Wonderful story, yes you should be pleased! We named our second son after a greengrocer's shop in N London (there was a reason for it, but it's a silly story), and he's still grumpy about it (19 years later). Perhaps almost everyone hates their parents' name choices?

Anyway, it sounds to me like it could be a great theme for a MainSail competition subject for the winter months - you might have to exclude royalty and others who've had ships named after them! (There goes my knighthood!)

mmm-not exactly the same but my boat-Lucy Ashton is named after the worlds only jet propelled paddle steamer! The Clyde paddle steamer (named after one of Sir Walter Scotts femme fatales) was after decommisioning post ww2 stripped down to the waterline and fitted with a pair of jet engines!Why-so as to collect accurate data on coefficients of friction for varying hull shapes-being jet propelled she obeyed the Newtonian Law that action and reaction are equal and opposite apart from effect of friction.

Phil

For anyone interested there is a great book I have just come across.Schooner Sunset-the last British Sailing Coasters-by Douglas Bennet(2001). He sailed as crew on the Brooklands(Susan Vittery)just before the war.Book full of pictures of this vessel and others plus his reminisences of sailing on these many still then enginless vessels and collection of technical details re. their rig,construction etc.

Well worth a read

Phil

I was very interested to hear that Susan has been named after the Susan Vittery - but  it was a bit more than just a ship that sank.  It was built at Dartmouth by WH Kelly  in 1859 and was one of the last surviving trading schooner - as you say on your site until 1953 - that's a working life of 94 years - not a bad record.  Edward Vittery - banker and ship owner of Brixham, Devon owned 16/64ths in 1859 along with his banking partner and brother in law William Green (Green & Vittery Bank) who owned 8/64ths. The schooner was named after Edward's daughter, Susan Vittery born 1852.  Edward owned a fleet of fast fruit schooners, including the Edward Vittery and the Alfred Vittery named after his sons. I have been researching the Vittery surname for several years and it is a very rare surname, possibly Dutch in origin, and from about 1550 onwards confined to the Parishes of Churston Ferrers and Brixham in Devon.  In my experience, all of the Vitterys I have traced within the UK are all related and have the same common ancestor. 

The ship is also mentioned in the books - The Merchant Schooner by Basil Greenhill published by David & Charles.

I would love to see those photos in the pub you mentioned!! 

Forgot to say - In 1759 eleven mariners joined forces and  bought the lordship and manor of Brixham from Gilbert Pomeroy - three of the eleven were named Vittery. They became known as the Quay Lords.  As you probably know Brixham had one of the largest fishing fleets in England at one time and no doubt these men were founding fathers. The shares in the manor of Brixham were passed down to their descendants so it was said that there were more 'Lords & Ladies' in Brixham than anywhere else.

When William, Prince of Orange landed in Brixham it was said that a man named Vittery took his hand.

The Brooklands - ex Susan Vittery was latterly owned by the Creenans of Ballinacurragh, Co. Cork, in Ireland. There is a pub in Ballinacurragh still owned by the Creenans called the 'Brooklands Bar' which has a large mural of the schooner on the gable-end. I met one of the family (now deceased) a number of years ago and he regaled us tales of making their way into Dublin port in the still engineless schooner. - a challenge today even with engines. Hope this is of some interest.