A Hampshire Farmer’s Hidden Collection By ANGELA WALKER
At first sight, John Lovell’s farm in the quiet countryside near Petersfield in Hampshire gives no clue to his enthusiasm for collecting model boats. Hidden from public view for 364 days of the year, his impressive collection is opened to the public just one day each May when he holds the Sheet Vintage Event at his farm.
Pic 1: John Lovell with his 73in long model of Titanic. Pic 2: John Lovell with his model of HMS Warspite, holding a photograph of the battleship in Valletta, Malta. John’s father served on the ship for a short time during his long naval career. Pic 3: General view of one of the exhibition rooms, with model guard dog! Pics 4&5: Doctor Jack, a 36in long model of an ocean-going tug, was built for Jackson Marine Corp of Aransas Pass, Texas USA for the BP Oil Company, and named after their then Managing Director, Dr Jack Birks. It was donated to him at his retirement, and purchased by John from his dispersal sale following his death. This scale model was constructed by Boucher-Lewis Precision Models Inc of Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA.
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Each year the collection grows larger, as he adds more and more models from local auctions and sales. Amongst the display are battleships, tank landing craft, sailing ships, fishing boats and river boats.
It all started when John went to an auction in West Sussex about three years ago. “I was looking for something else, but the Doctor Jack came up for sale, and it seemed a nice model, so I bought it. Not long after, I went to another West Sussex auction and bought a fair number of ships. Approximately ten were left unsold which went on to another sale. Eventually I bought all those as well, including the Titanic. I understood that this collection had been more or less the lifetime’s hobby for the deceased gentleman, but they wouldn’t tell me his name.”
Pic 6: A minesweeper, 57ins long, with the name Graciosa painted on the side, equipped with anti-aircraft guns and a drum of cable. Pic 7: An American destroyer, 64ins long, with an impressive array of guns. It was bought from a sale room in Lewes, Sussex. Pic 8: Centrepiece of the collection, the 72in long model of Titanic, which John bought at an auction, and which he believes was scratch built. Pic 11: This cabinet display houses a Triang speedboat, a cabin cruiser, a red-funnelled liner Pretoria Castle, and a Triang model of ocean liner RMS Orcades. In the middle is a scratch built tender/steamboat made of iron, bought from Shepton Mallet Toy Fair. On the far right is the Seacat catamaran operated by Hover Speed.
John has since added a number of other ships, his interest enhanced by the fact that his father was in the Royal Navy all his working life. In pride of place is a 54in model of the battle ship HMS Warspite, on which his father served briefly. The model was built in April 1975 by Alfred Cross of Shoreham by Sea, Sussex.
Also on display are original photographs and paintings of naval ships, including HMS Ilex, on which his father served from 1937-40.
As you enter the first room, your eye immediately goes to a 72in long model of the Titanic, which is scratch built, but John has never been able to find out the name of the maker. In contrast to this imposing exhibit is a small, boxed die-cast model of the same ship to a scale of 1:1136, made by Claytown Collection Inc.
There is a 48in long model of an LCT which would have operated during WW2. The decks are complete with nine tanks, plus a smaller tank, a jeep and field gun. John pointed that some would have had a bulldozer at the back or front to clear the beaches before the tanks could land.
Another of the larger models is a 57in replica of a minesweeper named Graciosa, with guns for self defence against aircraft, and a cable laying drum. Next on show is an American destroyer with the number USS 23, bought from an auction in Lewes. At 64ins long, it is impressive for its bristling array of guns.
Pic 12: The 66in model of The Atlantic, which won the first Transatlantic Race in 1905. John bought this model from an Alresford sale room. Pic 13: A 40in Man of War, made from a kit. Pic 14: A fully rigged three-masted tall ship. The main mast has five sails, the others have four. Pic 15: Famous as the ship which took Custer to the battle of Little Bighorn, Custer’s last stand, and brought the news of his defeat to the world, the Far West is a stern wheeler, powered by steam. Wood is stored on the deck for fuel. This model 54ins long. Pic 16: Probably scratch-built, this 48in long destroyer is HMS Fury (H76) of the Fearless or F class. Amongst its weaponry are torpedo tubes fitted to the sides. Pic 17: A 29in model of HMS Pimpernel (K 71), probably made from a kit. A corvette of the Flower class, and fitted with torpedo launchers, this ship was scrapped in 1948. Pic 18: Another corvette, the 37in long HMS Blackpool (F77). This ship was one of the first frigates to have the ‘V’ form hull, which enabled it to travel in a head sea without the problem of slamming. John bought this model in a local sale room. Pic 19: A beautiful rigged three-masted sailing ship, scratch-built, 30ins long. Pic 20: The African Queen, built in Lytham in 1912, is well known because it features in a film of the same name starring Katherine Hepburn and Humphrey Bogart. The boat was used on the Victoria Nile and Lake Albert to take passengers and cargo across the lake. on the border between the Belgian Congo and Uganda. Pics 21&22: HMS Warspite was built at the end of WW1, and launched at Devonport Dockyard in 1913. During WW2 she gained the nickname ‘The Old Lady’. After seeing action including the Battle of Jutland, and WW2, she was sent to the breakers yard in Scotland in 1947, but on the way was wrecked in a storm off Prussia Cove, West Cornwall. This model was built in April 1975, and is 54ins long, with 9in beam, and draught of 4.5ins. It was made by Alfred Cross of Shoreham by Sea, Sussex.
The Royal Navy is represented by a 48in long model of the destroyer HMS Fury. The original ship was built by J.S. White & Co. of Cowes, and was launched in 1934. She was mined off the Normandy beaches on 21st June 1944, and scrapped later the same year. The model is painted grey and red, and is fitted with torpedo tubes. John thinks this one is scratch built. Moving into the second room, the visitor can admire some fine models of fully-rigged sailing ships, including a 66in model of The Atlantic, winner of the first Transatlantic Race. When the race was first held in 1905. Charlie Barr was commissioned to sail The Atlantic by her owner Wilson Marsh of the NYCC.
Barr sailed the ship to a record-breaking victory. John bought this model from a sale in Alresford, Hampshire, and it was probably made from a kit.
There is also a beautiful three-masted tall ship, and a 40in man of war.
A very interesting exhibit is the 54in Far West – a stern wheeler, with a working steam plant. It is completely made of wood. This ship was the one which took Custer to his famous battle, Custer’s last stand, and then brought back the news of his defeat together with the wounded survivors.
The model of HMS Pimpernel , a Corvette of the Flower Class, is 29ins long and probably built from a kit. This ship was built by Harland & Wolff in Belfast, and launched in 1940. She was scrapped in 1948. This model is fitted with four torpedoes on their launches on the side decks.
Another Corvette, HMS Blackpool, is 37ins long, and was bought from a local sale room.
Each model is lovingly displayed. No doubt by the time John holds his vintage event next year, there will be even more to fascinate the visitor.
