Details
Construction
Dimensions
History
SEAGULL II, Thames barge, was built in 1901 by Gill & Sons, Rochester, for the War Department. She is half the size of normal craft of her type and her purpose was to carry ordnance and stores in Pembroke dockyard. She did this until 1930 when she was sold and became a private yacht back in the Thames Estuary before becoming an architectural feature on Free Trade Wharf Wapping in 1988. Sold in 1999 for restoration at Gillingham to her current owner, this was estimated to be continuing until 2010. In 2008, she moved to the dry dock at The Medway Cruising Club to undergo a major rebuild, during which everything was being replaced except the flat bottom. She came out of the dry dock in 2014 and her rebuild was completed in 2021.
Key dates
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1901
Built by Gill & Sons, Rochester, for the War Department
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1901-30
Carried ordinance and stores in Pembroke Dockyard
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1930
Sold to Gil Winfield to become a private yacht
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1959-60
Sailed to the Mediterranean via Paris and French canals
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1988
Became an architectural feature on Free Trade Wharf, Wapping
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1999
Sold to private owner for restoration at Gillingham
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2008
Moved to the dry dock at The Medway Cruising Club for a major rebuild
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2014
'Re-launched' from dry dock to a mud birth for continued fitting out
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2021
Re-build completed.
Sources
Old Gaffer's Association Member's Handbook and Boat Archive, 1993
World Ship Society British Armed Forces Small Craft Historical Society, Survivors Register, 1998
Own this vessel?
If you are the owner of this vessel and would like to provide more details or updated information, please contact info@nationalhistoricships.org.uk
