Island Life Magazine Ltd August/September 2009 | Page 37
ISLAND HISTORY
life
built 317 ships including 26 destroyers.
about a charitable institution called the
by Captain Francki’s daughter. One
White’s interesting history is kept in the
British School in Cross Street. “It was
plaque reads, “Such friendship and valour
Maritime Museum at Cowes library in
nicknamed the ‘Penny School’ because it
forms that indelible part of our town’s
Beckford Road.
was supported by the children’s pennies,”
history, ever to be praised, never to be
said Charles, “and run by the British and
forgotten.”
Originally there were salterns and
marshes between Medina Road and Arctic
Road. In 1760 Stephen Day mentions
Foreign School Society around 1847.”
Cowes has rather an up-and-down
The old chandlers, Pascall Atkey 1799,
Ship-Smiths, remains unchanged in
“the Saltworks east of the highway
history with the railway line to Newport
the High Street.
whereon is now the rope walk.” I passed
closing in 1966. But one example that the
oldest in Britain with some of the shop
the hammerhead crane, one of the few
town is getting it together is Francki Place
built from ship’s timbers and inside it’s
left in the UK, at Shepards Wharf and
with attractive wrought iron seats around
crammed from floor to ceiling with goods
turned into Birmingham Road to look
the trees and tubs of brilliantly coloured
guaranteed to gladden a sailor’s heart.
for Westbourne House where a plaque
flowers.
Almost opposite is one of the oldest
commemorates the birth on 13 June,
Francki Place is named after Captain
Pascalls is one of the
hotels in Cowes, The Fountain Hotel, and
1795, of Thomas Arnold, headmaster
Wojciech Francki, Commander of the
the entrance to the ferry that started in
of Rugby School and the son of William
Polish destroyer ORP Blyskawica. The ship
1820 with a 52-ton wooden paddle-wheel
Arnold, Collector of Customs.
had returned to J. Samuel White’s yard
steamer called the Prince Coburg.
Further on I found Beken of Cowes,
for a repairs in 1942 and was moored
Walking along the pedestrianised High
famous marine photographers since
there on the night of the 4th/5th May
Street you catch a glimpse of the harbour
1888. They have an amazing archive of
when German planes dropped 200 tons of
between the buildings. Here the Boat
over 500,000 photographs of all types
bombs, incendiaries and high explosives
Trail led me to The Prospect and Sir Max
of marine craft and thousands of their
on the town in three successive raids.
Aitken’s museum, the base of the Royal
calendars are sent all over the world
The ship promptly fired at the bombers,
Ocean Racing Club.
before Christmas.
helping to reduce the number of civilian
At Shooters Hill the street narrows.
Jolliffes is a beautiful listed art nouveau
building converted into a coffee shop
The museum is housed in an old Ratsey
casualties and saving a large part of
and Lapthorn sail loft. A sixty foot gaff
Cowes from being destroyed.
from the yacht Britannia hangs from
Both the shoreside fire and rescue
the rafters and around the room is Sir
and art gallery and here I bribed Charles
services are remembered on two plaques
Max Aitken’s collection of paintings
Taylor with a cup of coffee to tell me
unveiled at Francki Place on 4 May 2007
and maritime memorabilia - among
Photo: Ellen MacArthur, Cowes plays a big part in Ellens life. Right: Beken of Cowes,
famous marine photographers since 1888
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