The best information is that Florence was built in 1895 at the head of Pill Creek. She was named after the youngest daughter of her builder, William (Foreman) Ferris. He was 61 in that year and in the twilight of his long career in shipbuilding although he went on to make smaller sailing boats and punts for several more years - he died at the age of 88 and is reported by one writer as finishing his last boat - the Granny and Granfer at the age of 87! Most of his life he had built much larger vessels - schooners over 100 tonnes - mainly at the place even today known as Yard in the Restronguet creek. The Harriet was his first Falmouth Working Boat built in 1861. The Florence (1895) and Six Brothers (1898) were the only others. The Florence was built for one of the Foreman's sons, Charles but this was disputed by another son Richard (Budes) Ferris. Family feuds lead to the Florence lying unwanted until another of the Foreman's sons John Tensive Ferris bought her in the early part of the 1900's. "Jack" or Tensey always lived around Restronguet Creek and mostly at Restonguet itself, the licensee of the Pandora and keeper of the ferry.The Florence was used for dredging oysters in the winter and fishing in the summer. Jack was also a yachtsman and knew about racing at the highest level from his days on the Kings yacht Britannia.
It was said that William built Florence with an eye for racing - it was a hallmark of his buisness that he built the fastest of vessel afloat at that time. (Rhoda Mary and Racer both renowned schooners recording the fastest passages). With Jack's helming ability the Florence was the boat to beat in the port. Florence was lavished with the best that could be afforded and in a family of shipwrights never wanted for repair or capable crew. The many cups that decorated his house gave testament to the Florence's formidable reputation at that time.
Boats grow old but need not age as Jack did and rather than give the Florence over to any of his sons she lay in the "Pond" just above his house and slowly rotted. Barely in time to save her Florence was sold to a grandchild, Tom Burley in 1955. He engaged Bart Moore to carry out a major rebuild and in the 1950's Florence re-emerged into the dredging fleet. There was no return to her former glory days in the racing circle. To do that required money, experience and above all dedication. This came from an unexpected quarter when in 1965 John Sawle of St Mawes approached Tom Burley. Tom was unwilling to let Florence go completely and a deal was struck whereby John Sawle raced Florence during the summer and Tom dredged in the winter. John Sawle at this time ran the Freshwater Boatyard and was able to bring Florence back to life. The "Turkeylanders" took her to their hearts and she flourished perhaps as never before. She was described as being more like a yacht than a working boat and John Sawle completely re-styled her rig such that she carried much larger amount of sails than any other working boat. The crew were all big men, - Horace Hodges etc. They were needed to handle the large sails without the aid of winches. There was a re-nowned huge spinnaker which needed a boom the size of a telegraph pole to carry it.
In the late 1960's and early 1970's Florence reached a pinnacle of her racing form - her best season was 1970 when she took nine firsts, six seconds and three third prizes. Falmouth week 1969 she entered six races and took first place in every one - a feat that is still unsurpassed today.