Maurice Griffiths
Encyclopedia
Maurice Griffiths is a noted yacht
sman, boat designer and writer on sailing
subjects. In his writing of some 20 book he focuses on the creeks of the Thames Estuary
and the English east coast. Books he has written include The Magic of the Swatchways, Swatchways and Little Ships, Sailing on a Small Income, and 60 Years a Yacht Designer. He was the editor of Yachting Monthly, the British sailing magazine, from 1927 until 1967. In the region of more than 2,000 yachts have been built and launched from his designs. Maurice was born in 1902 and died at West Mersea
in 1997.
to Ipswich
in 1903 when his father became the East of England representative for a glove manufacturer
. In London
they had lived opposite a railwayline and Maurice's early love was trains. His first job was with an estate agent but in his spare time he wrote articles about trains for the East Anglian Times and it was train travel that soon led him to Ipswich
docks where he discovered boating.
He started a small yacht brokerage and in the course of this work he learnt a lot about sailing and boat building. In 1925 he published a little book called Yachting on a Small Income which, ironically, sold well on railwaystation platforms.
His father died suddenly leaving the family in considerable debt and the familyhome had to be sold. His mother Lena, and older brother Leslie, moved to the Midlands
to stay with relatives. Maurice's brokerage business folded so he decided to try his luck selling yachting articles freelance in London
. It was a struggle and he virtually starved. His health was to never fully recover from this experience.
Around this time in 1927 he married Dulcie Kennard whom he had met while visiting the offices of yachting magazines trying to sell his articles. She also wrote for the yachting press under the name Peter Gerard. They were divorced in 1934.
for bravery in recognition of his work trawling for mines in the North Sea
as well as deactivating parachute mines dropped on the London Docks
during the Blitz
and also his command of a group of divers clearing mines from the Suez Canal
. Later in the war he had responsibility for the design and fitting of the explosive charges that sank 77 condemned ships off the coast of Normandy, where they formed part of the Mulberry Harbour
used during D-Day
and after in 1944.
He met his second wife, Marjorie, known as "Coppie" from her maiden name of Copson in December 1944 while based with the RNVR at HMS Vernon
. Coppie died about nine months before her husband and there were no children from either marriage.
Griffiths single-handedly gave yachting to working people with his DIY designs and tips on sailing and converting former ship's lifeboats but his greatest contribution to giving the sport wide appeal was undoubtedly his book "The Magic of the Swatchways" with its accounts of simple cruises around the east coast and across the North Sea to the Netherlands
and Belgium
. It was first published in 1932, has been translated into Dutch and Polish and gone through many editions.
A biography of Griffiths, The Magician of the Swatchways was written by Dick Durham and published in 1992.
Yacht
A yacht is a recreational boat or ship. The term originated from the Dutch Jacht meaning "hunt". It was originally defined as a light fast sailing vessel used by the Dutch navy to pursue pirates and other transgressors around and into the shallow waters of the Low Countries...
sman, boat designer and writer on sailing
Sailing
Sailing is the propulsion of a vehicle and the control of its movement with large foils called sails. By changing the rigging, rudder, and sometimes the keel or centre board, a sailor manages the force of the wind on the sails in order to move the boat relative to its surrounding medium and...
subjects. In his writing of some 20 book he focuses on the creeks of the Thames Estuary
Thames Estuary
The Thames Mouth is the estuary in which the River Thames meets the waters of the North Sea.It is not easy to define the limits of the estuary, although physically the head of Sea Reach, near Canvey Island on the Essex shore is probably the western boundary...
and the English east coast. Books he has written include The Magic of the Swatchways, Swatchways and Little Ships, Sailing on a Small Income, and 60 Years a Yacht Designer. He was the editor of Yachting Monthly, the British sailing magazine, from 1927 until 1967. In the region of more than 2,000 yachts have been built and launched from his designs. Maurice was born in 1902 and died at West Mersea
West Mersea
West Mersea is a small town in the Colchester borough of Essex, England. It is the larger of two settlements on Mersea Island, located south east of Colchester. The smaller settlement on the island is the village of East Mersea....
in 1997.
Early Years
Maurice's family had moved from South LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
to Ipswich
Ipswich
Ipswich is a large town and a non-metropolitan district. It is the county town of Suffolk, England. Ipswich is located on the estuary of the River Orwell...
in 1903 when his father became the East of England representative for a glove manufacturer
. In London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
they had lived opposite a railwayline and Maurice's early love was trains. His first job was with an estate agent but in his spare time he wrote articles about trains for the East Anglian Times and it was train travel that soon led him to Ipswich
Ipswich
Ipswich is a large town and a non-metropolitan district. It is the county town of Suffolk, England. Ipswich is located on the estuary of the River Orwell...
docks where he discovered boating.
He started a small yacht brokerage and in the course of this work he learnt a lot about sailing and boat building. In 1925 he published a little book called Yachting on a Small Income which, ironically, sold well on railwaystation platforms.
His father died suddenly leaving the family in considerable debt and the familyhome had to be sold. His mother Lena, and older brother Leslie, moved to the Midlands
English Midlands
The Midlands, or the English Midlands, is the traditional name for the area comprising central England that broadly corresponds to the early medieval Kingdom of Mercia. It borders Southern England, Northern England, East Anglia and Wales. Its largest city is Birmingham, and it was an important...
to stay with relatives. Maurice's brokerage business folded so he decided to try his luck selling yachting articles freelance in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. It was a struggle and he virtually starved. His health was to never fully recover from this experience.
Editorship
He was rescued by George Bittles, the publisher of Yachting Monthly. Bittles had bought Griffiths' book at his local railway station and believed he would be the right person to edit a new magazine called Yacht Sales and Charters. This was basically a yacht brokerage with its own magazine. Griffiths made such a success of this that other brokers threatened to stop advertising in Yachting Monthly if the Yacht Sales magazine continued. The magazine was stopped but Griffiths had proved himself and was given the position of Editor of Yachting Monthly.Around this time in 1927 he married Dulcie Kennard whom he had met while visiting the offices of yachting magazines trying to sell his articles. She also wrote for the yachting press under the name Peter Gerard. They were divorced in 1934.
War Years
As a lieutenant-commander in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve Maurice Griffiths was awarded the George MedalGeorge Medal
The George Medal is the second level civil decoration of the United Kingdom and Commonwealth.The GM was instituted on 24 September 1940 by King George VI. At this time, during the height of The Blitz, there was a strong desire to reward the many acts of civilian courage...
for bravery in recognition of his work trawling for mines in the North Sea
North Sea
In the southwest, beyond the Straits of Dover, the North Sea becomes the English Channel connecting to the Atlantic Ocean. In the east, it connects to the Baltic Sea via the Skagerrak and Kattegat, narrow straits that separate Denmark from Norway and Sweden respectively...
as well as deactivating parachute mines dropped on the London Docks
London Docks
The London Docks were one of several sets of docks in the historic Port of London. They were constructed in Wapping downstream from the City of London between 1799 and 1815, at a cost exceeding £5½ million. Traditionally ships had docked at wharves on the River Thames, but by this time, more...
during the Blitz
Blitz
-Armed conflict:*The Blitz, the German aerial attacks on Britain in WWII. The name Blitz was subsequently applied to many individual bombing campaigns or attacks.*Blitzkrieg, the "lightning war", a strategy of World War 2 Germany-People:...
and also his command of a group of divers clearing mines from the Suez Canal
Suez Canal
The Suez Canal , also known by the nickname "The Highway to India", is an artificial sea-level waterway in Egypt, connecting the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea. Opened in November 1869 after 10 years of construction work, it allows water transportation between Europe and Asia without navigation...
. Later in the war he had responsibility for the design and fitting of the explosive charges that sank 77 condemned ships off the coast of Normandy, where they formed part of the Mulberry Harbour
Mulberry harbour
A Mulberry harbour was a British type of temporary harbour developed in World War II to offload cargo on the beaches during the Allied invasion of Normandy....
used during D-Day
D-Day
D-Day is a term often used in military parlance to denote the day on which a combat attack or operation is to be initiated. "D-Day" often represents a variable, designating the day upon which some significant event will occur or has occurred; see Military designation of days and hours for similar...
and after in 1944.
He met his second wife, Marjorie, known as "Coppie" from her maiden name of Copson in December 1944 while based with the RNVR at HMS Vernon
HMS Vernon
Two ships and a training establishment of the Royal Navy have borne the name HMS Vernon, possibly after Admiral Edward Vernon:*HMS Vernon was a 14-gun armed ship listed between 1781 and 1782....
. Coppie died about nine months before her husband and there were no children from either marriage.
Post-War
After the war Maurice returned to Yachting Monthly. The invention of marine plywood and fibreglass now enabled his boat designs to be mass-produced. The two most successful were the Eventide 24, soon followed by the 26, and the Waterwitch 30. These, along with his other designs, proved to be good sea-worthy craft but he was under no illusions about their aesthetic appeal, once saying: "If you ever see a barrel or box with rudder and sails, it'll be one of my designs." Nevertheless they earned a strong following of enthusiasts who would disagree with that description.Griffiths single-handedly gave yachting to working people with his DIY designs and tips on sailing and converting former ship's lifeboats but his greatest contribution to giving the sport wide appeal was undoubtedly his book "The Magic of the Swatchways" with its accounts of simple cruises around the east coast and across the North Sea to the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
and Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
. It was first published in 1932, has been translated into Dutch and Polish and gone through many editions.
A biography of Griffiths, The Magician of the Swatchways was written by Dick Durham and published in 1992.
Boat designs
- EVENTIDE 24 1957
- EVENTIDE 26 1957
- WATERWITCH 30 MKI 1957
- WATERWITCH 30 MKII 1959
- MEDUSA 25 1960
- GOLDEN HIND 31 1968
- BARBICAN 33 1972
- ATLANTIC CLIPPER 36 1973
- FINESSE 27 1980
External links
- Maurice Griffiths biography on Eventide Owners Association
- Sailboatdesigns of Maurice Griffiths on Sailboatdat.com