Camper & Nicholsons: The Gelyce
by Camper & Nicholsons 5 Apr 2023 14:10 BST
Herring Gull ex-Gelyce VIII Yard No 335, built in 1926 © Camper & Nicholsons
Constance was designed by Charles E. Nicholson and built in our Gosport yard in 1900 for his family's use.
She was named Constance after Arthur Nicholson's wife, and according to John Nicholson "was a sleek, distinctive craft with light displacement and pleasing waterlines but had a cabin shelter with a top rather like a gypsy caravan." She continued in use as the family launch until C&N built Yard N° 205 Gelyce in 1912. Constance continued in service as Ino and then Seve until at least 1980.
Yard N° 205 GELYCE
This launch was designed by C.E. Nicholson and built in our Gosport yard in 1912 as a replacement for the Nicholson family launch Constance built in 1900. Gelyce was built using some of the same structural ideas that were developed for Shamrock IV. Lightly built with mahogany planking, the inner skin laid diagonally and the outer skin laid fore and aft, the engine beds ran the full length with 5 stringers each side. The hull was lightly framed with bent timbers. She was named Gelyce, using the first and last letters of the Nicholson sisters-in-law Gertrude, Lucy and Constance.
Particulars
- Length Overall 50.0'
- Length Between Perpendiculars 49.4'
- Beam 7.25'
- Draft 4.3'
- Thames Measurement 12 Tons
- Machinery J.W. Brooke & Co. Ltd. 6 Cyl. Petrol Engine.
Nicholson built 9 launches of the 50' Gelyce class and a few smaller custom made Gelyces between 1912-1930.
John Nicholson wrote this about the Gelyces: "Most of the Gelyces were built for my grandfather and his brother as stock boats to fill the times of the year when the yard was not very busy. Hence the name. My grandmother was Constance, my great aunts Lucy and Gertie. They were much admired and therefore easy to sell on, usually as tenders to 8 Metre and 12 Metre racing boats. My grandfather always had an 8 Metre. The paid hands would prepare the boat for racing and take it to the starting area. The owner and his guest crew would then be taken out in Gelyce to board the race boat shortly before the start and taken ashore again shortly after the finish..... The boats were long and thin and lightly constructed with the aim of achieving 20 knots with only 100HP. Petrol engines of course... The driver (professional) drove up front in the open (while) the guests had a comfortable cockpit and cabin aft. In the summer months my grandfather used to take a house in Seaview and Gelyce would pick him up in the morning and take him to the office in Gosport or to the 8 Metre if there was racing that day. They had a very pleasant lifestyle!!"
Gelyce was the last built of the 50’ class, and the most distinguished as the only one to be a J-Class tender.
This shows how we found her upriver on the Thames in 2014:
The magnificent C&N mahogany table and bulkhead of Gelyce XI:
The engine room:
Gelyce has recently undergone a major rebuild on the Thames by Colin and Stephen Messer Classic Restoration Services.
She was on show at the Classic Boat Show in St Katherine’s Dock 10-9-17.
Gelyce in 2017 after her restoration: