Name Ethel Ada

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.

Spritsail barge ETHEL ADA was constructed in English oak with a single skin and launched on 30 July 1904.  She was built in Paglesham and local legend suggests that she may have been partly constructed from the timbers of HMS BEAGLE, Darwin’s famous ship, which found its final resting place in Paglesham Creek.  After being sold in 1958 for conversion to a yacht, she was re-rigged and fitted with new running rigging, a new mainsail and mizzen.  She operated under sail alone during her trading days, but a diesel engine was installed in the 1980s following extensive conservation work.  She was converted for residential use or charter work and a number of small cabins were fitted internally, but these have subsequently been taken out to reveal her original open hold, with new fittings built sympathetically to allow views through the whole boat.

2.      What are the vessel’s associational links for which there is no physical evidence?

Associations with people or places.  Off-ship research.

ETHEL ADA was built as a speculation by the Shuttlewood brothers of Paglesham, Essex and named after her shipwrights’ wives.  She was first purchased by G.& A. Underwood, coal and corn merchants of Southend, but was sold to Samuel West Ltd in 1915, remaining in this ownership until 1938.  She was then bought by T.F. Wood Ltd of Gravesend and used for carrying gunpowder, continuing in this trade during the Second World War. For this reason she was not requisitioned for the evacuation of Dunkirk in 1940, and does not appear on the Dunkirk Little Ships Register.  She was later owned by ICI before ending trading in 1957 and becoming used as a houseboat.  During her life, she took part in a number of barge races, winning the 1904 Southend barge match which is believed to have been the last of its kind there.  The 1990s saw her competing again and, in 2009, she won the Thames Coasting Class.  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 ETHEL ADA was as a cargo carrying barge. The combination of her flat-bottom, wooden carvel construction, leeboards and keelson gave her excellent handling ability along with generous load capacity of more than 100 tonnes.  Her design and rig allowed her to be operated by only a man and a boy, and her sprit became a useful crane for handling cargo once her sails were stowed.  Her shallow draught allowed her to navigate far inland to rural harbours.  As a spritsail barge with red ochre sails she is elegant, graceful and a pleasing sight. ETHEL ADA is now based at Hermitage Wharf, Wapping, and charters from Tower Bridge or the east coast ports to sail between the Swale and the Alde, in the waters where she historically operated.

Source: NHS-UK team, 27 October 2016

This statement was developed as part of the Heritage Lottery funded First World War project. http://www.ww1britainssurvivingvessels.org.uk/