Boatbuilding in Newhaven

— #9 Great Michael Rise

Overview Sir Basil Spence Fishermen’s Park Boatbuilding

4_6059  The Reliance, the last fishing boat built in Newhaven at its launch in 1928.  Lots of men and boys from the primary school turned out to drag the boat from the park down to the slip way for the launch into the harbour.  There would never be another occasion such as this.

Although it is recorded that there was a boatbuilding yard in Fishermen’s Park the only one that is known about is Allan & Brown. They were in business between 1920 and 1928 and were the builders of the last yawl to be built and launched in Newhaven, the Reliance LH210. It is probably more correct to say it was the last fishing boat.

Two other earlier boatbuilders in Newhaven, Robert Bernardes and Magnus Mowat may have had their yards in the Park, although none of the early maps show any of the buildings that would have been on the Park, apart from the Admiral’s Office.

4_6200 The boat, Atlantic I [LH 158] made ready to be pulled along to the harbour to be launched, in August 1919.  The wheel is part of the carrier on which the boats were pulled along. The boatbuilder is as yet unknown. The buildings to the left rear of the photo are the houses on the west side of the Whale Brae.  The building far right on the edge of the picture is Victoria School