Tees Commissioner and Tees Conservator

Tees Commissioner and Tees Conservator

Postby taximan » Thu Oct 06, 2016 9:49 am

Has anyone any photos of the launches Tees Commissioner and Tees Conservator, also I would love to know what became of them. I think I once saw the conservator lying on the mud of what was then Belle Island in Whitby not long after her disposal by THPA.
Just one more trip
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Re: Tees Commissioner and Tees Conservator

Postby teesships » Thu Oct 06, 2016 12:09 pm

I think these are the same ones you asked about back in January.
See: viewtopic.php?f=43&t=18183 for the information then available.

For what it is worth, I have the following poor photo of the TEES CONSERVATOR. An enlargement from a small image which has not come out too well! ... and I don't now seem to have the original small image!
TeesConservator1930s.jpg
Ron
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Re: Tees Commissioner and Tees Conservator

Postby Hornbeam » Fri Jul 31, 2020 11:45 am

The photograph featured is not of the Tees Commisioner but of a craft very similar to her, the noticeable difference is that her Aft Cabin was extended further back into the well and had larger windows, it was also called Saloon. The initial design was not Thornycroft but British Power Boat of Hythe who closed down in 1946 apparently the same year as the Commissioner was built. This design was initially built for the RAF as Seaplane Tenders and their testing was done at Bridlington by 'Lawrence of Arabia' when he was in the RAF in the 1930's. During the War BPB were busy building MTB/MGB's and ASR Craft they only built a modified version of this style in small numbers the rest were contracted out to other Boatbuilders like Staniland, Walton Boat, Thornycroft et al. They were made of wood, diagonal above the waterline and double diagonal below, twin engined and around 40ft long depending on the Builders. The build of the Commissioner is so close to that of a Seaplane Tender that it makes me wonder if the T.C. Started her life off as an S.T. or was a cancelled order when the War ended and then modified for the T.C.C. to suit their requirements the extra cost being incurred due to the modifications and a re-engine.
The Admiralty handled the sale of Post War RAF Craft and instructed the Boatbuilders to sell the surplus craft they had in their Yards.
Last edited by Hornbeam on Fri Jul 31, 2020 12:09 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Tees Commissioner and Tees Conservator

Postby Hornbeam » Fri Jul 31, 2020 11:54 am

Cannot get the desired photograph to attach unfortunately.

Here it is, Ron
TEESCOMMISSIONER_Ron.jpg
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Re: Tees Commissioner and Tees Conservator

Postby Hornbeam » Fri Jul 31, 2020 1:04 pm

The above photograph thanks to George is the one I could not get attached (must consult my 10 year old Granddaughter, I wonder what that will cost me). For those who remember the Tees Commissioner will see the similarity. Nice boats tested in North Sea conditions what more could you want, a fast launch with very little Keel, loss of power and you could end up on the beach. An additional bit of info, this design was by Fred Cooper who also designed someo of the water speed record holders. Miss England being one of them.
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Re: Tees Commissioner and Tees Conservator

Postby northeast » Sat Aug 01, 2020 6:20 am

A new section on 'Miss England' might be too tempting for some ... ;)
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Re: Tees Commissioner and Tees Conservator

Postby Hornbeam » Sat Aug 01, 2020 8:51 am

Fred Cooper enlarged this design of S.T. Hull which can be seen on the Air Sea Rescue Launch 102 at Portsmouth Naval Museum, this superb restoration carried out by Phil Clabburn is a joy to behold and will certainly bring a 'twinkle' to Site Members eyes. Now that we have a Branch of the Museum at Hartlepool hopefully one day she will sail "Up North" as she was based at Blyth for a period during the War, I am sure that she would cover the cost of the trip as she does take passengers and am certain members would love to pay and have a ride/trip on this fast lady George :(
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Re: Tees Commissioner and Tees Conservator

Postby Hornbeam » Mon Aug 03, 2020 12:06 pm

I used to see an interesting private conversion of one of these S.T's when she was visiting Scarborough in the 1950's I think she was called 'Kaseem' (spelling?) run by a chap and I presume his Wife, the boat was a very smart Conversion with a useful addition to help with the mooring at the Stern, above the Coxswains position was an Astro Dome presumably ex aircraft or Flight Control which the Cox could look out of to see what his Wife? was doing when mooring up.
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Re: Tees Commissioner and Tees Conservator

Postby taximan » Tue Aug 25, 2020 2:11 pm

Coats Marine at Whitby have a launch stored in their yard which looks very much like the Tees Commissioner. Unfortunately she is in a very sorry state of repair and no work has been carried out for a number of years. No photo I'm afraid (recent computer crash) but I will take one next time that I am down that way.
As a point of interest, I have worked as coxswain on both the commissioner an Conservator.
Just one more trip
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Re: Tees Commissioner and Tees Conservator

Postby Hornbeam » Wed Aug 26, 2020 8:33 am

Taximan, not sure which boat you are thinking of at the Coates Yard, Whitby, but if she is called 'Vectis' she is from Southampton, as far as I am aware (but happy to be corrected) the Commissioner ended up wrecked on Redcar Beach. The Cox on the Commissioner whilst I was there was Alf S a tall chap with glasses who made superb rope mats he ended up in charge of the Rigging Loft at the Graving Dock, nice chap. Whereas the Commissioner was a sleek craft the Conservator was a very rugged built craft as shown in the photograph at the beginning of this forum.
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