Obit: Richard Fewtrell (22 April 2010)

Subject: Obit: Richard Fewtrell
From: GUEST,Guest David Jones
Date: 30 Apr 10 - 02:39 PM

Richard Fewtrell died last Wednesday, Aprill 22nd, at his home in Connecticut, he was 66. Richard was recuperating from an operation and appeared to be doing well when he passed away. He leaves his wife and two sons. There well be a spreading of ashes and a rememberance during the weekend of May 15th, 16th in Lyme Conn.
Richard was raised on the Thames sailing barges in the East of England and there was not much that he didn't know about boats. He built and repaired boats and was an adviser to the Maritime Museum in Galveston Texas in the purchase and rebuilding of the Tall Ship, "The Elisa", he also performed at the Galveston Opera House in a program to celebrate her launching.
He was a musician while in the British army and was a fine fiddler and trumpet player, but he was best know for his incredible Ukelele playing, I remember him well, entertaining us all with his Uke and George Formby songs during the Galveston weekend.
He had a large collection of maritime songs and stories and was a fount of knowledge on maritime lore. I could go on and on about his musical and singing talents, I performed with him in folk and Music Hall concerts, but, most important, he was a great guy and my wife Louise and I are saddened by his passing.
Fairwell Richard.
David

Subject: RE: Obit: Richard Fewtrell (22 April 2010)
From: EBarnacle
Date: 30 Apr 10 - 05:44 PM

Richard was much too young to go. I got to know him when he was in charge of the maintenence crew based on "The Black Barge" at South Street Seaport. He was in charge of getting work done on Wavertree and other ships in South Street's collection with a good crew and much too small a budget.

He and his dog Flewk were very much a part of the scene in the early South Street days. He sold me a Lachenal Edeophone 56 button tenor treble concertina which I really admired and enjoyed for several years. When work comes through as to time and location, I will attempt to make it to his service.

I saw him much too rarely these past few years.

Subject: RE: Obit: Richard Fewtrell (22 April 2010)
From: GUEST,Mark Alan Lovewell
Date: 30 Apr 10 - 08:30 PM

I got word from Eric Russell of his passing. I remember working at South Street Seaport Museum in the early day. He was a wonderful man, a prominent and respected salty fellow.

Sorry about his passing. I am sure he is off to Fiddler's Green.

Subject: RE: Obit: Richard Fewtrell (22 April 2010)
From: Anglo
Date: 30 Apr 10 - 09:01 PM

RIP Richard

Subject: RE: Obit: Richard Fewtrell (22 April 2010)
From: Liam's Brother
Date: 01 May 10 - 08:48 AM

Thanks, David, for the touching remembrance - I can still picture Richard's tall, lanky frame sauntering around South Street and at a couple of music events and boat yards in CT.
Fair winds,
Liam's sister-in-law

Subject: RE: Obit: Richard Fewtrell (22 April 2010)
From: EBarnacle
Date: 10 May 10 - 09:52 AM

Does anyone have more details on where and when the service is going to be? Please post.

Subject: RE: Obit: Richard Fewtrell (22 April 2010)
From: GUEST,Guest David Jones
Date: 16 May 10 - 11:15 PM

I attended the memorial for Richard in Lyme CT today, 5/16/2010, and learned something about Richards Life.
He was born Richard A. Booth in 1943 in Cambridge, England, then, at the age of 6 months he was adopted by Alfred and Kay Fewtrell.
As a boy he was enrolled aboard the the Royal Navy training ship "Arethusa". (formerly known as the "Peking" and then becoming "Peking" again when sold to the The South St. Seaport Museum in New York City).
Richard later served in the Royal Army Corps of Engineers where he played multiple instruments in the Corps Band. He studied music at the London School of Music and at the Military School of Music, focusing on violin.
In 1970 he left England for the Galapagos Islands and served for 3 years aboard the "Golden Cachalot". In 1973 Richard came to the USA and worked at South St. Seaport, NYC, restoring the tall ship,"Wavertree", which lay alongside the "Peking" the ship he served on as a boy. He also surveyed the tall ship "Ellisa" before its purchase by the Galveston Historical Society in 1977.
In 1984 Richard moved to Connecticut and started his own wooden boat restoration bussiness.
He was a fine singer and musician, Violin, Concertina, Cornet,and an amazing Ukelele. Pity we did not hear more of his music.

Subject: RE: Obit: Richard Fewtrell (22 April 2010)
From: GUEST,Tim Barry
Date: 17 May 10 - 09:10 AM

The boating community, the wooden boat community, lost a dear friend this past month. Richard Fewtrell, shipwright extraordinaire, exceptional musician, succumbed to complications from pneumonia.

Richard was more than just a shipwright with skills and insights that left all of us seeking his sage advice. He was a compassionate, soulful man, with an extremely wry sense of humor. A man with a rich history of experience accrued over a lifetime of working on wooden boats. A man I went to, many times to discuss the time induced malady's of NIFTY III, our 1939 ELCO Cruisette, of which Richard would give thoughtful, concise advice, always with a twist of humor.

He loved what he did, and he infused that love into the work he performed. We will all miss a man that had a profound impact on so much of us.

Subject: RE: Obit: Richard Fewtrell (22 April 2010)
From: EBarnacle
Date: 17 May 10 - 12:25 PM

The reason left South Street in 1984 was that his entire crew was let go during a budget crisis. The barge they worked from was a ferrocement barge originally built in England to service military seaplanes during WW II. It was donated to South Street specifically to act as the service barge for Wavertree. To the best of my knowledge, it has been "deacquisitioned."

Subject: RE: Obit: Richard Fewtrell (22 April 2010)
From: Dave Masterson
Date: 17 May 10 - 12:25 PM

I may be barking up the wrong tree here, but would this be the same Dick Fewtrell who played fiddle with Medway-based folk band Vulcan's Hammer way back around 1970? He is credited on their album of the time, 'True Hearts and Sound Bottoms'.

I note from David Jones post that he trained on the 'Arethusa', which was based on the River Medway at Upnor, so it could be the same chap. Anyone know?

Subject: RE: Obit: Richard Fewtrell (22 April 2010)
From: GUEST,Guest David Jones
Date: 17 May 10 - 03:03 PM

Re. the album "True Hearts and Sound Bottoms", I will check into that. Richard was a very good fiddle player, had an expansive repertoire of traditional maritime song, and spent time around the Medway, so, who else could it be?
Thanks to Dave Masterson for an interesting lead.

Subject: RE: Obit: Richard Fewtrell (22 April 2010)
From: GUEST,Zach Fewtrell
Date: 20 May 10 - 12:13 AM

My father never mentioned Vulcan's Hammer, but he has the LP on his shelf (they only pressed 250). Also he would play fire & wine regularly & a beautiful song which i suspect is greenhopper. So sounds like it was probably him.

The CD is still available, I'm ordering it now to confirm.

Subject: RE: Obit: Richard Fewtrell (22 April 2010)
From: GUEST,Zach Fewtrell
Date: 20 May 10 - 12:17 AM

It was my understanding that he left UK around 1970, a VH interview claims he left the group in 1971. My dates may be a bit off. He is also credited with the 'mandolele' - I know he played the ukelele & a bit of lute & guitar - not sure exactly what a mandolele is, but it sounds like some kind of ukelele hybrid.

I'll know if it's him for sure when the CD arrives.

Subject: RE: Obit: Richard Fewtrell (22 April 2010)
From: GUEST,Guest David Jones
Date: 20 May 10 - 10:02 PM

The Vulcans Hammer LP is very valuable in England, as folk LPs go, so hang on to it Zach. There are reviews of the LP, seems the group are a bit of a legend, if it was Richard who played with them, and it seems it must be he, then I will try to contact some of the band members.
I am also sending for the CD.

Subject: RE: Obit: Richard Fewtrell (22 April 2010)
From: GUEST
Date: 20 May 10 - 11:01 PM

Oh Zach... yer dad was a great friend to me. I am shocked to hear of his death, he taught me to weld, and so much... had so many stories, I tell again and again. My favorite memory of him, oh my to pick one or two... Richard holding the bows of my old wooden currach and saying, "hush... she is talking to me." And his story of his first motor bike, and finding a Romany incampment, and to cut the story short, leaving them alone - not interupting their meal and their camp, saying, "I knew it was their time."

God bless ya Dick, there will never be another generation like thine, you are a true friend, true heart and a good mate.

To his family, he will always live in our hearts.
Lorcan Otway

Subject: RE: Obit: Richard Fewtrell (22 April 2010)
From: Dave Masterson
Date: 21 May 10 - 08:19 AM

The only members of VH that I know are still around are Phil Burkin and Graham Thomas. Sadly Phil's wife Kay died a couple of years back. You can probably contact them through the Hartley Morris website.
http://www.hartleymorrismen.org.uk/index.asp

Subject: RE: Obit: Richard Fewtrell (22 April 2010)
From: GUEST,GUEST
Date: 21 May 10 - 01:42 PM

I was also very sorry to see this news. Dick was a good friend back in the sixties and seventies and I have some great memories of playing music with him.

Please pass on my condolencies to Zach and the rest of his family.

With best wishes from Steve Ashley

Subject: RE: Obit: Richard Fewtrell (22 April 2010)
From: GUEST,johanna angermeyer
Date: 25 Aug 10 - 02:30 PM

We in Galapagos knew Richard (Dick) in the 70's when he was bosun aboard the Golden Cachalot.   His back was troubling him even then but he gamely came up to my farm to help me catch my horses a couple of times....walking the 7 miles up the hill and back down again.   He was a gentle soul and modest about his great skills.   We would play our fiddles together with my mother on piano. If his relatives would like a photo of Dick playing the fiddle in Galapagos in his youthful days...I would be pleased to send it to them.   
Johanna angermeyer
author
My Father's Island
A Galapagos Quest