c1890-1915

Terror was built by Foster's boatyard at Emsworth. She was owned by Jack Kennet a local oyster merchant.

Emsworth had one of the finest oyster fleets in the country. There were more than 20 large ketches and smacks, some over 200 registered tons. Some of these were Echo, Nonpareil, Indian Queen and Gypsy Queen. These vessels didn't have engines and had to be winched out of the channel by lines attached to hauling posts sunk into the sides of the channels. From there they went into the open waters of the English Channel to dredge for oysters and scallops. The catch was landed at south coast ports and much of it was taken directly to London. Some of them were brought back to Chichester Harbour to be relaid or stored for market.

Terror and other similar small working boats collected the catch from the larger vessels which couldn't come into the shallow water at the top of the channel and transported them back to the shore. The oysters were then placed in lays or ponds, the remains of which can be seen when the tide goes out. At this time about 100,000 oysters were taken to market in London each week.

When not working with the oyster fleet, Terror may have been used to transport sand and gravel from the Winner Bank at the harbour entrance. The sand and gravel was used in building work in the harbourside villages.

 1902

A recently laid sewerage system discharged sewage directly into the harbour. As a result the oysters grew fat and juicy from the nutrients. However some of them also became infected.

At a mayoral banquet in Winchester in December 1902, the Dean of Winchester and two others contracted typhoid and died shortly afterwards as a result of eating Emsworth oysters. The oyster industry crashed overnight.

 1915-1938

Between the wars Terror was still owned by Jack Kennett and continued to transport sand and gravel around the harbour. She was also used for leisure sails by Jack who sometimes took out children from the local Sunday School. One of these children, Ernest Rudkin, was at the relaunch of Terror in 2006 aged 101.

 1938-1960

Terror was sold in the last 1930s and was based in Portsmouth. She had a number of different owners including a Mr Matthews, a tug master, who allowed her to be used by the Portsmouth Sea Scouts. A number of improvements and repairs are made to her including replanking.

 1960

Terror passed into the ownership of Mr David Clark of Paulsgrove. He drowned in a tragic accident whilst out sailing Terror in 1960.

 1961-1970

Terror was kept on the beach at Paulsgrove and regularly sailed in Portsmouth Harbour. In 1968 she was bought by Mr RA Leggett. By now her mast, sail, keel and rudder have been lost.

 1971-2000

Terror was bought by the Portsmouth Museum and kept in the Maritime workshop at Gosport. A few small repair jobs were undertaken. Due to a lack of funds the Museum planned to break her up. James Christmas took over ownership with the intention of restoring her.

 2000-2004

James Christmas shortly passed on ownership of Terror to Chris White. He stored her in a greenhouse in Southbourne, West Sussex with the intention of restoring her. Little work took place and when Mr White moved from the area in 2004 he appealed through the Chichester Observer for someone to take over the project so that she could stay in her local waters. Funding for the £100,000, three-year restoration project was secured from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF).

2004-2006

Work starts on restoration at Dolphin Quay boatyard. Dolphin Quay is one of the few yards left in the area that had experience working on classic wooden boats and it is also almost next door to where Terror was built over 100 years ago! Richard Uttley leads the work helped by apprentice Sam Poore. Throughout the restoration open days are held so that local people can follow the progress of the work.

8 Sept 2006

Restoration work is completed and Terror is re-launched at a ceremony held as part of the Emsworth Food Festival. The ceremony is led by Lt Col John Davis, Harbour Master. Jane Weeks, Chairman of the Southeast Region of the Heritage Lottery Fund launched the boat by pouring champagne on her bows. The Very Reverend James Atwell, the Dean of Winchester, blessed the boat and all those who will sail in her.

May 2007

A programme of public trips on Terror began taking six passengers at a time on two hour trips. She was crewed by local volunteer sailors.