Bushnell Marine Services LtdMarinas, Crane Lift In or Out, Boat Mechanics & Spares, Docking Hardstanding & Storage, Long Term Mooring,  in or near to Wargrave

The boatyard was purchased by John Henry Bushnell from Henry Butcher on the 31st December 1917. The boatyard had been in existence prior to that date and it is believed that Henry Butcher had, in fact, been the proprietor since the middle of the 19th century.
John Henry Bushnell carried on the business of renting self-propelled rowing boats, dinghies, skiffs, punts, camping punts, until the early 20’s when he obtained electric canoes followed closely by motor driven launches. Both the motor propelled craft could be hired for self-drive or with drivers. During this time boat building of various types was carried on at the site and, as years passed, larger and more sophisticated craft were constructed for both sale and hire.

In the mid 30’s the first self-drive holiday hire cruiser was built and thereafter others followed up until 1939 when the boatyard took on rapid expansions to cope with Admiralty contracts to build fast motor boats for both Naval and RAF air/sea rescue. The work continued throughout the war when some 60 men were employed at the yard and into the early 50’s while the re-stocking of war losses continued. In 1954, the land adjacent to the boat yard, comprising two meadows, was purchased from Mrs M F Bond and others and was built up to its present height with river dredging between 1954 and 1957. During this period the boatyard continued to expand, building craft up to 47 ft in length, with the self-drive holiday hire fleet expanding up to 15 craft. The small boats, i.e. punts, skiffs etc...had by now begun to decline in popularity and motor launches were beginning to take their place with more reliable diesel engines becoming available and, therefore, by the early 60’s all craft for rental purposes were fully motorised.

The 60’s up to and including the early 70’s saw the business expand in terms if moorings, rental of craft, both self-drive and driven (driven being with an employee on board) and the general modernisation, albeit slowly, of the whole operation.

In 1973 a planning consent was granted which allowed for the erection of two new buildings, a footbridge to the island and a clubhouse on that island. To date, the footbridge and two new buildings have been completed contributing to the operational modernisation of John Bushnell Limited and Bushnell Marine Services Limited.