R LOWER & SONS
Dick Lower with Bob and Brian.
From the private collection of Bob Lower
20 foot motor boat.
Bob Lower's collection
Two boats outside old workshop in the old shipyard.
Bob Lower's collection
A brief history.
By Bob Lower
In 1930, after several years service with the R.N.L.I., my father, Richard William (Dick) Lower was appointed as the full time motor mechanic on the Newhaven Lifeboat, "Cecil and Lillian Philpott". Around the same time he built his bungalow and large garage in Second Avenue. Although he was on call for the lifeboat service he had spare time and so he used the garage as a workshop, building boats and repairing cars. He also worked part-time for Cantell's as a shipwright and boat-builder.
In September 1945, he decided to retire from the lifeboat service and start up his own boat-building business. In 1944, he had purchased from Mr Dann an old Slaughter House on The Riverside in Newhaven and 18 months later, after carrying out major modifications to the building, founded the business known as R Lower & Son, Shipwrights & Boatbuilders, Newhaven. He set about building boats for the local fishermen and pleasure craft. "New Wildflower", "Harvest Moon", "Golden Corn" are a few names that spring to mind.
In 1949, he sold this works to Walser & Turner, who were local plumbers and moved about 300 yards north to a purpose built workshop he had constructed in The Old Shipyard. My brother, Charlie joined him and the firm continued to produce all types of craft mainly for local beaches including 12ft, 14ft and 15 ft counterstern boats for the angling clubs at Hastings, Eastbourne and Brighton, as well as batches of rowing dinghies for use on Local Council pleasure pools in and around London and Eastbourne.
In 1952, I joined my father as an apprentice to learn the art of boat-building and repair, working my way though the mundane jobs which are part of the learning process. It was during my time as apprentice that he started building the first of many Hastings fishing boats built under the White Fish Authority grant and loan scheme. These vessels, mostly fully decked, were heavily constructed using elm planking on oak frames with a eliptic or lute stern and motly powered by Lister marine diesel engine. The first of these was "Ocean Swell" followed by "Lorraine and Carol", "Valliant", "Young Flying Fish", "Florence Harffey", "Little Paul" and many more. "John's Model" , which had a transom stern was registered at and worked out of Newhaven by Bill Saunders, was also build in the 1950's. A few still exist even after 50 years. In 1957, I joined the armed forces to serve two years National Service. I returned in 1959 to take up where I had left off and continued to build boats and carry out repairs. From this time almost all of the boats were constructed by Charlie and I. My father oversaw our work but let us get on with it.
During the 1960's three 14ft sailing dinghies were built for the New Zealand Shipping Line, these were for the officers to use whilst in New Zealand. There were also quite a number of 18ft day fishing boats constructed which had raised foredecks and were powered by Stuart Turner engines. In 1965, the first of three 14 ft counterstern boats were built for The People newspaper as 1st Prize in their Angling competition. The second was built in 1966. Although, there were a few lean years, the business continued to serve the needs of local fishermen and pleasure craft owners.
Bob & Charlie Lower
In 1966, my father retired from running the business and handed it over to my brother Charlie and I, although he still continued to work for us. Sadly, my father died in 1978. We continued to build, mainly beach boats for all along the Sussex coast (sometimes with a waiting list of 12 months) as well as 4 steam launches, and the third boat for the "People", we also had a large number of orders from part-time fishermen who could now afford to buy one of our boats and because in those days they did not need a licence , would fish evenings and weekends. 1974 saw the construction of the longest boat build in our yard. This vessel was built, with a raised deck foreward and a fitted wheelhouse, for Hayling Island and was 36ft in length. In 1982, when forced with a 10 fold increase in the rent on the workshop and lack of orders we had to find other means to carry on working and both ended up at Pheon Yachts. The partnership with my brother and I was dissolved in 1983.
I would also like to mention the following who worked full-time with and for us at the boatyard: Bob Holden, Ted Gillam, Edgar Moore, Ron(Monty) Mitchell, Alan Norman, Mike Beech, Brian Comben, Chris Young and Richard Jones.
During the period of May 1966-Nov. 1982, 317 wooden boats were built and 4 fibreglass hulls fitted out.
My brother Charlie died suddenly in 1992 whilst working on a boat, just before his 65th birthday.
The last boat I built was for the Newhaven Marina Company in 1993. Severe injuries to my feet put paid to my boat-building career and ended a family tradition.
As well as boat-building, I served as a retained fireman at Newhaven from 1963 - 1979.
The photos on the right of the text illustrate the type of boats built in our yard.