Yacht Tricia, G.H.Lee

Tricia

Having spent many years in the John Lewis Partnership Sailing Club we, here at JLPSC Archive, were both aware that at some point there was some sailing done on the Mersey by Partners at G.H. Lee, as the Liverpool branch of John Lewis used to be called.

We then came across a couple of names: Tricia and Finnjenka
A little more digging revealed that Tricia was Mylne Class yacht. Now the Royal Mersey Yacht Club (https://royalmersey-yc.co.uk/fleets/mylne-fleet/) has some detail that the Mylne Class was designed in 1934 in response to the club wanting to sail and race on the Mersey. See a photo of Mylne Class yachts racing – courtesy of the Royal Mersey Yacht Club

The first five were built at a small boatyard on the Clyde called Munro’s but later ones were built by Dickie’s at Bangor as the local Trearddur Bay Sailing Club in Anglesey had adopted the boat. They are 24.8 ft (7.6 m) in length, 7.0 ft (2.13 m) beam and a draught of 3.2 ft (1.0 m).

All these boats had their names beginning with TR (TReardur) and hence the John Lewis yacht was called Tricia.

Tricia came into the club in 1958 but was lost on her mooring in a storm in 1967. Finnjenka, a 27’ Folk Dancer, was launched the following year as a replacement.

A sailing club member, Colin Tushingham, who used to work at G.H. Lee even sailed on her and has these photos.

With Norman Hawkins, Skipper and SM Kitchenware, with Agnes McGill Accounts both at G.H.Lee and two others, both unknown, sailing off Wallasea, Mersey
Photos from Colin Tushingham

The main instigator for sailing at the branch was a past Commodore, Denis Bayly, who worked there for a period.