Spray

Specification

Generic type: Morecambe Bay Prawner
Hull form: long keel sloping forefoot
Builder: Crossfield
Place built: Arnside
Year of build: 1896
Construction material: wood
Construction method: carvel
Spar material: wood
Construction details: Pitch Pine on Oak

Length on deck (LOD): 32.00 ft
Beam: 9.00 ft
Draft: 4.00 ft

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About Spray

Spray is one of the oldest Morecambe Bay Prawners still in existence. She was built by Crossfield's of Arnside in 1896. Crossfield's were leading builders of Morecambe Bay Prawners, yachts and other boats including Arthur Ransome's Swallow from the 1840s to 1940s. Spray was named after Joshua Slocum's boat which set off around the world in 1895.

Morecambe Bay Prawners (also known as Lancashire Nobbies) were fast, sail-powered boats designed to cope with the shallow waters of the North West Coast. There were large fleets at Morecambe, Fleetwood, Southport, Merseyside and Annan. The development of the railways enable their catch to be brought to growing industrial areas of Lancashire. The boats had a central open cockpit with the decks at waist height used as a working area.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

History

 

Morecambe 1896 - 1900

Spray was built in 1896 by William Crossfield in Arnside for John Gardner of 1 Main Street Morecambe. The Gardners were a were a well established fishing family with several members owning boats. Her fishing boat number was LR 102.

At the turn of the nineteenth century Morecambe was booming with holidaymakers coming from the mill towns of Lancashire and Yorkshire for the annual Wakes Holidays. New attractions included the Winter Gardens and the West End Pier. The resort had a fleet of around 100 prawners many of them built by Crossfields in Arnside.

Spray would have had an open cockpit when first built and for most of her working life.

Solway Firth 1900 - 1920

On the 31st December 1900 she was sold to Edward Waters of Silloth on the Solway Firth and re-registered as CL4 a Carlisle fishing boat number. Between 1914 and 1916 Spray was based at Annan on the other side of the Solway in Scotland and registered as BA40 (Ballantrae). Ballantrae is a small harbour north of Stranraer. Ballantrae was used as the fishing registration port for a wide area of Southern Scotland. In 1916 she returned to Silloth and was re-registered as CL 4.

Morecambe 1920 - 1936

In 1920 Spray returned to Morecambe. Between 1920 until 1925 she was used as a yacht by James Baxter, a fish merchant of Morecambe. Spray was raced in the Morecambe Regatta of 23rd September 1921. James Baxter and Sons are the longest established producers of Morecambe Bay Potted Shrimps. They have been in business since 1880.

Spray was sold on 15th December 1925 to Wilfred Woodhouse of 27 Cross Street, Morecambe. The Woodhouses were another Morecambe fishing family. Wilfred and his son set a Morecambe record by catching 120 stone of prime plaice at the top end of the Bay.

It is not known when Spray first had an engine fitted, though engines started to be used on Morecambe based boats from 1925 onwards.

Barrow 1938 - 1958

Spray was brought by Hugh Molineaux of Barrow and registered as BW3. Hugh restored Spray and continued to use her for fishing,

The first know photo of Spray was taken on the hard at Barrow in June 1944, when she was owned by Bill Rawlinson. Alec Rawlinson is on the boat with him. Bill took the engine out of Spray and sold her to Tom Hesketh who kept her on the beach at Barrow. By 1950 she was already an old boat.

Dee Estuary 1958 - 1978

Spray was inherited by James, Archibald and Roy Hunter of Hoylake from their uncle in Barrow. Hoylake is a seaside town at the mouth of the Dee Estuary on the Wirral peninsula. The town was originally a fishing village. To bring her back from Barrow she had to be dug out of the mud. Spray was registered at Liverpool with the number LL33. She was fitted with a petrol paraffin pocket valve engine.

She was sold on 5th August 1966 for £210 to Henry Evans, a fisherman of Mostyn Avenue, Heswall, and nephew to Dick Evans, owner of Heswall Boatyard. The Boatyard brought and sold boats, but focused mainly on storage and repair, only occasionally building new boats. On 23rd November 1966 the sale to a Prestatyn owner was cancelled due to breach of contract.

Spray when owned by Henry Evans late 60s

Spray was eventually brought by Harold Hopper of Leasowe on the north coast of the Wirral for £250 (about £4600 in 2026 prices) on 4th March 1968, when she would have 72 well past pension age. She was fitted with a 3 cylinder Lister engine, Her fishing registration was cancelled in October 1973, effectively bringing her 77 year fishing career to an end.

She was brought by John Housley of Hoylake from an advertisement in Fishing News. The Housleys were a well established fishing family. By the 1970s many fishermen found it difficult to make a living from fishing alone with changing eating and shopping habits. Many took jobs in other industries, but continued to own a boat. If things changed the boat could always be re-registered for fishing.

Spray when owned by John Housley

It is probable that the wheelhouse was added by John Housley.

Spray was brought in 1978 by Colin Gilmore. She was lying ashore at Hoylake Green without engine, mast or running rigging. Colin removed Spray to Brunswick Dock in Liverpool, and fitted her with a mast removed from Moonlight a Nobby that had been cut up. Colin brought Spray for private use rather than for fishing.

From the late 70s there was an increased interest in Morecambe Bay Prawners or Nobbies with enthusiasts buying old boats, such as Spray to keep the heritage alive. Several Nobbies were converted to yachts enabling them to make longer journeys. The first Liverpool Nobby Race was run in 1981 for the coveted Prawn Trophy with the Nobby Owners Association set up in 1987.

Maryport 1984 - 1987

In 1984 Spray was brought by Mr. Dickson of Maryport for £2,000 (£7000 in 2026 prices), again for private use. She was delivered to Barrow, from where Mr Dickson sailed Spray to Maryport

Liverpool 1987 - 2024 Tom Middlebrook

Spray was bought in 1987 by Tom Middlebrook, a Liverpool  Insurance Broker and later Secretary of the Nobby Owners Association and North West Secretary of the OGA.

Tom completely restored Spray over a period of three years refitting her with her current layout. Tom cruised and raced Spray extensively keeping her at Liverpool Marina in Brunswick Dock. Under his ownership Spray was a regular competitor in the Liverpool and Conway Nobby Races, winning many trophies. Spray regularly appeared at the Peel Traditional Boat Festival on the Isle of Man. Tom cruised her to North Wales, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Scotland, the Cumbrian Coast and the Isle of Man. Spray featured in the BBC 2017 Britain Afloat TV programme about Morecambe Bay Prawners.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

To see the BBC Britain Afloat featuring Spray click

Tom's ownership of Spray in many ways parallels the redevelopment of the Liverpool Waterfront. In the early 80s Liverpool was at a low point with the Toxeth Riots in 1981 and unemployment at 20%. Albert Dock was redeveloped from the mid 1980s with the Maritime Museum opening in 1984. The area round Brunswick Dock and Liverpool Marina was redeveloped as housing in the early 2000s.

Morecambe Bay Prawner Trust 2024 onwards

Spray was brought by the Morecambe Bay Prawner Trust in February 2024 for £10,000 and moved to Glasson Marina south of Lancaster. She was relaunched at the end of July 2025 after a programme work by volunteers aided by Matthew Foot of Bay Boatworks. Work included repairs to the hull in the bow area with several planks being replaced, a new bowsprit and repainting.

It is planned to keep her at Glasson in the winter taking her to Morecambe in the summer mooring her close to the Stone Jetty and proposed Eden Centre as a reminder of Morecambe's fishing and maritime heritage.