Crew of two

CREW OF TWO

11-TON YACHT CHALLENGES ATLANTIC

“Good-bye, everybody! See you in 1938!” With this cheery farewell, author Carlton Wallace and his wife Helen started on a great adventure – across the North Atlantic in their 11-ton yacht Bendilow. They left Portsmouth Harbour late yesterday afternoon. They expect to be six or seven weeks on the voyage.

Mr. Wallace writes thrillers, and expects this trip to be the biggest of them all. He will have to contend with gales, fogs, and icebergs en route.

The Bendilow was involved in a dramatic incident a few weeks ago, when Bembridge lifeboat took the Wallaces and a Mr. P. Morgan off the yacht in a gale.

THey were already on their way to New York then, but were compelled to put back for repairs. Now, undaunted, they have started again – this time alone. Mr. Wallace plans to write a book about the voyage, of course.

(Portsmouth Evening News, 24th June 1937)

Highly strung

HIGHLY STRUNG.

PLEA BY PROSECUTRIX FOR YOUTHFUL PRISONER.

When George Carlton Wallace, aged eighteen, was charged at Marylebone police-court to-day with stealing silverplate and a wrist watch, worth £26, from the house of Miss Annie Grey, of Westbourne-square, where he had occupied a room, the prosecutrix said she was sorry to charge the prisoner, as she believed he was “mentally deficient” at hte time.

He was a very highly strung young man, she added, a writer of plays, a poet, and an actor, and she thought he had acted on the spur of the moment.

She did not wish to proceed furthe.r

Mr. Denman said that because she felt sentimentally disposed towards the prisoner he did not think it a reason for the prisoner to get off scot free. Therefore, he should remand the prisoner for a month, on bail, and forward the papers to the Public Prosecutor.

(Pall Mall Gazette, 30th August 1921)

Rescued by a lifeboat

Mr Carlton Wallace, the owner, and two companions one a woman, were rescued by Bembridge lifeboat from the yacht Bendilow, which was in difficulties off Sandown, Isle of Wight, pier during a gale.

(Aberdeen Press & Journal, 25th May 1937)

Waiting to sail to America

WAITING TO SAIL TO AMERICA

ELEVEN-TON CRAFT AT DARTMOUTH

The auxiliary sailing vessel Bendilow, of Portsmouth, a one-time Morecambe prawner, 42ft. long, 11 tons, is to sail from Dartmouth at the end of this month for New York. The craft is now in Dartmouth Harbour, where her owner, Mr. Carlton Wallace, a writer of “thrillers,” is interviewing applicants (he requires two) for the trip.

The yacht, which is cutter-rigged, could be housed in a large drawing-room, and has already proved her seaworthiness, for at the end of May she was caught in a storm, and appeared doomed, when the Sandown lifeboat was called to her assistance.

Mr. and Mrs. Wallace and a hand, who were on board at the time, refused help, and although they had been asked to abandon the vessel, outrode the storm. The youth who had been engaged as deck-hand left after the storm.

Interviewed on board the Bendilow in Dartmouth Harbour, Mr. Wallace told a “Western Morning News” representative that they expected to sail at the end of this month. They would follow the northerly course to New York, their first port of call being St. John’s, Newfoundland, where they would replenish water and stores.

EAGER APPLICANT.

His wife and he left Portsmouth determined to make the crossing themselves, working the ship to Dartmouth, but found out en route that the Bendilow is a bit too heavy for them to manage comfortably in bad weather. He had advertised for hands, 30 applicants replying. He was at present interviewing some of those applicants, one of whom had walked from London.

Mr. Wallace met his wife [Margaret Helen (Grant) Wallace] in romantic circumstances. He thought some years ago of sailing round the world, and a friend told him of a girl who would be suitable [as] one of the crew. The trip did not materialize, as it would have taken four years to make, but the young woman became Mrs. Wallace.

It is not certain yet whether Mrs. Wallace will make the trip to America; Mr. Wallace does not think so, as he is concentrating on engaging two hands, and three aboard the little craft does not allow too much room.

(Western Morning News, 16th July 1937)