Thanks to the joint initiatives of the Dartmouth and Kingswear Society and Dartmouth Museum, a Blue Plaque for businessman, yachtsman, and philanthropist Vernon MacAndrew will be installed outside his former residence in Dartmouth, Ravensbury House, now named Paradise Point.

Dartmouth Town Council has agreed to support this application.

The current owners of Paradise Point, Mr and Mrs Jelf, are also delighted to support this initiative.

Dartmouth Mayor, Andrea Cates, said: “Dartmouth Town Council was very pleased to support the installation of a Blue Plaque in recognition of Vernon MacAndrew.

“This initiative reflects the strength of partnership working within our community, and we are grateful to the Dartmouth and Kingswear Society and Dartmouth Museum for bringing it forward.

“We are also very thankful to County Councillor Simon Rake, who generously offered to fund the Town Council’s contribution towards this project.

“It is important that we acknowledge those with historic connections to our town, and I am delighted that this tribute will now be in place.”

The Chairman of the Dartmouth and Kingswear Society, Robert Brooke, stated: “Our Society has been involved with many of the plaques around Dartmouth recognising famous people from the town.

“We are thrilled that the contributions that Vernon MacMaster gave to the town and its community can now be properly recognised.”

The recent research by the Dartmouth Museum has helped immensely in identifying Vernon’s involvement in so many ways. During his lifetime he donated Warfleet House to the YMCA for use as a training centre in seamanship and he helped resuscitate small-boat sailing in Dartmouth.

Then, at the outbreak of the second world war, he offered his motor yacht Campeador and its crew, including himself, to the Admiralty for naval patrol work.

Unfortunately, in June 1940, after continuous and intensive anti-submarine surveillance, the Campeador hit a German magnetic mine off the Isle of Wight, with the loss of Vernon himself and all but two the officers and crew.

Most recently the Dartmouth Museum has been gifted by a generous donor a magnificent photographic collection of over 4,500 quality black and white and colour photographs created by Vernon MacAndrew himself. It is now clear that photography was another one of Vernon’s many talents.

Museum Vice Chair, Jonathan Turner, said: “To discover this substantial quantity of photographs taken over 40 years before the second World War is remarkable.

“Its historic benefit for Dartmouth is massive and will show many aspects of Dartmouth life and history previously unseen. This is a great discovery.”

Jonathan Turner will be giving three talks on the life and achievements of Vernon MacAndrew in the next month: Tuesday, March 17 at 5pm at the Flavel, Wednesday, March 25 at 7 pm at the RDYC and Monday, April 13 at 7.30pm at Kingswear Village Hall.

For contact, information or offers to help with the archiving of the photographs, please call Jonathan Turner on 07887 948617 or Robert Brooke on 07802 794527.