CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCHES NAMED SPEEDWELL
I suspect I’m going to get history lesson today…… The above photo surfaced on a Maurice Sharp’s fb feed and was captioned “The motor launch Speedwell om the Waitemata Harbour – 1920’s – 1930’s” (NZ Herald). Searching WW we get a link to a ROSEMARY M story where Harold Kidd advised the ROSEMARY M had once been named SPEEDWELL – link to that story here https://waitematawoodys.com/2013/09/07/rosemary-m/
Harold also made reference to his and Robin Elliott’s book – Vintage NZ Launches’where we see another SPEEDWELL, this time one of several launches of the same name owners by WA ‘Wilkie’ Wilkinson . To my eye this SPEEDWELL (2nd photo above) is not the one in Maurice’s fb post.
Can we correctly put a builder / date on this one.
13-10-2025 INPUT ex GREG PHILPOTT – advertisement below appeared c.1920’s Bay of Islands Swordfish Club yearbook.
Off to Whangarei today for the Whangarei Maritime Festical – fingers crossed Monday will be a great story 🙂
KEY INTEL October 11th and 12th 2025
Whangārei Town Basin – Free Entry
More info: www.whangareimaritimefestival.co.nz
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New details added. Alan H
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The yacht Speedwell was a 32ft C.3 built by Chas Bailey Jnr in 1907 for W.A. Wilkinson. Owned in the 1950 by Alf Griffith and family and was later wrecked at Little Oneroa. The Backwell family owned the Jeanette C.23 – Mudge White
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There is or was a keeler, in the 32-38ft range, also called SPEEDWELL, back in the 1950s, & recall is, she belonged to an Auckland family, called Bakewell, whom I was friendly with the junior members of, in my youth. — KEN R
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