S.R.S. JACKAL

The information below has been collated from a bundle of papers and a Log Book (No. 1) sent to us by
Miss P. D. Ayres who was a member of the group of Guides involved in this project.

Blisworth Girl Guides formation of a Sea Rangers Group (1945 - 8) OUR MOTTO - "ALWAYS READY"
DATE	ITEM
28/11/1944	The name "Jackal" was successfully reserved for the Blisworth Sea-ranger's ship - anticipating it would be registered through the 'usual channels' in due course. The name was selected from a long list provided by the Girl Guides Association.
27/02/1945	A ballot was held to decide Bosuns and Coxs and the starboard/port division of other members of the company. Starboard, Monica Durham (B), Irene Barrett (C), Joan Chambers, Pamela Abbott and Mary Ratledge. Port, Audrey Chambers (B), Irma Billing (C), Ruth Ratledge, Joyce Stanton, Betty Curtis.
27/03/1945	Through collections, now have £10 towards our boat. Weekly meetings include activities learning of seamanship, morse and tying knots. Referring to ourselves as the crew of the S.R.S. Jackal and formed a Boat Fund Committee.
17/04/1945	Skipper (Miss Allen of Wootton) unable to join meeting tonight as has been invited to "Mount Pleasant 21st. Party". [Thus we historians perhaps have a clue when the block of four houses were named 'Mt Pleasant' - April 1924?]
08/05/1945	"Victory in Europe Day". An extra celebratory day two days in advance of a fundraising social for boat funds. Much "V" and morse 'dee dee dee dar' in the log book!
20/05/1945	Silver Jubilee of Sea-Rangers at Windsor. The crew cycled to Castle station to catch the milk train to Euston, arriving at 5.30am. Arrived at Windsor Castle at 9.30am and witnessed the march past and the King and Queen, also the Commodores of the sea-rangers - Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret.
05/06/1945	Noticed an "Ensign" flying on VE Day in the village and asked the owner if the company could use it. Up to then a Union Jack had been used.
23/06/1945	Now calling ourselves the "Seas" - helped at the Hospital Fete with boat trips on the canal and through the tunnel with Charles Hadlow as 'tour' guide.
26/06/1945	Had our first tastes boating on Billing Aquadrome - rowing mainly.
15/08/1945	"Victory over Japan Day" Took part in a church parade.
11/10/1945	Have been given the opportunity to use the old 'Mens Institute' building opposite the old School but have declined owing to its very poor condition after much neglect and being used by the Army Cadets.
01/10/1945	Visited the Northampton Sea-Cadets and attended seamanship and signalling schools. Mr. Clarke (Lieut. i/c) offered to take six rangers for A.B. Test. The Boat Fund now stands at £11. 10s.
08/11/1945	A series of Thursday meetings at seamanship school - knots, splicing, points of the compass, anchors, blocks and tackle and elementary navigation.
20/11/1945	We have been told it is illegal to fly the White Ensign before the Admiralty has granted recognition of the S.R.S. Jackal (a boat yet to be obtained!) We have been given a Red Ensign - deemed suitable by the Skipper.
31/12/1945	New Year's Eve Dance in the Council School. Raised £19. 6s. for the boat. Six rangers have passed their A.B. Tests.
01/02/1946	Concert held in Blisworth Lecture hall raised another £12. 5s. for the Boat Fund, First Mate Pamela Ayres thanks and congratulates the company. Local newspapers carry a modest piece pointing to the Blisworth Sea Rangers hoping to soon having a boat - "no wishful thinking".
12/05/1946	Visit to London to view a boat at Eel Pie Island, Twickenham. Also visited Meikles shipyard but no suitable boats available.
18/05/1946	The All-England Sea Ranger Rally, Westminster Bridge, Wellington Barracks and Hyde Park, London. The company was billeted at 14 Buckingham Street where once Samuel Pepys lived. This was a major event visited upon by the Princesses but, as often, was severely dampened by rain.
20/07/1946	Organised a Flag Day celebration at Blisworth in aid of Sea Rangers.
17/09/1946	Elections of Bosuns etc. Starboard Watch: Betty Curtis(B), Pamela Robinson(C), Irene Barrett(QM), Audrey Chambers(PM), Avis Packwood, Lorna. Port Watch: Pamela Abbott(B), Ruth Ratledge(C), Joan Chambers, Pamela Wooding, June Curtis, Molly Dunham.
22/10/1946	Special Meeting to discuss possibility of getting a boat from Mr. Rex Bloore's yard at Barrow-on-Soar. Mr. Clarke of the N'pton Sea-Cadets having seen the boats and 'okayed' them.
28/10/1946	In a trip made by some of the crew, the Skipper presented a cheque to Mr. Bloore for £50 for two boats with a further £25 promised. The larger boat had been a merchant navy cutter used in landings off Norway during the war. Arrangements were made to have them delivered to the GUCC Company yard at Blisworth Arm. Mr. Bloore also offered his field for future camping!
30/10/1946	Wrote to Girl Guides HQ re. changing the ship's name from 'Jackal' to the name of a live boat. We were unaware at the time of registering the name Jackal that the boat had been sunk during operations in the Mediterranean - it was then an Admiralty secret. We have applied for the ship 'Superb' to adopt in name and have also written to the commanding officer of H.M.S. Superb. There is no record of a name change.
09/11/1946	Boats arrived at the Arm yard at 2pm and Mr. Hadlow kindly arranging to move them to Mill Yard and issue us with a Complimentary Permit to use our boats on the canal there. A few days later decided to moor the boats by Mr. Longland's field (but this was later refused) and received promise of chains etc. for tying up from Mr. Thorpe.
08/12/1946	Commenced scraping paint off the MN cutter - five of us doing this job.
Jan 1947	Owing to a fuel crisis and very bad weather no meetings were held from 21/01 to 17/03/1947. Ice over the canal was one foot thick. Skating was impossible because of the depth of snow over the ice. Snow was often waist deep and occasionally drifted to the tops of telephone poles.
03 & 08/01/1947	Our concerts at Towcester and Gayton to raise funds for Sea rangers.
17/03/1947	Boats are to be moved back to Mill Wharf.
03/04/1947	Bung was twice removed from the Cutter by 'persons unknown' and much time spent on baling out.
07/04/1947	Much time scraping old paint from the cutter - throughout April.
17/06/1947	Undercoat of new paint complete.
01/07/1947	Painting completed. Extract from a newspaper - "It was impossible to get the boat out of the water at her present moorings, so the Rangers applied the paint from a dinghy - it proved quite a job when convoys of barges were passing. Now the lifeboat (sic) looks much more ship-shape and elegant in white with a blue line running around." [For the whole of July all available time appears to be spent enjoying boating. Likewise for August.] [Log book No. 1 runs out with "August - no official meetings - Boating where possible". There is no mention whether rowing or sailing or both were practiced.]
	Entries after the above date are made from correspondence etc. Log Book No. 2 or its equivalent is lost.
09/09/1947	Special meeting to decide whether to continue as 'Sea Ranger Crew' and wear the uniform of that organisation etc. or form an independent Boating and Social Club. Evidently there were many 'fors' and 'againsts' for each option - therefore much to discuss. [Presently it is remembered that the Guides decided to become a social club but there appears to be no formal records to this effect.]
12/04/1948	Plan accepted to organised a Flag Day celebration at Blisworth in aid of the King George's Fund for sailors.
~	Local lore has it that the boats were frequently scuttled by vandals removing the bilge bungs. The boats deteriorated and were eventually scrapped.
This page is not finished - it is anticipated that further input will be received from others in the next few months.

1. Signal and read Simple messages in Semaphore.
2. Read a nautical handbook and the Sea Hanger Handbook "Sea Sense".
3- Be familiar with the history of shipping from the earliest times to the present day.
4. Know the flags of the Merchant Service and of other Nations.
5. Know and describe intelligently:

(a) The rig of six ships or boats.
(b) Six types of craft.
(c) Six cargoes, and how they are stowed; where they come from and for what they are used.

(a) Six fish and their habits, and how they are caught; OR
(b) Six water birds and their nesting places; OR
(c) Six seaweeds and where they grow; OR
(d) Six constellations and how to find her direction by three of them.

Use seven knots for boat-work, splice a rope and make a lanyard, using at least eight fancy
knots (to include plaits and twists and a Turk's head).

Row a boat with others and make a boat fast; know the common nautical terms used in
connection with boats.