Jane Benham receives an MBE
Jane Benham was awarded an MBE in 1986, in recognition of her valuable work with children on Thalatta.
Thalatta’s years as a schoolship for the East Coast Sail Trust
Jane Benham was awarded an MBE in 1986, in recognition of her valuable work with children on Thalatta.
Until this point, the 3rd hand was not a full time crew member like the Skipper (John Kemp) and Mate (Jane Benham), and the role was filled by a variety of temporary ‘Third Officers’. Many of these had first been on board with their schools, then returned to spend a few weeks of their summer holidays working as 3rd Hand. With the increase in bookings from institutions such as Barnados and National Children’s Homes, which sometimes meant working with more challenging junior crews, it was seen necessary to increase the permanent crew on Thalatta from 2 to 3. For the 1984 season Jane Benham’s mother, Barbara Benham offered to fund the position of a permanent 3rd Hand, and the role was given to Amanda ‘Mandy’ Strickland (also called ‘Cowslip’ by John and Jane!). Amanda had first sailed on Thalatta in 1977 as part of a group of ‘Chasewater Girls’ from the Staffordshire Schools Sailing Centre.
Thalatta had a new suit of sails built for her in 1971 at the Ipswich sail lofts of J. O. Whitmore. They were made of Royal Navy flax canvas and roped with Italian hemp. The new sails would remain undressed initially, so that any adjustments could be made. Then they were protected from the weather with a special dressing made with codfish oil, red ochre and yellow ochre. The bolt-ropes were treated with stockholm tar.
The pages from Thalatta’s old cargo book show that her last full year of work for R. & W. Paul was in 1965. In January 1966 she carried malt from Ipswich to London and brought oil cake (a type of animal feed) back again, remaining unused for most of the year. Her two final trips under ownership of R. & W. Paul were in October 1966, the final one being a trip to Maldon for refitting. By 24th April 1967 she was ready for her first 5-day voyage with children from the London Borough of Redbridge.
Thalatta welcomed aboard her first partially-sighted and blind crew in 1985. A group of staff and clients from the Royal National Institute for the Blind Rehabilitation Centre in Torquay came aboard for 5 days. The RNIB staff noticed increased self-confidence and mobility skills in their clients after the voyage. A comment from one of the RNIB ‘trainee’ crew members;
A very sincere thank you to the crew of Thalatta. I must admit that at my ripe old age of 51 I had a degree of trepidation on approaching the gangplank! However the warmth of welcome, and the high sprits and obvious excitement of the younger ones soon got me involved in it all – again, many thanks.
Standing behind the trainee crew members are Jane Benham (Mate) and Elizabeth Whitelam (3rd Hand).
At the end of the 1999 season, Cyril Varley took over from Gary Diddams as Skipper on Thalatta. Cyril left school at 15 and went to work as 3rd Hand on wooden motorised sailing barges carrying cargo. He was quickly promoted to Mate and at 21 became Master of a coaster trading around England, Ireland and continental Europe. At one point he worked on the Trilby with Bob Wells, who had been Skipper of Thalatta in 1956-60 during her time at R. & W. Paul. He was Skipper on Thalatta from 2000 until the end of 2002, then returned as Skipper in 2005.
Gary learned his skills working as Mate for 8 years on the engineless Mirosa. After the death of Jane Benham in 1992, Gary’s father Jim Diddams joined him on Thalatta as Mate. In 1997 Gary set up the ‘Friends of Thalatta’ to help support the work of the Trust. After nine seasons as Skipper of Thalatta, Gary left to skipper the Gladys, but continues to this day to play a vital supporting role in the running of the Trust, not least by taking care of the ‘Friends’ programme.
For several years Desmond was master of the other Trust barge, Sir Alan Herbert, working with Inner London schoolchildren. He also worked with deprived young people in his own ship on charter to Shaftesbury Homes. He carried passengers in Crescent Shipping’s sailing barge and also served as Master in their commercial fleet. Prior to taking the job of Thalatta’s skipper he had completed a single-handed voyage around Britain in his 70ft gaff ketch Sylvana Suzanna.
The photo shows Desmond Kaliszewski and Elizabeth Whitelam, 3rd Hand from 1985–1990.
Jane had been part of the Trust since the beginning, first as resident teacher and Mate on Memory (1965-66) and then the Thalatta (1967-92). An appreciation of Jane, written for the ECST 1992-1993 Report and Newsletter:
Jane was very highly regarded by all of the East Coast communities where Thalatta called with her young crews. Her bright and businesslike approach endeared her to all who came into contact with her. Over the years spent in Memory and Thalatta, Jane accumulated an enormous fund of knowledge which she was ever willing and able to impart to the children in her care. she dedicated her life to the East Coast Sail Trust and was awarded the MBE for her services to young people.
Jane Benham loved the east coast. she sailed it, painted it, and wrote about it. she also loved music, local history and gardening and when she had time she would indulge these other interests. But Thalatta and the sea came first. Together with John Kemp, Jane Benham created a Thalatta philosophy which will influence the Trust for years to come. It is a philosophy of looking wide and looking forward but at the same time learning from the past and appreciating tradition; doing things properly and taking pride in achievement.
The archives of the East Coast Sail Trust contain many letters from parents and teachers who were able to recognise what Jane did for their children. She was taken from us prematurely but she has left a very worthwhile project intact which we intend to keep afloat for a number of years to come. Thank you Jane, for what you have given us.
The junior crew from Frewen College in North Sussex got to meet a royal visitor when HRH Sophie, Countess of Wessex came on board Thalatta at Brightlingsea, where she attended the relaunch of the smack Priscilla. HRH The Countess of Wessex talked at length with the children and was shown below deck to see the accommodation. She even hopped in a hammock to try it out!