Ellen CK222 is a 44ft Harris smack built in 1900.

Ellen was built for Mr Martin, a Rowhedge fisherman, and was purely a sailing vessel until 1927 when her first engine was fitted – a Thornycroft 9hp petrol/paraffin engine. It is thought that in her early years she was used for pleasure in the summer and fishing in the winter. After several changes of ownership, though always working in the East Coast area, she sank at her mooring near Felixstowe around 1973.

She was raised and taken to Ipswich, where she was vandalised, and then to Woodbridge. A succession of owners attempted to restore her and eventually she was purchased by a former Trustee of the Colne Smack Preservation Society in 1987. Taken to Brightlingsea and surveyed, she was then transported to Oliver Walstons Farm in Thriplow, Cambridge and was rebuilt in 1991.

She is now based in Brightlingsea and still remains under the same ownership.

Colne Match results;

Transcur & Ellen at the OGA East Coast Race 2019.
©Sandy Miller @litematters.
Ellen at the Turkey Race, West Mersea, in 2019.
©Seamus Masters @glassonion68.
Ellen at the Turkey Race 2019, West Mersea.
©Seamus Masters @glassonion68.
Ellen & Thalatta at the 2019 Colne Match.
©Sandy Miller @litematters.
Ellen at the Turkey Race, West Mersea, in 2019.
©Seamus Masters @glassonion68.
Smacks fitting out in autumn for winter fisheries. Mr Martin’s ELLEN CK222, with man up mast. William Cranfield’s SUNBEAM at extreme right. CK15 Used in Saltwater Village page 139.
©Mersea Museum.
Fitting out on Brightlingsea hard. Variation in shape of smack hulls is shown in this photograph. The underwater form was usually subtle, with a fine, near-vertical forefoot, considerable rise of floor (of the bottom), a high, firm bilge and along and well shaped run, the beginning of which can be sensed in the smack FAVOURITE on the right. Hug Brand paints the bottom of her work scarred hull. The smack at left is the ELLEN, CK222, built for Mr Martin of Rowhedge, where she was known as the little ELLEN’ in distinction from the larger smack of the same name owned by Captain Richard Cranfield. When this photograph was taken in the late 1920s the ELLEN was owned by Joseph Francis of Brightlingsea. She had a notably more cut away forefoot than most of her contemporaries. The stowboating baulks are slung on her starboard side. [JL]
Plate.112 in SWW.
Used in The Sailor’s Coast, page 37. Used in The Northseamen page 23.
Although the caption above says late 1920s, the photograph was taken the same time as BOXB5_017_048 which is marked Nov 3/34. ©Mersea Museum.
Tollesbury Woodrolfe. Smack CK222 ELLEN on the left. The cranes at Bradwell power station are starting to appear in the distance. A slide taken by Mary Sime.
©Mersea Museum.
2018 on the River Stour.
©Sue Lewis
Ellen’s Instagram page
Ellen’s OGA page
Ellen’s National Historic Ships Registry Page
Return to smacks