page_title: The Thekla
section_title: Sailing into tumult
hierarchical_section_title: The Thekla / Sailing into tumult
caption_attribution_description: English: Vivian Longfellow of the Thekla
context_page_description: Thekla is a former cargo ship moored in the Mud Dock area of Bristol's Floating Harbour, England. The ship was built in Germany in 1958 and worked in the coastal trades.
  In 1982 the ship was bought by Ki Longfellow-Stanshall, the wife of Vivian Stanshall, refitted, and brought to Bristol in 1983 as the Old Profanity Showboat. It was used as a theatre to showcase music of every sort, including cabaret, comedy, plays, musicals, and poetry events. The ship also contained an art gallery. The living quarters were home for Vivian, Ki, their daughter, Silky Longfellow-Stanshall, and Ki's daughter, Sydney Longfellow, as well as a few key personnel.
  During the 1990s, under new management, it was run as a rent-a-nightclub. The ship has now been returned to its original working name of Thekla and is run as a night club and venue for various bands by Daybrook House Promotions.
context_section_description: From the open sea, Thekla entered the Severn on 4 August 1983 and navigated its waters until it arrived in the Floating Harbour of the city of Bristol, and where it is still moored.
  She had sailed without ballast, without registration, without insurance, and without mishap, save for the half-day the crew spent mending the engine. Her conversion, sailing, docking, finishing touches, and opening night on 1 May 1984 was filmed as an Omnibus BBC 1 documentary by writer and film maker Tony Staveacre of the BBC. He called it The Bristol Showboat Saga and it was broadcast for the first time on 30 September of that year. This film can be found on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sXS6KotKctE
caption: Vivian paints the doors into the hold
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