Exeter volunteer wins at National Historic Ships UK Awards
A volunteer for the Exeter-based historic vessel conservation project Britannia Sailing Trust has been announced as the winner of the 2025 Marsh Volunteer Award – Individual at the National Historic Ships UK Awards.
The winners of the Photography Competition, Marsh Volunteer Awards, Excellence in Maritime Conservation Award, and Flagships of the Year were revealed tonight in an Awards film recorded in Bristol and premiered on YouTube.
MARSH VOLUNTEER AWARDS
The Marsh Volunteer Awards recognise outstanding volunteers in the conservation or operation of historic vessels in the UK. Volunteers are the lifeblood of the sector with many vessels depending on them to keep going. These Awards, run in partnership with the Marsh Charitable Trust, celebrate the hard work and achievement of the many diverse individuals and groups who volunteer in support of maritime heritage. There are three Award categories: Group, Individual, and Shipshape project - for projects listed on NHS-UK’s Shipshape Network.
Marsh Volunteer Awards - Individual (Joint)
Richard Brown, Britannia Sailing Trust (Exeter, Devon)
The joint winner of the Marsh Volunteer Individual Award is Richard Brown from the Britannia Sailing Trust in Devon. Richard only joined the Trust as a volunteer one year ago but has quickly become an invaluable member of the team looking after the 1915 Boston Smack Britannia. Working for the Trust three days per week, he carries out essential maintenance checks, and took responsibility for the design, fabrication and installation of the new engine bed. He has also taken on the role of volunteer supervisor, and it was clear from the application that he has gone over and above the call of duty on many occasions.
Built in 1915 by Worfolk Bros, Kings Lynn, Britannia was the last, and largest, whelk trawler to be built on the east coast. During the First World War, she had a friendly encounter with a German U-boat. Well to the east of the Sunk buoy she met the submarine on the surface. Some of the German crew came aboard and exchanged a few bottles and some food. The crew decided to say nothing of the incident, as fraternising with the enemy was frowned upon. In another incident Britannia was caught in the ice when the River Ouse froze over in about 1918: food and fuel were taken out to her by improvised sledge.
In 1917 Britannia brought home the crew of a Russian ship found in distress. Alfred Rake, the owner, fed and slept them for some time before they could be repatriated. They departed eventually, and nothing was heard until 1939 when one of the survivors came to King’s Lynn as an officer on a timber ship and got in touch to thank Alfred and his crew.
Later she became a motor fishing vessel. In 1973 a carpenter named Haydn Samuels bought her and worked on her restoration at Bristol. The Samuels family operated Britannia as a charter yacht on the west coast of Scotland until 1997. She has been based in Devon since 2007, since being acquired by the Trinity Sailing Trust, of Brixham. After undergoing a refit in 2008, she was used for youth training work and charters, sailing to the Scilly Isles. In 2011 she was laid up because charter work was scarce and she fell into poor condition.
In 2014, Britannia was bought back from Trinity Sailing Trust by her former owners the Samuels family for a symbolic £1. The Britannia Sailing Trust was formed for the purpose of saving Britannia and restoring her to seaworthy condition. She was transported 20 miles inland to a purpose-built workshed where a team of volunteers, led by boatbuilder Sam Samuels, worked on her. After almost ten years and securing several grants for the work, Britannia was relaunched in September 2023. She is now based in Exeter Harbour.
