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Sarah Robertson - April 2001
Many years ago some "Old Salts" got together in their sailing craft and raced around the cans in the waters off Hill Head. After the event, with their boats safely moored in The Haven they partook of refreshment in The Osborne View Hotel. Tom Robertson had the idea to form some sort of sailing club, so that people of a like mind could enjoy sailing and racing together. So it was that the Hill Head Sailing Club was founded.
At first the members met in The Osborne View, and the races were started from the Haven. In those days, Colonel Alston owned The Haven and he gave permission for the Club boats to moor in his harbour. He collected some silver trophies, which he donated as prizes, in particular The J. S. Alston Memorial Trophy. The first "cup race" took place in the Summer of 1928.
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| Starting races from the Haven had some disadvantages, so an alternative location had to be found. On page 40 of the Hill Head Jubilee Booklet there is a picture of the Hill Head Sailing Club at "it's original starting point". This picture is of The Boat House on the Hill Head foreshore, just to the East of the Osborne View. Club races were started from The Boat House and keen sailing folk gathered to watch those of a more competitive spirit taking part in the races. In those days the races were started by the firing of small cannons, the count down to the start, was signalled from circular holes cut in the front of the Boat House. (They are still there!) |
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I am writing this now, because, for the past two months Jane, John and I (The Robertson's) have been busy cladding the shed and attempting to restore it, so that we may once again use it for building and fitting out boats.
The story of the Boat House is quite involved and is part of the Robertson's history. Marine Cottage and Moria Villa are two houses in Hill Head Road. These two houses were built for John Robertson's Great Grandfather's son and daughter. John's Great Grandfather (who was a Sea Captain on square-rigged ships) was Mr. Reed.
At this point in time the Good Lord intervened! On a stormy September night Queen Victoria's bathing hut broke adrift from Osborne Bay and was washed ashore on Hill Head beach.
Now John's Great Grandfather, being of the type who could not miss a bargain, took advantage of this salvage opportunity, and salted away the remains of the broken hut in his field, which was where Solent Road is now. The timber was pitch pine planking and oak beams. The story goes, that when the Customs Officer came looking for Her Majesty's bathing facility, it was nowhere to be found!
| A year or so later Great Grandfather Reed set to work to build a boat shed at the bottom of his garden on the fore shore using some very high quality timber! From this location he repaired, stored and hired out dinghies. Later he taught his grandson, Tommy Robertson, his boat building skills.
This was the starting point of a new era for Hill Head Sailing Club. During the war Tom worked for Camper and Nicholson's at Gosport, and continued to build some of their work boats at Hill Head - he had to extend the building to accommodate these craft. After the war he continued to hire out and repair boats. He designed and built about 28 Jacqueline-class dinghies and numerous other boats including The J. S. Alston (the Club's first rescue boat).
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In 1957 Tom took an apprentice, John Robertson, his nephew, and later married Jane. When Tom died, The Boat House continued to provide shelter for some of the Jacquelines. It fell into a rusty state of disrepair, with the outside cladding looking a disgraceful mess.
Meanwhile in 1997 John and Sarah Robertson moved back to Hill Head, this gave us more time and access to the Boat House. This spring we decided to tackle the task of restoration.
It has been hard work, but a delight to find nautical treasures of days gone by, well worn and treasured tools and gadgets for planing wood or steaming timbers. Pieces of wood with important measurements and well-worn burgees and old rowlocks! Now, the boathouse is water tight, boats are stored and safe; maybe there will soon be the sound of boats being repaired even built once again?
Stepping down into the Boat House is like stepping back in time. If you should take a walk, amble along the beach to the Old Boat House, if the door is open, please do come in and see for yourself part of the Hill Head Sailing Club's History, you would be very welcome.
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P.S. In 1949 I moved to Hill Head. Before that time, as children, my parents, Geoff and Mary Maynard spent their family holidays at Meon Shore Huts. They occasionally hired boats from a Mr Tom Robertson, friendships were formed and soon they had a boat of their own in the Haven.
I well remember, as a child, sitting on the beach in front of The Boat House, with my fingers in my ears as the cannons started the sailing races. I remember too, the young apprentice who worked for Tom Robertson. |
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I never thought then that we would marry and together sit in front of the Boat Shed with our memories!
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Keep an eye on the time - mind you don't miss the tide!!
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