Doggett’s Coat & Badge is 300

Tomorrow sees the Doggett’s Coat & Badge Race rowed on the Thames in London.   The Race starts at 11.30am at London Bridge and finishes at Cadogan Pier, Chelsea.   The prize-giving will be at Fishmongers’ Hall at approximately 1.15pm.  And this year, it’s an important one  –  the 300th Race.

Here’s a report on the 100th which took place in 1815.

And here’s a report in 1915, which says that as “one of the minor hardships of the war” the Race will not take place.

 

Medway Match 2015 taken by Chriss Hallam from Cambria

We’ve added to our list of videos the lovely film made by Chriss Hallam

Photo courtesy Chriss Hallam

of the 2015 Medway Barge Match.   He was on board sb Cambria, so there are some good shots of her deck, rigging, and so on, including a nice one of Skipper Ian at the wheel.   We like the music too!

Here’s the link

Barge peeps into old picture of Southend Pier

Here’s a picture I like very much.   It appeared today in the Echo, the local paper circulating in South Essex.   It shows Southend-on-Sea Pier Head in 1905, packed with trippers in Edwardian dress.   Probably many of them will have disembarked from ships bringing them down from London or from other places.   That still happens sometimes even now when cruise ships put in to the Pier.

The structure shown changed over the years, and sadly the buildings at the Pier Head disappeared in fires until all that was left was the relatively new RNLI station and shop, (fortunately untouched), a small cafe and some public loos located in a sort of container. Even the train station with its crenellated platform cover went, and for years much of the Pier Head was just an empty space.   Now there is the very modern Royal Pavilion as well.

As the Echo says “She’s the grand old lady of Southend.   She’s withstood the elements, raging fires and dwindling pots of cash to repair her and has always risen phoenix-like out of the ashes to continue thrilling new generations”. Now Historic England, the successor to English Heritage, has named Southend Pier as one of England’s Seven Seaside Wonders.

And what’s that just appearing in the left-hand side of the picture?   If I’m not mistaken that has to be a Thames sailing barge.

Picture courtesy of Echo Newpapers

 

 

Barge Archaeology in Maldon this weekend

SSBR is pleased to help advertise this event in Maldon, which is part of the important work being done by the CITiZAN scheme around our shores to record the vast amount of our history at threat from coastal erosion.   Abandoned ships, barges and boats are included, and there are of course very many sailing barges in this category.   The Maldon event is part of a much wider project.   The leaflet below tells you all about it.

New video of Thalatta, courtesy of Shipping TV

This very pleasing and peaceful video of sb Thalatta working her way out of Harwich on 7th July 2015 was highlighted on the Felixstowe News website.   By Shipping TV, it is a joy to watch.   Here is the link to the film.

The photo illustrating this post is by SSBR Committee Member Dave Brooks, and shows Thalatta at anchor in Queenborough Creek.