WITH this year being the 80th anniversary of the building of HMS Cavalier at the famous White's shipyard, a heritage group on the Isle of Wight aims to uncover the stories of women who worked on the vessel during the Second World War.

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The Cowes Hammerhead Crane Trust is seeking the help from relatives of those women who worked at J.Samuel White's as an electric welder, building the destroyer during the conflict.

Isle of Wight County Press: A worker at the JS White's shipyard, Cowes, during the Second World WarA worker at the JS White's shipyard, Cowes, during the Second World War (Image: Cowes Hammerhead Crane Trust)

The trust, the historical authority on the iconic Grade II-listed Hammerhead Crane at White's, want to use the information gathered to tell the story of the women who worked on the construction of warships — with a greater focus on gas and electric welders.

Here's how to share your family's stories of women who worked at JS White's

Send in your stories and photos to, by email: edmundc111@gmail.com, or to John Fisher, Kent House Stables, Connaught Road, East Cowes, PO32  6DP..

"Women were welding warship hulls and structures, while men were away fighting in the war," said John Fisher, chairman of the trust.

The trust wants to use the stories for a series of articles they aim to write for International Women's Day and BBC Radio 4's Women's Hour, on March 8, and to mark the 80th anniversary of the building of HMS Cavalier on the Island.

John asks: "Did your mother or grandmother work as a electric welder, building ships at White's shipyard in Cowes during the Second World War? Yes? Then we want to hear your stories."

During white-hot production in the two world wars, a total of 53 destroyers were built at White's.

Cavalier was the first destroyer that had a part-welded hull — the fore and aft sections, with the midships still riveted.

HMS Consort, also built at JS White's, was the first all-welded hull.

Isle of Wight County Press: HMS Cavalier was still the Royal Navy's fastest ship in 1971. HMS Cavalier was still the Royal Navy's fastest ship in 1971. (Image: The Historic Dockyard Chatham)

Isle of Wight County Press: The Hammerhead Crane at the White's shipyard site in Cowes in 2011. The Hammerhead Crane at the White's shipyard site in Cowes in 2011. (Image: Cowes Hammerhead Crane Trust)

HMS Cavalier — the only Second World War destroyer to have survived — was saved by Earl Mountbatten of Burma in 1977, in Chatham, Kent.

She is now preserved at Chatham’s historic dockyard as a memorial to the 143 British destroyers and more than 11,000 men lost at sea during the Second World War. 

The Historic Dockyard Chatham plan to hold an exhibition to mark the 80th anniversary of the launch of HMS Cavalier later this year.

In tandem, the Cowes Hammerhead Crane Trust will hold their own exhibition on the landmark event, to include stories of all the work done by women at White's during the war years.

Venues could include the Cowes Maritime Museum and the Classic Boat Museum, East Cowes.