Caronia SS70

by Peter Draper

Caronia was built on the beach in 1927 at Tolcarne, Newlyn, Cornwall by Henry, Theodore & Sidney Peake. Her hull was laid in the traditional form of a St. Ives Gig and she proudly wore SS70, being the registration mark of a St Ives fishing vessel. At the outbreak of the Second World War Caronia was in Le Havre requiring a hurried return to these home shores.

She returned to Newhaven where she was commandeered by the navy and, in the company of many hundreds of other little ships, she steamed to the beaches of Dunkirk and into the pages of history.

Peter Draper acquired Caronia in 2002 and spent more than a decade restoring her to seaworthy condition, carrying out almost all of the restoration work alongside his son. Lavishly illustrated throughout with a fascinating array of photographs, Draper details the story of this restoration and explains how one of the historic Dunkirk little ships has returned to its former glory.

This is a fascinating story about the author’s labour of love and I would highly recommend it to any of our readers with an interest in this type of vessel and such a project.

Amberley Publications

The Hill

Merrywalks

Stroud

Gloucestershire

GL5 4EP

www.amberley-books.com

Paperback: 234mm x 165mm

96 pp illustrated

Price: £14.99