Blackpool and Fleetwood Jewel Class
Sapphire
Sapphire was a Blackpool and Fleetwood Jewel Class boat built by William Crossfields and Sons in 1911.
Boat statistics
- Built
- 1911
- Length Over All
- 23 ft (7.01 m)
- Waterline
- 19.5 ft (5.94 m)
- Beam
- 7 ft (2.13 m)
- Weight
- 4
- Construction
- Pitch pine on oak frames
- Rig
- Gaff Sloop (Single foresail)
Introduction
In 1912 Sapphire is recorded in newspaper reports as being owned by Arthur. H. Mansergh. He was a Lancaster linoleum merchant and leading yachtsman. Before the first World War he lived at Sunderland Point, a remote village south of Lancaster approached by a tidal road. He sold the boat after the war. From 1920 to 1925 she is listed in Lloyds Register of Yacht. In 1921 she was brought by a Barrow owner. She came first in the Fleetwood Regatta in 1932. Her subsequent history after 1932 is unknown.
History by Year
-
1911
Built
by William Crossfields and Sons on the shore at Arnside
-
1912
Recorded as being owned by A.H.Mansergh
In newspaper reports about yacht races
-
1920
Edwin Gaukroger
Recorded as being owned by Edwin Gaukroger of Manchester in Lloyds Register of Yacht
-
1921 - 1925
J.Newsham
Recorded as being owned by J.Newsham of Barrow-in-Furness in Lloyds Register
-
1932
Fleetwood Regatta
Comes 1st skippered by W.Coplin
Full History
Arthur H.Mansergh
Under Arthur’s ownership, Sapphire is recorded as winning the race at Wardley’s Regatta in 1912 and coming second in the Jewel Class race at the Fleetwood Regatta in 1913. In the ladies race in 1913 Sapphire came second helmed by Mrs Tatham, the wife of Charles Tatham the Club Secretary.
Arthur went onto buy Diamond another Jewel Class boat in 1924. He was Commodore of the Yacht Club from 1925 to 1926.
Edwin Gaukroger
In Lloyds Register of Yachts 1920 Sapphire is listed as owned by Edwin Gaukroger (1878 – 1959) of the Palatine Road, Northenden, Manchester. Her home port was Wardleys on the other side of the Wyre Estuary from Skippool. In the 1914 Register Edwin is recorded as owning Venus a bigger 11 tonne yacht and living at his parental home in The Beeches, Didsbury. His father was a Manchester stockbroker. In the First World War Edwin served in the Royal Naval Division, a land based division that served alongside the army in Flanders. He was a committee member for the 1913 Wardleys Regatta, Gaukroger is a surname originating from the Halifax area of Yorkshire.
J.Newsham
Between 1921 and 1925 Sapphire listed in the Register as being owned by J.Newsham of Barrow-in-Furness. Her home port is listed as Wardleys, but she may well have been kept at Barrow.
She is not listed in the Register after 1926
Fleetwood Regatta 1932
Sapphire is recorded as coming first in the handicap race for boats between 18 and 35 long skippered by W.Coplin.