Postcard of the Month: August 2026
/William Dyer at Littlehampton
This postcard, by William Wareham, shows a stern view of the William Dyer alongside the east bank with the old windmill in the background and a river barge in the foreground. She is high out of the water suggesting she has been unloaded and may soon depart, although she might need ballasting for better stability before that.
The Dyer family was prominent in the town, and it’s possible that the vessel was named after a William Dyer who was a master mariner and shipowner - and one of the early owners - living at the time in Norfolk (see technical data below). The date of the photo is not known, and the card was unposted,. However, “Jul 1915” was written in pencil on the reverse (although this would not fit with the earlier date for the vessel’s sale or loss - see technical data below), so it may be the date the postcard was first purchased.
Here, William Dyer is shown under tow by Jumna, with two sails set, presumably in the process of leaving harbour (although high in the water and probably unloaded). There’s no date but it’s an early Frank Spry card, so it was probably published between 1910 and 1914 when Jumna bowed out.
In this card, William Dyer is under sail midway down the harbour, well laden so departing with a cargo. Therefore it is probably a different occasion from the picture above. At this stage any tow has been cast off. It is rare for the wind to be in this quarter so this departure under sail provides an unusual opportunity for the photographer to picture the vessel in this way. This is also an early Spry card from between 1910 and 1914.
She is towing two small boats astern, one on the far quarter, this may be her own boat being kept ready for the next destination to be used to assist mooring. The second is on the near quarter between her hull and the harbour side and barely visible. This has an individual standing at it’s tiller and it is probably the harbour pilot’s craft which will be used by him to return once the ship is clear of the harbour.
This next early Spry card shows the vessel close to leaving the harbour entrance, taken from the pier, most likely on the same occasion as the previous card.
The small boat on the near sideis still being towed, if it is the pilot’s he will probably board it and cast off beyond the harbour entrance. The other boat is no longer visible so may have been pulled up alongside the hull and out of site.
Patterns on the water suggest that the tide is still rising and flowing into the entrance so this would make the pilot’s return easier.
Notes on William Dyer and Technical Data
Various information provided with postcards has provided the following, although none can be verified as no references have been provided.
WD was built in 1865 by Lumsden at Monkwearmouth, Sunderland, possibly as a brig (see below) and registered in 1865 at Weymouth, owned by William Dyer of Yarmouth, Norfolk. The owner in 1880 was Mary Anne Dyer of Weymouth. By 1890 the vessel was transferred to Charles Lovell. In 1893 WD was sold to Guernsey owners William Weatherall then, in 1910, was managed by Fred Friend of Whitstable. Around 1913 WD was apparently sold to France.
Greater reliance is placed on the following entry in ‘Closing Down Sail’ by W. Martin Benn, a reputable maritime expert, who collected data from official records on sailing vessels of the period and self-published the title.
WILLIAM DYER
Built 1865 Sunderland by Lumsden. Rig Brigantine, Tons 186 gross, 168 net.
Dimensions 97.9 x 23.6 x 13.3 (ft).
Sold 13 Feb. 1913 to Charles G. Lyon, Knottingley, Yorks. Re-registered Hull 1913. Register closed 26 April 1913 - vessel sold to France.
There are other reports that suggest WD was lost early during WW1, possibly by hitting a mine. Not yet verified.