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About the Thames Sailing Barge Trust
The Thames Sailing Barge Trust (TSBT) is a registered charity that exists to preserve two Thames barges in sailing condition and was formed in 1948.
The Trust aims to improve the understanding of the public as to the historic and cultural role of Thames Sailing Barges in the heritage of Great Britain and to promote and teach the practice and the traditions and skills of seamanship involved in the handling and maintaining of these craft by taking people sailing in the waters traditionally sailed by these craft.
TSBT is a volunteer run, non-profit company and all sailing fees and membership subscriptions are used to maintain and restore the barges and meet their operating expenses.
One of these sailing barges is Pudge, built in 1922 by London & Rochester Trading Co.
About Pudge
Pudge's working life as a cargo carrier was interrupted in spectacular fashion by the Second World War when she was requisitioned in May 1940 whilst in Tilbury, drafted to Dover and thence to Dunkirk to aid the evacuation. Three barges, including Pudge, were taken in tow by a tug and crossed the Channel under darkness. As they reached the beaches at Dunkirk an explosion lifted Pudge out of the water and, in the words of her skipper, 'she came down the right way up'. She took onboard survivors and set off for England, picking up a tow from a tug on the way, to arrive safely back at Ramsgate.
Pudge is one of only four of the Dunkirk Spritsail Barges that survive, a member of the Association of Dunkirk Little Ships and is entitled to fly the flag of St George.
She then resumed her normal trade into and from London docks, Ipswich and the Medway ports with grain, cattle cake, fertiliser etc. until her last freight of pineapple juice in 1968 when she was bought out of the trade as a twin hatched motor barge by the Thames Barge Sailing Club (TBSC), the TSBT's predecessor, and re-rigged by members for summer weekend sailing, chartering and winter maintenance based at Maldon.
Pudge was re-engined in 1990 after her passage to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Dunkirk. Pudge also attended the 75th anniversary celebrations in 2015 and in June 2012 Pudge was present at the Queen's Jubilee Pageant on the Thames as part of the 'Avenue of Sail'.
Restoration work
The TSBC evolved into The Thames Sailing Barge Trust in 2003 and Pudge has continued to run charter trips with the aim of preserving and teaching the skills needed to sail and maintain the traditions of the working sailing barge.
A staged renewal began in 2005 at Marylandsea with a rebuild of the bows, progressing to the deck and stern as finances permitted with a return to sail in 2007.
From 2018 to 2023, Pudge went through an extensive restoration and refitting project as she surpassed her 100th year in 2022. She returned to the sea in 2023, coinciding with the Trust's 75th anniversary.
Pudge's future
The TSBT aims to liaise with local children about the history of the Thames sailing barge and plan to hold an exhibition on the history of the sailing barge at Southend museum.
The future operation of these iconic vessels is important and support has also been received from from the National Lottery Heritage Fund to help finance a training programme to train new mates and skippers.
Sailing Barge Crew Training Programme
The Thames Sailing Barge Trust has been sailing Thames Barges and training barge crews since 1948. Each January, they recruit around ten new volunteer third hands to train as barge crew. This is an amazing opportunity for anyone wishing to get afloat and develop their personal skills. No previous sailing experience is required, it’s completely free and often includes accommodation and meals. The programme also helps keep alive the skills needed to sail, maintain and repair Thames barges, as well as preserving the Trust's two Thames Sailing Barges, Pudge and Centaur, in their original sailing condition. Find out more
LATEST NEWS
January 2024 The Thames Sailing Barge Trust has launched its 2024 Barge Mate and Skipper Training Programme. Full story
September 2023 The Thames Sailing Barge Trust has won a Restoration Award for Pudge at the National Transport Trust Awards 2023. Full story
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