Blakes – the first Clubhouse
Blakes – Major Cyril Potter’s House
“Blakes” was a house owned by Major Cyril Potter whose inspiration started The Yacht Club. It was the house to the North of Bywater House which is the one across the road from the Wight Link Ferry Entrance /Carpark.
This wartime map from 1943 detailed the shoreside arrangements for embarking tanks on to Landing Craft, but it does show the precise location of “Blakes”.
Maj. Potter provided the fledgling Lymington River Sailing Club with its very first Club Room. He allowed for his Conservatory to be used in 1922 as a Club Room for the members on Race Days.
“Blakes” was later rebuilt as flats & renamed. It was placed at the rear of what is now called ‘Ferry Point House’. It was situated off Undershore Road Walhampton, Lymington, on the opposite side of the road to the river.
Sailors could get access to “Blakes” from the river onto a jetty, across a railway level crossing at the end of the Platform & across the road and on to “Blakes” which is thought not to have been right on the road frontage. This more contemporary photograph clearly shows the level crossing.
In 1914 the Ferry Terminal was not then a large feature as the paddle steamer just came alongside a jetty. The Lymington River railway terminus was more involved with railway sidings & a “run around” for the steam engines. Moorings for boats were also available nearby.