PRESS RELEASE JANUARY 19th2012
‘SHEEMAUN’ has been selected to take part in the Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant
The afternoon of Sunday 3rd June will see a thousand boats gather on the river Thames in celebration
of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. It will be the largest flotilla in modern times on the river with
rowing boats, working boats, historic boats and pleasure vessels of all shapes and sizes beautifully
dressed with streamers and Union Jacks, stretching for an estimated twelve and a half miles.
It has proved extremely popular with three boats applying for every place. The pageant organisers
and representatives from the river community were involved in the selection process which included
considering safety, fitness-for-purpose and range of vessel type as well as exploring whether the
vessel was of historical significance or had an interesting story to tell. At the end of 2011, organisers
confirmed to applicants the lucky boats that will take part in this historic event.
‘SHEEMAUN’ owned and skippered by Dr Rodney Pell, crewed byNavigation Officer Maura Pell, Hon.
Executive Officer Tim Hunt and Hon. Petty Officer Dr Charles Philips of the City Livery Company is
honoured to have been selected to take part in the Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant. She will be
proudly representing National Historic Ships UK and as Flagship of The Little Ship Club, London.
SHEEMAUN will be setting her square yard and will be dressed overall with bunting. She will be
cruising from Ramsgate, anchoring overnight in the Swale and will lock into St Katherine’s Yacht
Haven on May 29th in readiness for the Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant.
Every vessel will proudly take its place in the Pageant with Her Majesty the Queen and other
members of the Royal Family aboard the Royal Barge, The Spirit of Chartwell. It will be a once in a
lifetime moment for all of us aboard SHEEMAUN in our role as part of this glorious moment in our
rich royal history.
-ENDSFurther information for journalists - see following pages:
For information about SHEEMAUN:
[email protected]
www.littleshipclub.co.uk
For information about the Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant:
Kate Levine, Partner, Pagefield 020 3327 4055/ 07740473641
Michelle Lavipour, Executive, Pagefield, 020 3327 4058, 07940 735 313
Journalists can find media information and downloadable photographs on the media centre pages at:
www.thamesdiamondjubileepageant.org
SHEEMAUN
25 tons - L13.7m B 4.2m, D 1.5m, Call sign MLON
Flagship 2010 of the United Kingdom Historic Fleet
Berthed at RamsgateRoyalHarbour
A 1930’s classic twin screw
sc
Gentleman’s Motor Yacht
design No. 561 by G. L. Watson & Co.
‘Sheemaun’ at the Boulogne Fete de la Mer 2009 dressed over-all
over
at the request of the Festival Authorities
George Lennox Watson, the foremost yacht designer of his time, was responsible for the design of
many famous vessels including the United States Presidential Yacht ‘Mayflower’’ the Courtauld’s
yacht ‘Virginia’ and various international racing yachts such as ‘Valkyrie’’ the German Kaiser’s
‘Meteor’ and the Prince of Wales’ ‘Brittania’.
‘Brittania’
Built at Fraserburgh by J Noble & Co in 1935 of pitch pine on oak and with a teak
wheelhouse.‘Sheemaun’ was featured in ‘Yachting World & Motor Boat Journal’ September 20th
1935. In July 1939 ‘Sheemaun’’ was sailed from Fraserburgh to Southampton under command of Lt.
Cmdr. Roy Hanson Calvert-Link
Link and three months later at the Outbreak of World War II in September
1939 was commissioned into the Royal Navy serving as His Majesty’s Yacht SHEEMAUN a Thames
Estuary Defences Patrol Boat armed with two Hotchkiss
heavy machine guns, based
at Cliffe Fort on the Isle of Grain, under orders of Rear Admiral G.A. Scott DSC., Commander Nore
Division of the Western Approaches Defence Alliance.
Alliance
HMY SHEEMAUN played a supporting role in operation Dynamo in May 1940 when some 340,000
troops were evacuated from the Dunkerque beaches. She shared action with her fellow patrol boat
HMY AISHA (L90 ft. 27.5M) which was blown to pieces in the Thames estuary
estuary by a German mine in
October 1940. The ‘Aisha’ was featured in the September 2008 BBC TV Ch 2 documentary ‘Thames
Shipwrecks’
Decommissioned from the Royal Navy 6th November 1945 ‘Sheemaun’ then served with the
Merchant Navy in the Department of Naval Transport until 1947.
1949 Owned by Mrs J.O.M. Scott of 19 Fitzwilliam Sq. Dublin.
1951 ‘Sheemaun’ was featured in the first London Earl’s Court Olympia Boat Show.
1964 Owned by Capt. I. O. Capper M.N., ‘Sheemaun’ sailed under both the Red Ensign and the Little
Ship Club burgee and blue ensign.
1971-82 ‘Sheemaun’ was the private yacht of Rear Admiral G.T.S. Gray DSC.CB.,
DSC CB., flying the White
Ensign of the Royal Yacht Squadron. Admiral Graycruised‘Sheemaun’
Graycru
extensively including the Baltic
Sea.
1982 – 1987 ‘Sheemaun’ served as Training Flagship with Pangbourne Nautical College under Lt
Cmdr Ian Pearson, taking cadets on substantial off
off-shore
shore voyages including UK South coast, French
North and West
est coasts, Seine to Paris and Channel Islands.
Since 1987 ‘Sheemaun’ has been owned and restored by Dr Rodney Pell and is entitled to wear the
Pilot Jack of the Royal Navy, the Defaced Blue Ensign of the Combined Cadet Force, the Burgee and
Blue Ensign off the Little Ship Club, the Burgee and Blue Ensign of the Royal Temple Yacht Club and
the Burgee of the Hollowshore Cruising Club.
‘Sheemaun’ was invited by The Queen’s Harbour Master Portsmouth to the 200th Centenary of the
Battle of Trafalgar and was also invited to the Brest 2008 Classic Sea Festival but was unable to make
these venues due to prevailing adverse weather. Sheemaun attended by invitation at the 2009 and
2011 Boulogne Fetes de la Mer and at the
the 2009 & 2010 Mayor’s Thames Festivals. At a conservative
estimate ‘Sheemaun’ has probably seen well in excess of 75,000 miles pass under her keel.
‘Sheemaun’ is fully seaworthy and attends by invitation at national and international Maritime
Festivals and
d displays of historic and classic vessels helping to promote and represent the very
special vessels of the Historic Fleet1 of the United Kingdom. She has been selected to attend at the
2012 Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Thames Pageant.
Pageant
1
National Historic Ships UK – The official Register and voice for historic vessels in the UK - an authority acting under the aegis of the
Department for Culture, Media & Sport (dcms). Dr Pell is National
National Historic Ships Shipshape Ambassador for the Thames Estuary division.