Spider T: Lincolnshire’s Historic Vessel and Its Wartime Legacy

The Spider T, an historic vessel that was crucial in the evacuation of women and children from Hull during the Second World War, has a fascinating history linked to Lincolnshire. Built at the Warren Shipyard in New Holland on the southern banks of the Humber, this superior sloop’s main role was goods transportation. The craft’s restorer and owner, Mal Nicholson, emphasises its critical function in carrying evacuees to safety in Lincolnshire and South Yorkshire amidst Luftwaffe bombing raids.

Plans are underway to celebrate the centenary of this incredible vessel, including a weekend reunion at Hull Marina scheduled for 18-19 April. Nicholson is actively inviting evacuees and their descendants to contribute their personal accounts, thereby further acknowledging the Spider T’s significant role during wartime.

In May 1941, Hull was subjected to its most intense bombing raids resulting in over 400 fatalities, with war casualties totalling 1,200 civilians and an immense 150,000 people made homeless. During this precarious period, the Spider T was invaluable, navigating through bomb-damaged roads and railways to ferry people across the river. The vessel also played a clandestine role in the war effort, secretly transporting specialist Sheffield steels under the cloak of night to avoid enemy detection.

The centennial celebrations pay tribute to both the exceptional craftsmanship of Lincolnshire’s Warren Shipyard and the lasting legacy of a vessel that served as a beacon of hope during one of the darkest periods in history.

This article was adapted from original reporting by The Lincoln Post available on www.bbc.com.