Ploughboy

Ploughboy was delivered by sea to John Jackson of North Scale, Walney Island by Crossfields in 1902. John Jackson operated the North Scale – Barrow ferry charging half a penny a trip to row people across. He probably also farmed and fished. The boat would have an open cockpit rather than a cabin when first built.

Ploughboy’s early history is recounted in “Morecambe Bay” a booklet published by Alan Lockett, a member of Barrow Sailing Club in 1973. Alan knew John Jackson’s eldest son James and John Gill, who owned her in the 1960s and 70s. Ploughboy is an example of boat made for a professional boatman to race for prize money rather than a well off yachtsman.

Ploughboy entered the local racing scene being sailed by John Jackson and his three sons. To get a better handicap she had removable side decks that could be taken off so she she counted as an open boat in races, Open boats had a better handicap than half deck Morecambe Bay Prawners and decked yachts in races. The boat had a silk spinnaker.

Ploughboy won the Gayner Challenge Cup at Vickerstown and North Scale Regatta three times in 1903, 1905 and 1907 winning the trophy outright. The cup was presented by Sir Charles Gayner the local MP. Ploughboy also took part in the Roa Island and Barrow Regattas. On occasions Ploughboy was skippered by a professional seaman from St Annes. In 1909 she took part in a half decked fishing boat race at Morecambe, which suggests she might have been used for fishing as well as yacht racing.

John Jackson sold Ploughboy in 1914 as his sons were growing up and no longer available to sail with him. John continued working as a ferryman for many years, dying at the age of 86, continuing to fish into his 80s.. The North Scale ferry which he operated stopped working in the 1940s.

Ploughboy was brought by Mr “Dutch Jack” Verscholye, the skipper of the Workington dredger in 1914 or 15 for £35 with all gear or £5500 at 2026 values. Prices might have been depressed due to the war. Verscholye is a Dutch – Irish name.

Later that year the yacht changed hands to Mr Ford of Haverigg, a small port near Millom.

By 1922 she was in the ownership of J.Thompson who lived in a terraced house on Ramsden Dock Road in Barrow. He was probably a professional boatman, such as a pilot, who raced in his spare time. Ploughboy came third in a race at Barrow on 21st September 1922 and fourth in a fishing boat race at Morecambe on 29th September 1922, though recorded as owned by T.Thompson of Morecambe, who may have been the same person or a relative.  In July 1926, J.Thompson and Ploughboy came second in a race at Wardleys Regatta on handicap on the River Wyre winning £1 in prize money. J.Thompson modified Ploughboy’s keel with the addition of an extra weights bolted on either side.

The above photo is thought to show Ploughboy (white sails?) racing against Lady Anne off Wardleys.

By 1930 Ploughboy was based on the other side of the Bay at Fleetwood. She is recorded as taking part in the Fleetwood – Isle of Man (Ramsay) race in 1930 and 31 when owned by R.S.Taylor and in 1935 when owned by H.Foote. She came second in 1931. By this time, she must have had a cabin added.

Alan Lockett in his booklet mentions Ploughboy was owned at one point by Bill Kitchen, a noted speedway rider.  Bill Kitchen was born in Galgate south of Lancaster in 1908. Pre War he raced for the Belle View Aces based in Manchester and post war he captained Wembley Lions. He won the national league title four times with Belle View and seven with Wembley. Bill Kitchen was England International with 41 appearances. He took part in the Isle of Man TT, came second in the British Speedway Championship and fifth in the World Championship. He won the Australian Championship. He is probably the only owner of a Crossfield boat who has appeared on a cigarette card (John Players Speedway Riders in 1937). To fit in with his speedway career Bill must have owned Ploughboy at some point in the 1930s.

Ploughboy was brought by John Gill, a housemaster and woodwork teacher at Rossall School an independent boys boarding school between Blackpool and Fleetwood in partner with a friend in 1965. Mr Gill ran the school’s naval cadet core and had the rank of a Lieutenant RNVR. He was a bachelor.

When they brought Ploughboy she was in derelict condition with rotten frames. Mr Gill and his partner fitted new laminated frames, replaced several hull planks, fitted new deck and refastened the yacht completely. The cabin roof, which was probably added in the 1930s was in good condition and did not need any work. John Gill became the sole owner of Ploughboy. The boat was kept at Skippool on the Wyre Estuary near Poulton-le-Fylde.

Mr Gill used the yacht to teach boys to sail. He took parties of up to 4 boys from the school on the boat out into Morecambe Bay, North Wales, Menai Straits, Isle of Man, Solway Firth and Scottish Isles. A school master sailing alone in a boat with school boys would not be permitted today due to safeguarding issues, but there is no record of anybody being the worst for their experiences. Some are known to have kept up an interest in yachting.

Ploughboy is currently in North Wales at Port Penrhyn near Bangor.