A historic presentation keel hammer – an important of the history of our founding company Thames Ironworks & Shipbuilding Company – has been sold at auction.
This is one of the few remaining connections to West Ham forefathers and their proud ship building heritage and has been bought by ClaretandHugh.
That was the keel hammer that formally laid the keel of HMS Thunderer which would become the last major ship ever launched by this famous company and the last Royal Navy ship ever built on the River Thames.
The hammer has a solid wooden handle with a silver-plated head. The beautiful engraving on the head reads:
“PRESENTED BY THE DIRECTORS OF THE THAMES IRONWORKS, SHIPBUILDING & ENGINEERING COMPANY LIMITED TO Mrs Arnold F. Hills ON THE OCCASION OF THE LAYING OF THE KEEL PLATE of HMS THUNDERER. 13TH APRIL 1910”.
The Hammer was made Maplin & Webb. Sadly HMS Thunderer was to become the last major ship built by Thames Ironworks and the company went bankrupt in 1912 bringing to an end an illustrious era of Thames shipbuilding. In 1926 she was sold for scrap for £66,150 and demolition was completed in April 1927.
Congrats Sean & Hugh, a fine piece of our history kept and known that it’ll be will be well looked after ⚒⚒⚒
Great momento, dare not ask the cost!
Great buy a real bit of history
Are you going to display it ?
I have an idea threaten to bash any of
the angry brigade who step out of
line
Only joking but is a great bit of
history hi
The angry brgade have never understood Sean, Allen, Dave and myself or Candh. Really don’t concern me these days Smiffy LOL
Great. More ads to pay for that!
Perhaps u would prefer to pay rather than ads.something has to pay the overheads in the absence of that. We attempt to offer a service. If u dont want it that’s your choice rather than snidey comments
Your first target hugh
Great bit of history, good to see in safe hands, nice link to the new road leading up to the old North Bank at UP too!
Where it all began. Brilliant that you managed to get hold of it and in the 125 anniversary year as well!
Brilliant!! Congrats Hugh and Sean so pleased that a piece of our history has been taken into safety by our own who care. COYI
Lovely bit of history. Nice to know its in safe hands.
Very well done!
Well done on the purchase.
I still think it was a mistake for the club to sell the “West Ham United” Locomotive nameplate. West Ham United was the last of the B17 class to be built in 1937, withdrawn from service in 1960. The direct link with our new home is that the B17 were designed to operate on the GER from Liverpool Street and many of these Locomotives will have been maintained at Stratford work and shed which is what the QEII Park and Westfield Shopping Centre are built on.
Lovely piece of historical information Legin, my old man used to work at Stratford work and shed back in the Fifties as crane driver within the terminal.
Funnily enough I was born in the old Queen Mary’s hospital, West Ham Lane, known at that time as being located within the County Borough of West Ham, Essex,
nowadays referred to as Stratford E15.
I appreciate many will never get over leaving the Upton Park area, but West Ham is and always was intrinsically linked to Stratford,
Great stuff guys, that’s an awesome piece of history of our club and indeed England