The Big Class Yachts at Swansea, June 1926

The Bristol Channel Yacht Club hosted a Jubilee Regatta on 26th June 1926. Big Class Yachts, the precursor to the famous J Class, Shamrock (the winner) Britannia, White Heather II and Westward competed in the main race for a gold cup presented by the Western Mail.

While planning for the 2026 Swansea Bay Lord Mayor’s Regatta, Mr Tony Burgess presented artefacts from the 1926 regatta to Officers of the Club. These artefacts included photographs taken by his father, Ivan Burgess, who was onboard Westward, anecdotes and clippings from the day. These were compiled into a slideshow alongside the Pathe News clip of racing entitled “Welsh Cowes” and displayed for members and guests to enjoy at the Lord Mayor’s Regatta.

The Pathe News clip can be seen at: https://www.britishpathe.com/asset/52173/

Use the left and right arrows to scroll through photographs below from 1026.

  • Captain Davis aboard Westward Yes – all this is mine
  • Westward Crew Father, and a few others, “sitting out” to windward. A long way to leap when changing tack! Father’s the one in the grey suit
  • A ship’s officer with two lady guests
  • Two ship’s officers with the ladies. The lady in the centre is Capt Davis’s wife who, perhaps, was a good match for him. Mother is on the left
  • “Westward” at Anchor with the ship’s officer in attendance. Not sure if Capt Davis would approve of hands in pockets…
  • Mother, Nestor Wynne, at the age of 18. Her father, Arthur Wynne, was a BCYC Committee Member and Town Councillor. He may well have been influential in getting her and father invited to crew on board Westward, given his involvement in organising the Regatta
  • Unsure which of the other 3 yachts this is but you can see Pwll Du Head above the stern
  • Possibly the King’s Yacht Britannia given the dark hull and pristinely uniformed crew
  • To put into perspective the size of these “Big Class” yachts, notice the crew member sitting on the aft mast crosstree!
  • Yachts Shamrock, Britannia and White Heather II, closely matched on a “run”, approaching the Scarweather Lightship, as viewed from Westward.
  • Just look at how many crew, just at the stern, were required for maneuvers
  • The 4 yachts racing off Mumbles Head
  • Probably a “Supermarine Southampton” Biplane Flying Boat was in attendance. Designed by R J Mitchell 68 were produced for the RAF and were in service until 1929/30
  • Joined by a second flying boat. Probably a Felixstowe F.5 which was developed during WW1 for the RAF and was also used by the US Navy It was replaced by the Southampton

2026, brings us to the 100th anniversary of a spectacular and prestigious event that took place in Swansea Bay and the surrounding area. Four Big Class yachts came to Swansea to compete for the Western Mail Gold Cup on 26th June 1926

The competing yachts were:

Britannia – the King’s yacht

Shamrock – Sir Thomas Lipton

White Heather II – Lord Waring

Westward – Mr F T B Davis, owner and Captain

The race comprised two laps of the following route:

Mumbles

Pwll Du Head

Around Scarweather Lightship

Port Talbot Buoy

Mumbles

Shamrock was the winning yacht!

No lightship has been at Scarweather since 1989. It is now marked by a series of Cardinal Marks.

Each year, the Bristol Channel Yacht Club runs a Scarweather Regatta, where current day yachts race from Mumbles to Scarweather West and back. Depending on wind and tide, this can take as little as 3 hours or as many as 7!

Westward’s Captain Davis died in 1947. In accordance with his wishes, following his death, Yacht Westward was scuttled off Jersey. The end of a truly remarkable era, the like of which will never be seen again.