White’s of Cowes (DVD)

For over 150 years, White’s of Cowes was a name associated with vessels built to the highest standards, embracing state of the art ideas. Regularly down the slipways went warships, ferries, cargo ships, luxury yachts and lifeboats.

White’s output was particularly impressive during the two World Wars, when over 3,000 people were employed. During the First World War, J.Samuel White (as the business was then known) made a brief excursion into warplanes and submarines. Until the slow demise of White’s after WW2 the firm held a dominant place in the economy of the Isle of Wight.

With the help of a guided tour, local children, photos and interviews with former workers, the story is told of how White’s prospered after Thomas White moved from Broadstairs in 1802. There is also a ringing endorsement of the firm’s workmanship by a wartime naval officer.