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Summary

The Winifred was built in Falmouth in 1897. She was used to deliver gas bottles to the balloon barrage vessels in Falmouth harbour during the Second World War. Her remains now lie in Old Mill Creek. She is visible as a wrecked structure on aerial photographs of 1960 onwards and on digital images derived from aerial photographs taken in 2012, to the east of Great Copse.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX85SE/393
• Tide Project: 20/05/2020

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• HULK (Built, XIX - 1897 AD to 1897 AD)

Full description

Royal Air Force, 1960, RAF/58/3510, RAF/58/3510 F22 245-246 22-APR-1960 (Aerial Photograph). SDV352221.

The complete hulk of the former vessel is visible as a structure.

Langley, M. + Small, E., 1988, Merchant Shipping, 7 (Monograph). SDV337695.

Winifred. 38 ton ketch, built 1874. Fire damaged remains lie in Old Mill Creek.

Ashton, A., et al, 2000, River Dart Case Study Area Survey - University of Plymouth Archaeology Module (Un-published). SDV337705.

The ketch, Winifred. Built in Falmouth in 1897. In 1920 the vessel was fitted with its first auxiliary motor. By the 1930s she was owned by Fred Bowden of Cattedown who engaged the vessel in up-channel trading to Fareham and Portsmouth. During World War II she was used to deliver gas bottles to the balloon barrage vessels in Falmouth harbour. During the 1950s it is known that the vessel spent some time in Brixham harbour.

Channel Coast Observatory, 2001-2012, Channel Coast Observatory Aerial Photography, Channel Coastal Observatory SX8752 18-SEP-2012 (Aerial Photograph). SDV351226.

The partial hulk of the former vessel is visible as a wrecked structure.

Next Perspectives, 2006, Pan Government Agreement Aerial Photograph, Next Perspectives PGA Imagery SX8752 03-JUN-2006 (Aerial Photograph). SDV351300.

The partial hulk of the former vessel is visible as a wrecked structure.

Hegarty, C. + Knight, S. + Sims, R., 2013-2014, South Devon Coast Rapid Coastal Zone Assessment Survey National Mapping Programme Project (Interpretation). SDV351146.

A hulk of modern date is visible as a wrecked structure on aerial photographs of 1960 onwards and on digital images derived from aerial photographs taken in 2012, to the east of Great Copse. The mud in-filled hulk of the former vessel is largely complete on aerial photographs of 1960 and remains in a stationary position, although in a largely broken up state of condition, on digital images derived from aerial photographs taken in 2006. The hulk measures approximately 20m long by 6.5m wide and remains visible as a wrecked structure on digital images derived from aerial photographs taken in 2012.

Maritime Archaeology Trust, 2018, Maritime Archaeology Trust: Forgotten Wrecks of the First World War (Website). SDV363802.

Forgotten Wrecks of the First World War is a Heritage Lottery Funded project dedicated to raising the profile of a currently under -represented aspect of the First World War. While attention is often focused on the Western Front and major naval battles like Jutland, historic remains from the war lie, largely forgotten, in and around our seas, rivers and estuaries.

Winifred was chosen as one of the Forgotten Wrecks case study sites because the vessel was typical of many of its period, survived the First World War, and then continued plying its trade until the Second World War when it assisted in the war effort. Subsequent to the Second World War, very little is known about Winifred despite spending its whole life within the area. Winifred after displaying impressive longevity for a small wooden vessel is now a charred wreck in the River Dart.

Completed by May 1897, the Winifred (Official Number: 108553) was built in Falmouth and registered as a sailing vessel at Plymouth. The ship was a small wooden coastal trader having a gross tonnage of 50 until 1940 when it increased to 53 when an auxiliary motor was fitted, consequently being re-registered as a motor vessel at Plymouth. The 64ft (c.19.5m) long ship had a beam of 19.3 ft (c.5.9m) and a depth of hold of 7.5 ft (2.3m). From 1897, Winifred was powered by sail in a ketch configuration until 1940 when the 25 bhp auxiliary motor was added.

During the First World War, the Winifred continued its coastal trade and its Owner/Master remained as Frederick Bowden, but apparently with only one crew member at any one time.

During the Second World War, having been fitted with an auxiliary motor, Winifred was one of the vessels employed on the Falmouth balloon barrage, reportedly servicing the other barrage vessels with gas bottles (Naval-history.net; Barrage Balloon Vessels 2018).

After the Second World War, there is scant information to be found including how or when Winifred became a charred but visible hulk on the river Dart. Reportedly, Winifred was for a period in the 1950s in Dartmouth harbour. There has clearly been deterioration of the site between 1988 and 2016, the hull has continued to degrade, although there are still significant amounts of lower parts of the hull in-situ including elements of the bow and stern.

A basic site plan (Figure 3) was created using on site survey measurements in combination with photographic survey. The use of GPS tagged photographs allowed them to be processed together to assist with developing the site plan.

The physical remains measure 19.20m (63ft) long, 5.5m (18ft) wide and up to 2m high. The site lies on a north – south alignment with the bow to the north (Figures 4 and 5). The hull is sitting on an even keel and is formed of wooden frames and planks with iron reinforcement and fastenings. Planking and framing preserved on both sides to just past the turn of the bilge, the framing is paired (Figure 6). The sides have fallen away on the stern quarters. The keelson is in-situ along with two mast steps (Figure 7 and 8). The bulk of the stem and stern assembly are in-situ and preserved. Gudgeons are present on the stern post 4ft (1.22m) apart.

A single iron knee survives around the midships position on the starboard side, this shows the original height of the deck which it would have supported. Remains of an iron tank present on the starboard side in the mid ships area, likely to have been the ships water tank.

The Winifred appears to be a relatively ‘typical’ West Country trading vessel of the late 19th century. As with many sailing vessels, Winifred was later fitted with an auxiliary engine, providing the benefit of both methods of propulsion. Constructed in an era when metal steam powered ships were becoming the most common type of construction, Winifred represents the end of the tradition of regional wooden shipbuilding. In the early 20th century it was still possible for regional sailing vessels to make a profit from trading, a situation which did not continue for very long past the First World War.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV337695	Monograph: Langley, M. + Small, E.. 1988. Merchant Shipping. Merchant Shipping. Unknown. 7.
SDV337705	Un-published: Ashton, A., et al. 2000. River Dart Case Study Area Survey - University of Plymouth Archaeology Module. University of Plymouth: Nautical Archaeology. A4 Stapled + Digital.
SDV351146	Interpretation: Hegarty, C. + Knight, S. + Sims, R.. 2013-2014. South Devon Coast Rapid Coastal Zone Assessment Survey National Mapping Programme Project. AC Archaeology Report. Digital.
	Linked documents:1
SDV351226	Aerial Photograph: Channel Coast Observatory. 2001-2012. Channel Coast Observatory Aerial Photography. Channel Coast Observatory. Digital. Channel Coastal Observatory SX8752 18-SEP-2012.
SDV351300	Aerial Photograph: Next Perspectives. 2006. Pan Government Agreement Aerial Photograph. Pan Government Agreement Aerial Photographs. Digital. Next Perspectives PGA Imagery SX8752 03-JUN-2006. [Mapped feature: #98780 ]
SDV352221	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1960. RAF/58/3510. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). RAF/58/3510 F22 245-246 22-APR-1960.
SDV363802	Website: Maritime Archaeology Trust. 2018. Maritime Archaeology Trust: Forgotten Wrecks of the First World War. https://forgottenwrecks.maritimearchaeologytrust.org/. Website.

Associated Monuments: none recorded

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV6127 - Rapid Coastal Zone Assessment Survey National Mapping Programme (NMP) for South-West England - South Coast Devon (Ref: ACD618)

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