Brooke Marine

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Brooke Marine (also known as J.W. Brooke & Co. and Brooke Yachts) was a Lowestoft-based shipbuilding firm. The company constructed boats and small ships for civilian and commercial use, as well as minor warships for the Royal Navy, Royal Navy of Oman, Royal Australian Navy, and United States Navy.

The company was founded in 1874 as a foundry, expanded into boatbuilding and shipbuilding in the early 1900s, and operated until late 1992.

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[edit] History

The Lowestoft Defender at Heybridge Basin. The fast attack craft was built by Brooke Marine in the 1970s for the Royal Navy of Oman.

In 1874, John Walter Brooke purchased a small iron and brass foundry in Lowestoft, Suffolk and founded J.W. Brooke & Co.. The company expanded into building engines in the late 1800s, motor cars in 1902, and speedboats in 1904.

In 1911, the company opened a small shipyard at Oulton Broad, on the north side of Lake Lothing. The increase in boat production led to the cessation of car construction in 1913, and during World War I the company established a munitions factory. Following the war, the shipyard was expanded to produce boats up to 52 feet (16 m) in length, while the munitions factory was closed in 1938.

During World War II, the company produced and serviced motor launches and landing craft for the Royal Navy and other Allied forces. In 1940, the company was acquired by Harry Dowsett and renamed Brooke Marine.

In 1955, a new shipyard was built on the south side of Lake Loathing. The old yard was closed in 1955, and in 1975 was sold and levelled. The first ships produced at the new yard were fishing trawlers ordered by the Russian government.

In 1987, Brooke Marine closed down and was put up for sale. The dockyard and facilities were purchased in May, with the new owners trading under the name Brooke Yachts. The company continued until September 1992, when it ceased trading. Receivers sold off all shipbuilding equipment in 1993.

The name and selected assets of Brooke Marine were acquired in 2006 by industry veteran Michael Fenton, whose team has relaunched the business with many of the former employees. Brooke Marine Yachts Ltd until went bust in 2009 had several projects large and small in progress, including the conversion of the former 74m Scottish Fisheries Protection vessel Sulisker into a SOLAS luxury yacht.

[edit] Ships built by Brooke Marine

[edit] References

[edit] External links

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