ROMOLA is a schooner rigged single screw steam yacht,
built by Camper & Nicolsons Ltd. at Gosport in 1903 and registered at
Portsmouth (Official No. 116187.). Her hull is carvel built, on oak frames. She has pitch pine
below the water line and teak above, and a semi-elliptical stern. Her
original engines were by Plenty & Son Ltd. of Newbury, giving her a
steady speed of nine knots with reasonable use of coal.
Her
first owner was Anthony Ambrose Sanderson, a gentleman, of 15 Neville
Court, Abbey Road, London. In his ownership, the crew generally
consisted of six paid hands plus his personal friends. She was sold on
14 June 1910 to the yacht builders White Brothers Ltd, based in
Southampton.
On 1 August 1911, she was sold to
Sholto George Watson Douglas,
Earl of Morton of Conaglen, Argyll. In 1912, his son
William received a
gold
'Conspicuous Gallantry' medal dated 6/1/12 on SY Romola, for reasons
unknown.
Sir Ralph St George Claude Gore,
Baronet of Warsash, Hampshire bought her on 28 February 1913.
She was then purchased by Maurice Edward Weston Pope of Ashwicke Hill,
Marshfield, Chippenham, a retired army captain. Camper & Nicholsons Ltd.
bought her in 1921 and kept her until 1931. In 1932, she was sold to
Ernest B. Ridsdel of London who kept her until 1936, when she was bought
by Kenith Gain. He kept her for only a year, before she was purchased by
Gordon M. Haworth of Sussex. Fred May took her over in 1946 and she
remained in Sussex until she was bought by W.T. Robins of Perthshire in
1962. Captain A.W.R. Trusler of Hove, Sussex, purchased her in 1964.
In more recent years, ROMOLA was found by the current owner having
sunk on her mooring at Dunstaffnage Bay on the west coast of Scotland.
Work began to reconstruct her to her original condition, although a
decision was taken not to reinstall a steam engine and boiler. Instead,
two Perkins diesel engines have been fitted, along with a generator and
electrics. By 2006, fully restored, ROMOLA was based in Cannes and
operating a successful charter business.
ROMOLA’s original steam
plant was replaced with twin Gardner diesels in the 1920s. These
corroded beyond repair over time and she is now fitted with two Perkins
diesel engines, along with a generator and electrics. She was the
subject of an extreme reconstruction over a 16 year period in the 1990s,
but is now operational once more and based in Cannes as a charter yacht.
Her schooner rig, funnel and semi-elliptical stern encapsulate Edwardian
elegance.
She was built as a screw steamer by the well known
South coast firm, Camper & Nicholson in 1903 to a design by CE
Nicholson. Her original build and accommodation plans have survived and,
along with a number of original photographs, these were used to inform
her reconstruction. ROMOLA’s first owner, Anthony A Sanderson was a
member of the Royal Cruising Club who presented an annual prize to the
Club, to be known as the Romola Cup. This is still awarded today for
long distance cruising in difficult conditions. Sanderson also took
ROMOLA on her longest voyage – a cruise to the Baltic in 1908, which
covered 1568 miles and used 25 tonnes of coal. The vessel’s later owners
included the 19th Earl of Morton and then Sir Ralph Gore - both of whom
were members of the Royal Yacht Squadron, the latter being the Club
Commodore from 1947-1961.
ROMOLA retains the aesthetic
qualities of an Edwardian yacht on deck, but below, she is now fitted
with modern equipment including air conditioning and internet access.
During her rebuild, the luxurious internal panelling was replicated as
close to the original joinery as possible, although oak, teak and cherry
wood had to be used throughout rather than the original mahogany.
Conspicuous gallantry medal
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