Black Shed - Paglesham

[Gargleblaster]

New video by John Langrick

The Black Shed at Paglesham was weakened by Isha and destroyed by Jocelyn.

It is believed that many of the timbers came from HMS Beagle when she was broken up at Paglesham after having be employed by HM Customs at the Branklet to stop smugglers coming through the Havengore

 

[Topolino]

The Beage ended her days as a static coastguard watch vessel moored mid-river in the River Roach to control smuggling throughout the extensive maze of waterways in the area. The 1851 Navy List dated 25 May records an ignominious change of status by having her renamed as: Southend "W.V. No. 7" at Paglesham but later in that year she suffered a more grievous misfortune after the oyster companies, petitioned for her to be removed as she was obstructing the river and its oyster-beds. In 1870, she was sold to "Messrs Murray and Trainer" to be broken up.
Investigations started in 2000 by a team from the University of St Andrews indicated that her last resting place was north bank of Paglesham Reach near the Eastend Wharf and near Waterside Farm. An atomic dielectric resonance survey carried out in 2003 found traces of timbers 15 ft deep on the tidal river-bank, forming the size and shape of the lower hull, indicating a substantial amount of timbers from below the waterline still in place.

 

[DanTribe]

That's a pity. The Paglesham shed was an icon of East cost sailing. Now it has collapsed I expect people will want to preserve it.

 

[Jan Harber]

What a sad sight. We kept various boats and sailed from Paglesham starting around 1960 and leaving in the 1990s so for me it has always been a very special East Coast place. The Black Shed being destroyed is akin to the village having its heart torn out.
Here is a pic (one of my dad's) of the Black Shed in happier days. The barge yachts Tiny Mite and Doreen alongside with Halloween in the background. Tiny Mite and Halloween were both built by Frank Shuttlewood in that shed.

 

[Frayed Knot]

That's a pity. The Paglesham shed was an icon of East cost sailing. Now it has collapsed I expect people will want to preserve it.

Sad news indeed - we never appreciate what we have until it’s gone. I used to love going in there in the 70s & early 80s when it was still a working boat building shed.
I remember chatting with the boat builder there, David, who at the time was building the yacht “Sea Jay” & him pointing out the various repurposed ships’ timbers which the shed was built around.
It’s rumoured that some of the cottages in the village were re clad with planks from the same vessel but I would have thought they would have been too heavy for that, unless they were band-sawn down.

 

[DanTribe]

I note that there was a planning application in Feb 2023 to demolish this shed and build a new boat shed.

 

[Plum]

What a sad sight. We kept various boats and sailed from Paglesham starting around 1960 and leaving in the 1990s so for me it has always been a very special East Coast place. The Black Shed being destroyed is akin to the village having its heart torn out.
Here is a pic (one of my dad's) of the Black Shed in happier days. The barge yachts Tiny Mite and Doreen alongside with Halloween in the background. Tiny Mite and Halloween were both built by Frank Shuttlewood in that shed.

View attachment 171241

There is a Tiny Mite listed in the OGA boat register as being built at Shuttlewoods but not the same one in your photograph! OGA - index

 

[Jan Harber]

There is a Tiny Mite listed in the OGA boat register as being built at Shuttlewoods but not the same one in your photograph! OGA - index

No, not the same one. CK322, the smack Tiny Mite was built in 1904 by barge builder JW Shuttlewood in the Black Shed at Paglesham, along with many other smacks, barges, working boats and yachts.
The 35ft barge yacht Tiny Mite (in the photo) was built and designed by Frank, son of JW Shuttlewood, in 1956. She was one of the only smaller barge yachts to be spritsail-rigged. She was built for the Whittingham family of Rochford but by the time the photo was taken (1960s/70s) she was owned by the McDowell family of East End Paglesham who cruised her for many years on the East Coast.
Doreen (originally Susti) the smaller barge yacht in the photo, was also built in the Black Shed in the 1890s, an early design from Tredwen, the pioneer of small barge yachts.
In the 1930s Frank Shuttlewood designed and built a different style of barge yacht to Tredwen’s ‘boxes with topses’ They included Nancy Grey and her near sister ship Dione. I believe they are still sailing today. In 1950, with Frank on board, Nancy Grey was first home in the Medway Barge Match, beating the trading barge Sirdar by one minute.

 

[Keith 66]

I was told a week ago that the barge yacht Tiny mite has recently been sold. She has been laying in Leigh motor boat club's compound for many years & is by all accounts in need of a considerable amount of work.

 

[rightstuff]

Yes it's in Leigh motor boat club was sold to a member for a token £1

 

[Aquaboy]

Seemed to be several other "sheds" taking shape on the hard last time I was there....