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Legendary fisherman and seafarer Bill Coleman from Whitstable dies aged 95
The last of Kent’s traditional oyster fishermen has died aged 95. Described as a “legend” by his fellow Whitstable seafarers, Bill Coleman is also credited with saving a rare sailing yawl, built in 1906, which became his working boat. Bill was born in the town in 1929 where, as a boy, he would hunt rabbits and wildfowl, often from a punt he rowed along the shore. It was while working as a shipwright at the Anderson, Rigden and Perkins shipyard, that he came across the yawl Gamecock in 1963 which was due to be broken up. He set about restoring the 43ft craft on a shoestring with any materials he could lay his hands on, including an old lorry tarpaulin, with which he taught himself sailmaking. Then, for four decades, he and his crew, including Andy Kennedy, Alan Grafham and Brian Hadler, went dredging for oysters. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 10:12
