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History

Ocean Mist has an extraordinary and rich history, from a minesweeper to a gentlemans’ pleasure yacht.
1919

1919

Samuel Green

Built in George Browns Garvel Shipyard and intended as a minesweeper for the Admiralty, Ocean Mist was originally named Samuel Green after an Officer who served under Admiral Nelson.

1920

1920

Ocean Rover

Never used by the admiralty, the boat was sold in 1920 to Kenelm Guinness of the Guinness dynasty. Kenelm was a successful racing car driver, inventor and playboy.

1921

1921

Ocean Rover

Converted to a gentleman’s pleasure yacht. Friends such as the Duke of Leeds and Sir Malcolm Campbell enjoyed adventures on Ocean Rover during the roaring twenties.

1924

1924

Aries

Passed on to the 11th Duke of Leeds, friend of Kenelm Guinness and renamed the Aries. John Francis Godolphin Osborne, 11th Duke of Leeds was a British peer.

1930

1930

OCEAN ROVER

Sold to Sir Harry Newton, 2nd Baronet and a British Conservative politician. He was elected Member of Parliament (MP) for Harwich in 1910. The Aries was renamed the Ocean Rover once more.

1934

1934

OCEAN ROVER

Sold to Sir Alfred L. Goodson an English businessman and public servant. He was both the president of the officers training corp selection board and overseas civilian advisory board in France during WW1. He was knighted for these services in 1922.

1938

1938

OCEAN ROVER

Just before war breaks out our boat is taken over by Dumbarton-based businessman, James Napier, a steel manufacturer and ship builder.

1939

1939

OCEAN ROVER

The boat was requistioned by the admiralty and used as a torpedo recovery vessel in WW2.

1943–1945

1943–1945

OCEAN ROVER

Towards the end of the war, the boat was converted to an anti-mine calibrating yacht. Based at Rosyth, Granton and Leith, it was later moved to Portsmouth. At the end of the war the boat was paid off and laid up at Portsmouth.

1948

1948

OCEAN ROVER

After the war, Ocean Rover was aquired by Felix Fenston, a property businessman who helped establish the Museum of Heraldry.

1954

1954

OCEAN ROVER

Ocean Mist was purchased by Frederick Gilbert Mitchell converted to oil and renamed Ocean Mist. Frederick Gilbert was a trouble shooter for Lord Kitchener during WW1. He was an engineering businessman and the commodore of The Royal Corinthian Yacht Club.

1959

1959

OCEAN MIST

Changing hands again, Ocean Mist was bought by Jospeh Hobbs of Inverness – a businessman, cattle rancher and whisky distiller, who ran whisky from Scotland to California during prohibition.

1983

1983

OCEAN MIST

In the early 80s our boat arrives at the shore in Leith.

1984 – 2007

1984 – 2007

CRUZ & OTHERS

Our boat existed in various guises as restaurants and nightclubs before being left to fall into disrepair.

2018

2018

OCEAN MIST

Bought by Alan Pedley and restored to her former glory as the Ocean Mist, a boutique hotel.