with
special thanks to.... Ivan Evans, Jan Smith and Jacqui Whatson
Bargeman
"Skip".....
1927
In early 2007, we received a message and
attachments from Ivan Evans in Germany....
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Herbert
"Ted" Smith
After seeing your article "Thames
Barges" in Simply Whitstable and clicking on the
wonderful old photos and reading the superb stories, I
realised that I have a contribution to make as my
grandfather participated in the
Thames
– Medway Sailing Barge Races of 1927 – a photo of him
at the wheel eighty years ago!
Herbert R (Ted) Smith - At the
Wheel in 1927
My grandfather was Herbert R. (Ted) Smith,
born in
Norwich (?) and died mid 1950´s. He married Martha Ann Rigden
(1891–1973?) in Whitstable in 1910. Their daughter
(1917–1981), my mother, was named after the barge Edith
May. She married Robert John (Bob) Evans
(1909–1965).
So, please let me introduce myself. I am
Ivan Evans, May and Bob´s son (1947 - ). My childhood
days, with my parents and grandparents, were spent in
25 Nelson Road
Whitstable. The whole family later moved to 13 Cromwell
Road, Whitstable, where my grandfather died. After my father´s
death, my mother and grandmother and I moved to Trebor
House, Clifton Road, Whitstable.
After graduating in 1969, I joined Elliott
Brothers (London) Ltd. – now known as BAe Systems – in
Rochester. In 1973, I moved to Munich, Germany, as a
Flight Trials Engineering on the Tornado aircraft project.
Eighteen years ago I joined the Eurofighter aircraft
project. I now live in the small
village
of
Hohenschäftlarn
(pop. 5,000), some 20Km south of Munich.
The above
picture shows my grandfather at the wheel of a barge and the
plaque at the bottom of the frame provides evidence of the
occasion....
The following label appears of the back.....
I don´t have
much information of my grandfather´s life. As far as I know, he skippered coal barges between
Norfolk/Suffolk and
Kent. His
nickname was Skip. I
still use his screwdriver with the letters
S K I P punched
into the wooden handle.
I do have vague recollections of going to the harbour
with him in his retirement years where he met his old
friends and to the allotment he had at the rear of the Oxford
cinema.
Ivan Evans
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Ivan's fascinating
account and photos give some insight into the attitudes of the
people who built and sailed Thames Barges. The vessels were
functional workhorses of the English coast and, yet in
constructing them, their creators took such pride in their
creation. Take another look at the picture. That wheel just oozes
craftsmanship. Oh boy... you couldn't
hang than one of those on the wall of a wine bar. It would pull
the fibreglass beams down!
There is also the
pride and rivalry involved in a barge match. These weren't
enthusiasts taking part at the local yacht club on a Sunday
morning ! They were professional sailors taking time off to
compete for the honour of both their barge and their employer. The
following day, they could be steering the very same barge towards the ramp at the
Horsebridge with a cargo of coal!
Quiet
Moments... for Mr & Mrs Packman
In February 2007, Jan Smith (née Hutton) very kindly supplied
details and photos of her barge skipper grandfather....
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George
James Packman
My grandfather, George James Packman of Albert Street
Whitstable, worked for Daniels Brothers on the Thames
barges. I that know he was on the Why Not, Duluth
and Savoy.
Jan
Smith |
Jan
also pointed out that George's time on the Why Not included
a tragic collision when a Cunard ship collided with three
Whitstable barges in the Thames. We have devoted a separate page
to that incident and you can view the story by clicking
here. However, for now, I just want to take a look at
one of George's quieter moments because the photo above is an
extract from this much larger one.... 
It features George and Jan's grandmother, Emily
Elizabeth Packman (née Baynes) aboard an unknown barge in the
tranquillity of Whitstable harbour. However, that tranquillity
may have been disrupted somewhat. Just take a look at that box
on the left of the picture. It's a "wind up"
gramaphone!!!!
What a wonderful and fascinating photo.....
and what a lovely piece of Whitstable history. I would just love
to know whether that piece of equipment went to sea with George
and how other barge crews entertained themselves on their travels.
Trips
with Dad... Len Whorlow
Of course, piping
the wife aboard for an impromptu recorded concert wasn't the only
way of involving the family in the life of a Thames
Barge.... nor was it confined to the 1920s. Jacqui Whatson has
fond memories of trips with her dad, Len Whorlow, in the 1950s....
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The
Cat Came Too
As you know, my dad was a barge skipper for many years
and a bargeman for most of his working life (from age 16
to about 58) until had to come ashore on doctors orders to
"work somewhere dry and warm" He went to Borg
fabrics!
I have some brilliant memories of going away on the
barges with him when I was little. We all went - even the
cat! His barges included NELLIE, MILDREDA, YARVIC and
more.... but my memory won't tell me all the names.
One memory involves eating bacon butties in the
wheelhouse with my dad whilst the rest of my family were
down below being seasick!
Another little story arose during a trip to a location
called Fingeringhoe (don't think it exists any more). It
was a beautiful place with bullrushes and poppies on the
beach. The nearest place was about 2 miles inland where we
used to walk to get fresh eggs.
We were loading grain I believe and, on this particular
day, I was playing on the beach on my own when I heard
shouting. Dad, thinking I was down below had let go the
ropes to leave when my mum noticed I wasn't there. I had
to run like mad down the beach and out onto the jetty
where I hurled myself into the arms of "Big
John" who was the mate! (I was only 5 at the time!).
My mum was having kittens but I thought it was so
exciting!
Jacqui Whatson (nee Whorlow) |
Jacqui's description of Fingeringhoe is
fascinating because it demonstrates a point made on our
"Background" page. Barges went direct to the places
where cargo needed to be delivered or collected. Such places could
be quite remote.... and they didn't have to have a harbour or a
population!
Some family trips marked more formal occasions....
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The
Windsor Castles?
On the day of the Queen and Duke of Edinburghs return
after their honeymoon, we went on (I think) the NELLIE to
see Her Majesty cruising up the Thames. It was an overcast
day but my brother Ray and I sat on top of the hold covers
with some sand from the hold - making sandcastles.
I don't think either of us were impressed by the
royalty going by but we did love those sandcastles! Mind
you, we were only 6 and 8 at the time.
Jacqui |
Others involved more important weddings....
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Bride
and Groom
I'm not sure which vessel it was but I remember dad
telling me that he and mum spent their honeymoon on a
barge!
Jacqui |
Jacqui and her
family were my "next door" neighbours back in the 1950s
and, to this day I can recall Mr. Whorlow marching down the
alleyway in his roll neck sweater to be greeted by the family dogs
- Sandy and Skipper. He came ashore to work in 1972 and, in his
latter days, lived at the Oysters building. It was here that he
was within sight and sound of the harbour..... where I suspect all
retired barge skippers would wish to be.
Return
to Thames Barge Menu page: 
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