone as far as Scotland in the Summer of 1939 with war looming.
The British Naval fleet mobilised on 31st August. "Torbay Lass", on her way back to the Thames was 'ordered' into Hull. With all hell and confusion breaking loose during this week, Bradshaw is believed to have 'ignored orders' and gone into LOWESTOFT. There is no absolute or direct proof of this story but it has survived in the oral tradition.
1939-1945
It is believed that the yacht remained in Lowestoft through the war years. Local people have told us that anything with masts was brought into the fenlands behind Lowestoft to prevent the enemy from landing gliders. Literally dozens of masted boats were so deployed and there is no reason to believe "Torbay Lass" was not among them.
We were also told she may have been used for R+R by off-duty service-men. [And you can read what you like into that. We heard some hilarious stories while in Lowestoft] This is quite feasible as there would have been very few masted craft with engines to keep one warm, beds to sleep in, bathrooms for ablutions and a galley! You are invited, in the absense of FULL information, to let you imagination run riot.
Genesta Long [nee Heath, later Lady Claud Hamilton] was based at Folkstone in the Summer of 1944 The following is extracted word-for-word from her autobiographical book "A Stone's Throw.
" But the Folkstone days had led me to one marvellous thing ~ to a lovely ship, my future home. Through a shipbuilder in Hastings I heard of a Brixham trawler at Lowestoft, and went up there post-haste to see what I could find. And there she lay, the Torbay Lass ............. "
Excerpt from "A Stone's Throw" by Genesta Hamilton, nee Heath . Hutchinson. ISBN 0 09 165910 8
June 1944. " ............. the perfect craft for me ~ oak built, converted to a yacht, ketch-rigged. She has a big saloon aft with a stove in it, four big double berth cabins, two lavatories, a big roomy foc'sle. and a deck house. She is quite spacious ~ seventy feet long, eighteen wide, and an eight-foot-six draft. It was a case of love at first sight, and after a little manoeuvring with my dear bank manager I was able to buy her for £2000. This is less than her value, and when she is fitted out for sea she will be worth at least double that. Now I have something stable to look forward to after the war."
Details of further conversion of the former trawler is obscure. However, it was now that "Torbay Lass" became "Kenya Jacaranda" Genesta intended to sail her to Kenya once the war finished, but it never came to pass. The reasons are outlined in the book. What has never been properly explained is the fact that until the 80's "Kenya Jacaranda's" hull below the water line was clad in copper. No-one knows for certain when it was fitted, why or by whom but the only reason for copper-cladding a wooden ship is to preserve her from worm in warm waters.
1945-1949
" laid up in Hull for the duration of the World War II, given back to the owner and brought South to the Hamble, but the owner has never used her after the war, put up for sale but there were no takers ".
Above quote from old KJ publicity is based on the then assumption that Genesta bought the boat directly from Alf Lovis in 1937/8. This is eloquently disproved by perusing Genesta's book. We KNOW Harry Bradshaw bought Torbay Lass in 1937/8 and converted her to a yacht before the commencement of war.
There is no firm evidence as to what happened to Kenya Jacaranda between the Summer of 1944, when Genesta infers she bought the boat, and 1949 when the boat was discovered 'abandoned' in Burleston on the Hamble. It is absolutely certain and "A Stone's Throw" shows it, that Genesta did not use it for sailing. The waters are further muddied by the fact that there are conflicting reports from people still living.
http://college.hmco.com/history/readerscomp/ships/html/sh_027600_hmsdolphin.htm
" Dolphin was in excellent condition due mostly to the fact that before sailing, her hull was sheeted
in copper "to cause some further experiments to be made of the efficacy of Copper-Sheeting"
against teredo worms. Byron had written from Port Famine,
"My Opinion of Copper Bottoms is that it is the finest Invention in the World,"
and this was confirmed by the master shipwright at Deptford who declared her "fit for further Service.
" Dolphin was the second Royal Navy ship fitted with copper (the first was HMS Alarm, in 1761),
but despite the benefits, copper cladding was not widespread until after 1783."
KJ was stripped of her copper skin in the '80's for reasons best known to the then custodians.
The cladding was already present when she came into service as a Sail Training vessel in 1951.
There is no direct evidence as to who did it, when or why.
The cladding asks more questions than it answers.
Cladding is only carried out on boats destined for tropical waters to protect the timbers.
However, the economics of the job and the lack of materials during or after the war
have neither been properly gauged nor researched.
1949-1951 - 1961 -1980
1950/1 transferred to a Sea Cadet unit in London, with the [historical] suggestion they should operate and sail her to improve her exposure and the chances of selling her on. She was used for shortish trips for the first two years. From 1961 the sailing range was extended to Dover, later to Ostend, Calais and Boulogne
since 1980 the Kenya Jacaranda has been operated by the Mayflower Sail Training Society, on a lease from the PRESENT owners,
she has undergone some major repairs.
offers sail training for youth with the opportunity to experience
going to sea as part of the working crew, also available for private
charter, participates in sailing ship events along the English coast.
origin of the names:
'Tor Bay' is the bay between Torquay and Brixham,
'Lass' is an old-English word for a young girl, particularly a lively one.
Jacaranda is a decorative tree with a characteristic flower of the same
name.