Recent visits - August 2005
MAUD
- Stalham
The team went to Norfolk. The first visit was to that marvellous Museum of the Broads where one of only two trading wherries is moored. MAUD is exceptional; the owners have done a wonderful job in restoring her. Clinker hulled she was built in 1899 by Daniel Hall of Reedham.
SOLACE
- Wroxham Broad
SOLACE was also built by Halls; probably initially as a trading wherry in 1903 but she was converted in to a pleasure wherry before her launch.
She has been in almost continuous service every year since. Nigel Royall showed us round (he knows a thing or two about wherries) and is obviously maintaining her to a very high standard.
ALBION
- Ludham
Built in 1898 this trading wherry is very impressive. She is so well cared for and maintained. The Norfolk Wherry Trust established since 1949 has done a tremendous job here. There was a wonderful feeling when the team visited – early on Wednesday morning. ALBION was making ready for a trip with everyone, like a family, preparing her for the outing.
NORADA,
HATHOR and OLIVE - Loddon
The wherry yachts are also great vessels. HATHOR with her Egyptian flavour and OLIVE are impressive. The owner is doing a terrific job keeping these three together. The pleasure wherries and yachts were the first hire boats on the Broads and as such tell an important story. The other remarkable feature about them is the way local craftsmen embellished them to order. HATHOR’s interior design for example is based on Egyptian hieroglyphics and mythology because the famous Colman family who had her built and first used her lost a son at Luxor in 1897 while aboard a similar named Nile sailing boat.
HUMBER
- Norwich
The team’s last visit in Norfolk was to George Black’s farm north of Norwich where he keeps the 44ft Army River Class Fast Launch HUMBER. She looks in terrific form – nicely kept in a vast modern barn by George until he gets a plan together to restore her. He already has found some suitable engines and plans to accurately restore the vessel to operational condition. Incidentally George is keen for any help he can get – any old River Class shipmates’ would always be welcome.