Famous Boat Builders on the Thames

Turks are a Thames founded ancestral business and have a heritage dating back at the very least three hundred years to 1710, the time the business was created by Richard Turk. But documentary evidence having to do with Turk constructed vessels stretch back nearly 9 centuries to the 12th C. The emphasis was initially mainly on developing passenger taking wherries and fishing boats, however Turk's customer base almost immediately extended and Turks broadened their horizon into creating vessels for English and overseas Royal families as well as exporting pleasure craft ' particularly touring canoes as well as skiffs - with clients allover the known world, routinely being awarded prizes at global exhibitions. One particular project actually involved the construction of boats for the amusement of HRH Queen Victoria on the waters of. The current day Turks was pioneered by Michael Turk who was a Swan Master and Bargemaster to the Vintners' Company and a Queen's Waterman. In additio! n he is Past Master of The Company of Waterman & Lightermen of the River Thames.Michael challenged himself to take on the ambitious project of building the Grand Turk in 1997, a full scale replica of an 18th Century British frigate. Which today sails with the whole a dozen cannons, three 100ft masts and 22 functioning sails. She is a wonderful experience, the 1st of her type to be crafted in over one hundred and fifty years and boasts appearances such as the ITV series 'Hornblower'. Michael's son, Richard Daniel Turk now runs Turks and continues the history associated with Turks Thames River businesses whilst at the same time extending the firm to match today's markets.

After 3 centuries of successful boat building and operation of a stunning fleet of passenger vessels, Turks stands proudly as one of Kingston's few surviving family run small businesses. Fostering a core ideal in high standards and intricate organisation, Turk's busy fleet carries 1000's of passengers each year and are the proud hosts of hundreds of unique events afloat the River Thames. Nowadays the firm extended down the Thames to Chatham with the launch of Turks Shipyard Ltd with a focus on slipway operations and maritime maintenance. Turk Film Services are extremely active in the TV and film trade specialising in marine coordination, vessel construction and hiring out props and has a assortment of more than 300 historic boats. Turks Film Services credits include recent productions such as the Harry Potter Series and Guy Ritchie's Sherlock Holmes film. Turks is going to be honouring the 300th anniversary of the family business this year and have a range of functions plann! ed to give thanks to patrons prior, existing as well as future, and hope to be still around in another 300 years.