Name Glad Tidings

GLAD TIDINGS was built in 1897 by James Weir of Arbroath. She is a fishing vessel registered as AH213 and originally owned by Hugh Smith. She was built as a fast Fifie and operated purely as a sailing vessel until her first engine was installed in 1914. She had subsequent engine changes in 1930 and 1943, and then a Kelvin 66 diesel was installed in 1964. During her fishing career she drift netted, seine netted and small lined between Aberdeen and Leith and seasonally crossed to Loch Fyne for the herring fishing season. She also fished for salmon off Arbroath in the season between 1945 and 1947. Purchased by William Cargill in 1920, she remained with the family for over 3 generations until her fishing career ended in 1977.

She was then sold to Terry Dalton for conversion to a motor cruiser. She changed hands again in 1985 but was left derelict on the River Medway in Kent for 5 years. In 1990, she was sold to Ian Savage who started her restoration and in 1997 she was sold for conversion back to sail. 

GLAD TIDINGS finally sunk in 2015 due to lack of funds and neglect. She was then bought by shipwright John Archer in 2016. He gutted the inside which had been fitted out as a liveaboard. Once he could get get access to the entire hull he floated her using temporary measures, before putting in a temporary engine temporarily and motoring her to the river Deben, Suffolk, where he began a restoration. 

Under new ownership since 2023, the current owner is continuing the restoration with plans to relaunch the vessel in Spring 2025. She is now based in Penryn, Cornwall.