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| KATHLEEN & MAY.The Three-masted Schooner Kathleen & May was returned to the water on 5th May 2001 at Bideford. She was built at Connah's Quay, North Wales as the Lizzie May in 1900 at just under 100ft length, 136 tons gross, and capable fo carrying 250 tons of cargo. She was employed in the general coasting trade carrying such bulk cargoes as coal, china, clay, cement, bricks, fertilisers and grain between many ports in the BritisIsles.In 1908 the Lizzie May was sold to Martin J. Fleming of Youghal in the Irish Republic, and registered at Cork. Her name was changed to Kathleen & May. She sailed from Youghal for 23 years.In 1931 she was sold again to Capt., Thomas Jewell of Appledore, who was in partnership with his father, Captain William Jewell, and re-registered in Bideford. Her yards, except for the foreyard were send down (i.e. the top square sails were removed, and the mast shortened accordingly), and she was fitted with a semi-deisel engine. She sailied in the Irish trade. She also carried coal from the Mersey to the south coast and she contiued trading right throught the war. A new engine was fitted, her hatches were enlarged and her masts poled off (further shortened) to give her an efficient and handsome sail plan as a motor vessel with sail assist.The commercial success of the Kathleen & May into the 1960's was a remarkable phenomenon. A survivor, powerfully redolent of an earlier age at sea, she was in constant employment in trades in which Capt. Thomas Jewell was well established with merchants and shippers. In 1960, he retired, and Kathleen & May was taken over by the Maritime Trust and put into a dry dock on the Thames for display. She is now owned by the Kathleen & May Trust for whom this relaunching is a significant milestone in her restoration..(Information from Bideford Buzz Pictures of the lifting of the Kathleen & May as she was returned to the water, at Bideford, 5th May 2001. |
