Draft:Q-ship Society

Q-ship society
For other ships with the same name, see HMS President.

About US:
A group was founded with the aims to save, restore and preserve the ageing historic vessel for future generations. The Q-ship Society was formed in May 2023,

Intention's of the Q-ship Society and members:
The Q-ship Society's intentions are to obtain ownership of the vessel and to relocate her to a new location with the vision of volunteer's coming aboard to start project's and maintenance onboard.

Funding will be needed to help with the following intentions:

Preserve the now unique Q-ship and restore her as close as possible to 1918 configuration

(the front building is over 100 years old, this can be brought back into its original 1922 footprint)

The rest of the top structures are life expired and badly modified by owners 1990's plans as well as her mast will be repaired and a mock funnel being replaced after renovation of the top structure.

Whilst the ship is under restoration we have the vision of a shore museum on the ship and local history set up to generate an income using the materials from the top structure to save on costs.

Our aims during restoration is to us local volunteers, businesses and trades to help keep local businesses going. The vessel will need new plating to fix the poor condition and damage caused on the hull.

The museum would stretch across all the ships decks, spanning the history of Q-ships, the history of the ships life as a RNR/RNVR, her links to medway and other connection's she had through the years e.g. James Bond and S.O.E. Also we will have history from the times this ship was in active service 1918-1989.

Our society would be offering Medway the only Q-ship museum in the country which could be a draw especially to her History on Atlantic convoys and the war on U-boats, as a story that has not been focused on before and having the Mystery factor of these amazing ships.

Benefiting our Community:

 * To offer local Businesses the chance to help towards future restorations.
 * To offer a unique location for youth groups such as Scouts, Cadets to use.
 * To offer volunteering opportunities to chairties of Mental Health and other needs to get back out into the community and the chance of having group meetings onboard.
 * To offer Local people the chance to volunteer and gain experience onboard.
 * If placed in a good location e.g. Historic Dockyard, Dockside, Rochester could be a pull to tourists in the Chatham Medway area, this would help toward getting regular trade for local businesses.
 * Offering the hiring of the venue for special occasions such as weddings, proms, business meetings.

1918 to 1988
HMS Saxifrage is a retired Flower-class Sloop Q-ship launched during the First World War; January 1918 build by Lobnitz & Company, Renfrew in Scotland. The 'convoy ship' designed to look like a Civilian Ship to tick emeny submarine's to surface and evacuate the ship which the German Uboats were distracted they'd reveal their hidden guns / naval crew and sink the enemy, if the Uboats tried to escape the ship was designed to rame and sink the vessel.

After the war HMS Saxifrage was taken on by the Royal Naval Voluntary Reserve London to become HMS President, a drill ship moored permanently on the Thames. Also, reported to have defended the Thames and St Paul's Cathedral during the Second World War as well as being the Royal Naval Reserve training ship. Joined by her sister ship in 1938 HMS Chrysanthemum.

In 1988, HMS President was sold privately serving on the Thames, St Katherine's Docks as a function room, media offices and events venue, used by media companies and having connections with James Bond. HMS President added 1918 to her name to differ to the shore establishment President.

HMS President 1918 was moved to Chatham Docks in 2016, changed owners a few times since then and is now abandoned and arrested by T.S.S who is awaiting more information on the fate of this very unique World War One vessel turning 106 in 2024.

Preservation
HMS President 1918 had been berthed in the River Thames on the Victoria Embankment in the City of London close since 1922. However during 2016, she was moved to Chatham to make way for the construction of the new Thames Tideway Tunnel. Ownership was transferred to a charitable trust which launched as "HMS President Preservation Trust" crowdfunding appeal to raise funds for restoration, although they had the backing and funding they were unsuccessful.

In December 2018, HMS President 1918 was sold by the trust to a private owner. HMS President turned 106 as of 2024, with her front ( heavily modified and extended ) building being over 100 years old.

The current situation sees the vessel left in the care of T.S.S due to the owner vacating and abandoning the vessel in 2022.

HMS President remains listed on the National Register of Historic Vessels as part of the National Historic Fleet