Old houseboats at Burnham

[MRF]

Hio, I've just joined the forum and wonder if anyone can give any information on the houseboats that used to be at Burnham.
Having an appalling memory for names I cannot remember the two boats at the front of the queue. I owned and lived on Vanity, an 1886 plank on edge cutter originally Mary. In front of me was Willow Wren, restored by Steve the toolmaker on a lot of overtime and ferro-sheathed and front of her was a Bristol Channel Pilot Cutter, which also went off for ferro-sheathing at Bradwell.
She was owned by the enigmatic Brian Kingston who owned a chain of butchers' shops around Essex.
In front of that was an older cutter, about 1870-ish which I think might have been Nada. It always looked like her back had hogged badly.
So, we have Nada, blank, Willow Wren, Vanity, then the MTB sailing school, plus Anne Marie which was a Mulberry boat, entirely concrete.

Can anyone help with details of the Pilot Cutter and Vanity?
I know Vanity went to Bristol, next to the Great Britain and has a new owner, but she must be in a state by now. Alex Laird sold her through his one time International Marine Investments brokerage.
I am working on a radio controlled model of her. I'm using Cara's lines as they were almost identical in size and style.

All info on the above would be very welcome.
Thankyou.
MRF

 

[DanTribe]

When I were a boy my Dad had a houseboat by New Beach, now the marina entrance.
From memory the houseboats on the Quay were; from upriver.
MTB Enterprise
Vanity
Curlew
Willow Wren
Anne Marie.
The Anne Marie & Enterprise were later swapped round.
I dont remember Nada.

Enterprise was damaged in a storm and broken up about 1990.
Further upriver in the saltings, there was the Hespereides.
And in Priors pound the Astra & Genesta. These were always referred to as J Class but I don't think they were.

 

[MRF]

Thanks Dan, but still no name for the Pilot Cutter?

Very interesting that you mentioned Curlew though, as she was owned by Steve Bowen before he owned Vanity. I bought Vanity off him. Curlew was tucked away up the rill beyond West Quay and had no services, hence a very cheap mooring fee. But she was in a state and Steve was often to be seen in the mud, changing a plank between tides with anything he could beg or borrow from Priors, etc.
That guy could do anything with wood!

Thanks for reminding me that the MTB was Enterprise.
Willow Wren was always in front of me on Vanity. Then the Pilot Cutter, then Nada. Anne Marie was over a bit and out of line. She only floated at Springs being such a lump, but what space aboard! Steve lived on her betwixt Curlew and Vanity. But alas, Curlew was finally broken up and burned. Even Steve couldn't keep her going and his dad helped him buy Vanity from Suzy...somebody, (one of his many Burnham conquests, I was never so lucky!)
There was also a wooden shed style houseboat that was lived on by an old, whiskery, frequently half-cut, cycling Jolly Jack Tar type and his long suffering, but sweet wife. Every so often the shed was enlarged with another shed, painted white again and festooned with orange juice containers to help flotation. I often found said Jack Tar in the mud at the base of the sea wall, his bike on top of him, but always, on asking his condition, was told to Eff Off!! in no uncertain tones!

So,...can anyone recall a ferro-sheathed Bristol Channel Pilot Cutter leaving Burnham for foreign climes a-chartering? For THAT is the boat I can't remember the name of.

I wonder why boats attract such wonderful, colourful characters.

Cheers,
MRF

 

[DanTribe]

"There was also a wooden shed style houseboat that was lived on by an old, whiskery, frequently half-cut, cycling Jolly Jack Tar type and his long suffering, but sweet wife. Every so often the shed was enlarged with another shed, painted white again and festooned with orange juice containers to help flotation. I often found said Jack Tar in the mud at the base of the sea wall, his bike on top of him, but always, on asking his condition, was told to Eff Off!! in no uncertain tones!"

The wooden shed boat was my Dad's Noah's Ark. He sold it to a lady called Di and her partner was the whiskery guy called Joe ........? He was a local professional yacht skipper and did like a drop!
I can't remember a Bristol pilot cutter in the mud berths but there was a boat called Providence on the moorings which may fit the description.
You've got me going now, I'll have to dig out the old 35mm slides.

 

[MRF]

Dan, how about that? I thought he was Joe, but didn't want to appear too stupid, getting it wrong! And Di, yes. Sweet lady. God, that brings so much back to me!
Joe was a skipper and a good one apparently, but a taciturn old divvel.

Providence rings a slight bell, but not the Pilot Cutter. She went when Willow Wren did, more or less.

If you have slides of those boats in those days, may I beg your indulgence and have some copies? I'd pay for any costs involved. Those days mean a lot to me.
Please PM me if you wish.

Martin

 

[Carlotta]

I think the pilot cutter might be the "Iris". She left Burnham around 1986 for 10 years and went to New Zealand.

The pilot cutter IRIS, beam-on racing in the Bay of Islands, New Zealand, Tall Ships regatta in January 2005.

 

[DanTribe]

I think the pilot cutter might be the "Iris". She left Burnham around 1986 for 10 years and went to New Zealand.

The pilot cutter IRIS, beam-on racing in the Bay of Islands, New Zealand, Tall Ships regatta in January 2005.

I think you could be right. I do recall that name and she looks familiar. When I saw her she had a huge deckhouse.

Another name I recall was "Linnet", but can't remember if she was at the Burnham Quayside.
MRF
I think the whiskery characters name was Joe Mcleod or Mcloud.

 

[MRF]

Carlotta, Dan,
marvellous stuff! many thanks. Iris, I just couldn't recall, but that's her for sure. The irony being that my friend, who's making the sailing model of a Hilda, is married to an Iris!
Thanks also for the pictures.

Joe McLeod, that's him!

Thanks again,
MRF

PS there's another thread started by me about another Essex coast boat if you memory folks are interested...see Truant.

 

[DanTribe]

I've just remembered, there's a very good 'photo in the Whte Harte of [I think] Iris & Willow Wren, covered in snow.
Next time I'm in Burnham I'll check. Not that I need an excuse to visit the Harte.

 

[MRF]

Excuse needed?? Indeed, no! I loved the White Hart. It was my local.
If I went in at lunchtime, there was a Woods rum and peppermint waiting by the time I'd got to the bar. In the evening, a pint of real ale. At Christmas, you could sit by the fire and mull your own wine with the poker.
There was a barman who was more like a steward, so professional was he. If you asked for a Castella from behind the bar, he'd have it unwrapped and hold the paper below for you to pull the cigar out. His other hand held a lighter. One smooth movement. Wonderful stuff.

I'd love to revisit around Christmas.

Martin

 

[paulstevens]

Iris and Willow Wren

Iris and Willow Wren were ferro sheathed on the slip at Cardnell's yard Maylandsea by the Kingstons. I remember Iris's teak planking being practically worn away but not rotten. I don't think she was a pilot cutter but a revenue cutter from the 1850's. I remember being taken onboard and shown how they were bridging the rotten frames with squareweld mesh formed into a box section and stapled in place before being rendered. We all thought they were completely barking but I seem to think the Kingston sons then proceeded to sail her round the world without incident.

I remember Willow Wren at some stage being owned by a huge irishman called Bill, a real gentle giant and married to a wild redhead called Sue. I know I went to a few parties on board but dont remember any detail!

I also recall Joe Macloud, Tubby Lee and Phil Evans all liking a beer or 3. Also poor Pete Jennings who got lost overboard.

 

[Anchorite]

Trip down memory lane

I've often wondered what happened to the Enterprise...I spent 6 months on her in 1961 with Capt. Eric Hansen - and some time trawling on his MFV Lydie, moored in the channel.
And even more in the White Harte, happy memories, glad to hear it's still going strong!

 

[MRF]

When the distinctly unpleasant owners of Tucker Browns (who I never did pay my mooring fees to!) developed that snowblindness camp up the end of West Quay they got rid of all the interesting boats, etc.

I hope they went broke, blind and barren.
Along with that barrow boy who now owns what was Shuttlewoods at Paglesham!

Paul, do you recall Bomber somebody (so named because he bombed his pants as a kid<g>) and "Nasty Trevor" the boatbuilder?

Also, does Jimmy Bird, the disabled guy still live there? He came to my wedding twenty years ago and has only visited once since. What a character he was on his enormous chopperised pedal tricycle!

Martin

 

[matthew73]

I think you could be right. I do recall that name and she looks familiar. When I saw her she had a huge deckhouse.

Another name I recall was "Linnet", but can't remember if she was at the Burnham Quayside.
MRF
I think the whiskery characters name was Joe Mcleod or Mcloud.

awesome pics!

 

[chrisjpotter]

When I were a boy my Dad had a houseboat by New Beach, now the marina entrance.
From memory the houseboats on the Quay were; from upriver.
MTB Enterprise
Vanity
Curlew
Willow Wren
Anne Marie.
The Anne Marie & Enterprise were later swapped round.
I dont remember Nada.

Enterprise was damaged in a storm and broken up about 1990.
Further upriver in the saltings, there was the Hespereides.
And in Priors pound the Astra & Genesta. These were always referred to as J Class but I don't think they were.

Are you Harry Tribe's lad by any chance?

 

[MRF]

Curlew used to be tucked away nearer the entrance to what is now the ghastly marina. My chum, Steve Bowen, lived on it and got to the point where he could replace a plank and caulk it between tides if necessary and it often was.
When I lived on Vanity, the order was, from up river:-
Anne Marie, Nada, Iris, Willow Wren, Vanity and Enterprise. Curlew had long gone. There was also Joe McLoud's houseboat/ shed collection up near Anne Marie. This was 1980/81.
Iris and Willow Wren were restored, Vanity went to Benfleet creek, Dauntless's yard and subsequently to Bristol, where the Classic Boat Company want to restore her and will sell her for £1 as long as they can do the work. Nada, I imagine, would have been broken up as she was already hogged to hell. Shame as she was something like 1873.

Martin

 

[DanTribe]

Are you Harry Tribe's lad by any chance?

I'm often asked that question but no known relation, just coincidence.

 

[Kukri]

Willow Wren is in very good hands in Flensburg; I was aboard her a couple of years ago after the RumReggata - this picture was taken by a friend:

 

[MRF]

Do you happen to know what happened to her original restorers, Steve the toolmaker and his girlfriend?
Martin

 

[izzykingston]

Info on "Iris"

Dan, how about that? I thought he was Joe, but didn't want to appear too stupid, getting it wrong! And Di, yes. Sweet lady. God, that brings so much back to me!
Joe was a skipper and a good one apparently, but a taciturn old divvel.

Providence rings a slight bell, but not the Pilot Cutter. She went when Willow Wren did, more or less.

If you have slides of those boats in those days, may I beg your indulgence and have some copies? I'd pay for any costs involved. Those days mean a lot to me.
Please PM me if you wish.

Martin

Hi, I just wanted to introduce myself. I am Brian Kingston's daughter and the "Iris" is now in the Bay of Islands in New Zealand. My father, brothers and a few friends left Burnham on the "Iris" in 1984 and a few years later settled in NZ. We sold her about 12 years ago but she is still in the bay in Opua. Her new owners have kept all the original features and she looks beautiful.