Shoreham Port are delighted to welcome Brian Lavery, Curator Emeritus at the National Maritime Museum and author of over 40 books to deliver an illustrated talk on the history of shipbuilding in Shoreham. The talk will include material on the great value of Sussex timber for shipbuilding, dealings with local businesses, and the difficulties in getting ships in and out of the Port as it was then.
Brian will explore the work of Thomas Ellis, a self-made man who started off with five acres of land and became rich by selling high-quality Sussex timber, floated down the River Adur, to build the ships for Charles II’s navy. He set up his own shipyard at New Shoreham and in the 1690s he and other contractors built several warships for the first of the long series of wars with France. We know a great deal about this because Benjamin Furzer, the naval representative in Shoreham, was a prolific letter writer.
Brian designed the replica of the Susan Constant which carried early settlers to America and was consultant on the film Master and Commander. Recently he was consultant on David Grann’s international bestseller The Wager.
The Venue
This free community event will be held in Shoreham Port's Visitor Centre on the ground floor of the Nautilus House office. Doors will be open from 7pm. Tea and coffee will be available on arrival. The talk will begin promptly at 7.30pm.
