Artists Community

A variety of artists and craftspeople have occupied workshop spaces within Eel Pie Boatyard for over thirty years.

Formerly known as Eel Pie Marine Centre, the site was acquired in the mid ‘80s by Henry Gastall wanting to offer ‘little spaces for people to work in’ alongside the boatyard activities.

Described by Henry as ‘an adventure playground for adults’, it rapidly became a thriving hub of resourceful talent with a diverse pool of skills that included painters, jewellers, photographers, carpenters, graphic designers, blacksmiths, glass makers, sculptors, stone masons, potters, guitar makers and textile workers.

By the mid '90s the Marine Centre enterprises were thriving. Well established in their various trades, with a blossoming reputation for high quality work, the occupants began hosting annual ‘Open Studios’ events, inviting the public across the bridge to buy direct from the makers. (Such was the interest in supporting these creative endeavours, ‘Par-ici’, a shop specialising in locally made wares, many from Eel Pie Island, operated in central Twickenham from 1996 – 2012.)

However, disaster struck in the early hours of Sunday 3rd November 1996 as a huge fire raged through Eel Pie Marine Centre, engulfing buildings and boats in soaring flames; By dawn all that was left was a smouldering heap of burnt-out livelihoods. 

The fire received considerable media attention, partly because it was the biggest blaze the area had seen in years, and also because of Eel Pie Island's earlier notoriety. Within hours an appeal was launched to find workspaces, tools, and financial aid. 



The Eel Pie Trust was quickly established and over the following months s all manner of fund-raising events were organised, including gigs, raffles, theatrical productions and an auction of over one hundred lots consisting of a fabulous array of donated items including many items signed by celebrities. The appeal raised in excess of £40,000 which was distributed to assist in rebuilding lost livelihoods. Arthur Chisnall, who had once run the islands music venue, eagerly got involved saying ‘I've been waiting twenty years for you lot to come along!’ 

Over the following months people gradually re-established themselves, but obviously not all back on the Island - the heart and soul of a unique place had been consumed by flames and the site was now under threat from omnipresent developers. The blaze had left an 'L-shaped' part virtually unaffected by the fire, and a large central area of ash and rubble.

The land was eventually sold in two lots. The central part, bought by Henry Harrison, became an office complex with little evidence of the boatyard and small-scale creative uses that once flourished there. Henry’s son, Blaine, with his band The Mystery Jets, managed, albeit briefly, to bring music back to the island until a noise abatement order forced them to stop their gigs. Thankfully this didn’t stop the band going on to achieve great things.

The 'L-shape', bought by four previous tenants, is still run by the Montgomery-Smith family as Eel Pie Boatyard, operating in much the same pre-fire way. First and foremost a functioning boatyard, a number of small creative spaces exist alongside the boat activities. Although usually closed to the public, the artists still host bi-annual Open Studios offering a chance to buy their work and soak up some of its unique atmosphere. To many it represents the last remnants of the spirit that was the Eel Pie Island of the 60s.

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