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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