Eileen Ramsay Memorial – Saturday 8th April

Eileen Ramsay on Hamble Marina, summer 1963. Credit: Eileen Ramsay / PPL

Yachting photographer Eileen Ramsay died on 8 February at the grand old age of 101. Her family are holding a memorial service at Droxford church at 11:30 on Saturday 8 April to celebrate her life and work, followed by a reception.

The address is St Mary & All Saints Church, Droxford, Hampshire, SO32 3PA.

PPL Photo Agency will have many of her favourite photographs on display, and it will be a great opportunity to reminisce with old friends.

RSVP

The family are keen to have some idea of how many to cater for, so if you plan to attend, please RSVP to barry@pplmedia.com

Circa 1967. Cowes Week, Isle of Wight. Cervantes broaching. Credit: Eileen Ramsay / PPL

Eileen and her trusty Rollie were at the centre of a unique period in yachting history – a time when eccentrics ruled, records were there for the setting, and women were more often to be found in front of the lens. But Eileen established herself as one of the greatest yachting photographers of her time, covering the post-War explosion in dinghy and offshore sailing.

These include pictures of the first Enterprises, Fireballs, 505s, GP14s, Mirrors, Ospreys, Optimists and the first British America’s Cup 12 metre challengers Sceptre and Evaine.

Eileen also took portraits of famous sailing icons like Francis Chichester and Eric Tabarly, Olympians, Rodney Pattisson and Keith Musto, and historic pictures from the first Observer Singlehanded Transatlantic (OSTAR) Races.

Circa 1966: First pictures of the Jack Holt designed Mirror 16 2-man sailing dinghy. Credit: Eileen Ramsay / PPL

She was the only photographer Chichester allowed on his Gipsy Moth yachts, and she was commissioned to photograph notorious charmers like Uffa Fox and Max Aitken. Eileen recalls now how she had to stave off their amorous advances.

She was also closely involved in photographing powerboats, in particular, those built on the Hamble, and those powerboat pioneers that competed in the first Daily Express Cowes/Torquay and Round Britain races.

Her unique archive of photographs was saved five years ago by PPL Photo Agency which now has more than 1,000 available to view online at www.pplmedia.com.

Circa 1960. Jester, the converted Folkboat with a junk rig, sailed by Col Blondie Hasler in the first Observer Singlehanded Transatlantic Race from Plymouth to New York. Credit: Eileen Ramsay / PPL