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William Wyatt was born on Mersea in 31 January 1865. He was registered as John William Wyatt and was usually known as Bill. Later he was given the nickname of Admiral following the Mersea tradition of nicknames. He was not overly fond of this. It is believed the Wyatt family originated from Hampshire in the area around Bucklers Hard and were associated with the ship building carried on there. Maybe Bill's ancestors helped build ships for Queen Elizabeth's armada or for Nelson's Trafalgar fleet. That is surmise, but what is certain is that Bill was an excellent shipwright with an eye for a good line and his work was well respected.
His grandfather, James, and father, Thomas, had both been shipwrights and boat builders on the Coast Road and William did much of his work in a thatched shed near where the present Dabchicks clubhouse is now. As well as maintaining Mersea's fleet of oyster smacks, he specialised in building punts to his family design following on from his father who, in 1859, sold punts for £2 10/- fitted out and ready to go. Over the years, the yard expanded on the site we know today, larger boats were built particularly in the period 1950-60 using plans by yacht designers of the time and launched off Wyatt's slip. Quite a few local young men were apprenticed to William and still talk of what a good master he was and how much knowledge he passed on to them.
William died in 1961 leaving behind his second wife, Polly. His first wife, Eliza, had died in 1921. He had no children but the business was continued and there is still a traditional boatyard on Coast Road.
Read More
Bill Wyatt, Winifred Hone Memoirs
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