Fleur de Lys motorboats

Peter Poland’s well researched and informative recent article describing the work of J Francis Jones made brief reference to the Fleur De Lys motor yachts. The location chosen for the production of these excellent craft my appear strange, 12 miles inland from the Wash. This was dictated by the requirement to provide a large building to increase production should the necessity arise. In the event, a man of drive and vision, Jim E Dagless, took over premises of 25,000sqft near Wisbech in Cambridgeshire, eventually employing 100 craftsmen there. Motor yachts ranged from 50 to 78ft (23.8m) by the end of production. The production facility was not only far from the sea; it was a mile from the nearest slipway on the River Nene. Jim Dagless and team met the challenge enthusiastically, building custom trailers. I’m sure a large crowd of locals would have watched the cumbersome loads trundling to the launch site. Manufacture started in 1959 and ended in 1979 when it became apparent that costs could compete with building in glassfibre.

The three-year sandwich course in Yacht and Boatyard Management (later HND Yacht Manufacturing and Management) was based at what is now Solent University. It required students to spend two six-month industrial experience placements interspersed with their studies.

As lecturer in charge, I had the pleasure of meeting Jim Dagless while following up a student placement in 1968. I was most impressed by the organisation of the production run and the cheerful disposition of the work force, of which he was rightly proud.

Jim Hazel, Fareham, Hampshire