ROSEMARY II
Story & photos by Russell Ward
One of my childhood sweethearts. She lay on the piles just off the Squadron Marina.
She was one of the four Shipbuilders SuperCraft boats built in the ’50s: Lady Eileen, Rosemary 2, Rakanoa (yep I know she started off as a Couldry design) and Mahara. They were designed by Thomas (Tim) Windsor who obviously had a very good eye and was American trained. He was still alive when I last heard and I hope someone has taken a history from him.
Hunters owned her way back then and she was always there when I rowed / sailed / motored past.
I took the pictures a few years back when she was up at Whangarei and available. A little down on her uppers, but still great. The old petrol engines had been replaced by the ubiquitous six cylinder Lees marinised fords and the interior scruffy.
I hope she hasn’t sprouted a dodger aft and a fly (hic) bridge. She was beautiful as she was.
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Hello Bill
Any chance you can email copies to the address below and I will add to the existing WW story.
Kind regards Alan H
Waitematawoodys@gmail.com
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My dad the late Bill McBeen (died1958)brought her some time after the war not sure what year.
Kept her in a boat shed at kissing point Whangārei
Still have the original plans plus photos of her in camouflage when used by the navy as inshore patrol boat ww11
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Any intel on the Mainland restoration? Love to know.
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Ross died a couple of days ago and his wife Dianne is diseased. His funeral is this week email beth.parker@xtra.co.nz if you wish
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Is Rosemary II in Lyttleton, or on hard in Rangiora? Anyone have ideas on what price she went for?
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Ross told me once that yes they certainly did, and had a huge range of the best tools and equipment around.
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Rosemary 2 went to Rangiora south island about 10 years ago and was going to be restored by and family that owned a cold room panel company. Can not at present remember their names. Loaded it on a ship in Auckland to go the Lyttleton . A beautiful vessel
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I’m not entirely sure Ross will be pleased t get communications via this blog as he’s mighty fed up with one of our more prolific posters invading his privacy. But you could ring the Hibiscus Coast number.
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His grandmother Sarah Jane Davies, later Parker was one of 9 children to Jim and Kitty Davies who emigrated from Herefordshire England and my gr gr grandfather was the first cousin to Sarah, and nephew of Kitty. They emigrated to Auckland in 1864 from Dorstone for a new life. If you can let me have Ross’ contact details Id be very grateful. jackalexhughes1@gmail.com
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Im trying to trace Ross Parker, can anyone help me – is his wife Dianne and does he live at Hibiscus Coast
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Comments from Ken Ricketts – posted by me as he is having a computer oops 🙂
“She is also sweetheart of mine Russell –indeed part of the Lady Eileen, Mahara dynasty, — like peas in a pod almost. — Don’t really see any of Rakanoa in her, but what beautiful balance & symmetry, she, along with the other 2, she has always had. — Loved your very sincere & appropriate comments to this special lady.
So sad for us Aucklanders she has spent so much of her life to date, in other part of NZ — Actually thought about buying her a couple of yeas or so ago when she was for sale in Whangarei. — that how special I think she is.”
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I think Bill Couldrey gave up on thoughts of continuing with boat-building soon after the war and went to work for the State Advances Corporation/Education Dept(?). I don’t think he would ever have intended to build RAKANOA himself; or maybe he did, but gave it away. He carried on designing of course.
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I stand corrected by the master. Let no turn go unstoned!
It was Hunters who had Lady Eileen -my brain went dry on me for a moment there. Sorry. It won’t happen again.
I hope Ross Parker will give us the unabridged story of his father’s disappointment in the early stages of her construction and why Shipbulders took over.
I wonder -did Shipbuilders have some really skilled boatbuilders leftover from the war effort. They certainly produced four really lovely ships in the late ’40s.
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ROSEMARY II was built in 1946 for M.N. Manthel of Manthel Motors in Wellington to replace ROSEMARY M (ex JEAN/MAUDE T (II)/DRAYTON) now back in Auckland. It was LADY EILEEN that was built in 1947 for Gordon Hunter.
RAKANOA was also built in 1946, for Stan Parker, so was MAHARA for G. Speight.
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