# ciconia



## senior pilot (Aug 18, 2007)

has anyone heard of a admiralty launch from ww1 era called ciconia ?


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## OLD STRAWBERRY (Jan 20, 2006)

I've checked in Old Ships Pictures Alex nothing there.


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## senior pilot (Aug 18, 2007)

will try another site


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## chadburn (Jun 2, 2008)

S.P. Ciconia ex Mayflower conv Admiralty Craft built by J.W. Brooke, Lowestoft in 1917. Engined/Re-Engined? in 1964 4cy Parsons.


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## senior pilot (Aug 18, 2007)

many thanks chadburn it's helped a wee bit now up to the person who asked me the question.


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## chadburn (Jun 2, 2008)

S.P. is the vessel still around and is there chance of a photo as she sounds like a former R.N. Pinnace at 41ft.pse.


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## senior pilot (Aug 18, 2007)

i don't know if she is still around as i am just helping someone out


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## rojw (Jul 31, 2012)

*ciconia today*

Hi everyone. I was amazed to see this thread, as I am the current owner of Ciconia. She is currently lying dry at Redhill Marina near Nottingham, undergoing a slow but complete renovation. She is currently fitted with a Fordson Diesel, linked to the Parsons gearbox.

I anyone has any relevant info. I would love to hear from you. I would also be pleased to welcome anyone who is interested in having a look at her.

She is of double diagonal teak over oak construction, still very sound, and was used for about 15 years as a Thames houseboat, moored near Kew. Her history includes the Guernsey evacuation and latterly a complete circuit of the UK.

An Historian from Lowestoft did do a comprehensive history of her, which I have.


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## chadburn (Jun 2, 2008)

I would like to see photo's of her on the Site please.


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## rojw (Jul 31, 2012)

*Photo of Ciconia*

Photo of the boat is attached, taken in 2008. She was lifted out in 2011, and is now devoid of white paint.


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## chadburn (Jun 2, 2008)

I can make out some tree's!!


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## rojw (Jul 31, 2012)

*Ciconia photo*

Sorry about the last attempt - i haven't a clue why it happened. I hope you can see the aforementioned trees in the background, as context only.


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## senior pilot (Aug 18, 2007)

many thanks for all the information will contact the person who asked me about her


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## chadburn (Jun 2, 2008)

Thanks for the photo rojw and to you S.P., it brings back memories of my Uncles boat which came from the same source and had a similiar conversion and had regular Summer trips to Scarborough accompanied by our own boat. When he had her in the 1940's/50's she was called the "Lady Margaret", the last time I saw her was in Hull Marina and called "John Vincent", they were so well built she is most probably still around. She had been converted to twin screw with the single Rudder. Has yours been converted to twin screw as I notice she was fitted with a Wing Engine at one time?. Plenty of Cuprinol around the inside Transom joint, although todays Cuprinol is not as good as it use to be.


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## rojw (Jul 31, 2012)

Hi Chadburn,

I have no record of a Wing engine ever being fitted. I believe she originally had a Brooke engine, which was replaced by a Kelvin petrol engine at some stage. During WW2 she was sunk in Dartmouth harbour after a trip from Guernsey , carrying evacuees. I presume, as she spent the entire war under water, that the Kelvin was wrecked. She now has a Ford 4D, dating from about 1952. 

She has a single screw, which appears to be original, and is mounted through the stern part of the keel, which is Teak or Azobe. There is no real Transom, just a HUGE mass of timber forming a kind of gusset to the stern. There is a stuffing box as bearing, and the drive line is by a large prop shaft, said to be from a Foden lorry, about 1934. This kind of fits with its history, which was sold out of the Navy in 1928, there is then a 5 year gap of unknown history until 1933, when she was bought by Mr. Raymond Falla of Guernsey. I suspect the Brooke engine was then replaced by him.

If you have some information about her having a Wing engine, I would love to know more.

Best wishes, Roger


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## chadburn (Jun 2, 2008)

G.A. Roger, the information I have is as follows, engine Paraffin ( 4cy Bergius fitted 1935) side motor (wing engine? removed 1947).The owner being a Mr Swift of Portsmouth in 1947. Regards.


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## rojw (Jul 31, 2012)

*ciconia engine*

Hello Alex,

This is fantastic news. Can I ask what your source of information is, as Mr. Swift is not mentioned on the history I have. I believed, and I can't remember why, that she was used as a Harbour vessel in Portsmouth harbour for a while, in the late 40s/early 50s. Is it possible that Mr. Swift is the person who named her Ciconia? She was called Mayflower previously, and, I think, renamed after being salvaged. There is a mention of the purchaser in 1947 was an ex - navy man.

Thank you very much for your help on this.

Roger


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## chadburn (Jun 2, 2008)

G.E. Roger, my copy of a 1949 ( sorry not 1947) L.R. his address was down as M.Y. Ciconia, Browns Meadow, Fen Ditton, Cambridge. Sounds like a mooring possibly. The Port of Reg for her was Portsmouth.


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## rojw (Jul 31, 2012)

Sorry I addressed you wrongly, Geordie Chief, and thank you for the info.

Roger


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## chadburn (Jun 2, 2008)

G.M Roger, In my 1973 edition it has the Owner as B. A. Davey of "Ciconia", c/o T.S. Black Swan, Riverside, Walton Bridge, Shepperton, Middx. Vessel still Reg Portsmouth with the homeport of London (as previous indic). ScKch, Sailmakers in 1934 and 1946 down as Ratsey, 4cy Parsons 1964. There have been a couple of members on this site who know the Thames in that area like the back of their hands who will possibly remember her with a Mast and know what the T.S. Black Swan was?
No problems about the name Alex, I am off for a meal and an ice cold one(Pint) soon for Grandparents Day.


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## rojw (Jul 31, 2012)

*Ciconia info*

Hi Geordie Chief. I do have a record of Dr. Davey owning the boat, as he sold her to the owners through the seventies and eighties, david and Claudia (I will have to look up their surname. They did a round trip of the UK in her, of which I have their account. They then lived on her at Kew for a number of years, then sold her to Mrs. Gillian Olcay, who sold her to us in December 2007.


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## chadburn (Jun 2, 2008)

G.M. Roger, do you have any info on her time with the R.N. and where she was pse and do you have any numbers off her? Regards, Chad.


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## rojw (Jul 31, 2012)

*Ciconia*

Hi Chad,

I am afraid there are no numbers anywhere which relate to R.N ship types. On one of the cross members supporting the deck, it says 'CERT CHART ROOM 5./100%', and on the prow member there appears to be numbers stamped into the wood, saying 6X 19L. On the remote greaser for the prop stuffing box is engraved what looks like CMB 254. This is, I think a Tecalemit greaser, and the manufacturers plate has their part no. on it. The CMB might imply that it was meant for a CMB, which Ciconia is not, as she is too wide at !2' 6" beam.
Roger


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## chadburn (Jun 2, 2008)

There are experts on this site who have a better understanding of Admiralty Numbers than I have, hopefully the number 6X 19L means something to them and they are able to help you. Just hang on in there!! Where does your history of her start from?


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## rojw (Jul 31, 2012)

*reply to Geordie Chief*

Our history begins with a statement that she was built in 1914, which does not seem to agree with info on this site. I will scan it and try to attach it, maybe tomorrow. I presume I can attach a PDF to these posts.


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## ben27 (Dec 27, 2012)

good day rojw.m.4thoct,00:40.#10 to #12.rehoto of ciconia.i went to post 10 and the bushes and plants were very nice,then to post #12,a great photo.you can see the work in progess.thank you for posting.regards ben27


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## Teresa Robertson (May 20, 2020)

*ex-owner of MY Ciconia*



rojw said:


> Hi Geordie Chief. I do have a record of Dr. Davey owning the boat, as he sold her to the owners through the seventies and eighties, david and Claudia (I will have to look up their surname. They did a round trip of the UK in her, of which I have their account. They then lived on her at Kew for a number of years, then sold her to Mrs. Gillian Olcay, who sold her to us in December 2007.


Hi all - my husband John Dodgson and I bought Ciconia from Dave and Claudia Mason in 1987 (not Gillian Olcay - she may have been an owner later). We lived on her in Kew for two very happy years and I have quite a few photos - happy to post here if anyone would like to see.


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## Stephen053 (4 mo ago)

rojw said:


> *ciconia today*
> 
> Hi everyone. I was amazed to see this thread, as I am the current owner of Ciconia. She is currently lying dry at Redhill Marina near Nottingham, undergoing a slow but complete renovation. She is currently fitted with a Fordson Diesel, linked to the Parsons gearbox.
> 
> ...


hi my uncle was Cliff Falla who escaped in the vessel called Mayflower which was Ciconia perhaps we cou exchange details


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## Stephen053 (4 mo ago)

rojw said:


> *Ciconia photo*
> 
> Sorry about the last attempt - i haven't a clue why it happened. I hope you can see the aforementioned trees in the background, as context only.


Hello has anybody any later day information on the whereabouts of the Ciconia/Mayflower only my parents and my sister ,with my uncle Cliff Falla who owned the Mayflower escaped from German occupation of Guernsey in this boat and arrived in Dartmouth


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## Stephen053 (4 mo ago)

rojw said:


> *ciconia engine*
> 
> Hello Alex,
> 
> ...


Hello Roger it was my uncle who owned the the Mayflower 
perhaps we can talk sometime.
Stephen Robilliard


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## Dockman (8 mo ago)

Stephen053 said:


> Hello Roger it was my uncle who owned the the Mayflower
> perhaps we can talk sometime.
> Stephen Robilliard





ben27 said:


> good day rojw.m.4thoct,00:40.#10 to #12.rehoto of ciconia.i went to post 10 and the bushes and plants were very nice,then to post #12,a great photo.you can see the work in progess.thank you for posting.regards ben27


Good afternoon, rjow. Do you still own Circonia. the gentleman, who owns the German Occupation Museum, in Guernsey, is interested to know where she is.


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## Stephen053 (4 mo ago)

rojw said:


> *ciconia today*
> 
> Hi everyone. I was amazed to see this thread, as I am the current owner of Ciconia. She is currently lying dry at Redhill Marina near Nottingham, undergoing a slow but complete renovation. She is currently fitted with a Fordson Diesel, linked to the Parsons gearbox.
> 
> ...


Hi My name is Stephen Robilliard and my parents escaped on the Mayflower in 1940 from the German army and landed at Dartmouth the ship belonged to my uncle Cliff Falla 
Perhaps you may be able to tell me more look forward to hearing from you


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