Anchored just outside Porthlow Bay yesterday and today is the Irene. She is a 100-foot West Country Ketch built in Bridgwater in 1907, the last ship built in the docks and the only Ketch built in the West Country still sailing. It was built by FJ Carver and Son and launched in May 1907. For 53 years the ship was a trading vessel for bricks, tiles and other goods, mainly in the Severn estuary and to Ireland. She was owned by the Bridgwater Brick and Tile Company. The ship retired from service in the 1960s and was found derelict., In 1965 she was restored in Brentford, Middlesex, and the cargo hold was converted into quarters for 15 people .
She was a charter vessel in the Caribbean until she sank due to a fire in 2003 at Marigot, Saint Martin and was restored once more. She is now used for Charter work.
Here she is seen arriving yesterday morning. Robin Mawer
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