Mission to find lasting home for historic Humber vessels
NAVAL enthusiasts from Grimsby and Scunthorpe areas have united in a mission to find a lasting home for an exhibition of vessels and Royal Navy memorabilia.
Both HMS Pickle on the River Trent and Spider T from Grimsby were leaders of the Platinum Jubilee Flotilla on the River Humber to mark the Queen’s 70-year reign.
From today, an exhibition is being staged in Grimsby Town Hall to highlight their importance to the nation and the need to preserve their importance for future generations.
Spider T is no stranger to royal celebrations as its crew led the historic fleet along the River Thames at the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee in 2012.
Naval enthusiast Mal Nicholson, of Burringham, near Scunthorpe, has a huge collection of historic vehicles and memorabilia which is the envy of other towns such as Portsmouth, Hartlepool and Liverpool – all of which are eager to sign a deal to take the collection to their cities.
But Mr Nicholson wants to find a suitable venue in town to attract visitors to the town and help regenerate Grimsby.
He is hosting the exhibition which will be held throughout the week from Monday in Grimsby Town Hall.
A “Tea with Spider T” Exhibition at Grimsby Town Hall will be held all week and admission is free.
A small community interest company “Historic Motor and Sail” (HMS) will be working with local heritage enthusiasts to research, record and showcase an early 20th Century history of vessels on the Humber, particularly the Humber Sloop, Spider T.
It worked the Humber from Grimsby from 1926 and is still sailing from Grimsby today.
The group has exclusive access to the New Holland’s Warren Shipyard archives, some of the designs have never before been made public.
They will be on display at the exhibition.
There will also be the launch of “Spider T Beer” to mark the launch of the exhibition and brewed by Mr Nicholson and Mark Smith.
HMS Pickle was bought by Mr Nicholson and sailed to The Humber in 2015.
Spider T was built in 1926 and was prized as a sailing ship.
In 1939 it was de-rigged and fitted with an engine. It was used to take evacuees to safety in Lincolnshire across the River Humber.
Its owner died in 1970. Then in 1998 Mal Nicholson bought it and restored it with a full sailing rig in 2006.