Skegness Magazine

Skegness Boat Builder John Thomas Green

The research and compilation of this page is entirely the work of Paul Robinson from Sheffield.
Paul drew my attention to a very important family in Skegness who were practicing beach boat builders.
The family was in the lifeboat crew and one was coxswain in the 1800s
He kindly supplied this photo of John Thomas Green and his wife.
It was taken outside 92 Cavendish Road Skegness.

Paul has transcribed the following newspaper article:

SKEGNESS NEWS : WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 25TH 1936

CRAFTSMAN WHO BUILT SKEGNESS BEACH BOATS

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PASSING OF MR ‘JACK’ GREEN – Skegness’ ONLY PRACTICING BOAT BUILDER

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PARTICIPATION IN MEMORABLE LIFEBOAT SERVICES RECALLED

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AUTHORITY ON RESORTS EARLY HISTORY

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With the death of Mr. John Thomas Green which occurred last Saturday night, at 92 Cavendish Road, Skegness loses its only boat-builder to carry on his occupation in post war years, and a man who during a period of 56 years turned out in addition to other craft, a very large proportion of the beach boats used by Skegness boatmen.

‘Jack’ Green -he was alternatively known to older inhabitants as ‘Mike’ Green-was born in October,1858 at a farmhouse off the north side of Burgh Road, in what is known as the Beacon way area. The situation of the house was known in those days as ‘Browns Trees’ and was for many years the dairy Farm site of Messes W. Brown and Son, of Skegness. It is now the site of Dickenson’s dairy.

As a young man Mr Green was apprenticed as a builder to the late Mr George Dunkley, father of Skegness’ present County Council, but about 1878 he began boat building on his own account at a yard at Sea View. This move was probably inspired by his construction of a canoe some years earlier and in this and subsequent craft of the same type he made extensive coastal cruises, once undertaking a night trip to Chapel St Leonards.

BUILT SKEGNESS SAILING YAWLS

One of his achievements of his early days was the building of a fair sized half desk smack while he was living at Hawthorne House, Roman Bank, the completed craft being ultimately moved to the sea on rollers He was actively associated with the building of several of the old Skegness sailing yawls – adapted it is believed from the Yarmouth type- which were a familiar sight to Skegness excursionists in pre-war years. He was responsible for the construction of the “Primrose” and in collaboration that of the “Sunbeam” which was built-in a yard off Drummond Road, and was lost after breaking her moorings in a severe storm a year or two before the war.

The design of the well-known Skegness beach boats –craft of 18 feet length and 6 feet beam in the original form-was perfected by him, and the majority of these familiar rowing boats, many adapted to motor power after the war, came from his yard. He actually continued boat-building until two years before his death, his last work being the construction of a motor boat for MR Millar Backhouse.

He was one of those engaged in the construction of Skegness Pier when it was erected in 1881. He also specialized in ship breaking, and many of the vessels which were beached at Skegness for this purpose passed through his hands.

LIFEBOAT SERVICES

In his younger days Mr. Green was a member of the Skegness Lifeboat Crew, which he joined at the age of 17. He tool part in several services and was a member of the crew during the service of the “Anne, John and Mary” lifeboat in the memorable “November Gales” of 1893, when the boat launched to the assistance of the Grimsby cod smack “Frank” and was away for three days. One of his last launches was when the same lifeboat was called to the assistance of Messrs Matt and Mont Grunnill- later to become coxswain and second coxswain respectively of the “Samuel Lewis” lifeboat – whose crab-boat was overwhelmed by a heavy squall off Skegness in January 1905.

He had resided at his house in Cavendish Road for nearly thirty years, after previously living at Winthorpe corner at Hawthorne House, Roman Bank.

CONTRACTED BLOOD POISONING

About two years ago he contracted blood poisoning as the result of an injury to his hand whilst working and his health had since been impaired. He spent seven weeks in hospital in the early part of last summer and had been confined to his bed for a month prior to his death. The latter robbed Skegness of one of its oldest inhabitants, one who was an authority on the history of the resort in its early days, and one of the old type of craftsman which is rapidly passing away.

He leaves a widow and eight children-five sons at present residing in Skegness, one in New Zealand and another in the United States and a married daughter in Sheffield.

The funeral will take place to-day (Wednesday) at 2:30 pm

ENTRY IN SKEGNESS NEWS : WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 2ND 1936

DESCRIPTION OF FUNERAL

LIST OF MOURNERS

MR STANLEY GREEN

MR EDWARD GREEN

MR AND MRS AUBREY GREEN

MR AND MRS HAROLD GREEN

RALPH (JIM) AND MRS GREEN (NELLIE)

MRS AND MRS J YOUNG BROTHER-IN -LAW AND SISTER-IN-LAW

MRS A YOUNG SISTER-IN-LAW

MISS A YOUNG NIECE

OLD LEAKE:MRS STONES COUSIN, WINTHORPE

SYMPATHY FROM

AUBREY DAISY AND THE KIDS

HAROLD AND PHILLIS

Samuel (USA)

HARRY AND JOYCE (NZ)

Green Family Tree as researched by Paul Robinson