Bessie Ellen hoisting sails in Ramsey Harbour in early 20th Century

History of Bessie Ellen

Bessie Ellen is an important part of Britain's maritime heritage. She is a core vessel on the UK Historic Ships register alongside the Cutty Sark and HMS Victory and the suriving remnants of Britain's once vast working fleet of sailing ships and fishing boats. Unlike many museum ships on the list, Bessie Ellen has been restored to the very high standards required to take a wooden ship sailing worldwide with paying guests.  The story of her restoration back to a working girl by the efforts very determined woman - Nikki Alford - from Cornwall ( and a growing band of supporters) is well worth a read.

Better still - go sailing on her.

100 years of history as a working ship

 Bessie Ellen was built in Plymouth in 1904. She is one of the last remaining examples of the schooners and ketches of the West Country which saw out the last days of sail carrying commercial cargoes around the coasts of the UK and Europe. These sailing ships became the livelihood to many families in the small West Country ports such as Par and Fowey in Cornwall, Appledore, and Bideford in the North Devon estuary of the Taw and Torridge. Bessie Ellen was originally built for the Newfoundland trade. With a fine clipper bow and a transom stern she looked like a fast sailor, and soon attracted a ships captain as a buyer. She was launched in Plymouth and registered officially in 1907 in her new home of Barnstaple. She ran cargoes right through both world wars, dodging mines and avoiding requisition by the armed forces (the death of many a wooden ship) but was eventually laid up.

Cargoes and Restoration in Denmark

In 1947 she was bought by a Dane who was looking for a sound wooden hull to run cargoes in the Baltic. So Bessie Ellen continued her hard life running scrap iron cargoes in Denmark well into the 1970’s when she became commercially unviable. She was bought almost immediately by Ole Pietersen, who recognised the lovely lines and wanted to restore her to a graceful sailing ship. Much quality timberwork was carried out before he ran out of funds and the ship was laid up for 20 years in the Ring Andersen Shipyard in Svendborg, Denmark.

From Plymouth to Denmark and Back Again Twice

With a roving eye for beautiful ships, Classic Sailing became aware of this historic vessel when she was being fitted out for charter in 2002. However this was the culmination of a much longer love affair for her new owner Nikki Alford. Her current owner Nikki Alford hails from a farming family in Cornwall, but has spent many years working on traditional wooden vessels. Nikki had seen the sale details of Bessie Ellen when she worked for a ship broker, and she began to make ambitious plans to buy her and restore her for a new working life as a charter boat. It is due to Nikki’s sheer determination and vision that Bessie Ellen restored to the graceful sailing ship she once was. After five successful years exploring the ports of Britain, Norway and France with charter guests, Bessie Ellen went back in the Baltic with Nikki, where she stayed for 3 years offering day sails and short voyages.

Friendly Ship

When you sail on this friendly little ship with soul, you will meet Nikki on board. Ask her to see the photos of the restoration and you will realise what a huge commitment this was. Nikki’s passion for sailing these traditional craft may infect you for life.