# Corlea



## billyboy (Jul 6, 2005)

Wonder if any one has any information on a small tug called the corlea. she was a small motor job. last time i saw her she was on the dickside in Sheerness having her bottom repainted. Wonder if she is still around somewhere or been scrapped. not seen her since the late 50's
maybe Thamesphill or Karbine could throw some light on her. (Thumb)


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## Riverman (Apr 12, 2006)

Hi Billyboy
Is this the one you are looking for.
Can you remember when you saw her on the dockside at Sheerness?

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*1933 CORLEA

Registered: (GBR)ON 163344
21 GRT, 6 NRT, L49,00m, B13,3m, D4,6m
1 scr, diesel Petter, 100bhp
re-engined 1963 diesel Ruston, 111bhp-82kW

CORLEA
1933: Built by "Harland & Wolff Ltd" at North Woolwich (YN 246)
1933: delivered to "Cory Lighterage Ltd" at London
1942 -12/06: on Admiralty service
1945 -30/08: returned to owners
1959: To "Metal Recoveries (Newhaven) Ltd" at Newhaven
1963: To "Lowestoft Fishing Vessel Owners Association" at Lowestoft
1963: re-engined diesel Ruston, 111bhp-82kW
1971: To "Boston Deep Sea Fisheries Ltd" at Hull
198x: To "Riverway Developments Ltd" at London
19xx: converted to a house boat, berthed at Nine Elms Reach
fate unknown

Riverman*


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## billyboy (Jul 6, 2005)

*Briliant stuff!*



Riverman said:


> Hi Billyboy
> Is this the one you are looking for.
> Can you remember when you saw her on the dockside at Sheerness?
> 
> ...



I believe she was acualy owned by metel recoveries of Newhaven at the time i saw.memory not so good these days but i am guessing it was around 1960 - 1962 that i went into sheerness docks with a tid tug overnight prior to towing away a large floating crane from the mooring bouys off sheerness. The corlea was was out of the water on the quay side haveing work done on her.
cute little tug! must have been more like a submarine in a choppy sea...LOL
thank you very much for the info and picture.
regards billyboy.
P.S. our tug was the tidworth


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## Riverman (Apr 12, 2006)

billyboy said:


> I believe she was acualy owned by metel recoveries of Newhaven at the time i saw.memory not so good these days but i am guessing it was around 1960 - 1962 that i went into sheerness docks with a tid tug overnight prior to towing away a large floating crane from the mooring bouys off sheerness. The corlea was was out of the water on the quay side haveing work done on her.
> cute little tug! must have been more like a submarine in a choppy sea...LOL
> thank you very much for the info and picture.
> regards billyboy.
> P.S. our tug was the tidworth


Hi Billyboy 
Probably around 1960 just after Sheerness Dockyard closed and towing the old craft to other dockyards. There was a lot of activity around Sheerness with a lot of dockyard tugs and commercial tugs at that time. I was working on the tugs at Chatham Dockyard then and had just been made up from "boy" to ordinary seaman. We went to Sheerness a few times to assist with movements but do not recall seeing Corlea there, but then I was young and did not take much notice of what was going on around me.
The picture of Corlea was taken in Lowestoft.

Riverman

http://riverman.gotdns.com


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## billyboy (Jul 6, 2005)

this one particulr dock we were in is the one where the old timber warship was broken up. think it may have been the "cornwalis" (some nice big copper rivits casme out of that) well the corlea was on the dock right beside it if that helps.
There was also a landing stage next to there where a captain Parker came to with a knights tug (kestrel?) and took my father with him to assist with the docking of a ship. cant remember too much more due to a whisky fade out at that time...LOl


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## Riverman (Apr 12, 2006)

billyboy said:


> this one particulr dock we were in is the one where the old timber warship was broken up. think it may have been the "cornwalis" (some nice big copper rivits casme out of that) well the corlea was on the dock right beside it if that helps.
> There was also a landing stage next to there where a captain Parker came to with a knights tug (kestrel?) and took my father with him to assist with the docking of a ship. cant remember too much more due to a whisky fade out at that time...LOl


Hi Billboy
Thats a clearer picture, I know where you were now.
It was probably around 1962 (the year i joined JP Knights tugs) and the dock you were in was the Great Basin which was used as a commercial dock until it was filled in. Knights had an ofice on the south side of the basin.
The ship breakers were an Italian firm (cant remember the name) and were only in there a few years and then moved to the Coalwasher Wharf at Queenborough where they remained for years.
Although I was based with JP Knight at Rochester I knew of Capt Parker and the landing stage was the Cornwallis Jetty named after the vessel.
I still cant remember the Corlea but thanks for reviving some old memories.

Riverman

http://riverman.gotdns.com


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## billyboy (Jul 6, 2005)

*Captain Parker*



Riverman said:


> Hi Billboy
> Thats a clearer picture, I know where you were now.
> It was probably around 1962 (the year i joined JP Knights tugs) and the dock you were in was the Great Basin which was used as a commercial dock until it was filled in. Knights had an ofice on the south side of the basin.
> The ship breakers were an Italian firm (cant remember the name) and were only in there a few years and then moved to the Coalwasher Wharf at Queenborough where they remained for years.
> ...


Captain Parker was at one time the captain on the Meeching at newhaven, my late father was mate with him there. He aparantly recognise the steam Tidworth tug and came over to see my late father.
I was told that captain Parker went overseas a couple of years later with a tug to do towage work abroad somewhere but thats where the trail ends.
Given my time over again i think i would have worked Thames area tugging. they were so busy in them days.


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## corlea (May 18, 2007)

Hello

i am the proud owner of the Corlea and i converted it into a house boat, currently moored in Barking creek essex.
shall i send you a picture, it looks very different now.


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## billyboy (Jul 6, 2005)

Hey thats great news Corlea. so happy to know she retired gracefully with an appreciative owner. I hope you have many years of joy with her. thanks for letting us all know about her retirement.


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## dominiquerivoal (Jan 12, 2009)

*the corlea*

Here she is!


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## R58484956 (Apr 19, 2004)

Greetings dominiquerivoal and welcome to SN. Bon voyage.


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