Strong Women of Medway.

[castle261]

Yes Stuart - the lady is one of the Strong Women - We also have a suffragette - An  England footballer - ( trying to remember WHAT else )
First women head of the shell fishing industry on Medway - after a 7 year apprenticeship - as an engineer. - More later.

[stuartwaters]

Charles and Mary Ross also built ships for the Hudson Bay Company if I remember correctly, as well as vessels for the general merchant trade. When Charles Ross died, he not only left his widow a full order book (including vessels for the Royal Navy) but once those orders were complete, Mrs Ross went on to win more orders. The Navy Board could be notoriously capricious with orders, and frequently asked for ships to be left incomplete or sat on a slipway. Mrs Ross wasn't afraid to take them on when they asked her to leave HMS Vigo complete on her slipway for the time being. HMS Vigo was a Third Rate ship of the line of 74 guns and so was a big ship, much larger than those normally built in her shipyard. Mrs Ross couldn't afford to have a vessel of that size sat on her slipway preventing her from fulfilling other orders, so she took them on and pursuaded them to approve the launch.

[Stewie]

Yes sorry, I read the page but quoted the wrong name.

[stuartwaters]

Helen Doe, ran a shipyard in Rochester after the death of her husband, building ships for the Royal Navy. She was the (part) subject of an interesting talk at the Chatham Historical society earlier this year.

www.helendoe.uk/writings/maritime-business-women/

Helen Doe was the author of the piece, the lady who ran the shipyard at Acorn Wharf in Rochester was actually Mrs Mary Ross, Widow of Charles Ross.

[Stewie]

Helen Doe, ran a shipyard in Rochester after the death of her husband, building ships for the Royal Navy. She was the (part) subject of an interesting talk at the Chatham Historical society earlier this year.


www.helendoe.uk/writings/maritime-business-women/

[castle261]

More on


Constance  Hugget - Dockyard Worker - born in Brompton - Became one of the first women to be an overhead crane driver in War I - then again in War II.
She worked in France - behind enemy lines with the Women`s Royal Army Service. ( May be she was injured in second war - then dockyard service )

Hilda Willings - swimmer - one of the first Channel swimmers - she swam 30 miles - then had to give up - within 6 miles from France - where born ?

Perhaps we will hear if any relations are still living in Medway  ---  More later.

[grandarog]

Didn't she change her name to Zandra?

[stuartwaters]

I'm looking forward to reading about them 

[castle261]

 A shop in Rochester High Street - they display Strong Women of Medway - A photo + an account of what they did. I stopped to read during my little walk, the account of all of them - When I go past again I will take pen & paper - & record it for you - One was Sandra Rhodes, who obtained fame,
in the Fashion World - Another was an overhead Crane Driver in both wars I & 2 - Names as i find them.

Sorry about the long - long page- forgotten HOW to reduce it - STUART COME TO MY RESCUE ?