Phillips Boatbuilders

The Phillips Family of Boatbuilders

The story of the Phillips family of boat builders started well before the turn of the 19th. Century. John Phillips was building boats at the Rock Channel well before 1886 because in 1886 he indentured his son Herbert, who left school at the age of twelve, as an apprentice in the business on the first day of that year. The original document, part of which is shown here, states that John Phillips “Shall instruct his apprentice in the art of Shipwrighting and Boatbuilding” and “Finding unto the said apprentice sufficient meat, drink, lodgings and all other necessaries during the said term.” Continue reading Phillips Boatbuilders

Rye Legend – Harry Phillips

 

by The Editor

I recently read an account of one of Harry Phillips’ exploits when he was a pilot in the RAP. Cliff Bloomfield, a young lad at the time, witnessed a twin winged RAF fighter, a Hawker Hart, ‘dive bombing’ the shipyard. This would have been in the early thirties.. He later learned, in conversation with Harry, that Harry was the pilot. Apparently it lead to a Court Marshal as there were complaints about the incident. Harry was exonerated however and survived to tell the tale. Continue reading Rye Legend – Harry Phillips