Windhover

Among the pictures left behind by Henry Prossor was this snap of the yacht Windhover.

On the back, in pencil, is "Our yacht, Southampton, 1884".

There is no way that Henry's immediate family owned the boat at this time - he had been declared bankrupt in 1869, and it looks like the family grocery business, handed down by George Baker, had been broken up, too, following the double bankruptcy of Henry's cousin, George Baker Prossor.

One possibility is that Charles Phillips, who appears to have started as a Prossor servant before marrying into the family, either owned the yacht or chartered her for a time.

Windhover was built by Christopher Besant in Weymouth, and first registered in Weymouth on June 2 1848 - at a time when yachting was only beginning to be popular.

In 1856 she was lengthened by John Talbot of Weymouth, going from 37.9 ft to 48.89 ft..

It is possible she was lengthened again in 1876 by Saunders of Poole. In her later form she is described as a yawl.

Her owners were recorded as John Dupre Addison until April 1850, when Charles John Stone bought her.

Do you have any information on Windhover? Do you know the link to the Prossors or Phillipses? What eventually became of her? Please e-mail me via the contact button, above left. 

Updated 040607