Brooke Marine

Brooke Marine (also known as J.W. Brooke & Co. and Brooke Yachts) was a Lowestoft-based shipbuilding firm. The company constructed boats and small ships for civilian and commercial use, as well as minor warships for the Royal Navy, Royal Navy of Oman, Royal Australian Navy, Kenya Navy and United States Navy.

The company was founded in 1874 as a foundry by John Walter Brooke and expanded into boatbuilding and shipbuilding in the early 1900s. It operated until 1992.

Until 1911 the company, which produced engines and motor cars, sub-contracted its boat building operations to another firm in Oulton Broad. In 1911 it opened a shipyard on the north side of Lake Lothing and began to produce its own craft, all using engines produced at its Adrian Works in the town. Car production stopped in 1913, although the company continued producing engines until 1938, in total producing more than 7,000.

During World War I the company established a munitions factory. Following the war, the shipyard was expanded to produce boats up to 52 feet (16 m) in length. During World War II, the company produced and serviced motor launches and landing craft for the Royal Navy and other Allied forces. In 1940, the company was acquired by Harry Dowsett and renamed Brooke Marine.

In 1954, a new shipyard was built on the south side of Lake Lothing. The old yard was closed in 1955, and in 1975 was sold and levelled. The first ships produced at the new yard were twenty fishing trawlers ordered by the Russian government. Over 300 craft were eventually produced in the yard. In 1968 the company won the Queen's Award to Industry for Export Achievement.

In July 1977 the company was nationalised and became part of British Shipbuilders until a management buy-out in 1985. In 1987, Brooke Marine closed down and was put up for sale. The dockyard and facilities were purchased in May, with the new owners trading under the name Brooke Yachts. The company continued until September 1992, when it ceased trading.Receivers sold off all shipbuilding equipment in 1993.

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