In the spring of 1985 deep snowdrifts engulfed the Vale of Derbyshire and as the weather finally broke, it allowed us to remove the ‘Henry Meadows’ Marine-Motor back to our Cheshire home so that Jim (my Father), could restore it back to concourse condition.

In the meantime Jim suggested that I could visit the National Motor boat Museum at Pitsea, Basildon near Essex, to determine if any information relating to “Smuggler’s” large engine-beds may be available? In advance of my trip I posted a number of photographs for those at Pitsea to review in advance !

Arriving at Pitsea, only a small number of folk seemed to have an innate knowledge of the old Brooke Company, the most promising was a chap by the name of John Williams. I learnt that John then worked on Thursday’ T Friday’s only, so enquired if it may be possible for me to meet up with John sometime over the next fortnight.

Returning again to Pitsea, the attendant introduced me to John Williams who had already seen my photographs. John already knew of Brooke marine-motors and their sizeable engine beds, so suggested that I speak directly to Brooke Yachts International at Lowestoft.

A week after writing to Brooke’s I then received a telephone call from J.D.M. Brooke (Great-Grandson of John Walter Brooke), enquiring if I still had that old boat and if so, could I please provide him a detailed pencil sketch of her engine beds?

Responding to this, I went to the bottom of my garden and provided an accurate sketch of “Smuggler’s” engine-beds to include all engine dimensions, as returned by all post with immediate effect.

A day or so later, I received a telephone call from John Brooke asking if I may visit him, as he was minded that I may be in posession of one of his Great-grandfather’s early Brooke boats. On speaking to John Brooke, the size of the engine-beds in“Smuggler” are virtually identical to the Brooke 65-F-10 Marine Motor, as previously mentioned by Peter Hansford (Planning Manager / Archivist, Brooke Yachts International).
This particular craft is one of two boats only ever built at 32’ by J.W. Brooke & Co.,
Adrian Works,
Lowestoft,
England;

Pennant No. B 26 / ML 117.

During Jim’s relatively short time with “Smuggler” he fully restored the Henry Meadows 28 h.p. Long-stroke Kittiwake Marine Motor. Unfortunately, our original aim to finish the hull and see Jim on the water with “Smuggler” was not to be.

Following this, “Smuggler” spent some considerable time in a farmers shed at Wappenbury. It was here that two keen boat builder’s, Peter Lennox and John Bisson, massively assisted me in her re-build. On assessment of her timbers, following careful consideration, Brooke archivist Peter Hansford considered the fractured timbers to be shock damage from exploding ordnance in surrounding water - most probably whilst at the weapons establishment on Loch Long!

It was also concluded that her hull beam was at some time reduced from 7’ 8” to 6’ 10” to access our UK mainland waterways. They later reinstated Smuggler’s beam back to her 7’ 8” original beam, and furthermore as “Smuggler’s” Brooke 45 h.p. four cylinder marine motor was still serviceable in the 1930’s, she may well have made easy transit over the channel and back again running contraband. 

Whilst B26/117 remained in Peter and John’s care at Wappenbury (Warwickshire), they returned to the Lowestoft Training School to discover if they could find a small cabin footprint for “Smuggler”.
On their return, we found that this same Lowestoft cabin plan matched precisely the original cabin footprint (i.e. three small windows to each side), and identical to those in Smuggler (which also matched her beam-shelves); suggesting one and the same Brooke Built cabin for one of her previous owners, i.e. Mr James Dumbell or Mr. Leslie Pratt… the latter, who later had Smuggler’s original cabin converted to a larger cabin more suited for canal cruising! It is further possible that either Jim Dumbell or Les Pratt (both living locally to the Henry Meadows Marine motor facility at Fallings Park works in Wolverhampton), replaced the previous Brooke 45 h.p. Marine-motor for the smaller 28 h.p. Henry Meadows‘Kittiwake Power-Four marine motor, of which one had embarked in WW2 river cruising (i.e.1938-1954), i.e. about the time Brooke boat 26/ML 117 became affectionately dubbed ‘Smuggler’.

Peter and John set about re-fitting the Brooke style Cabin. Some time afterwards she came home to Cheshire, where I could complete her restoration at Jalsea Marine in Northwich.

On 3rd August 1991, “Smuggler” visited the “British Classic Motor-Boat Rally” on lake Windermere and went on to receive two awards; First Prize for “People’s Favourite” and Second Prize for “Best Pre-War Boat”. I was tying up to the jetty when a gentleman approached me to say that he had prior knowledge of “Smuggler” and her previous owner “Jimmy Dumbell”. He also suggested that I contact the National Motor Boat Museum at Pitsea again. It was unfortunate that I could not spend more time with this person and if he should read this article I would be most pleased if he could contact me (see Contact page).

I decided to try the Museum again and was directed to their resident Marine Motor Specialist and Curator Mr John Williams who looked in more detail at the photographs I had previously sent. He focussed on the size of her engine beds which at 8’ 8” in length, were more than significant and felt that these could only be consistent with one early type of Marine Motor. John suggested that I contact the Brooke Company at Lowestoft, as only they would know of a marine motor that was of sufficient size to power our boat. I first wrote to Brooke Archivist and Planning Manager Peter Hansford on 11th August 1991, he kindly agreed to assist.

Shortly after this I was contacted by John Brooke (Grandson of the original builder - John Walter Brooke), who asked me to confirm the size of her engine beds. The original length of Smuggler’s Motor & Reverse-gear was 8’ 8”, bringing her overall engine-bed dimensions to 14’ 4”. John was able to clarify that “Smuggler’s” engine beds were entirely consistent with their original Brooke 65-F/10 (1910) Marine Motor; From 1910 onwards Brooke Marine Motors were in use with the Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS) and the Royal Flying Corps (RFC).

It was concluded that “Smuggler” was indeed a Brooke built craft. John Brooke mentioned that it may be a nigh on impossible task to find another 65-F/10 motor, but that he might know of one that might be retrievable! Sadly this was not to be. A number of months later, John contacted me again with information on another engine; the Brooke 40-F/28 “Hundred” Marine Motor (S/N 440), cousin to the 65 F/10, and the only one that he knew of in existence.

In November 1992 “Operation Adrian” was put into action and we set off to retrieve the engine from Tinarana in Ireland. “Smuggler” is today powered by this fully refurbished engine. The motor produces upwards of 103 h.p. at 2,000 r.p.m., and remains the only (and last) retrofit replacement for the Brooke 65-F/10 Marine Motor.

It was not until the following year that Peter Hansford responded with more definite information relating to “Smuggler’s ” history. He had scanned the Brooke Archives to establish a better picture of company operations in this area, and continued as follows…

I992/1993 Peter Hansford was able to establish and corroborate the following facts:
In the period 1913 to 1928, Brooke’s constructed One Hundred and Fifteen motor boats to various Admiralty Contracts, the bulk being for the Royal Navy, Royal Naval Air Service and from 1918, a number for the Royal Air Force.

The boats ranged in length from 20 ft to 52 ft, with 35 ft being the most Prominent. Power was by Brooke Petrol or Paraffin engines, or Admiralty supplied Steam Engines. However, the most used seems to have been the Brooke Six Cylinder 65-F/10 unit.

During extensive Archive searches, there was only one record of a 32 ft. boat in the above period, being No. 26 on the index supplied by Jack Mitchley of the Port Research Society. She was constructed at the Harbour Road, Oulton Broad Boatyard of J.W. Brooke & Co in 1913, and is recorded as having a Brooke 45 hp Four Cylinder Engine. The 32ft boat was built to admiralty contract CP 4443/12 placed with J.W.Brooke on the 13th January 1913. After discussing this further, it transpired that the period between contract-placement and delivery was about ten working-weeks, which would have been insufficient time to build 117, but would be of sufficient time to modify her with a small cabin and 45 h.p. four cylinder marine motor. It was concluded therefore that she was actually an earlier build. It was discovered that J.W. Brooke & Co. only ever built one 32’ boat and that the lumber order was placed in 1910. This theory is born out in P.L.R.S. register entry for B26, where she is shown as being delivered with a 45 h.p. unit instead of the previous (larger) 65-F/10 (75 h.p.) power unit. 

On completion, she was allocated the Navy Number ML117 and delivered to the R.N. Torpedo Range at Loch Long, Strathclyde in Scotland. Her port lights and side strakes were a later addition. She seems to have been there until 1935-36 when she was sold off locally by the Admiralty as “Surplus”.

Extract by Peter Hansford: “A number of factors suggest this could be the early history of Smuggler. She is an ex-service boat and general opinion is that she is Brooke Built, engined and/or re-engined. The shock damage to her hull is compatible with long service at a weapons establishment and lastly, the fact that she was still ‘in being’ until 1935-36 is but a short time in the life of a well built boat to 1945, when she is said to have been impounded by Customs & Excise.

With best wishes,
Peter Hansford (Brooke Archivist)”

B26/117 is possibly one of the earliest examples of her kind that is still in existence today and in 1997, “Smuggler” was again entered into the Classic Motorboat Rally on Lake Windermere, but this time she was powered with the only remaining Brooke 40-F28/30 ‘Hundred’ retro-fit marine motor, re-built by John Brooke (grandson of original builder). For this she received a ‘Best in Class’ for ‘Best Pre-War Boat’ award.

Following on from this, new evidence was discovered and it was confirmed that “Smuggler” was designed as an early speedboat. I subsequently made a very difficult decision to continue with her restoration. For Smuggler’s final lay-up, we took her to “Middle Brooke Marine” where Master Craftsman Colin Wood re-instated her flush-deck as per her original design and this is as she is seen today.