Welcome to the launch of this new North East Maritime Trust (NEMT) Website.
Our old website has slipped its moorings and has been adrift for quite some time.
By August the 8th, what they call their old website was no longer adrift. It had been cast adrift by the Chair of NEMT and was back in the care of its first and only skipper and is now moored safely its New Location.
Unfortunately, a case of cabin fever, rotted timbers, and no rudder has caused it to irretrievably lose its way. So much so that even we can’t fix it!
It looks like the author of New NEMT had been misled by someone with an axe to grind when he was told the skipper of good ship NE Maritime Trust has been suffering from cabin fever and his vessel was not only rotten but rudderless.
So, please ignore any other website pretending to represent this organisation. It doesn’t.
There was no pretence, the website nemaritimetrust.co.uk has reliably represented the North East Maritime Trust (NEMT) from when it was created and still tries to do so.
Before the website came along, notices of events were given in newsletters and they also told the local people about how the restoration of the various fishing vessels was progressing and some of this appeared in its the early posts and covered from 2008 to 2015.
In September 2015, notice of events began to appear in Facebook along with what was happening in the workshop and what used to be Fred’s shed and they continue to be published until 26th November 2019 which meant that nemaritimetrust.co.uk became the only archive for NEMT and NFHT thereafter.
This new, more progressive site will have much better information and opportunities for you to be involved, to hopefully spread the word about our NEMT and will hide the fact that the NEMT volunteers had restored or helped others restore, five traditional NE Fishing vessels.
We also have relatively new North East Maritime Trust Facebook and @NEMTnews Twitter pages to give more up to the minute information.
Please stay tuned to this new improved website, which is still in the process of being put together, so please be patient.
Who we are?
Originally, as a group of like-minded people who were concerned about the inevitable decline of this region’s incredible ship and boat building heritage and innovation, we decided to do something about it.
North East Maritime Trust was first discussed back in 2001 until 2005, when we managed to get our first workshop in Wapping Street, which, thankfully, was agreed with South Tyneside Council. We were first registered with Companies House in 2005 and gained UK charitable status late 2006.
Ideally located on the riverside at South Shields, we now have two historic boat sheds, including one with a slipway for regular boat maintenance where vessels up to about 45 feet can be accommodated.
NEMT specifically supports regionally important historic working boat restoration, repair and conservation including maintenance, training and sailing for all. In principle we seek to both learn from and inform the public, whenever appropriate, in relation to maritime heritage of the United Kingdom, especially the North East of England
NEMT Boat Collection
The NEMT collection comprises a group of boats belonging to North East Maritime Trust, and others of special historical interest. Boats owned by NEMT and its close associate Northumbrian Fishing Heritage Trust include several restored Northumbrian cobles, a 1920’s Tyne foy boat, a number of early and mid 20th Century ring netters, and the 1886 ‘Bedford’ pulling lifeboat with launching carriage which had been restored. The Trust also restored and maintains the second oldest lifeboat, the 1833 ‘Tyne’, which is on permanent covered display in South Shields. All boats are listed on either the National Register of Historic Vessels, or the National Small Boats Register (NSBR), maintained by the National Maritime Museum Cornwall.
Our aim is to encourage and facilitate the building and restoration, repair, maintenance, conservation and public display of historic working maritime craft, as well as the display of maritime artifacts of all kinds
As can be seen here, NEMT now owns a number of historic vessels and provides ‘at cost’ service facilities, especially for historic vessels. These services can be accessed by our partners and individuals with up to date membership.
The services/facilities cannot be accessed by all partners and individuals with up to date membership since 18th June 2024 – see Threat from NEMT Chair, 18-Jun-24
Vessels
Royal Diadem ll – now registered as non fishing – BK255 (Newton by the Sea) built in 1947.
This beautiful, now fully restored Northumbrian sailing, fishing Coble which is registered with National Historic Ships (NHS) like most of our vessels. She was first restored in 2010 while she was in the care of NFHT.
The Bedford Lifeboat and Carriage
Built by Lancelot B Lambert, South Shields, 1886, Registered as part of The National Historic Fleet. Completely restored by members of North East Maritime Trust.