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A Hucknall History

Industrial Developments

Birchwood Boats

Huthwaite is a centralised inland location surprisingly associated with manufacturing larger sea cruising motor yachts. But near the major Mansfield town and edging west Nottinghamshire in the East Midlands, this is where the Birchwood brand firmly established prestigious international repute building up a range of high quality vessels. Respected corporate identity has been kept throughout successive takeovers. Latest future range discontinued UK manufacturing in 2006 under Birchwood Marine International Ltd.

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Sketching out a very vaguely understood company history has to recognise the enterprising founder Ted Andrews. His 2008 death left little record spanning past business concerns. Daughter Pamela since shared later family album photos through Sutton social media. Local legend insists Ted started business from his home garage, from where the Birchwood house address inspired future company title. Affording known employment in a small factory unit once stood in Hardwick Lane, Sutton, identifies premises behind registering the Birchwood Boat Company Limited by shares in May 1962. Another registered company proves of later significance.

Hardwick Lane FactoryHardwick Lane

Birchwood Boat Company Ltd subscribers actually prove to be Boat Dealer Mr Edward and housewife Mrs Thelma Andrews of 62 Priestic Road, plus Joiner Mr James Kenneth Wiilson, 11 Old Road, Skegby. Hidden depths can furthermore link Mentornet Ltd. Confusion thus arose realising similarly dated interests firstly moving into Huthwaite. But found through specialist forum websites, some knowledgeable classic boat owning enthusiasts help expose origins behind yet another named Interglass Marine Company.

1950s Sutton Lawn boating1960s Sutton Lawn boating1970s Sutton Lawn boating

Refined development of glass fibre and resins significantly advanced UK 1950s vehicular designs. Newer title readily suggests Mr E Andrews had soon started out mastering the technique of constructing fibreglass boats. Lightness and strength of easily moulded waterproof and rustproof compound materials gave sports cars and speed boats a distinct racing advantage. Modern carbon fibre has surpassed extreme demands only if able to justifying far greater expense. Replacing popularity of rowing wooden hulls on park boating lakes with safer fibreglass paddle craft such as seen on Sutton Lawn, would humbly start Ted's Birchwood enterprise.

Interglass Marine Company Ltd

Receipt proving October 1962 sale of the Huthwaite Lyric revealed purchase price of £1,800 was paid by Birchwood Boat Co. Ltd., of Sutton-in-Ashfield. A rear side outbuilding must have provided sufficient room to start manufacturing sportier river craft, because Sutton Road picture house then left use by Kingswood and Morris Joiners, until 1980s sale of this site best suited redevelopment.

Reliance Pictures LrdLyricKingswood Morris Ltd

Year 1962 happened to be when Healey Marine Ltd pulled out an increasingly competitive British market. That subsidiary diversion from the Austin-Healey car company relates name between their distinguished Frogeye sportster Austin Sprite, with a 13½ foot long fibreglass hulled Healey Sprite. Donald actually cloned a successfully launched 1959 G3 speedboat designed for water skiing. June 1960 US 188,148 registration filed by William Tritt of Glaspar Co, in Santa Ana, California, aimed to stop any further copies.

The Sprite had been smallest model in the Healey Marine boat range. Critical restorers questioned a few areas concerning original build quality. Maybe that's indicative why overstretched management decided to concentrate funding developments just into cars. Ending two years producing 1400 Healey Marine Sprites priced new at £275 plus choice of engines, apparently then sold moulds onto Interglass Ltd. This now appears to recognise when Mr Andrews next formed another limited company based in Huthwaite. It must make astute business sense when risking expansion into newly developing his larger speedboat. Chance of failure limits any potential loss of initial investment costs, without adversely affecting his primarily established Birchwood Boat limited company.

From mould reshaping, through perfecting designed construction, to outboard motor testing on the nearest river Trent, emerged a subtly refined Thunderball model. Interglas range Its unclear dating announced availability before Light Craft identified an extended 1966 range.

Interglas range   A new firm called Interglas Marine are manufacturing high speed glass fibre runabouts based on the old Healey Marine range. Star of the range is the Thunderball which will take outboards of up to 60bhp, while others in the series cover a small cruiser and a general purpose outboard craft.         Ref: Light Craft Feb 1966 p45

Current owner of one of these now rare classics confirmed dash plate identifies the makers Interglass Marine Co Ltd, Huthwaite, Notts, England.

Car buffs might incidentally, appreciate common response identifying fibreglass bodied Reliant Scimitars invoking reply Princess Anne had one of those ! Well the Interglass Thunderball could also be associated from fact Sean Connery had one of those !

We are pleased to announce that Sean Connery is taking delivery of one of the Interglass Thunderball speed-boats FB335 which will be fitted with a Penta E30 motor. The boat may be seen on stand No.K4 in the power boat hall.

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Mention given an Interglass small cruiser might suppose basis on another past Healey mould. Nevertheless, the well appointed 16ft double berthed Gemini joined four seat variations of the more popular Thunderball when Gemini The New York Times reported how the 1966 London Boat Show - Craft Made of Fiber Glass Outnumbered Wooden-Hull Boats for the first time. Output at record level & Industry Exports Soar to $28 Million of Its Total $116 Million.

1968 Show

Filming 1968 London show heralds great popularity in water skiing. The Interglass Thunderball already seemed well designed for that market, much like its two previously manufactured speedboat designs.

1968 Thunderski

Safely riding waves while minimising wake with the same 52mph rated hull had by then morphed into a more appropriately named Thunderski Runabout. What looks to be taken from the earlier Light Craft photo shoot claimed showing this 1968 updated Thunderski version launched for that year. Only discerning enthusiasts may recognise any cockpit changes generally referring to a Thunderthingy.

Birchwood Boat Company Ltd.

The one major difference is manufacturers name. Dropping Interglass Marine Ltd after six years establishing entry into a highly competitive motor boat market, now returns original Birchwood Boat Company to the forefront. Signalling future brand confidence, Birchwood Boat Ltd proudly displayed their glass fibre power craft ranging from the 13½ft Thunderski outboard speed boat up to a 19½ft two berth Vanguard Spectre cabin cruiser. Adding to the mid sized 16ft Gemini cruiser had newly revealed a 16ft Thunderjet.

Vanguard

International Boat Show - Vanguard Spectre - 2 berth £495
  This ideal family cruiser is suitable for both off-shore cruising with up to twin 40 h.p. outboard motors, and for use on inland waters a single 5 h.p. is recommended. With a beam of 6ft. 10in. the cruiser is able to navigate the locks of any canals.
  The hull and superstructure are of reinforced polyester resin and are available in any standard colour. The twin keels are moulded in the hull.

Producing those models somehow shared between two adapted Sutton-in-Ashfield factory units hadn't so far presented much of a problem. Surprised to later find the original Hardwick Lane premises became prominent Interglass Marine address. It kind of switched main contact point away the secondarily purchased Sutton Road, Huthwaite premises. But having been based here, Mr Andrews would no doubt be offered some timely incentive encouraging his expansion, as likewise offered aiming to develop a Fulwood Industrial estate.

Managing to trace launch of a larger Birchwood Intercepter range from 1968, has to best suggest unconfirmed year demanding the move into much bigger newly built premises. fb322 The smaller 18ft Continental & Camper was another popular outboard cruiser at a loosely dated Earls Court boat show.

Closing both the Hardwick Lane plus later sale of Sutton Road premises must have finalised manufacturing any smaller craft.

Future held address upon a developing Fulwood Road North, Industrial Estate all begins from initially given Common Road, Huthwaite, Sutton-in-Ashfield, Nottinghamshire, NG17 2JU site. Outdated Sutton telephone number preceded Mansfield area code presented in a 1970 Birchwood 22 hand book. Guarantee warranting that example from the Birchwood Boat International Ltd (The Company), infers broader dealership backup. Maybe that starts generating US and European branded sales.

Birchwood Boat International

Significance behind numbering a Birchwood 22 based on a 22ft Intercepter Junior and a 25 model on 25ft Intercepter moulds has to be 1970 introduction of inboard engines. Numbering of ever longer luxury motor yachts would present too vast a range to feature beyond researching this companies exposed history.

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Aerial view overlooking the much extended works looks north and upward along Common Road towards Huthwaite heights. Lower valley setting below New Hucknall Colliery grounds was adjacent that old pit tip and past landfill site, before planting Rookery Park.

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Seventies production generally covered those four berth cruisers suiting calmer inland and estuary waterways. Popularity seen on the Norfolk Broads finds a photographically recorded range. From 20ft had come spacious 27 and 29ft Sedans, launched around same c1978 year upper office and some workshop extensions increased a sizeable workforce. A team of designers up-scaled the eighties era cabin cruisers. Introducing a more prestigious 31 to 37 feet range could comfortably berth most larger family numbers.

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Numerous folk have basically claimed some term of employment. Many kept fond memories. Some passed down relational pride. Press clipping memento of father Alex Molnar, identified one of the highly skilled cabinet makers. Luxuriously finished teak was built into every Birchwood cruiser. Pattern makers working on plug of a Birchwood 37 PRESIDENT recognises another trade from several hand manufacturing teams. It took a combination of various craftsmen to fully equip and totally furnish vessels of exacting quality. In fairness to several known past workers, Ted did have reputation for abrupt lay offs, plus dramatic reduction of hours.

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Birchwood Classics still supports their cherished marque. Selling a few moulds still required extra storage warehouse. Larger range of completed sales models had to include latest designs in readiness to attend major boat shows. Priced £55,215 at a 1989 Trade Show, Ted promotes a sleek looking Birchwood SD34 Turbo. That sea ship had probably launched this companies future interest.

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Diversifying into designing and thereafter manufacturing performance motor yachts may be result of loosely recognised changes in management. Workforce could only hint a potential partnership existed between appointed directors. Whatever that arrangement was, releasing newer, faster, bigger and more luxurious vessels continued about a decade under notably tumultuous management.

Fulwood Rd North

Company shareholders signed June 1991 approval to remove one Article of Association. That just named Mr & Mrs Andrews first directors. Auditor firm didn't disclose reason tendering 22nd December 1993 resignation. The formerly numbered 724733 company dissolved before the aforementioned Mentornet Ltd changed name into a numbered 03287352 Birchwood Boat Company Limited registered on 3rd December 1996.

LogoComplicated association changes ultimately presented Birchwood Marine International Limited. Discontinuing 2006 UK manufacturing placed Common Road site on the market, until noting 2014 withdrawal from sale.

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29 Mar 23     by Gary Elliott       Updated 09 Apr 23