Owners of J Class cutters and large motor yachts, Sir Thomas Lipton and Bill Stephenson changed retail for their generations as significantly as online has for ours. Their racecourse rivals, Sir Thomas Sopwith and Sir Richard Fairey, not only developed fighter planes that played pivotal roles in both world wars but revolutionised industrial manufacturing. In turn, whilst they sought excellence from Camper & Nicholsons, they also contributed their own expertise to the development of their yachts.
Whilst the British royal family remained at the apex of yachting society, Camper & Nicholsons supplied, maintained and updated their yachts. Society is far more diverse and international now, but Camper & Nicholsons remains its arbiter in yachting.
The pioneering ethos of Camper & Nicholsons and its clientele have made landmarks in yachting. Drawing on this spirit of partnership, the firm is taking proactive action to preserve its history and the Camper & Nicholsons Heritage Club will work with the yacht owners who are custodians of the historic vessels built by the firm. The Heritage Club’s principle goal is the preservation of the historic fleet of Camper & Nicholsons yachts and the firm’s design archives.
The Camper & Nicholsons Heritage Club has been formed in collaboration with Dr William Collier of G. L. Watson & Co., the distinguished historian and restorer of classic yachts. William combines academic knowledge with deep practical experience having been behind dozens of yacht restorations ranging from the 1896 gaff cutter Avel to the 1937 motor yacht Malahne.
We have advanced lists of all surviving yachts and are planning a partnership with the British National Maritime Museum where the firm’s archive is held. The relationship between the yachts and their original designs is a symbiotic one. By assisting in the cataloguing of the archive and thus making original information available, we will promote the preservation and meaningful restoration of the C&N fleet.
Drawing on the experience and networks of our senior staff and Dr Collier, we will be able to offer detailed historic and technical advice to today’s owners of Camper & Nicholsons yachts. Like us, they share a dedication to the preservation of this history and we will all enjoy the benefits of increased knowledge.
We will invite selected owners of Camper & Nicholsons-built yachts to join the Heritage Club where they will have a common interest with fellow members and where all will gain from our informed celebration of design genius, great craftsmanship and history.
The Camper & Nicholsons Heritage Club has been formed in collaboration with Dr William Collier of G. L. Watson & Co., the distinguished historian and restorer of classic yachts. William combines academic knowledge with deep practical experience having been behind dozens of yacht restorations ranging from the 1896 gaff cutter Avel to the 1937 motor yacht Malahne.
We have advanced lists of all surviving yachts and are planning a partnership with the British National Maritime Museum where the firm’s archive is held. The relationship between the yachts and their original designs is a symbiotic one. By assisting in the cataloguing of the archive and thus making original information available, we will promote the preservation and meaningful restoration of the C&N fleet.
Drawing on the experience and networks of our senior staff and Dr Collier, we will be able to offer detailed historic and technical advice to today’s owners of Camper & Nicholsons yachts. Like us, they share a dedication to the preservation of this history and we will all enjoy the benefits of increased knowledge.
We will invite selected owners of Camper & Nicholsons-built yachts to join the Heritage Club where they will have a common interest with fellow members and where all will gain from our informed celebration of design genius, great craftsmanship and history.
