TOWNS BROTHERS
THE TOWNS BROTHERS – BOAT- BUILDERS FROM DEMPSEY ISLAND
Article by Cherylanne Bailey
For over eight decades Dempsey Islands Towns family were noted builders of fine small boats. Racing skiffs, surf boats, Watermen’s boats and launches, they had a craftsman’s keen appreciation of a boat’s best lines for speed and stability.
The business was started by George Towns Snr in 1869, a big year for him as it was this year married Emily Jane Taylor from Ash Island. Residing at Hinton for a short time, the couple moved to Dempsey Island, a low lying island sitting between Ash and Moscheto (Mosquito) Islands, their property facing the former Spit Island (now part of BHP foreshore).
Their neighbours included the pioneering Muncaster, Hardes, Turner and Jordan families.
Dempsey Island was reclaimed in the late 1950s / early 1960s and today forms part of Kooragang Island. In 2020 the only remnant of their property is the date palm on the right hand side of Cormorant Drive heading north, in proximity to where the wind turbine stood until several years ago.
George Towns built two sheds (being a workshop and a storage shed) on their land and took up residence in the 20 year old residence. As his sons grew, George taught all 7 the art of small boat building and dozens of beach fishing boats, deep sea boats and ‘butcherboats’ came out of the Dempsey Island workshop. The family also established a boat yard on the Parramatta River at Gladesville where they specialised in racing skiffs and conducted “Towns Boat Hire” situated opposite Garden Suburb (North Stockton).
George Snr’s eldest son, George Jnr, was twicechampion sculler of the world and whilst growing up spent leisure time in his pursuit to beat fellow islanders in Hunter River sculling competitions. Various newspaper accounts record he completed against the Ford, Hughes, Dempsey, T Croese and Schuck boyson regular occasions. Several of George Jnr’s brothers were also scullers however none reached his level of success. Other accounts are contents against the Hickeys, also scullers although not reaching the level of success as George Towns. William Hickey was a local champion for several years and in 1868 William and brother Richard issued a challenge to row any two men in the world, and they had backing up to 1000 pounds.
The Australian crack sculler, George Towns, who was recently defeated by Ernest Barry for the championship of England and the “Sportsman” Cup, was entertained recently at Putney, when Mr S Jevons, editor of the “Sportsman” presented him with a testimonial and a puse containing £124. George has made himself very popular in the Old Country.
TOWNS SCULLING CAREER – The Mercury (Hobart, Tas (1860-1954), Friday 15 October 1897, p. 3
“SCULLING – Barry has challenged TOWNS to a sculling match on the Thames for 200 pounds a side, to take place before Christmas next.”
T Croese (Ash Island) and George Towns, two Hunter River scullers, have entered for the principal events of the Grafton Regatta. The last race for the sculling championship of the world will probably be the means of having an alteration made in the course. the awkward position of the Uhr’s Point has hitherto givent he man on the southern shore an advantage. John McLean wishes antoher race with Stanbury ,and he has pressed a strong beleif that, in ordinary circumstances, it would be fairer to both competitors if the start took place below Uhr’s Point.
January 1884 – Leo and Robert SCHUCK of Ash Island regularly competed against the Towns and other Island men in sculling regattas on the Hunter River. “REGATTA AND AQUATIC SPORTS AT WEST MAITLAND – The brothers Schuck laboured under some disadvantage…” ²
December 1915 – Eddie Towns beat Con Dempsey by six lengths in a sculling contest over the Hexham course for a stake of £30 aside³
Upon his passing in 1920, three sons, Norman, Eldred and Arthur, formed a partnership with Norman Town’s brother-in-law, Frank Oakley, and continued the boat-building business however in 1926fire reduced the workshop to the ground, destroying all their tools. Luckily, the residence escaped the hungry flames.
Picking themselves up after the loss of their precious tools a newworkshop was built and boat building recommenced. One of the first clubs to engage the Brothers to assist in the building of a lifeboat was the Stockton Surf Club, with the Stockton launched in 1922.In February 1930 another surf boat, also named Stockton, was launched, its claim to fame being one of the first cedar surf boats in Newcastle.
The Brothers were kept busy with orders for surf boats until the outbreak of WWII after which all work carried out had to be for the Defence Department. Between 1939 to 1945 the Towns Brothers turned out 259 boats and thousands of oars for the Navy, Army and Air Force – one Navy order alone being for 2000 oars!
Post war, the Brothers turned their hands almost exclusively to building surf boats.
The following article is from:- The Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners’ Advocate (NSW : 1876 – 1954) Wednesday 29 Sept 1897 page 5 – http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-title356
George Towns in England
HIS FIRST RACE ON THE THAMES. Beats W. Barry.By Less Than a Length.After a Splendid Contest.LONDON, SEPTEMBER 27.
THE sculling contest between GeorgeTowns, of Newcastle, NS.W, andW. H. Barry, of England, took place over the Thames championship course, from Putney to Mortlake, to-day.The stakes were £200 a side, and the betting was 2 to 1 on Barry.Towns, who was in splendid condition, weighed 11st, and his opponent l0st 12lb.The Australian sculler won the toss,and selected the Surrey side of the river.
Barry was first away, and had a clear lead at the Star and Garter, the first mile being covered in 5min 13sec. At Harrod’s Towns spurted, and, overhauling Barry, assumed the lead. Hammersmith was reached in 9min 30sec. Barry, spurting, drew level at the Doves. A ding-dong race onsued to Chiswick, where Towns was slightly in front. He increased his load at the Brewery, and finally won a grand race by three-quarters of a length. The
time was 23min 34sec.The Sportsman says that Towns was well trained, and that the impression in rowing circles is that he is a goodsculler.[The time was not particularly fast, as Stanbury when he beat Harding completed the same course in 21min 51sec. The late Harry Searle when he beat O’Connor cut out the distance in 22min 42sec, and Beach when he beat Wallace Ross put up 23min 5sec.]
GEO. TOWNS. was born at Hinton on February 18, 1889.
He commenced rowing at a very early age, and before he was 16 he carried off two second prizes for youths at Newcastle annual regatta; rowed a first with H. Muncaster in the all-comers’ double sculls race; second in the alcomers’ single sculls: first with R. Hickey, W. Jordan, and W. Harrison in the four pair sculls. At different Stockton regattas he won three firsts and two seconds for youths under 19; two thirds for youths under 16 with G. Hughes and N. Ripley and a first for allcomers in outriggers. At Hexham he rowed second in the race for youths under 16, and first for those under 18, a first and a second in the allcomers’ double sculls with H. Muncaster.
At the Wallsend and Plattsburg regatta he has been very successful, winning two firsts for youths under 18; three firsts for allcomers in light skiffs, single sculls; three seconds in double sculls with H. Muncaster : and one second double sculls with T. Croese. finished third in the professional handicap on the Parramatta River, and rowed a second in the outriggers and light skiff races at the Grafton regatta held on the Clarence. Last year he rowed his first big match against Chris. Neilson, whom he defeated after one of the best races ever seen on the Hunter River. It was in this race that Towns proved himself to be a sculler of the first rank, and those who saw him down the Dane will not be surprised to hear of his victory over Barry. In local sporting circles yesterday the all absorbing topic was the boat race, and the news of Towns’ victory was received with feelings of relief and pleasure. The result was received at an early hour at the Herald office, and it was not long before the admirers of the Hunter River crack met in groups and conjectured as to how the race was won, who went to the front, if Towns wore his man down, and soon. Mr. Jas. Mason of the Australian Hotel, Mr.R. Hickey, jun., and the sporting representative of the Herald conveyed the news to Mr. Towns, sen., at Dempsey Island, and it is almost needless to say that the old gentle man was more than pleased with his son’s victory. With becoming modesty and a merry twinkle in his eye, he remarked:
“You know, I had an idea that George would win, and I can assure you I am proud of his victory. In his letters to me he generally expressed the opinion that he would give the Englishman all he knew to win, and as the result proves he did so. I have an idea that he rowed in his long boat, in preference to the short one which is in general use in the old country, but I expect to hear of him being matched to row in the latter class of boat before he returns, just to show the Englishmen that he is as much at home in one as the other. I cannot say, of course, whether; he has benefited very much financially, but he gave me to understand that, acting on the advice of Tom Sullivan it was agreed not to deposit the second £100 on the off-chance that it could be laid out to better advantage on the day of the race. The cable tells us, how ever, that the stakes were £200 a side, so that it is just possible that the stakes were increased to this sum on the eve of the match taking place.
Regarding his future movements I am at a loss to say what his intentions are, but he assured me in his last letter that he had a tempting offer to go to Germany to coach a four-oared crow, but not having taken an active part in this class of rowing, it is hard to say whether he will accept it or not.” After accepting of the hospitality of Mr, and Mrs. Towns, the bearers of the glad tidings returned to the city, more than satisfied that the proudest man in the Newcastle district yesterday was Mr. Geo. Towns, sen. Along the wharves, particularly at the shed where the watermen muster, nothing else was talked about, and one of Towns’ most enthusiastic admirers was overheard to say that not only could he beat Barry, Emmett, Wray, Haines, and Co., but when it came to the “big fellow” he would down him also. This reference was, of course, to Jake Gosdaur, and it remains to be seen whether the watermen’s prediction is worth following or not. Failing to get a match with either of the quartette mentioned, there is just a possibility that Towns will endeavour to arrange a match with the American, but in this he is sure to be guided by his friend and adviser, Tom Sullivan, who has done so much to ensure the comfort of the Hunter River lad since he landed in Old England.
(Boat builders from Dempsey Island) Stockton Family History Society July 1997 and Cherylanne Bailey’s Personal Notes – ² The Maitland Mercury and Hunter River General Advertiser (NSW: 1843-1893), Tuesday 29 January 1884 – ³ Daily Examiner (Grafton, NSW 1915-1954, Monday 6 December 1915 p.3