Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!
Christmas Deliveries: If you placed an order on or before midday on Friday 19th December for Christmas delivery it was despatched before the Royal Mail or Parcel Force deadline and therefore should be received in time for Christmas. Orders placed after midday on Friday 19th December will be delivered in the New Year.
Please Note: Our offices and factory are now closed until Monday 5th January when we will be pleased to deal with any queries that have arisen during the holiday period.
During the holiday our Gift Cards may still be ordered for any last minute orders and will be sent automatically by email direct to your recipient - see here: Gift Cards
Watts Sea School
A Memory of Bursledon.
On leaving school, at fourteen years of age, I received basic training at a wartime school established by Captain O M Watts, of the well known ship chanderly firm. The school was based at Old Bursledon and its main function was to train army officers of the War Department fleet in seamanship, navigation and stevedoring. The army officers were accommodated in large houses in the village. The waterborne side of the school, which was moored opposite The Jolly Sailor, consisted of three large "commnadeered" motor yachts named Giroflee, Mandarin and Titan, plus MFV 35. The standing civilians crews were retired merchant navy officers and boys like myself, not yet old enough to join the forces. The school closed after VJ day, although I believe Capt. Watts did purchase an old Trinity House lightship for a possible extension of the school, to provide sea training for boys from an orphanage.
I would welcome feedback from anyone who remembers Watts Sea School.
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