Home > Printed Materials & Memorabilia
Printed Materials & Memorabilia
Here's a small collection of British Seagull Printed Materials & Memorabilia from over the years. If you've got some old British Seagull advertisements, brochures, magazine articles and/or other Printed Materials & Memorabilia you'd like to share, email me a digital copy and I'll add it to the list.
Note: For those on dial-up or slow Internet connections, the estimated file size of the scanned documents is in parenthesis.
Advertisements, Posters, Brochures
1930's | 1940's | 1950's | 1960's | 1970's | 1980's | 1990's
1930's
Marston "Seagull" Outboard Motors - THE BEST THAT MONEY CAN BUY
Before "The
best Outboard in the World" and later "The best Outboard for the World" there was "The Best that Money can Buy". It may not have been stamped on the outboards but it clearly was the basis for what came next. The manufactures: John Marston Limited were located at Wolverhampton.
Yachting World - May 17, 1935 (40Kb)
Marston "Seagull" Outboard Motors - The best that money can buy
This was a half page, right side, advertisement.
Yachting World - June 7, 1935 (41Kb)
Marston "Seagull" Outboard Motors - The Best that Money can buy
Apparently, the boy in this advert is Roger Pinniger, the son of one of the two founders.
Yachting World - July 26, 1935 (32Kb)
The British Seagull - The Best Outboard in the World
The new tagline that'll lasts until the mid 1950's emerges - "The
best Outboard in the World".
Yachting World - June 10, 1938 (71Kb)
1940's
1950's
"Every dinghy a motor dinghy"
This colorful March 1950 advert in Yachting World was painted by David Cobb.
Yachting World - March 1950 (169Kb)
"Every dinghy a motor dinghy"
"No room to pull an our."
This black and white March 1950 advert in Yachting World was done by David Cobb.
Yachting Monthly - April 1950 (68Kb)
Don't let your "Seagull" lie idle - ask the MAKERS to overhaul it
The company began offering to overhaul outboards for a small fee. They hoped to "learn... a great deal about how the engines fare in actual service and can embody those lessons in furture design."
Yachting World - October/November 1950 (86Kb)
The Penzance Lugger (Yachting Monthly Advertisement)
This advertisement in a 1950's issue of Yachting Monthly is from the collection of Charles Palfreeman. Be sure to view his collection of early British Seagull outboards: SD | FV | FVP | LS
Yachting Monthly - 1950's (90Kb)
"Now Can Be Purchased in the U.S.A."
An advert in the November 1953 edition of Yachting magazine. No Seagull dealers as of yet in the USA but dealer inquires were invited.
Yachting - November 1953 (169Kb)
More Power - Even Smoother Running and NOW 4 Bladed Propellers as well
The gull on the Seagull in color.
Yachting Monthly - May 1955 (55Kb)
More Power - Even Smoother Running and NOW 4 Bladed Propellers as well
The gull on the Seagull in color.
Yachting Monthly - June 1955 (55Kb)
Reliablility springs from Simplicity
This is the first advertisement with the company tag line changed from "The best Outboard Motor in the World" to "The best Outboard Motor for the World".
Yachting Month - April & March 1956 & June 1957 (49Kb)
The Best Dinghy Auxiliary in the World
This color advert reads "The Best Dinghy Auxiliary in the World" and the tag line reads "The best Outboard Motor for the World". Up until the previous year the company tag line was "The best Outboard Motor in the World".
Yachting Monthly - May 1957 (43Kb)
The Best Dinghy Auxiliary in the World
This advert reads "The Best Dinghy Auxiliary in the World" and the tag line reads "The best Outboard Motor for the World". Up until the previous year the company tag line was "The best Outboard Motor in the World".
Yachting World - July 1957 (25Kb)
In Art as in Reality...
This artist's rendering (first image) of a Seagull doing some amazing work (one Seagull pulling two boats and over 40 people!) - was based on an actual photo (second image). Pretty amazing!
Art & Photo (57Kb)
1960's
1960's Poster Artwork ...
Here's a poster with some really nice horizontal paintings of Seagulls at work.
Scuba Diver & Harbour Scene (128Kb)
Sales Brochure with how to "stowaway" your Seagull
Poster (176Kb)
Page 1 (84Kb)
Page 2 (83Kb)
1970's
1980's
The Seagull has landed...
A 1980's Classic Boat Magazine article by Mark Fishwick.
Reproduced with Permission from Classic Boat Magazine.
Page 1 (152Kb)
Page 2 (113Kb)
Page 3 (111Kb)
Page 4 (154Kb)
New Spares Kits (Dealer Sales Brochure from January 1986)
Spares Kits (75Kb)
1990's
Memorabilia
Seagull... every time.
This mid 1950's British Seagull wall clock was made in England by Smiths Clocks and Watches ltd. It measures 11inches by 11inches.
British Seagull Clock (22Kb)
Update: Barrie at smiths-clocks.co.uk advised me the clock has a QAT motor which was brought out in 1953 and used for a few years. Smiths brought out two other sectric motors before 1960.
Although made by Smiths clocks and Watches, a name they started to use circa 55, it is not strictly a domestic clock and so does not show in the domestic catalogues of that period.
Most probably, indeed I would say it was virtually a certainty that it was made by "ECS", Smiths industrial company, which used the standard smiths motors. They produced advertising clocks for many companies, Craven A and the one they started with KLG plugs, being two which come to mind.
British Seagull Badge
For a time British Seagull gave out a little "Sailorman" badge with the purchase of every new outboard. This piece of information and photo was provided by the owner, Charles Palfreeman.
British Seagull Badge (15Kb)
Accessories
The Seagull Refueller
The Seagull Refueller (1978?) had a capacity of 1.1 gallons (5 litres) and made of steel with a heavy duty stove enamelled finish. The spout and vented cap were made of heavy duty plastic. The tank was specifically designed so 1 gallon of gas (10 parts) and .01 gallons of 2 stroke oil (1 part) could be added to make up the 10:1 fuel mix. Pretty smart! There was an earlier model of the refueller made of brass.
The Seagull Refueller (29Kb)