By Val Bott, Brentford & Chiswick Local History Journal 16, 2007

The Mary Gordon, an electric launch built at Strand-on-the-Green by William S Sargeant (see the article William Samuel Sargeant, by Gillian Clegg, Journal 16, 2007) ), is to be restored. Constructed in 1900 of teak and with stained glass featuring birds and fish, she is the oldest electric-powered pleasure launch in the UK and is now listed on the National Register of Historic Ships.

Built for Leeds City Council for Roundhay Park, and named after the then Mayoress, she spent many years in Lincoln before falling on hard times. The Mary Gordon Trust has taken her on and during 2006 the Friends of the Mary Gordon used a project planning grant of £23,600 from the Heritage Lottery Fund to prepare an application for HLF support to bring her back into use. The Friends are now raising funds and have an interesting web site at www.marygordon.org.uk