Article
With Thanks to
Jean Martin

Cover Photo 2003: Collars Alley - named in recognition of the old  boatyard 

Roots in the 19th Century....

As far as I have been able to discover, the Collar yard was established around the mid 1800's. I say 'around ' because it seems to have been be a gradual process. 

The Family Ancestry....

Thomas Collar -  Born 1806
Son of John & Grandson of Thomas

New Island Wall.... New Opportunities

Island Wall was already the location for maritime industries in the form of chandlers, sail makers and repair yards. Although primarily intended as an improved sea defence for an expanding but low lying town centre (see Brian Smith's article 'The History of the Whitstable" shoreline - click here to view), the new wall also opened up more ground for development. By 1847, Maddams , Young, Holloway, Haywood and Thomas Gann were the main shipyards. 

I believe Thomas Gann started around 1839 and his enterprise was probably the most successful yard at that time. In 1847, Gann launched his and Whitstable's biggest burthen, the Mary Ann Gann (300 tons).  The launch was described in the press as "a scene of beauty and interest". A platform was built for the ladies and, from this, his daughter named the ship with the ceremony of smashing a bottle of wine hung from a purple ribbon - "the ship then gliding into the bosom of the water". The scene was viewed from a crowded beach and a sea full of decorated and flagged boats.  

Development of Collars Yard

Today, the site of the Collars yard can be found approximately halfway between the Oyster Fisheries store and the Neptune PH where Collars Alley can be seen next to a garden .  

 Above: The dotted line shows the approx location of Collar's Yard on an aerial photo by Peter Dalrymple
Below: Collars Alley (2003) - Named in recognition of the old boatyard 

It is hard to find an exact date for the start of the shipyard but it is known that Thomas acquired pieces of land in stages.  

Thomas Collar was married to Mary Morgeson in 1833 and he was working as a shipwright initially from rented premises. 

His first land acquisition was a plot known as the storehouse. I believe this later became 22 Island Wall, - a building said to have been built by Thomas. (Note: This does not correspond to modern day numbering of houses in that locality). The storehouse was purchased on the 17 September 1855 from James Daniels for £90 and it measured approximately 84' x 20' x 86' x 20'. It was described as.....

The sawpit was purchased from James Daniels on the 20 February 1858 for £65 and was described as.....

The sawpit was over 6' deep and many arms long. The timbers for the boats were hand cut. The seasoned wood was pushed over the pit on rollers, the logs for the keels were cut end by end by a hand saw which was about 5' long, with a handle at each end. The man at the top had to have strength for all the bending up and down while the man in the pit drew the short straw for getting covered in the saw dust, a very dirty job.

The timber yard (opposite Thomas' existing property) was purchased in 1876 from Edward Adams the younger (a Master Mariner) and others who had ownership through shares. The measurements are a bit confusing  as it seems to have been an irregular shaped plot but it was roughly 108' x 84'. At the time, the purchased site seemed to border land owned by James Browning, Frederick Jutson Browne, and F.J. Browning. At some point, the Island Wall road (about 12' wide when it was built) passed through the Collar Yard.... with the main yard on the north side of the road and the timbers yard to the south. (Note: Today, the timber yard is occupied by The Saltings, having been sold to the Whitstable Urban District council on 3 February 1909).  

Thomas Collar obviously put the profits back into the company by extending the yard. The yard would have dealt mainly with repairs but, by 1865, a sizeable slipway had been built and a second followed. Mr. Wallace Harvey explained to my mother, by means of an old map shown to her in 1989, that the slipways  were opposite Beach Alley. They reached from the top of the beach, across the shingle and foreshore to the muddy flats - probably a distance of eighty yards or so. He also said that, at the height of the shipbuilding industry, there would have been some 28 yards operating!

Mr Harvey mentioned that Beach Alley had first come into existence as the only alley leading all the way from the High Street to the beach. It was made specifically to get the workers to the Collar yard. At the time, there were about fifteen of them employed there.

Some of the Early Launches

Various launches were reported in the Whitstable Times over the years...... 

The Collar Family

Thomas  Collar and Mary Collar (née Morgeson) had seven children. (Most of the Collar families were large and most worked in connection with the sea with the exception of the odd shopkeeper). John , Thomas, Edward Morgeson and Henry Aldridge were their four sons. 

Thomas Snr. is said to have built a cottage on the land bought from James Daniels. This became 22 Island Wall. However, today, all that remains is the garden where it once stood. The sawpit was next to it.

One son Thomas Jnr (Bn.1841) married Sarah Manktelow Pettman. She was the daughter of the legendary character William Pettman, former blacksmith (known as Dukey and Duccy) who built the Guinea PH  1860. No doubt , as his blacksmiths works were at the rear of the Guinea, he may have made things for the boat builders, before becoming a publican.. I can just imagine finishing a hard days graft and then having your father-in-law's public house almost opposite!  Although, like many people of the time, they were probably strong churchgoers and may have abstained.

A letter from Sarah Manktelow to her brother written prior to her marriage reads........

Sarah had a brother from her father's first marriage who emigrated to Australia and I imagine it could have been written to him. Her sister Frances  married George Reeves who owned a bakers where Boots  used to be - between the Salvation Army Barracks and the Post Office.

A story to have come down the generations is that a grandparent, of long ago, hid a small keg of brandy from the duty men  beneath her skirts and held between her knees. We always assumed it was Sarah Manktelow.

'Modern' Apprenticeship... in the 19th Century!

Henry Aldridge Collar did his apprenticeship at Chatham dockyard. It is possible that, as there were relatives in the industry at Chatham at the time, he may have been sent there to work as apprentice under them.  

A typical indenture for an apprentice at the time would be..... 

.... and a few other things as well! In return, the employer would promise to teach their art and skill to the best of their ability.  

There were often regulations preventing the taking of more than one apprentice, or at least until the first was in his fifth year.

On public holidays, the apprentice would still be expected to turn up at the Collar yard and would usually be told to go home and have the day off. This, I think, would have irritated the lad who could have planned his day had he known he was not going to be required for work but, in the eyes of the employer, would probably have served as an exercise in teaching them that hard work was expected and nothing should be taken for granted.   

I  understand Hubert Collar (son of Thomas) was apprenticed at the yard and typical wages at the time would have been 3/- per week for the first two years, 4/- for the next two, 6/- for the next two years and 8/- for the last year. 

Deals and part ownerships were often done with just a handshake or an agreed word but apprenticeships were an entirely different matter and on a very formal footing. Breaking the Oyster Fisheries terms could result in heavy fines, failure to qualify as a freeman or loss of compensation in times of difficulty. Apprenticeships could also be contracted to women who sometimes had shares in the boatyards.  

Spirit Running and the Tale of Old Tom Collar

A story from the Kentish Fire periodical of 21 September1883 tells of a vessel the 'Romping Moll' (owned by Old Tom Collar and Fiddler Ward and others) running spirits off Reculver. Having been seized by prevention men, two crew members were put aboard a frigate at Sheerness with the intention of sending them to the Far East.  One of the men, in trying to escape, jumped ship and started swimming for the shore. However, the current was strong and he was carried out towards the middle of the Medway. 

The Captain of the frigate, having spotted his escape, launched two baots to head him off and recapture him. He was supposedly saved by a grumpus (whale) which he climbed upon and rode like a horse. After making it to a sandbank and out of sight of the two boats, he managed to make his way to shoe and then to home...................... As yet I have found no information on the Romping Moll or even if the Old Tom Collar was one of ours!!!

Sad Farewell to Thomas and Mary Collar

Thomas Collar (the father) died on 13 October1883 whilst walking along Canterbury Road with his friend, Mr.Sanky. No sooner had he told his friend that he felt unwell  and asked for his support , he died. 

Thomas died in testate leaving his wife and four sons co-heirs according to the custom of Gavelkind  (a system of land tenure in which in testate property was divided equally between sons, especially in Anglo Saxon Kent). 

 Mary Collar died at 22 Island Wall on 24 May 1894.

New Generation... Success with a Firm Basis

Under the 4 sons, the Collar Yard continued to prosper. It seems its success can be put down to the fact that, in the 1850s, the yard adopted a new design for oyster smacks. John Morday a Freeman of the Whitstable Oyster Company designed a half model which was used for a design for a deeper, carvel butt construction with overhanging counters. This produced a faster yawl. 

For the remainder of the century, the oyster boats were made this way. It seems incredible but in 1876 there were said to be 125 of these yawls - most said to have been built in the Collar yard.

Some Launches in the 1890s

The Whitstable Times carried reports of more launches:-

Some of the Yard's Well Known Smacks

'Rosa and Ada' and Gamecock

The 'Rosa and Ada' and the 'Gamecock' were last to come out of the Collar Yard. Both vessels had their keels cut from the same log.  

'Rosa and Ada'

The 'Rosa and Ada' was registered in 1908 - F105.  and her owners were J.Emptage, S W Stephen Henry (?) and S & H Hoy. She was said to be their biggest smack built (40' 11" x 12'  x 4'10". Keel 35' 10"). She had an auxiliary motor dredging pit and this gave longevity of use by the Oyster Company. 

In World War II, she was requisitioned and  worked as a supply vessel in the Thames Estuary. In 1958, while moored off Whitstable in a thick fog, she was run down and sunk I am told by the 'Lady Sandra', (later named 'My Sorel'). At low tide, she was patched up and towed into harbour, repaired and continued working until 1963. Later driven up on the long beach in 1967 and was taken to the Anderson Yard where she was repaired. After being laid up for some years, in 1981, she went to Scotland and underwent extensive renovation. This was done in several stages....

• In 1991/92, the deck was replaced along with the top strake, planking and beams. The stern also had to be rebuilt. The work was done by Danish shipwright -Peter Jenson - at Troon marina. The oak beams were replaced with elm of heavier dimensions and the deck was laid with elm and iroko.  
   

• 1998/99 the mast was made from a douglas fir felled in the Great Glen at Gairlochy and formed into a new mast by Don Hind near Fort William Scotland. It was transported to Troon where it was craned into place. The old mast was used to refurbish the bowsprit.  

The Rosa and Ada now sails the Ayrshire waters  and can be hired for diving, holidaying and even TV work. In May 2005, the vessel's owner, Duncan Baillie kindly supplied this lovely photo set against the dramatic Scottish coastline .....

Photo © Duncan Baillie

Duncan has established a web site at www.rosaandada.com . 

(Note: Over the years, the vessel has been referred to as the 'Rose and Ada' by a number of people. We are not sure of the reason in all cases. However, John Harman has come up with a plausible explanation... ie that 'Rosa and Ada' actually came to be pronounced "Rose 'n Ada" by local people because it slipped off the tongue more easily!). 

'Gamecock'

Gamecock was launched on 13 June1907. (Registered 'F76', 14 tons and dimensions 36'1" x12' 2" x 3'8"). In 1948, she was owned by E Stroud, Albert Ashby, and Herbert Stroud. In 1962 and I believe to this day, she is owned by Bill Coleman. A replica is in the Whitstable Museum.

Under Bill's ownership, the vessel has taken part in Whitstable Regatta and, more recently, undertaken the ceremonial task of landing oysters during the town's Oyster Festival. Richard Perks' lovely Regatta article for Simply Whitstable contains a  photo of the boat being used as the platform for the fondly remembered 'Greasy Pole' competition (click here to view). 

'Emerline'

The 'Emerline' (F40) was another yawl built by the Collar Bros. In ????, she was discovered rotting in Malaga by Ray & Olive Harman and Leonard & Jessie Cole. (Note: Ray Harman is a name that will ring a few bells with Simply Whitstable readers.... as he is the brother of John Harman who has contributed so many fascinating accounts to the web site. For many years, Ray was a craftsman at the the Anderson, Rigden and Perkins boat yard). At the time, the Malaga discovery was featured in the Whitstable Times and this helped to save the vessel.  

Mrs.Jessie Cole bid for the Emerline against one other at auction. The customs had impounded  the boat for non payment of harbor fees, hence the  auction. The bidding stopped at £500 and the four friends brought the vessel back to Faversham Creek in 1993 to be repaired. It underwent a two year restoration program estimated to  cost £30.000. She was needed replanking and the wheelhouse was removed to put her back in order. 

After refurbishment the Emeline would be kept at Faversham but regular visits to Whitstable were promised. In the Whitstable Times of 14 August 2003, she was pictured with Gamecock - both looking splendid!

Some Other Collar Vessels

Other vessels out of the yard included 'Phantom' in 1878, 'Bluebell' (F109) in 1900  and St.Agnes. St Agnes was wrecked against the breakwater at Tankerton on 7 November.1952.

Collars Yard and a Developing Whitstable 

From the middle of the 1850's Whitstable went through many changes and, although we look back with a fond admiration, it's worth remembering how hard life must have been. 

Sanitation was a huge problem, with two main sewers , one under the High Street the other to the East of the town but both running into the harbour. Families bound to the sea they used large collecting pots that were emptied either into the sea or into a ditch or pool on the beach. Mr.James Williams, surgeon, stated that typhus was a particular problem in Harbour Street, Sea Street and Waterloo Road area . These same areas were affected by Cholera in 1834.

Mr.John Auld of the local school blamed sanitation on the demise of his own and his families health. He stated that the school well had been contaminated and the stench caused them to close the windows in hot weather. The ditch surrounding the school filled up as a result of taking the school waste. He blamed this for an outbreak of measles that caused the school to close for several weeks.

Other significant local events included....

In 1895, the worst winter storm in years hit Whitstable. The ice was said to stretch from Sheppey to Whitstable with only a small channel in between. The weather prevented hundreds from working. A relief committee was formed and a fund was organized by J.H. Amos and J. Cornelius which was said to have handed out 2,157 breakfasts of bread, jam and cocoa. George Reeves provided dinners at his bakery for children. The Congregational Hall hosted dinner for 300 of the poor's parents and Collar Brother's supplied men and children with breakfast each day.

The recovery from such a winter would have taken considerable time. Many boats were trapped out in the ice and severely damaged as a result of the ice rubbing on the wood. You can barely imagine conditions in which these men and their families lived and worked.

Gales were another huge problem. On December 4th 1897, a huge storm surge hit Whitstable and the boatyards, as it did many in the town, and hundreds were badly affected. The cottages of Island Wall had to be evacuated -  upwards of 200 people being put up in the board schools. They were supplied with brandy and  tended by Mr.and Mrs. Potts, Miss Daniels, Miss Lippingwell, Miss Camburn, Mrs.Frank Browning and Mr.E Kemp and others.

The 'Matilda Calder' broke away and was lifted over the sea wall onto the Salts. Timber yards had their stocks of wood washed away and, as water swept through the yards, many tools were lost along with other equipment.  These and other events proved the boatyards were a real community - all pulling together to help, as did most of the town.

Final Days of Collars Yard

The reason for the demise of the Collar's  shipyard are not altogether certain although family memories seem to agree on one thing - the quality of work was at the heart of it. Their care and attention to detail and workmanship was not cost effective.

One aunt recalled that, if they chanced upon a purchase of wood at a good price, they passed the saving on to the customer rather than make a profit. Several family members remembered them having a very dodgy form of accounting - usually by recording accounts on odd bits of wood that were lying around and easily lost!

We know that, on the 14 November 1903, there was a mortgage by John Collar and others (the heirs of Thomas Collar) to Miss H G Sankey of Canterbury to secure £100 as to the premises to the North of Island Wall. So, the yard was obviously in trouble then.

The sale of the yard, or part of it, became complicated by the death of the purchaser part way through. As far as I understand, the sale of the yard  or part of it started in 1910, or there about, to a Mr.Lewis Warner, marine store owner. Sadly Mr.Warner died on 9 September1912 and, in 1917,  the part that was 22 Island Wall was sold to Mrs. Emma Brunsden.

Finally, the land was purchased by the Whitstable Urban District.Council for £300. The site of the yard was used as a mortuary and then a council depot for the W.U.D.C. They themselves went through many changes  and were amalgamated with Canterbry City Council on 1 April 1974.  I believe it was after this that the site of the yard was developed into what is now The Saltings.

Death of Henry Aldridge Collar

The Whitstable Times reported the death of Henry Aldridge Collar (youngest of the four brothers) in 1939.....