Canvey Island Archive | History | Workplaces & Clubs | Prouts Boat Builders | Ian Hawks Memories

Log in

User name: Password:

Ian Hawks Memories

Prouts & The Canvey Canoe Club

By David Bullock

From 'Folding Boat News' 1967:

"The Firm of G.Prout & Sons was started in 1935 by Mr G. Prout, a keen yachtman who decided to build a foldaway dinghy, which was light and could easliy be taken aboard a yacht. The folding dinghy was tried out by his two sons, Roland and Francis on a duck pond, and it was found to serve its purpose perfectly. In 1937 Mr. Prout started building the dinghies for sale and the family business had started. The War intervened and the family all joined up and the boat building was shelved temporarily. After the War the business was started again in a factory at Smallgains corner on Canvey. From then the firm grew and in 1957 a new and larger factory had to be built, to accomodate the increased production of folding boats and canoes, and now the popular catamarans, at 'The Point'. The limited company was formed in 1955." More can be found in the newsletter in the Gallery at the foot of this page.

Ian by a Catamaran with Smallgains Creek Houseboats behind the 1953 Sea Wall

Ian Hawks

Ian writes...

Just read the article in last nights Evening Echo with regard to the new Canvey website and wonder if you would be interested in the following photos, taken early 1950's.

1950's: Houseboats moored in Smallgains Creek

Ian Hawks

These (above) are houseboats in Small Gains Creek.

Canvey Carnival 1950's - Canoe Club Float

Ian Hawks

I live in Thundersley but worked on Canvey from 1952 until retirement, with G. Prout & Sons, Prout Catamarans and Halcons. I worked for Halcons in the office at The Point for Rodney Hall.

1950's: Canvey Canoe Club at Canvey Carnival - Carnival Queen unknown, Ian Hawks, Sheila Vandersteen, Roland Prout, Jean Vandersteen, Francis and Erica Prout, David Souster

Thanks to Ian Hawks

There are many familiar faces in the group (above) including Roland and Francis Prout, the later being my brother in law, I'm the one with the topee.

Click on the Gallery below to see more of Ian's Photos.

Thanks Ian for sending in these wonderful Photos. If you have photos or memories about Prouts and Smallgains Creek please leave a message below, email in or join us on the Canvey.org Forum

*Update*

See Don Rayner's memories of Prouts HERE
See Alan Winter's memoroes of the Rehu Moana HERE

Photo:Staff G.Prout & Sons Ltd at the Point - 1950's: Front Row ... Peter Nolson, Bob Taplin, Trevor Bloxham, Stan Turner, Wally Faber, Vin Tynan. Second row standing ... Dave Bowen, Dave Abbott, ?, David Poole, Christine Smith, ?, Pamala Turner, ?, Frank Coleman. Back row ... ?, ?, Peter Hamblin, Jock Black, David Powell, ?, Ian Hawks, Gerry Gold, Fred Miles {? = unknown}

Photo:1950's: prout Advert for Folding Boats & Canoes

Photo:1950's: Catamaran going from Canvey point over South Benfleet Railway Crossing on its way to Southend-on-Sea for launching

Photo:G.Prout & Sons folding boats & Canoes. This shows the first factory at Smallgains Corner, an old Bus Garage and thatched farm building (Smallgains Farm). Roland Prout in the foreground, Ron Greig at the rear. 1950's

Photo:1965: Canvey Point at Prout's Yard in Smallgains Creek. The Launching of the largest Catamaran built at this time at 77ft

Photo:Launched Catermaran in Smallgains Creek - Note No Canvey Heights!

Photo:Catamaran ready for Trials in Smallgains Creek

Photo:Full Sail in the Thames Estuary - Press & Local dignitary on board

Photo:1950's: Prout & Sons Staff: Frank Coleman, Dave Abbott, Mike Brown, Derek Gully & Dave Bowen

Photo:Dr Lewis's Catamaran Rehu Moana after launching

Photo:c1955: Gerry Gold walking out to his boat at high water

Photo:c1955: Looking east along Smallgains Creek in the snow

Photo:c1955: A frozen Smallgains Creek with houseboats

Photo:c1955: Chapmans sailing club jetty

This gallery was added by David Bullock on 17/04/2008.

Comments about this page

Great stuff and just the sort of thing that I come to this site to see. Thanks for sharing them with us.
I've started a thread on the sister site's forum in case anyone has any more.
http://tinyurl.com/69j6ae

By Ralph
On 19/04/2008

Thanks Ralph - I have added your link to the Page

By David Bullock
On 20/04/2008

I worked at Prouts in the late 50s early 60s. I believe the large catamaran with Ian Hawks by it is the MK1 Snowgoose [wooden] which I worked on. In the last photo the chap in the front row centre with the jumper is Trevor Bloxham. His dad worked there at the same time. The chap in the front row right with the specs is Mr Vincent [can't remember his first name] who ran the varnish shop.

Other names I recall - Paul Haylock, cold moulding supervisor [cigs 3d each]. Dave Poole - folding boats, still on Canvey. Lawrence Unstead. Derek Gully. The McKenna bros.

Re houseboats in Smallgains creek, we used to play on the abandoned ones but some were still lived in up to the mid 60s.

I was quite sweet on one of the inhabitants - Carol Hayward and went to school with her.

By Sparrow via the Canvey.org Forum [David Bullock]
On 26/04/2008

The lady in the background between Erica and Francis Prout is Joan Watkins who later married David Souster (Far right on the pic) they had 2 children Judith and Jimmy and lived in a bungalow Furtherwick Avenue next door to Johnny Fisk's large house.

David worked in Barclays Bank on Canvey in the Long Road branch. His father was Clifford Souster the manager of the main Barclays branch, Cliff died in 1955 leaving a wife Enid who then moved to St Marys in Long Road.

During the floods of '53 the Souster family lived over the top of the Barclays branch and there was a story and picture of Meriel Souster taking her dog for a walk in the National Newspapers. Joan Souster (nee Watkins) owned a wool shop on Canvey and was a local JP.

Meriel was my Mum, David and Joan my Uncle and Aunt, Clifford my grandad and Enid (Nuds) was my grandmother. In 1961 my family returned to Canvey for a couple of years. I then went to school with Judith, my cousin, at the convent.

By Jerry Davis
On 07/10/2008

I worked at Prouts from 1955 until 1970 and was involved in all the boats produced in that time, I also lived on a houseboat in small gains creek from 1947 until 1959, Ian Hawks is a very good friend of mine and we met recently the first time for nearly 30 years.

By Mike Brown
On 14/07/2009

I am trying to find information about my Swift Catamaran built by G. Prout & Sons probably about 1962 Sail Nr. 241. I would like to restore it to its former glory, so any info or plans would be useful. Can anyone help?

By Roy jeffery
On 29/07/2009

Roy.
Will have a word with Francis Prout to see if we can locate plans for the Swift. Will have a look at my collection of photos to see if there are any of a Swift that could help. Good luck with the restoration.
Ian {01268754036}

By Ian Hawks
On 02/08/2009

Ian
Many thanks, any info you can dig up will be much appreciated. My Swift has traveled a long way since it was built, it is now in Germany near the Austrian border.

By Roy Jeffery
On 06/08/2009

Roy,
So far have been unable to locate any SWIFTY plans, sorry.

By ian hawks
On 07/09/2009

i am trying to get proof of the original price of my prout quasar 50 built in 1981 can anyone help me please?

By danny taylor
On 29/09/2009

My uncle Ted White who lived in Ealing with his wife and three sons had a Prout sailing dinghy which he used to sail from the London Aprentice at Isleworth. I only ever saw it once and then in its assembled state. Does anyone have a constructional drawing of it, I would love to build one. Uncle Ted was quite happy to go to sea in it and be some distance from shore.

By Ken Hogg
On 29/12/2009