A page documenting research into the very early history of Sheerness Sailing Club (now IOSSC). This was prompted by the discovery of an 1896 sailing programme (as below), but initially very little else.
1896 Programme Cover:
Club House: ‘Napier’ Hotel
President: Mr. L. T. FILLEY, Queen’s Pilot
Vice-President: Mr. M. Walsh
Captain: Mr. T. West
?: Mr. C. Grove & Mr. G. Jessup
Committee:
J. H. Ellis* (Chairman), F. E. Rix, R. Derry, J. Bills, and J. Waugh
Treasurer: J. T. French, Esq.
Hon Sec.: E. Street, 15, Ranelagh Road, Sheerness.
*guessed from 1901/2
1896 Sailing Programme:
Transcribed:
| SHEERNESS SAILING CLUB PROGRAMME for 1896 |
||||||
| Date. | Tide Time. |
Class. | Course. | Buoys to be left. |
Entries Close. |
Time Start. |
| MAY. | P.M. | HAND. | P.M. | |||
| Sat. 2 | 4.00 | Cruise | West Cant, Sharpness Shelf Buoy | 2.30 | ||
| Tues. 5 | 6.35 | Handicap Race |
Circular Course (Short) | Port | May 2 | 5.30 |
| Sat. 16 | 2.47 | Cruise | 25 Buoy Port Victoria | 1.30 | ||
| Tues. 19 | 5.08 | Cruise | Circular Course (Long) | 6.0 | ||
| Sat. 23 | 7.30 | Cruise | Burnham | 3.0 | ||
| Sat. 30 | 3.01 | Race | Sharpness Shelf, Cant Edge | “ | May 23 | 1.30 |
| JUNE | ||||||
| Tues. 2 | 5.21 | Cruise | Circular Course (Short) | 6.0 | ||
| Sat. 13 | 2.0 | Cruise | Nore Light | 2.0 | ||
| Tues. 16 | 4.08 | Race | East River Middle Buoy | Stbd. | June 13 | 2.30 |
| Sat. 20 | 7.58 | Cruise | Gravesend | 2.30 | ||
| Sat. 27 | Cruise | Circular Course (Long) | 3.00 | |||
| Tues. 30 | 4.06 | Cruise | Circular Course (Short) | 6.00 | ||
| JULY | ||||||
| Sat. 4 | 6.57 | Race | Gillingham ? Buoy | “ | June 27 | 1.30 |
| Sat. 11 | 1.08 | Cruise | Circular Course (Short) 2 Rounds. | 3.00 | ||
| Sat. 18 | 6.17 | Cruise | Chapman Head | 2.30 | ||
| Sat. 25 | 1.16 | Cruise | Circular Course (Long) | 3.00 | ||
| Tues. 28 | 3.03 | Race | Circular Course (Short) | Port | July 25 | 5.00 |
| AUGUST | ||||||
| Sat. 1 | 5.15 | Cruise | Maidstone | 1.30 | ||
| Tues. 4 | 8.07 | Cruise | Nore Light, Jenkin Buoy | 3.30 | ||
| Sat. 8 | 12.09 | Cruise | Circular Course (Long) | 3.00 | ||
| Sat 15. | 4.55 | Race | West Middle River Buoy | Stbd. | Aug. 8 | 2.30 |
| Tues. 18 | 8.15 | Cruise | Port Victoria 25 Buoy | 6.00 | ||
| Sat. 22 | 12.20 | Cruise | Circular Course (Long) | 2.30 | ||
| Tues. 25 | 2.02 | Race | Circular Course (Short) 2 Rounds | Port | Aug. 18 | 3.30 |
| Sat. 29 | 3.58 | Cruise | King’s Ferry | 2.30 | ||
| SEPT. | ||||||
| Tues. 1 | 6.04 | Cruise | Circular Course | 6.00 | ||
| Sat. 12 | 3.57 | Race | Chapman Head | Stbd. | Sept. 1 | 1.30 |
| Tues. 15 | 6.33 | Cruise | Guardship Grain Edge | 6.00 | ||
| Sat. 26 | 2.57 | Race | Challenge Cup (Club) | Port | Sept. 12 | 1.30 |
| COURSE. – Any of the above mentioned Courses may be altered at the discretion of the Officer of the Day, when weather does not permit of their behing adhered to. Instructions for each race will be posted up outside the Club House at least 30 minutes before the race starts. | ||||||
The Sheerness Sailing Club appears to have originally used the Napier Hotel (which still exists), as a clubhouse. There used to be a slipway at the end of the jetty near the Napier Hotel, and this may have been used as a landing point by members of the club.
1933 O/S Extract
The Napier Cup, donated in August 1909, and still in the IOSSC’s possession.
1901: (source: Parson’s Isle of Sheppey Directory, 1901)
Commodore: J. E. Castle
Vice-Commodore: J. H. Ellis
Rear-Commodore: T. West
Committee:
J. S. Bills
J.Fenton
G.Humphrey
T.James
C.Groves
B.Palmer
F.Poole
F.E.Rix
H.Ruffell
H.Rix
J.Waugh
Hon. Treasurer: J.T.French
Hon. Secretary: W.S.Elliot
1902: (source: Parson’s Isle of Sheppey Directory, 1902)
Club House: Britannia Hotel, High Street, Mile Town, Sheerness
Commodore: J. E. Castle
Vice-Commodore: J. H. Ellis
Rear-Commodore: T. West
Committee:
J. S. Bills
J. Fenton
G. Humphrey
T. James
C. Groves
B. Palmer
F. Poole
F. E. Rix
H. Ruffel
H. Hix
J. Waugh
Hon. Treasurer: J. T. French
Hon. Secretary: W. S. Elliott, Hope Street, Mile Town, Sheerness
Notes: Cruising and racing every Tuesday and Saturday from May to September. Cup competed for at end of season.
1904:
History of the Isle of Sheppey, A. Daly, 1904 – “rejoices in every description of outdoor athletic clubs including: cricket, football, …, yachting, and sailing clubs”
1932: (Sheerness Sailing & Motor Boat Club)
Commodore: Mr. W. A. Parker
Vice-Commodores: Capt. Bunyan, Mr. D. Searle, Mr. Harvey, Mr. R. D. Weatherell
Hon. Secretary: Mr. J. Bunyan
Hon. Treasurer: Mr. G. Pennington
Hanidcapper & Timekeeper: Mr. Winter Edsall
Committee: Mr. W. Board, Mr. Smith, Mr. H. Stobbart, and Mr. Wildish.
1934 Programme:
Weekly races on Saturdays starting at 3pm. First race Sat, May 19th. Last race, last Saturday in September.
The Sheerness Sailing & Motor Boat Club is now the Isle Of Sheppey Sailing Club.
Dates other nearby clubs founded:
Alexandra Yacht Club, founded 1873.
Medway Yacht Club, founded 1880.
Essex Yacht Club, founded 1890.
Whitstable Yacht Club, founded 1904
Leigh on Sea Sailing Club, founded, 1911
Island Yacht Club (Canvey), 1936
Thames Estuary Yacht Club, founded 1947 (Westcliff Yacht Club, 1900; Nore Yacht Club 1895).
Thorpe Bay Yacht Club, founded 1948