The Morgan Giles Archive

The Morgan Giles Heritage Project has been created to preserve and promote the Morgan Giles legacy for current and future generations through collections, research and conservation.

Francis Charles Morgan-Giles's career as a yacht designer, builder & racer lasted over 60 years. He is considered to be one of our foremost naval architects of his time, especially in relation to the development of the British dinghy.

Following the rescue of five Morgan-Giles fourteen foot dinghies from being exported to China after an auction in 2017, two of Frank's grandchildren began to catalogue these, their other family dinghies, the family's personal archives & their collection of artifacts.

Our aim is to promote the management & use of artifacts, archives & records, plus the preservation, conservation & possible restoration of Morgan-Giles craft. Thus creating a platform from which we, our associates, Morgan-Giles owners & former Shipyard employees can pool their expertise, knowledge & experiences. Whilst working with experts in the conservation/ museum field, we hope to; 1) own, retore & sail MG boats -2) build up a comprehensive archive of information, plans, artifacts & images 3) collaborate with yachting historians, and 4) produce carefully researched publications, adding much new material & insight to the understanding of our maritime heritage & International dinghy racing. Therefore promoting the opportunity for the wider community to re-view, re-engage with, & re-interpret the Morgan-Giles heritage, in particular the younger generations who are indeed the future guardians of our past.

Our archivist & historian V. Jane Shaddick endeavours to work closely with members of The Teign Heritage Centre (Teignmouth Museum) and their Morgan-Giles website www.morgangilesarchive.org.uk

At present, completely privately funded, the dinghy collection is mainly based in Gosport. A number of the dinghies are available to pass into private hands at no charge but with the proviso that they will be refurbished and looked after in addition to keeping in touch with the Morgan Giles Heritage Project. The 1927 six metre racing yacht DANA, which was intended to return to the UK from Poland has now passed into new ownership in Poland ut remains closely associated with the Morgan Giles Heritage Project.

The contacts for the Project are CEO Richard Palmer, e-mail rThis email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Tel: 07703 105 409

Archivist & Historian V. Jane Shaddick, e-mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Tel: 07311 826 629.

The Heritage facwbook page can be found at "Morgan-Giles Heritage Jane Shaddick"

On 22 July 2024, 104 Years to the day when Frank Morgan-Giles bought the Teignmouth Shipyard, a blue plaque was unvieled on Leander Court, the block of retirement flats that now stands where the yard was situated.

The plaque acknowledges the designers and builders of racing yachts, dingies,motor cruisers and over 100 Admiralty vessels built in WW2.

The image shows Trevor Jackson who was an apprentice at the yard just after the war unveiling the plaque

Jane with the saved Dinghys

Biography of Frank Morgan Giles

The Biography of Frank Morgan Giles tells the story of Frank from his days founding his first yard in Hammersmith with his partner Harry May, through his years in the yard at Teignmouth. A fascinating story documenting his personal struggles and triumphs using extracts from his private diaries,family letters and shipyard accounts.

This volume is now out of print but there is a copy in the Teign Heritage Centre in Teignmouth which can be viewed.

'Ivy's Journal' by Jane Shaddick

The project has also published "Ivy's Journal", which is Frank's wife's account of her success in West of England Conference racing before WW1.

Ivy's Journal book cover

Ivy Carus-Wilson married Francis Morgan-Giles in May 1913 and this book describes her early life and her love of competitive sailing in the early 1900's before they were married.

An article in the November 1912 issue of 'The Yachting Monthly' magazine described Ivy as the cleverest of lady sailors, equal of most sailormen. In a very short time she became a proficient and very successful dinghy competitor in the West of England Conference dinghy class.

The book contains five sections; the first three are Ivy's journal from 1904 to 1911. Ivy's family moved to Shaldon in 1904 and she was immediately fascinated by the river and sea-sports, firstly teaching herself to row up-river and then throwing herself into competitive sailing with vigour. There are very accurate descriptions of all the local regattas, the people that entered them and the skulduggery that went on to win or prevent others from winning, particularly Ivy. Even down to bribing her crew members to 'crew' in a rival's boat. Ivy tells us of the hardships she experienced and the determination she had to win races, of which there were many.

In the fourth section of the book Jane has put Ivy in the context of the time and the influence that such women had in those days of Suffragettes, the difficulties she had with the expectancy of her class and how she managed financially in a family that had only a restricted income. This section also gives us an insight into the early career of Francis Morgan-Giles and their growing relationship until their marriage.

Part five is a facsimile of the Morgan Giles and May sales booklet from 1911, possibly produced for the Olympia Aero & Motor Boat Exhibition of that year. This gives us a good insight into the prolific restricted classes of dinghies that existed at that time as well as the commercially available dinghies and other small craft available for general use, giving us further insight into the skill and design expertise of Morgan-Giles.

This book gives a very clear picture of the dinghy racing world of the time, it is full of interesting facts, anecdotes and relationships of the people that took part as well as the background to the Morgan Giles story. Those who have an interest in these early days of competitive dinghy sailing will find this book invaluable.
Ivy's Journal by Jane Shaddick

Ivy's Journal is also out of print but a copy can be viewed in the Teign Heritage Centre, Teignmouth.

The Morgan Giles Heritage Collection

ALBATROSS 1948 Teign & Dart One Design 16ft 6.

Last owner Bill Baker, Teignmouth 2016

Restored by Gates & Co, Elmsworth.

ALBATOSS is now for sale complete with all gear and trailer for the very low sum of £5000. Please contact Jane Shaddick This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.