Back to the Beaches - Dunkirk 2025

Endeavour has recently returned from Dunkirk where she took part in the memorial events marking the 85th anniversary of the evacuations. This was the first return for ten years due to the interruption of Covid in 2020, and it also marks the first time that there would be no veterans present. 

Endeavour left Leigh on Monday, 19th May, for Ramsgate, where it assembled with the sixty six other Little Ships in the Association of Dunkirk Little Ships flotilla. On board were skipper Alan Barttram, mate Andy Lewis and a crew of Cameron McGregor,  Carl Pullen,  Justin Hitchcock,  Robin Tothill and  Bill Shirley.   

Harold Graham Porter

When Renown hit a sea mine in the early hours of 1st June 1940, four men lost their lives. They are commemorated on the memorial in St Clements' Churchyard. Three of them-skipper Harry Noakes, engineer Frank Osborne and deckhand Leslie 'Lukie' Osborne-were cousins, all part of the Osborne family that continues to fish from Leigh to this day, and whose descendants Andrew and Graham Osborne became joint presidents of the Trust in 2024.

The forth was Harold Porter, and he is often assumed to be another Leigh man. He was actually a naval rating that was assigned to Renown when she reported to Southend Pier for duty in May 1940, and could easily have not gone to Dunkirk. Born in West Bromwich in 1921 to Sidney and Mabel Porter, Harold Graham Porter's father was a jeweller. Between 1934 and 1938, Harold attended the prestigious public school Malvern College, but apparently was not particularly academic as a quite blunt report of his death in the school journal records.

Track Endeavour in Real Time

You can now track Endeavour in real time when she’s out and about - Endeavour now has AIS fitted which allows you to find her when she's out and about, though, of course, she will mostly be in home waters.

AIS, or Automatic Identification System, is a maritime navigation safety communication system that allows vessels to broadcast their position, speed, and other data to other vessels and shore stations using VHF to exchange data, helping to prevent collisions, track ships, and improve maritime traffic management.

You can use a website such as https://www.vesselfinder.com/vessels/details/232037974 (other trackers are available) or download an app for your phone to keep track of her. 

Endeavour's call sign is MJXW6, and her MMSI (Maritime Mobile Service Identity) is 232037974, which you will need to distinguish our Endeavour from all the others (though the link above will take you direct to her)! 

Return from Dunkirk BBQ Evening

The Trust is delighted to announce an evening to formally welcome Endeavour back from her trip to the 85th Dunkirk Memorial events in France to take place at Osborne Bros on Billet Wharf at 7pm on Thursday 17th July. Tickets are priced at £32 each.

There will be a talk about the trip by members of the crew, and many stories of what happened at Ramsgate and Dunkirk, and a first rate barbecue menu. We are expecting Endeavour to be on her mooring in full view.

Menu:

To Start
Sourdough baguette, Seaweed Butter or plan butter

Main Catch - choice of:
Piri piri prawn skewers
Cajun salmon & spring onion skewers
Tuna terriyaki skewers
Lemon, garlic & chicken skewers
Salsa verde, halloumi & summer veg skewers

All skewers served with side salad and ziggy fries, seasoned with seaweed salt.

To Finish
Biscoff baked cheesecake

For tickets and dinner choice please contact:

Chris - droggy39@gmail.com or 07909 189746
Cameron - cameron94uk@yahoo.co.uk or 07711 847898

Welcome to the Spring Newsletter

Welcome to the Spring 2025 Newsletter!

We are delighted to be able to announce our new joint presidents, Andrew Lawrence and Graham Osborne, the cousins that own the  Osborne Bros cockling business in the Old Town. We also have a couple of new faces on the Committee too. There's details of the return to Dunkirk in May, plus some other dates in the diary, including the Spring Social, and some updates on subscription prices.

We've released our schedule of events for 2025, and would like to encourage everyone to take a look and take up the opportunities for trips, including non-members (they will need to take out a membership, but this is comparable to the price of such a trip anyway!).

Please drop us a line if you have any comments, or post a message on our Facebook page. 

Our New Joint Presidents

The Leigh-on-Sea Endeavour Trust is delighted to announce that Graham Osborne (left in the photo above) and Andrew Lawrence (right), owners and operators of Osborne Bros shellfish merchants have agreed to take up the position joint Presidents for the Trust.

Schedule of Activities 2025

Happy faces on an Endeavour excursion back in 2022

The new Schedule of Activities for 2025 (pdf), listing all potential dates when tides mean Endeavour could make an excursion, has been uploaded to our website on the Trips on Endeavour page. If you are unable to access an online copy, please let Chris Burls (01702 553274) know, and we'll arrange a printed version.

Return to Dunkirk

This May will see Endeavour return to Dunkirk for the first time since 2015. This pilgrimage should take place every five years, but Covid put pay to the 2020 trip.

This marks the 85th anniversary of the Miracle of Dunkirk, the rescue of the British Army from the French coast from what should have been a crushing defeat by the vastly superior surrounding German army.

New Faces at the Trust

The Trust would like to welcome Steve Barham to the Committee. Steve grew up sailing in local waters and now sails regularly on the River Crouch.  He has followed the Endeavour story since she was first restored and looks forward to contributing to the important work of the Trust. 

We also welcome Jenny Davies, who will be helping us out with our comms on social media. Jenny is very familiar with Endeavour, being Chairman Peter Wexham’s daughter, and hence having grown up around the boat when Peter was her owner!

Spring Social

At 7pm on Friday 9th May at Osbornes Bros Cafe on Billet Wharf, High Street, Old Town (opposite the Crooked Billet), the Trust will hold its Spring Reception.

There will be an opportunity to meet fellow members and enjoy a meal and a talk by joint President of the Trust and co-owner of Osborne Bros, Andrew Lawrence, entitled ‘Dunkirk & the Leigh Cockle Industry’.

Dates for the Diary

Some dates to note. Further detail will be forthcoming once we have it!

May 9th - Spring Social
May 16-18th: Leigh Shanty festival
May 19 – 26th: Endeavour at Dunkirk
July TBC: Summer Reception - Osbornes with a meal. Tickets £TBC
Sept 6-7th: Old Leigh Regatta run by the Scouts of the Old Town
Oct TBC: Laying Up Supper—Venue & Tickets TBC

Subcription Changes

To keep up with the increasing costs of maintaining Endeavour, the committee has agreed a modest increase in subscriptions from 1st September 2025.