The founders of the Hampton Roads ship Model society (HRSMS) first met at the home of Walter F. Keil in Hampton on March 3, 1967. Those present, considered to be the founders of the HRSMS, were as follows:
- Tommy Tragle
- Fred Nelson
- Walter “Tim” Keel
- Norvell Watkins
- Marvin Bryant
- Dennis Stieffen
- Kent Palmer
At this meeting, the organization was named, the officers’ titles (Skipper, First Mate, Purser, and historian) were selected, annual dues of $6.00 were set, and monthly meetings on the second Friday were agreed upon. The first regular meeting of the HRSMS was planned for the following March 17, with all present at that meeting to be deemed charter members.
It should be noted that Tommy Tragle, more than any other, was the guiding light of the organization from the beginning. He had previously founded the Richmond Shin Model Society (RSMS) and was instrumental in the founding of the HRSMS.
The first regular meeting was held at Tommy’s home on March 17, 1967. To addition to all of the founders, Paris Aiken and Dwight Foster also attended and became charter members. Richard Brant also attended, but did not become a member. The first officers were elected as follows:
- Tommy Tragle – Skipper
- Tim Keil – First Mate
- Kent Palmer – Purser
- Norvell Watkins – Historian (appointed by the skipper)
A photo article in the Daily Press and Times-Herald announced the formation of the club. The newly-founded club began to meet regularly at members’ homes, as detailed in the meeting minutes. The first bylaws were passed at the January 1968 meeting.
To celebrate the HRSMS’ first anniversary, the club’s first annual banquet for members and their spouses was held at Seawell’s Ordinary on March Q 1968. Cocktails at the Tragles’ preceded the banquet. (The banquet was once called the “Wives’ Banquet” to denote its purpose of thanking members’ wives for patience with the members’ hobby. Later it was called the “Spouses Banquet”.
ln April 1968 the HRSMS awarded honorary memberships to Robert Burgess. August Crabtree, and John Lochhead. Also in that month the HRSMS hosted the RSMS in Newport News for their 20th anniversary. Activities included a tour of the James River Reserve Fleet. a visit to The Mariners’ Museum. and dinner at the Gourmet Inn. As usual, Tommy made sure that these events were covered in the local press.
Tommy Tragle served as Skipper for three years, then Kent Palmer was elected for three years. In addition to their regular meetings, members enjoyed occasional meetings, outings, and banquets with the RSMS and the Washington Shin Model society (WSMS). In June 1969 the first Tri-Society event, a Hampton Roads harbor tour and a banquet, was held.
In September 1972 an exhibition of HRSMS members’ models opened at The Mariners ‘ Museum for a two-month showing. Among the models exhibited were Tommy Tragle’s PC-496 and Marvin Bryant’s BLUENOSE. Also in September 1972 a Tri-society Banquet was held at the Hispaniola in Hampton.
In 1973 Marvin Bryant was elected Skipper, and he also served for three years. In 1974 HRSMS members volunteered to man an exhibition booth at the mariners’ museum. This continued for a number of years. A club project, the restoration of 18th Century French ship models for the U.S. Naval Academy, began around this time. Work on this project, principally on a model of the JEAUNON, went on for a few years.
The third national conference of the Nautical Research Guild (NRG) was hosted by the HRSMS at The Mariners’ Museum in 1974. This was a highly successful event. with over 250 in attendance. In 1975 several HRSMS attended the NRG conference in Marietta, OH.
In 1976 Paris Aiken was elected Skipper. He served in that office until 1978, then he was followed by Basil Roebuck, who served for a year. Heinz Schiller became Skipper for three months in 1979, then Paris served for another year.
In September 1979 the HRSMS helped the WSMS celebrate their 50th anniversary. A distinctive award plaque was made by the club, featuring individual projects made by members. This plaque was awarded to the WSMS at their anniversary banquet in Vienna, VA, which was attended by a number of HRSMS members and their spouses.
Lester McLeod of Smithfield was elected Skipper in 1980, and he served until 1983. the Mariners’ Museum’s first International Ship Model Competition was held in 1980. Awards were won by Lester’ s schooner BENJAMIN W. LATHAM, by John Tilley’s BOUNTY, and by Future member Alan Frazer’s New York Central steam lighter. At the conclusion of the competition in September, the HRSMS again hosted the NRG convention, this time at The Chamberlin in Hampton.
In February 1981 a tri-society workshop was held at Windmill Point on the Chesapeake Bay. This weekend was greatly enjoyed, very greatly by some. In October 1981 the HRSMS helped celebrate the Yorktown Bicentennial by manning a model display at the newly opened Watermen’ s Museum. That fall, some members attended the NRG conference at Mystic Seaport.
In 1983 another Tri-society workshop was held at Ashland, north of Richmond. This was well-attended and members were generally more well-behaved than at the 1981 workshop. In 1983 Thomas Abbott was elected Skipper and he served for two years. The HRSMS participated in Bay Days at Hampton in the fall of 1983.
In 1984 members of the HRSMS, having contracted with the Virginia Pilots Association. completed and delivered models of the pilot boats WM. STARKEY and VIRGINIA III. A Tri-Society workshop was held at the Calvert Maritime Museum that September.
In 1985 Tommy Tragle again became Skipper for one year. The second model competition was held at The Mariners’ Museum in 1985. Tom Abbott won two awards for his ESSO SUEZ and future member Alan Frazer won an award for his Adirondack Guideboat. Tom Abbott and Bill Fox, and the HRSMS, got a lot of local press during this time. During the summer, club members and their spouses enjoyed the MARY ROSE exhibition at the Portsmouth Museum. In August, the HRSMS again hosted the NRG annual conference, at the Holiday Inn in Hampton. That Christmas, members made ornaments for a special tree for a special friend, Marvin Bryant, who had been the victim of strokes several years earlier.
In 1986, Bill Clarke became Skipper for three years. In that year, Purser Bill Fox began a monthly newsletter which kept the membership current and replaced the old custom of post card notices for the meetings. The club began assisting the Virginia Life Saving Museum with its annual youth ship modeling contests in 1986. In that year the HRSMS annual banquets moved to the James River County Club, hosted by Jean and Jack Bobbitt. for a five-year run.
As the HRSMS celebrated its 20th anniversary in 1987, new members and new interests sparked new life into the club. Some of the new members specialized in radio control models and later, operating exhibitions at The Mariners’ Museum were popular with the public.
John Cheevers took the helm as Skipper in 1989, and he served until 1992. The HRSMS suffered a tragic loss in the death of founder Tommy Tragle in August 1989. He was sorely missed, but the group carried on in his enthusiastic spirit.
In March 1990, several HRSMS restored a model of DELIVERANCE for the library at Christopher Newport College. The RSMS disbanded in that year, but many of its members joined the HRSMS, greatly strengthening it. A WSMS / HRSMS workshop was held at the Calvert Maritime Museum in November. A few weeks later, the club lost Paris Aiken, one of its most faithful members. A charter member, Paris was a favorite, and his talents and artistic abilities were greatly missed.
As the club moved into the 1990s, new and younger members joined and added their interests and enthusiasm to the group. In 1991 the HRSMS again hosted the NRG convention, and member Jack Bobbitt won two awards at The Mariners’ Museum’s ship model competition for his exquisite frigate VIRGINIA. Sadly, the club lost another of its most faithful members, Marvin Bryant, in October. Marvin had not been able to be an active member in his later years, but he loved the HRSMS and he guided its spirit.
The year 1992 marked the 25th Anniversary of the HRSMS. The year began with a ship modeling workshop at the Life Saving Museum of Virginia in January. In March, Bill Altice of Richmond became the club’s first commuter skipper. The HRSMS celebrated its anniversary with a month-long ship model exhibition at the Watermen’s Museum, which opened with a reception there on April 10. Founders ‘ and charter members’ wives Helen Aiken, Helen Bryant, and Betty Lou Tragle officially opened the exhibition, and their families were there to join the celebration. Two dozen members’ models were exhibited, and Paris’ , Marvin’s, and Tommy’s models were special features of the exhibition. Over the weekend, WSMS members joined in for a harbor cruise and tour of Fort Wool, and a banquet at Seawall’s Ordinary. The WSMS gave the club a handsome plaque which became part of the ship model exhibition for its duration.
As the HRSMS entered its second quarter-century, it was as strong and vital as at its beginnings. Carrying on with the enthusiasm of Paris, Marvin, and Tommy, the club continued its search for the perfect ship model.
Compiled by William A. Fox, Historian, April 1992