Thames Sailing Barge Racing Guide Acknowledgements

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I would like to publicly thank those people and organisations that have helped in various ways, so far, as follows:

Julian Ackland, Hon. Secretary, Pin Mill Match, former Hon. Secretary Passage Match, and former Commodore, Pin Mill Sailing Club, Suffolk; Nick Ardley, son of the late John Ardley [one time owner SB May Flower (1888), and one time Hon. Secretary and Treasurer, of the 4th. Series Medway Match] author of May Flower: A Barging Childhood [Tempus Publishing, 2007]; Mr. D. G. Attwood, of Loughborough, Leicestershire;

Mrs. Lorraine Baker, of Ipswich; Robert Barnard, of Heybridge; John Bartlett, of Wimbledon; Judy Betteridge, Accessions Officer, Maldon Museum, Essex; Mrs. Pat Boss, Hon. Secretary, Blackwater Match; Mark Boyle, Hon. Secretary, Thames Match; Steve & Christine Brotherhood, co-owners of the Colchester charter barge SB Fertile; Christine Brown, Hon. Editor, Colne Smack Preservation Society newsletter;

Ron Carroll, watercolour painter of barge bobs, and member, Society for Sailing Barge Research; Julian Cass, long standing Officer Of the Day, Thames Match; David Chandler, barge enthusiast and photographer, of Bexley, Kent; Peter Chew, of Benfleet, Essex; Bill Collard, formerly of London & Rochester Transport Co. Ltd, and past Hon. Treasurer, 4th. Series Medway Match; Ken Crowe, Keeper of Human History, Southend on Sea Borough Council Central Museum; Gerry Curtis, of Thorpe Bay, Essex, with Jeanne Curtis and Andrew Curtis;

Brian Dawson, former Hon. Treasurer, Secretary, and Chairman, 2nd. Series, Southend Match Committee; Peter Dalrymple, photographer, of Tankerton, Kent; Graham Dent, Treasurer, Society for Sailing Barge Research; Peter Dodds, Chairman, Sailing Barge Association;

Fred Fink, Erith Yacht Club; Peter Ford, of Sholing, Hampshire; Mrs. Lewis Foweraker of Upnor and John Foweraker, of Larkfield, Kent;

Capt. Ken Garrett, member, Thames Match Committee; Peter Gentry, of Whipton, Devon; Tim Goldsack, Master-owner SB Decima; Paul Goldsmith, descendant of family of E. W. & J. Goldsmith, co-organisers of the 3rd. Series Medway Match; Geoff Gransden, Chairman, Medway Match Committee; Mrs. Jane Gransden [wife of Geoff Gransden] of Upchurch, Kent;

Michael Hammett, Hon. Secretary, British Brick Society; Janet Harker, of North Burlingham, Norfolk; John Hargreaves, long standing timekeeper, Thames Match, supporter of the Blackwater Match and member, Society for Sailing Barge Research; Jack Haste, long standing former Hon. Secretary, Pin Mill and Passage Matches; Mrs. Gillian Hazel - descendent of Henry Dodd, founder of the Thames Match; Rick Hogben, barge enthusiast, and former long standing writer of the column "Sail Today" in Ships Monthly magazine; Ron Howse, descendent of the Keeble family, of Maldon, Essex; Mrs. Ann E. Hunt, of Southend, long standing observer of that town's match; David Hurrell, barge enthusiast and water colour painter of Hadleigh, Essex;

Glyn Jones, former Hon. Editor, Thames Sailing Barge Trust Newsletter; Neil Jones, Record Officer, Corporation of Trinity House;

Des Kalizewski Racing Master of SB Cygnet from 2003 onwards; Eric and Joan Kemp, barge enthusiasts of Benfleet, Essex; John King, enthusiast of the history of the Woolwich Free Ferry;

Dr. Patrick Lacey, Chairman, Maldon Museum, Essex; Michael Land, barge artist and member, Society for Sailing Barge Research; Jim Lawrence, former professional bargemaster “in trade”, long standing racing master of SB Marjorie during the post 1960's matches and Committee Member, Association of Bargemen; Mike Lewis, Hon. Editor, The Pennant [newsletter of the Blackwater Sailing Barge Match Association] and Jackie Lewis, Chairman, Blackwater Match Committee; Jocelyn Lukins, of Shepherd’s Bush, London, one-time owner of SB Venta; Mick Lungley, former professional bargemaster “in trade”, long standing racing master, particularly of SB Wyvenhoe, and long standing Officer Of the Day, Pin Mill and Passage Matches;

Mrs. Elaine MacGregor, descendent of the Vandervords of Southend, in the 19th. century; Charles McLaren, one time owner and Racing Master SB Thistle and current owner SB Cabby; Mrs. Elisabeth Mainelli, owner SB Lady Daphne; Prof. Michael Mainelli, member, Thames Match Committee; the staff of the Maldon Public Library, Essex; Louise Manders, of Leigh on Sea; Mlle. Claire Mathieu, Media Relations Dept., Lafarge, Paris, France; Annie Meadows, past Hon. Secretary, Southend Match; John Megoran, Master, PS Kingswear Castle [Paddle Steamer Preservation Society], long standing excursion vessel following the 4th. series of the Medway Matches, who smoothed my way into the paddle steamer world in my search for links with bygone barge matches; Alison Mercer, Hon. Editor Thames Sailing Barge Trust Newsletter; John Morgan, Hon. Social Secretary, Thames Sailing Barge Trust; Prof. Diane Montgomery, owner SB Nellie; Frank Morris, Secretary, Sailing Barge Association; Bruce Moss, Archivist, Royal Harwich Yacht Club;

Roger Newlyn, Publications Officer and long standing member of the Thames Sailing Barge Trust [formerly Thames Barge Sailing Club]; Stephen P. Nunn, historical & antiquarian researcher, of Maldon, Essex;

Patricia O’Driscoll, one-time professional bargewoman “in trade” and long standing former Editor, Bygone Kent; Terry O'Sullivan, current and long standing Racing Bargemaster of SB Pudge and Centaur [Thames Barge Sailing Club - now Thames Sailing Barge Trust]; Anthony Osler, marine artist of North Lopham, Suffolk;

Les Pace, one-time founding member, Association of Model Barge Owners; Alan Peake, of the Paddle Steamer Preservation Society; Brian Percival, Starting Officer of the Colne Match for over two decades; Hugh Perks, co-founder of the Society for Sailing Barge Research, member of the early Swale Matches and former reporter on the barge matches in Yachts & Yachting magazine; Rebecca Polden, current charter bargemaster of SB Cabby, and regular racing master of SB Repertor; Ben Pollock, Mate of SB Repertor; David Pollock, owner and racing master of SB Repertor; John Potter, Master, MV Princess Pocahontas, [Lower Thames & Medway Passenger Boat Co. Ltd] long standing excursion vessel following the 4th. series of the Thames Matches and some earlier Passage Matches;

Bob Ratcliffe, long standing commentator for the 4th. series of the Medway Matches on board the PS Kingswear Castle, and President, City of Rochester Society; Lena Reekie, Hon. Secretary, Swale Match; Anne Roberts, daughter of the late Capt. Bob Roberts [owner/Master SB Cambria]; Ray Rush, one-time barge mate "in-trade", protégé of the late Capt. F. S. Cooper, and member, 4th. Series Medway Match Committee;

Ian Saunders, Hon. Secretary Passage Match; Denise Simone, Secretary to His Worship The Mayor of Southend on Sea, Councillor R. Price; Robert Simper, long standing writer of the regular column "Sail Review" in Sea Breezes magazine and former reporter on the barge matches in Yachts & Yachting magazine; Fred Smith, long standing Hon. Secretary, Medway Match Committee; Richard Smith, Vice-Chairman [and former long standing Hon. Secretary] Society for Sailing Barge Research, Chris Snelling, former Officer of the Day, Swale Match, and former Chairman, Kentish Sail Association; Mrs. Sandra Soder, Hon. Secretary, Gravesend Historical Society; Jenny Sjollema, Hon. Secretary, Maldon District Museum, Essex; Mrs. Jim Spencer, of Brightlingsea, recorder of the Colne Smack Preservation Society Race Records, since the start in 1971; Mr. R. A. Sudell of Folkestone, witness to the whole of the 3rd. series of the Thames Matches; Colin Swindale, one-time professional bargeman “in trade”, owner of various yacht-barges, shipwright, and photographer of Maldon, Essex;

Marion Tester, daughter of the late Capt. Lawrence Tester [Master-owner SB Portlight], Chair Kentish Sail Association; Dr. Charles Traill, Hon. Editor of the Newsletter of the Society for Sailing Barge Research; Mrs. Audrey Truman, descendent of the Vandervords of Southend, in the 19th. century; Geoffrey Tyrell, marine photographer of Harlow, Essex;

Stephanie Valentine, of Topsail Charters Ltd., Maldon, Essex; Mrs. Vera Vandervord, a direct descendant of the Vandervords of Southend in the 19th. century;

Renee' Waite, Archivist and member, Pin Mill Sailing Club, Suffolk; Mark Wakelin, Harbour Master, Burnham-on-Crouch, Essex; Richard Walsh, long standing Hon. Editor, Topsail, the journal of the Society for Sailing Barge Research, one time owner of SB Kathleen and past Chairman, 4th. Series Thames Match Committee; Brian Webb, Hon. Secretary, Colne Match; Derek Webb, of Colchester, long-time observer of barge matches – principally the Blackwater; John White, Hon. Webmaster, Society for Sailing Barge Research; Kevan Wilding, author and webmaster of the Historical Directory of London, Essex, Kent & Suffolk via the Pubs Inns, Taverns & Beer Houses History & Trade Directory, at: http://londonpublichouse.com/; Mrs. Barbara Williamson [nee' Cooper], daughter of the late Capt. F. S. Cooper; Tony Winter, formerly of the London & Rochester Trading Co. Ltd., [later Crescent Shipping], and long standing former Commodore of the 4th. Series Medway Match; David and Elizabeth Wood, of the Thames Sailing Barge Trust and Society for Sailing Barge Research and keepers of the archives of the Thames Sailing Barge Club and the papers of the late Arthur Bennett; the late John Woodman, of Chatham, Kent, former bargeman “in trade” and both former charter and racing master for the Thames Sailing Barge Club [now Trust];

the staff at the offices of Yachts & Yachting magazine, Southend-on-Sea, Essex; the late Stan Yeates, long standing one-time Officer Of the day, Southend Match.

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