Gotty and the Guv’nor - what a great read

MoodySabre

MoodySabre

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Google tells me there a thread on this years ago.

I have recently been incapacitated and a friend lent me the reprint of this book written originally in 1906/7. It has an introduction written by John Leather (to whose family my friend’s cousin is related).

It is written by a journalist turned freelance writer who becomes friendly with a Leigh fisherman and buys a Bawley for the fisherman to skipper. Tales of trips in Thames Estuary and their trip to the West country. The fisherman’s dialogue all written in untutored Essex accent. A real treat.

There was a sequel “Gotty in Furrin Parts” that seems sadly unobtainable. I would love to read that.

If you can get a copy then grab it!

( TG might like to know Frank Parsons gets a mention as a builder of Bawleys having been an apprentice of Haywood in Southend).

In 1890 there were 86 bawleys sailing out of Leigh as well as 32 cockle boats. Unimaginable!
 
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Frank noted. Ta. I don't know Haywood. Incidentally I noted elsewhere that Mr Platt of Finesse was an apprentice of Franks.

Gotty in Furrin Parts - a copy for sale at £110 in the USA (it's a USA publisher as well!).

'and the Guv'nor available as a reprint
 
Last time I looked there was a copy for £299.00! Several of these hard to get books, particularly EC cruising, has been reproduced in recent years as out of copyright (Swin Swale and Swatchway, Under The Cabin Lamp etc) but perhaps Gotty in Furrin' Parts is too expensive to buy & copy and make worthwhile.

Came across something (I can't remember now) about the young Gotty & the scapes he got up to.

Hope you get better soon Roger.
 
Great book, Re Heywoods, their yard was near the Kursal, they were good builders. Used to be a Good looking angling boat at Southend built by them British Angler, she sank on the west leigh middle about 20 years back & broke up. A survivor of theirs is the 1/2 rater Mist, Built in 1880, I saw her at Minehead on the Bristol channel a couple of years ago.
 
I spent a fair amount for a copy of Gotty in Furrin Parts and was quite disappointed, not a patch on Gotty and the Guvnor in my opinion. Best thing was I sold it on and got most of my money back.
 
Keith 66 said:
Great book, Re Heywoods, their yard was near the Kursal, they were good builders. Used to be a Good looking angling boat at Southend built by them British Angler, she sank on the west leigh middle about 20 years back & broke up. A survivor of theirs is the 1/2 rater Mist, Built in 1880, I saw her at Minehead on the Bristol channel a couple of years ago.
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FYI - I referred to it above because Tiller Girl's fine vessel was built by Haywood's apprentice Frank Parsons in his boatyard in Old Leigh. I know Frank's daughter.
 
Marmalade said:
Sorry to hear you're incapacitated- temporary and not serious I hope...
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Thanks Simon. I haven't been able to get a shoe on for three weeks. The gout has gone but the foot remains swollen and painful. If you want some boat work to do then let me know.........The week before the foot issue I had an operation on my hand for trigger finger so I have been one handed and one footed. Getting a bit cheesed off!
 
I read this several years ago, and agree with you. It’s a good read. The account of Gotty in the dock, and his cross-examination of the alleged victim made me laugh so much, I had tears in my eyes! I also read Furrin Parts, and agree with RMA that it didn’t seem to be as entertaining.

Coincidentally, we just had a talk on Old Leigh from a member of the Leigh Society. This lady has worked hard to collate the history of Old Leigh, and has put together a website https://www.leighlives.co.uk that is very interesting. Looking at the list of nicknames recorded on the site ( https://docs.wixstatic.com/ugd/eba915_9dee1d9525d74b6eb3fd80fd171c3d95.pdf ), Gotty’s real name appears to have been Alfred Boyton b. 1855. The list also has a photo of Gotty.
 
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