Name Raybel

1.      What is the vessel’s ability to demonstrate history in her physical fabric?
Evidence for designs, functions, techniques, processes, styles, customs and habits or uses and associations in relation to events and people.  How early, intact or rare these features are may impact on significance.

RAYBEL was one of the last four barges to be built by Wills & Packham of Milton Creek, Kent and reflects the yard’s work with innovative naval designs during the First World War in her construction.  She is a composite build, fitted with extensive ironwork – a steel keelson, iron beams and carlings, plus shaped iron knees, iron straps, increased beams under the mast deck and a removable iron beam in the main hold for loading of bulky cargo.  The wide iron plates under the king planks which run the length of both fore and main holds are unique.  These increase in number under the mast deck and, together with shaped iron straps into the combings, give her structure extra strength whilst also having the advantage of decreased bulk and weight allowing space for additional cargo.  The original ironwork survives today in good condition.  The timber fabric of lining, sealing, oak beams (forward and aft), inner whale and chines is more than 95% original.  The oak frames are largely original and, where replacement of planking or covering-board has been undertaken, they have been found to be in unusually good condition.  External work has been carried out using like-for-like materials and rails repaired over the life of the barge remain true in detail to the original build.  The intricate carved bow badges are original, with the scrollwork and name carving being the only changed detail.  Nearly 50% of the deck is original and, where replaced, traditional methods of caulking with oakum and pitch have been used.  The combings are original and retain the heightening timbers added in the 1930s.  The oak transom was replaced in the 1950s, but this has been documented in photographs and was carried out in oak as per the original, with exact replication of scrollwork.  Of the rig and deck fittings, the windlass-core and coasting winch are original. Replacement spars and rigging have been made to original size and the leeboard winches are from an earlier barge.   The ships wheel (heavy teak and brass) is original, as is the unusually large compass.  Doors have been made into the after cabin and foc's'l for a safety exit and ease of access.  Both are cut from, and retain, the original bulkhead fabric.  A 'companionway' sliding access hatch has been fitted into the boards of the main hatch on the starboard, for'ard corner and the lifting 'hatches' have been halved to enable the continued removal of the portside boards.  All other hatch boards, over both main and fore hold, remain original and removable.  Because of the high level of internal originality, RAYBEL retains the patina of use.  The combings especially bear the marks of many years work and there is evidence of the iron banding inside combings being snagged during unloading.  Also 'Sully’s green' paint can be seen on timbers, under the current buff paint.  The sealing is totally original pitch pine and has not been touched.  Under the mast deck (the most difficult place to unload) are the chips made where the ‘bucket’ has been swung and dropped onto sealing boards.  An engine was fitted at the outbreak of the Second World War and a riveted and bolted steel bulkhead added.  It is known that there was a diesel oil spillage (1960s) by the aft bulkhead and, as RAYBEL was primarily engaged in carrying food cargo, the after 15' of sealing was doubled with pitch pine to prevent contamination.  The Gardner 6LW (marine) was fitted new in 1962 and the original handbook and other documents are retained by RAYBEL Charters CIC. To reduce weight a hydraulic gearbox has also been fitted.

2.      What are the vessel’s associational links for which there is no physical evidence?          Associations with people or places.  Off-ship research.

RAYBEL was built on the upper reach of Milton Creek, Sittingbourne and registered in London.  While she principally has connections with the East Coast, work also took her to ports of Britain as well as Holland, Belgium, France.   She is unusual in having been managed by just two companies in the course of her history - G.F.Sully and RAYBEL Charters (now CIC).  Perhaps largely because of this, her varied activities are well recorded.  Her name RAYBEL derives from Raymond and Isabel - born the same year to the Sully family.  The sailing barge was used by the family for summer holidays during the 1920s and ’30s and is known to have been the 'pride of the fleet'.  During the Second World War, RAYBEL was commandeered by the Admiralty and worked from the Clyde as supply ship to naval craft. In 1949, Jim Lovegrove, a talented artist who studied at The Royal College of Art, made occasional passages as trainee hand, later becoming mate and keeping journals and notes of the freights carried as well as making drawings and paintings.  He went on to sail with the now legendary explorer Major H.W.Tilman.  RAYBEL has strong local associations to Pin Mill in Suffolk where she was based during her early charter career between 1977 and 1987.  At the time, there were three generations of Webbs running the barge yard.  Reuben Webb grew up on sailing barges, his father also being a skipper.  His brother Albert was one of the longest serving skippers of RAYBEL and Reuben got to know the barge well and passed on many details and anecdotes.  RAYBEL was purchased by the landscape and marine artist Ian Houston in 1974 and continued delivering freights under the new name of RAYBEL Charters.  From 1977 RAYBEL began weekend and week long sailing trips, for up to 12 people, with the focus on drawing, painting and observation of the natural world.  By 1981 RAYBEL was increasingly working from The St. Katharine Docks, London and during the 1990’s began hosting a wide variety of quayside events; educational activities, corporate hospitality, exhibitions, etc..  Experimental theatre events in conjunction with new writers and directors were especially successful.  RAYBEL has featured in a number of published works and films, and is well documented in written accounts and photographs.  She has been recorded on the National Register of Historic Vessels since 1996.

3.      How does the vessel’s shape or form combine and contribute to her function?    
Overall aesthetic impact of the vessel, her lines, material she was built from and her setting.  Does she remain in her working environment?

The primary function of RAYBEL was to deliver cargo between Thames Estuary ports, with some longer passages in heavier seas to the ports of Holland, Belgium and France.  This is evidenced in her composite build, the increased sheer and shape of the bow as well as the high bow rails and long quarter boards. As a powerful coasting barge, rigged with bowsprit and her original lofty gear, RAYBEL has an appearance of strength and elegance.  Her use as a ‘holiday yacht’ by the owner’s family can be seen in details such as the very splendid after hatch and seating of teak, brass and glass, the tapered capping on the rails and the particularly fine wheel and large compass and binnacle.  Her role as delivery vessel for the Royal Navy during the Second World War saw an engine installed along with a riveted steel aft bulkhead which remains, including the Kelvin 88 engine beds.  Below decks, there is an apparent lightness in the iron beams, keelson and carlings, which gives an elegance to RAYBEL’s holds.  Both forward and aft the decks and hatches are high and even under the lowest beams and on the side decks there is headroom of six feet. 

Source: vessel owner, February 2018, updated August 2023.