Mistral. Journal of the Mersea Island Society. 2009 Page 13
The Gentleman's Yacht by Andy and Margarite White.

The Gentleman's Yacht Back in the 19th century, when 'gentlemen' had the privileges of immense wealth and the time to flaunt it HOTSPUR was commissioned. At this time of course, shipwrights and master craftsmen were readily available and with no expense spared, in 1874 HOTSPUR took to the seas. At 100ft long and weighing 96 ton of 2 inch thick mahogany planking on lined grown oak frames she was superbly built to withstand any seas. On deck she sported a 90ft mast and 60ft bowsprit, a truly impressive sight Down below she sleeps seven in four cabins, plus saloon, galley and heads. Fortunately, most of the original interior is still as it was a lasting testimony to the largely forgotten skills of true shipwrights and opulent wealth, a bygone era indeed.

Hotspur, the old English name for a swashbuckler and nothing to do with the London football club, arrived in Mersea in 1914 and safely moored in her current mud berth as the First World War broke out. Here, suitably pickled and preserved by the wonderful Mersea mud, she has provided a beautiful home for at least five different families.

I had lived and worked on Mersea on and off for a number of years and one Sunday morning decided to pop down to visit a friend of mine on the waterfront. Dick Gladwell, as some of you may know is one of the few surviving true shipwrights and in my mind personifies the old expression of 'wooden ships, iron men!' and is without doubt an interesting character and font of knowledge. During our conversation he happened to mention that HOTSPUR was for sale and kindly agreed to show me round.

Date: March 2009