Porthleven
& Kitto's Yard
1. Porthleven harbour around
1880, Kitto's yard is to the left just out
of the picture. 2. PZ19 Provider being hauled
for launching.
3. Boat builders at Porthleven.
4. Keel, stern, transom and deadwoods in
position on blocks. 5 & 6. Construction
details.
1
2
3
4
5
6
Kitto's of Porthleven (
taken from an article on October 1959 in
"The Cornishman")
When in 1847 the King of
Norway sent a testimonial to a Cornishman in
recognition of his gallant services in the
rescue of
lives from the Norwegian schooner
"Elizabeth" wrecked in Porthleven the
previous year, the recipient was Richard Kitto, a
native of Breage.
Kitto's feat of gallantry was
probably his first successful endeavour in the
public eye, but others were soon to follow and
when, in 1850, he started a boat building
business at Porthleven, there opened a chapter
of the port's history which was to
continue
for 109 years. The story can now be
told with the closing of Messrs. Kitto and son
on the retirement, because of advancing
years,
of the founder's grandson, Mr. James Richard
Kitto.
Before embarking on his own
account in 1850, Richard Kitto served his
apprenticeship at Symons' yard at Penzance. For a
year or two he went to sea in the
Mercantile Marine, but returned to set up
business ashore. 1850 was a crucial year to
"launch out" in industry at Porthleven,
because in 1843 and again in 1852, Porthleven
harbour, the basis of Mr. Kitto's
aspirations,
came up for auction as a result of trading
depressions, but these events, apparently did
not deter the indomitable shipwright and he
began by building small coasting schooners of
about 50 tons and also fishing craft,
principally for the
Cornish ports.
At the onset,
he envisaged a potential market for net making
and in 1853 he was responsible for bringing the
first net making
loom into Cornwall. The loom
came from Bridport and was installed in a shed
at the rear of his residence from where the net
making business began. Porthleven was now in a
position of being able to build the boats and
equip them with sails and nets:
a unique
achievement for a village of its size.
Richard
Kitto’s boat building and net making went
hand-in-hand to meet increasing demands for
craft of varying kinds. Orders
came from South
Coast ports, including Ramsgate, Brighton,
Folkstone, and from East Coast ports of
Lowestoft and
Yarmouth. The firm also did
considerable trade with France for the building
of the “Dandee” and “Yorkee” class of
fishing
vessels. The Porthleven fleet which
sailed to Aberdeen in search of fish was
evidence of the sound craftsmanship of Kitto’s
boats; many orders came from the Scottish ports
and Kitto’s adapted themselves to the
transition from sail to steam and
motor driven
boats. They built a number of steam drifters and
those for Lowestoft and Yarmouth were among the
first to
operate on the East Coast. Portheleven
built steam trawlers were also provided for the
well known Aberdeen Glen Line
Company. They cost
£2,100 compared with about £25,000 today.
At the end of
the century, Porthleven was an extremely busy
port, with Kitto’s employing over 100
shipwrights and subsidiary
trades from within
the village and district. Timber was obtained
mainly from the estate at Trelowarren and,
occasionally by
coastal route from Exeter and
Southampton. Gangs from the yards would cut the
trees at the local estate and after felling, the
huge trees were transported on long wheel base
wagons over rough roads and hauled by teams of
six, and sometimes12 horses,
Messrs. Tyacks of
Carleen, were regarded as the biggest carters in
the county and the arrival of their wagons in
the village
was an impressive sight. The task of
the sawers too, was a long and arduous one,
often involving an operation lasting from early
morning until late in the evening.
