There are many islands on the River Thames, some containing luxurious waterside homes, some mere mounds of mud and sand that have the odd tree clinging precariously to life on their edges and some providing bases for water-related industries like boat-building.
Most boat owners would agree that having a vessel of any kind – sailing dinghy, rowing boat, canoe, sailing yacht, cabin cruiser, you name it – means that over time you acquire ‘stuff’.
Being a woman in a man’s world is never easy – but when the ‘world’ is that of boats and things nautical, it presents an even bigger difficulty. But that’s a challenge boatyard boss Jenny Beagle, who runs Bridge Marine in Shepperton, has been happy to meet since she took over the business from her parents in 1998.
