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Houseboats in the picture of Bursledon Bridge

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Photo of Bursledon, the Bridge c1955

Bursledon, the Bridge c1955
Ref: B304008

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Year: 1974

Houseboats in the picture of Bursledon Bridge

In the picture are several houseboats moored up to the bank on the LHS of the picture; I used to live on the large white motor torpedo boat (originally called 'Hippocampus') when she was moved from the River Hamble to the River Itchen in 1974; I renamed her 'Whimsical Macgoffley'. She was built in Cowes at the J. Samual White Shipyard, launched in 1944, and was one of six MTBs used by the Polish Navy. (Her number was S-8 during WW2 and she was eventually returned to the RN as HMTB 427 at the end of the war). She was sold by the Admiralty in 1950 and as far as I know was moved to the berth near Bursledon Bridge at that time until 1974 when she was moved to the River Itchen, and moored next to the Railway Bridge in Priory Road, St. Denys until 1990 when she was scrapped. I have discovered most of her wartime history but would like to know anything about her when moored on the River Hamble.
One of the other six Polish boats, S-10, was, for a time (1954/5) moored downstream and named 'M.Y. Taifun'; she had been used in the film 'The Ship that died of Shame', starring George Baker, Richard Attenborough, Bill Owen and Virginia McKenna and was up for sale. She eventually ended up in the Mediterranean and used for smuggling; the skipper being the brother of the comedien Jimmy Edwards, Hugh Edwards. She foundered off the North African coast and was lost during a smuggling trip in 1958.
Any information, stories or memories of either of these boats on the River Hamble, would be most welcome.

Shared on 28 December 2007 by Tim Deacon.

Comments

Year: Unknown

RE: Houseboats in the picture of Bursledon Bridge

For most of my childhood I lived on a semi-derelict MTB called "Anzio" from aprox. 1953-1960. We were moored up a creek on the river Hamble not far from Bursledon & our address was Crableck Yard, Crableck Lane , Sarisbury Green. I know nothing of Anzio's history or of what eventually happened to her but would love to find out as I have very happy memories of my wild childhood.. Is it possible she could also have been the "Hippocampus"?? I used to walk along the seawall to Bursledon & over the bridge in the photo & don't remember ever seeing another MTB there... but perhaps if it was moored on the far side I wouldn't have seen it!

Shared on 10 June 2008 by Rose Todd.

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