Jean

Jean was built at the yard of Camper and Nicholsons in 1921 for Major Sir John H. Ward, army officer and equerry to four monarchs from Edward VII to George VI.

He married New Yorker Jean Templeton Reid, after whom he named his Six Metre.

Jean was among the first British Second rule International Six Metre Class boats. She raced in the first British American Cup in 1921, the year she was launched.

Jean survived the harsh weather of the first race and finished fourth ahead of team mate Victoria and behind Polly, but nearly nine minutes off the lead. She was fourth again in the second race and fifth in the third. In the fourth race, she collided with a French yacht and could not finish. She was sixth in the next race and saved her best till last coming second behind Victoria by 29 seconds and ahead of the American Grebe. She scored a total of 24 points, coming fourth overall.

Jean was the only of the British entrants to race again in the competition when she raced the following year in New York.

In 1924 Jean was registered in Gosport to a G. H. Goodricke of the Goodricke firm of solicitors, Durban, South Africa. By 1927 Jean, still registered at Gosport, was owned by a Lt Col R. Sloan-Stanley of Alverstoke, Hampshire, also known to have lived at Cowes.

Jean was later owned by A. R. Luke of Luke & Co boat builders in Hamble.

Jean is thought to have been broken up on the river Dreben at Waldringfield in the late 1940s.

Text taken from The boats that sailed a century ago. Part 6: Jean Read more about Jean and the British American Cup there.