Vosper & Co. Ltd, Wivenhoe
The answer to a wartime emergency
John Collins (Nottage Maritime Institute)
In July 1941 Vosper & Co. Ltd took over Husk & Son’s yard, and the former premises of Cox & King. They needed a safer place to build wooden MTBs after bombing had threatened to destroy their Portsmouth yard.
A large hanger-like building shed was constructed over the slipways. This shed was not just to protect the workmen, but was mainly to provide a warm environment for the synthetic resin glue used to set hard, and also to allow work to proceed after sunset during the blackout. Before they closed in 1946, a total of eighteen boats had been built and thirty five repaired.
Time period
This page was added on 28/03/2015.
Comments about this page
My sister, Doreen, worked at Vospers during the war as Secretary to the M.D. John Rix. later to become Sir John Rix. When Vospers left Wivenhoe she transferred to their original base at Portsmouth until she married and moved to Kendal in the Lake District.
As noted by Ian Davis above our grandfather worked there in charge of some of the staff here.
Roger Davis 12/3/23
My maternal Grandfather, John Durrant (known as Jack), was a master carpenter working on MTBs at Wivenhoe and later Mayland during WW2. The story goes that when he was moved to Mayland, he only managed to get home to Gt. Horksley occasionally, on his pedal bike.
I am an ex Vosper employee who also worked at Cook’s Shipyard, my Father worked in the portsmouth yard as a boat builder and moved up to Wivenhoe during the war and met my mother Betty Clench who also worked at the yard, hence why I able to put this comment on today.
Thanks Alec for your contribution to the Vosper story.
Peter Hill, Chairman, Wivenhoe History Group
Would be a wonderful sight. My grandfather was Technical Director of Vospers from the mid/late 30’s until the late 60’s, Robert.E.L. Lovell. He was a pioneer of marine ply boat construction and hydro-dynamics. He apprenticed at White’s on the IOW, then moved the British Power Boat Co and then Vospers before the war. He was also instrumental in the designs of Miss England 2 and the Bluebird K4. I’d love to know more about the whereabouts of Vospers MTBs today, they seem quite hard to track down. Ollie.
Hi all nice to see old photos Good news is I’m looking to bring one of the Vosper MTBs home to Wivenhoe for a short visit prob be 1st time a MTB been up the river since world war 2 So once again the town will hear the rumble of those mighty engines All will be welcome to come and view
Hello Andy
This sounds like wonderful news. Please do let me know the date when you are coming and I will get you a lot of publicity for your visit.
Perhaps give me a call 01206 823073.
Peter, Chairman Wivenhoe History Group (peter@toadhall2.co.uk)
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