# Brightlingsea Skipper..E.C. Norton



## ALAN TYLER

I,ve been researching my family history and found my Great Grandfather was a skipper out of Brightlingsea, on a fishing boat. Evidently he was one of the earliest to get his Certificate of Competency as Skipper. Anyone have any information about the fishing industry in Brightlingsea around 1885 when he got his ticket. Thanks Alan.


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## ray1buck1

Hello Alan
Not a lot to add
according to the 1881 census 3rd April Elijah Charles Norton aged 30 and married was an AB on the 25 Ton fishing smack “Velocity Official No 48987

1891 census he is with his wife Emily E aged 35 and his 4 children, he is now a Master M aged 40ariner 

1901 he is now in Cleethorpes 7 West Street with his wife and 6 children he is now an Oyster Merchant manager 
Ray


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## ALAN TYLER

Thanks for the information Ray, I,ve now found out he moved to Morecambe where he died in 1928, after working for Musson & Co in Cleethorpes. Will visit his grave in the near future to pay my respects. Thanks once again Alan.


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## j p foynes

Alan

Half my family lived in B'sea between about 1910 and the 1990s and I have published a few booklets on its history. In the one on the 14-18 war I mention an elderly Norton (J Norton) and his son Fred, who were seized in Germany from a sailing barge in 1914. I also have a 1912 and 1926 A-Z Town Directory which lists Nortons. 
I've just put a request on "Shipsnostalgia" for more recollections of old B'sea.
When young I used to stay for a week every summer and got to know the harbour very well.

Julian Foynes


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## j p foynes

*B'sea Nortons*

Alan

I forget to say that a book by the late Alf Wakeling "Sun, Sea, Sails" has a certain amount, also John Leather's 1970s book "The Northseamen". 
If you were able to see the 1881 or 1991 census of B'sea online, it's fascinating to see all those familar names and addresses, 80% of them connected to fishing or oysters.

Julian


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## Roger Griffiths

Hello,
I can find a POW F Norton 123, New St, Brightlingsea, first mate on the barge TINTARA official number 102817. I suspect the older man was repatriated due to his age.
TINTARA was spitsail barge, 65 grt, built at Bow Creek in 1893, registered in London, owned in 1915 by Ebenezer Whitemore of Brightlingsea.
I know that she was still sailing in 1937

Roger


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## stan mayes

Hi Roger and Julian,
I knew and liked Brightlingsea before the war when I was in
sailing barges bound for Ipswich or Yarmouth.
We often had a day or two there at anchor windbound and 
the skipper and I would go to the ''Anchor'' pub for 'shelter'...
The barmaid was Olga.
Regards,
Stan


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## Andrew Craig-Bennett

Possibly relevant...

At 25 tons the VELOCITY would have been a first class smack, going foreign, espescially to the Terschelling oyster grounds.

First class smacks were exinct for many years but there is once again an example of a Brighlingsea first class smack sailing ,as the PIONEER CK17 has been totally rebuilt and sails out of Brightlingsea.

Website here

http://www.pioneersailingtrust.org.uk/Home/tabid/108/Default.aspx


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## ALAN TYLER

Thanks for all for the new information, recently been side tracked after finding the wifes uncle won the Military Medal in the 1st WW. Happy Xmas to you all, Alan.


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## hoogenbos

Tintara was kept in Germany in a small riverside port on the Rhine river called Oberwinter, which is basically in the municipality of Remagen. It was there alongside another British barge called Carisbrooke Castle, mastered by John Hoogenbos, a brother of my great grandfather. Both ships were released by the germans in november 1918 and returned to Britain.

I am researching John Hoogenbos´ life a Dutchman living in Britain as a master mariner. 

Does any one know where I can find POW records in Germany for world war 1

Rob Hoogenbos


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