Winter Blues

Those readers local to Leigh will have noticed that Endeavour was still afloat on her summer mooring, mast down and looking a little miserable, well into March. This is to explain why and how she will look spritely once again in time for the upcoming events. She had her mast lowered to go under the bridges above Tower Bridge for the A.D.L.S. Veteran’s Cruise last year– these do not open to allow clearance. 

Anne Hinton van't Hoff’s photograph graphically shows Endeavour on her mooring in choppy seas

Merchandise and Memorabilia

The more events that we participate in, the more we recognise how vitally important they are as a platform, not only to tell the Endeavour story, but to fund raise and to recruit new members.

Finlay and Linda Marshall have put their minds together and have come up with three new items of merchandise to go alongside our sweatshirts, t shirts, prints and cards.

Summer Reception

• Thursday 30th June – from 7 pm

• Osborne Bros, Billet Wharf, High Street, Leigh-on-Sea, SS9 2ER

• Individual portions of hot and cold delights served by waiting staff

• £14 per person

• Drinks available from the Crooked Billet PH 

•  Come and join trustees, committee members, fellow members and guests

• Beautiful views providing a stunning backdrop for a summer’s experience of al fresco dining

• Endeavour after her recent return from participating in the commemorative cruise to Ramsgate will be on her creek mooring

• Traditional shanty and chorus songs by the popular Hoy Shanty Crew 

• Ample parking, free after 6 pm, is available in nearby car parks and on Belton Bridge 

• Please contact Peter Dolby to confirm your booking
  

•  Please forward your remittance using the tear off slip on the linked PDF.

Welcome to the Winter 2015 Newsletter

This edition covers the Veterans' Cruise Weekend at Hampton Court, more tales from this summer's Dunkirk trip, the Southend Barge Match, the Leigh Society Open Day, the 2nd Leigh Maritime Festival and finally, but by no means least, the 2nd Leigh Regatta!

Phew!

Veterans Cruise Weekend At Hampton Court - Paul Gilson

There have been many highlights for Endeavour this year and I believe that this event may have been the best.

It was a long trip, leaving Leigh on the ebb for a punch against the tide all the way up river. Our journey was uncharted waters for Endeavour. She has never been above the Pool of London so a trip up another twenty miles was an experience. With the mast down we passed gracefully under many bridges. The scenery was fantastic and it felt like I was moving through history with iconic buildings at every turn. Wildlife abounds in the upper reaches, and into the fresh water above Teddington, ducks, geese and ring-necked parakeets were in our sights at every turn. After a journey of 11 hours 45 minutes we berthed with the other little ships above Hampton Court Bridge at the Thames Motor Yacht Club.

Operation Dynamo 2015 – Colin Sains

Tuesday 19^th May

It was with some trepidation that I arrived at Old Leigh Boat yard to meet my fellow crew members, Jeremy Squires, Finlay Marshall, Gareth Jones and skipper Paul Gilson and for the very first time step on to Endeavour along with far too much kit.

Paul had set my mind partly at rest by assuring me that my extreme lack of nautical experience would not prevent me joining the boat for the start of the journey to commemorate the 75^th anniversary of Operation Dynamo.

Events and Open Days

Again this year Endeavour, but this time skippered by ‘Brum’ sailed among the splendid Thames Sailing Barges competing in the Southend Barge Match. An excellent opportunity to view and take photographs  was taken up by new members Dave and Sue Proctor who joined Brum, Peter, Anne and Michael on board. The  chill breeze meant that those on board had to keep well wrapped up but it helped the barges achieve a brisk racing speed.

Email

We are grateful to those members who responded to the prodding in the last newsletter regarding your email details. However this is still only 10% of our membership, and whilst we know a few of you are not at all computer minded or connected, we still need a much larger response.  Please rest assured that we will never abuse such information, it is solely to save the horrendous cost of postage of newsletters, subscription chasers  and other important paperwork. Please spare us one or two minutes to send the details to [Contact details removed as no longer current - please refer to Shop and Membership tab above.].

Sea Scouts and Pilgrims Aboard

We’re pleased to report that following on from the talk we gave to the 4th/6th Leigh Sea Scout cubs last year, and as part of our community and educational programme, we welcomed them on Endeavour at the end of July. As is clearly shown by the happy faces in the photograph opposite they thoroughly enjoyed the trip out and we hope to encourage more involvement from the local sea scouts. After all one of them may be the skipper of the future!

The Resolute

The Resolute. R.I.P.

It was back in 2001 when Mike King, Peter Wexham, John Porter and Michael Guy drove to Rochester to take a look at Resolute, one of the six Leigh Dunkirk little ships.

They had heard that Resolute was in a parlous condition and hoped that she could be brought back to Leigh and restored to former glory.