# Help to find Thames Sailing Barges.



## Phill (Jun 17, 2005)

Can anyone help? 
I am after any information and photos of three Thames Sailing Barges my Granddad skippered ,
_The_ *Webster*
_The _*Shark*
_The_ *Western Belle*
 Phill (Thumb)


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## Santos (Mar 16, 2005)

I dont know if you know of this site *here* Phil, thought it might be of help if you knew the owners of the barges.

Chris.


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## gdynia (Nov 3, 2005)

Phil

Try the following
http://www.thamesbarge.org.uk/barges/biblio/bob_childs.html


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## 12548 (Mar 23, 2007)

Have you tried this link?

http://www.portcities.org.uk/london/server/show/ConMediaFile.40/A-hay-barge-on-the-River-Thames.html


http://www.thamesbarge.org.uk/barges/Willmott/owners/FWWebster Gillman.html

http://www.simplonpc.co.uk/Thames_Capital-Pleasure-Boats.html

Hope these may assist
Cheers
joller6


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## benjidog (Oct 27, 2005)

According to "Down Tops'l" by Hervey Benham, Western Belle was a boomie belonging to Walker and Howard but there is no more information about her. The others don't get a mention I am afraid.

Brian


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## stan mayes (Jul 22, 2006)

Santos,
Many thanks for that site Chris - I have found the names of many barges which I had completely forgotten .
Regards - Stan


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## Santos (Mar 16, 2005)

A pleasure Stan, glad to be of help.

Chris.


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## Steve Hodges (Feb 12, 2007)

Phil,
Your best bet is probably the Society for Sailing Barge Research - www.sailingbargeresearch.org.uk. They have now set up an archive at North Fambridge with details of 4,000 barges which is currently being computerised. You would probably need to join to use the archive, but in my opinion the subscription is worth it for their publications alone.


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## K urgess (Aug 14, 2006)

Fixed your link for you, Steve.
Just a space in the wrong place.
Cheers
Kris


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## Phill (Jun 17, 2005)

Thanks all for all your help; (Thumb) 
The Sailing Barge Research site is of particular interest and I will be contacting them shortly.
Brian as for the Boomie rig, I’m not so sure, have attached what I believe to be a genuine picture of the Western Belle (kept in my Gran’s house for ages,) in this picture she has a mizzen boom , I believe the diagonal boom is the sprit, which joins the main to the Topsail, showing no boomie boom? 

I will keep trying

Phill


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## Phill (Jun 17, 2005)

benjidog said:


> According to "Down Tops'l" by Hervey Benham, Western Belle was a boomie belonging to Walker and Howard but there is no more information about her. The others don't get a mention I am afraid.
> 
> Brian


Brian you learn something every day, your right Down Tops does mention The Western Belle as being a boomie barge, but the picture of her in the book is that of a mulie Barge, a Mulie being a barge with sprit mainsail and a gaff boom mizzen instead of a sprit mizzen, 
I have managed to trace a crew list of the Western Belle to Bridport, stating he was the Skipper.
And have found divorce papers stating he was the Skipper of the Webster, as per norm, a lady in every port.

Cheers
Phill (Thumb)


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## Sam Pellatt (Aug 3, 2006)

*Sailing Barge Webster*

This Barge was sunk in the 1953 Floods> her remains are still visible on the River Swale from the Elmley Ferry (now closed)on the Isle of Sheppey, Kent. Unfortunately there is not a great deal of it left also it is only visible at low tide. This was the fate of many of these barges laid up at this period


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