Penny Post Posted March 29, 2019 Report Share Posted March 29, 2019 Hello everyone, We purchased this boat believed to be a Bantock 1925 called Rebecca from Iver last year. We are doing a full restoration from bottom up. If anyone knows any information or history we would be very grateful Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MtB Posted March 29, 2019 Report Share Posted March 29, 2019 Lovely boat! Is it fuzzy like that in real life too or is it a camera problem? @peteharrison is the chap who will know your boat history. PM him if he doesn't see this... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tumshie Posted March 29, 2019 Report Share Posted March 29, 2019 8 minutes ago, Penny Post said: Hello everyone Hi there Penny and welcome to the forum What a wonderful adventure you are embarking on and I wish you much fun and success with it. I stuck Bantock into the search function (at the top right of the forum site header) and found loads of hits but I'm not sure which ones would be helpful to you so you might want to repeat the process and work your way through what you find interesting. @pete harrison Clicking this link will take you to the person the MtB referred to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tumshie Posted March 29, 2019 Report Share Posted March 29, 2019 58 minutes ago, Mike the Boilerman said: @peteharrison is the chap who will know your boat history. PM him if he doesn't see this... Mike, Pete hasn't been here since last November, can you suggest anybody else who might be of help? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alan_fincher Posted March 29, 2019 Report Share Posted March 29, 2019 1 hour ago, Mike the Boilerman said: @peteharrison is the chap who will know your boat history. PM him if he doesn't see this... Pete indicated to me recently he is not partaking of the forum at the moment Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penny Post Posted March 29, 2019 Author Report Share Posted March 29, 2019 Would that be how to get hold of Pete?. I have had his name mentioned a few times and seems like the chap we need Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tumshie Posted March 29, 2019 Report Share Posted March 29, 2019 (edited) 12 minutes ago, Penny Post said: Would that be how to get hold of Pete?. I have had his name mentioned a few times and seems like the chap we need Well, as Alan says Pete isn't using the site at the moment so you could try sending him a PM because he might have his account set to email him when someone PMs him, but he also might not, however it's worth a try. Other than that stick around glean as much as you can from the forum which will in turn enjoy hearing about your project with REBECCA, and then once you get to know people perhaps someone will help you get in touch. You may need to make a couple more posts before you can use the PM system. Good Luck however you choose to proceed. Edited March 29, 2019 by Tumshie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stilllearning Posted March 29, 2019 Report Share Posted March 29, 2019 If this boat has a pretty much one room walk-through main cabin, then it might be a boat that I looked at in about 1995 at Harefield. Think it had a BMC 1.8 and a very slightly twisted cabin? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heartland Posted March 29, 2019 Report Share Posted March 29, 2019 There is a better image of Rebecca on page 20 of Historic Working Boats Today published by the Canal Bookshop. No identification is given. It may well be a working boat built by or for Thomas Bantock,, yet this craft as built may not have had a name. Many Bantock/ GWR Bantocks were given numbers. Some had names, though. If the number 1925 is a BCN Gauging Plate- then this was the Agnes gauged at Tipton September 14th, 1936 for J Williams of Princess End and was a cabin wood craft. which does not fit ! As the Rebecca appears to have a metal hull. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penny Post Posted March 29, 2019 Author Report Share Posted March 29, 2019 34 minutes ago, Heartland said: There is a better image of Rebecca on page 20 of Historic Working Boats Today published by the Canal Bookshop. No identification is given. It may well be a working boat built by or for Thomas Bantock,, yet this craft as built may not have had a name. Many Bantock/ GWR Bantocks were given numbers. Some had names, though. If the number 1925 is a BCN Gauging Plate- then this was the Agnes gauged at Tipton September 14th, 1936 for J Williams of Princess End and was a cabin wood craft. which does not fit ! As the Rebecca appears to have a metal hull. The 1925 is the year built but not definite Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roland elsdon Posted March 29, 2019 Report Share Posted March 29, 2019 I suspect your dates are off i think bantocks are just pre and post century (1880s to 1905 ish) they varied in construction some had a wooden bottom plank with elm bottom, and strange shaped knees. However these have been cut back to replace with steel. looking at your boat i suspect its a gwr bantock day boat. If you do a google search gwr bantock day boat info comes up. when you say restore do you mean back to an unpowered day boat , or are you restoring back to a point in time post conversion? some of those gwr boats have lovely lines they are a teal chunk of early iron boat history enjoy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick-n-Jo Posted March 29, 2019 Report Share Posted March 29, 2019 A good short history of Bantocks on Blossoms blog here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Markinaboat Posted March 29, 2019 Report Share Posted March 29, 2019 I used to know the guy who lived on her for a number of years with his family at Uxbridge, just above Cowley lock. They moved to Oz after their young son tragically drowned at Denham in 2004. I've already pinged a message to someone asking f they have any contact details for him so will pm you if I get a result. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Speedwheel Posted March 29, 2019 Report Share Posted March 29, 2019 Do you have the BCN number? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magnetman Posted March 29, 2019 Report Share Posted March 29, 2019 (edited) I think that's the boat with the awkward looking cants on the front deck. Too much steelwork. Was discussed here a while ago on the boats for sale section. Nice boat. Rather unusual dollies on it. I have never seen those dollies on any other boat. They are very distinctive. I wonder who did the motor conversion. That photo looks like the offside moorings at Cowley near Uxbridge. Eta I think it is a bantock but not sure if its one of the early ones with the wooden chine plank and wooden bottoms. Edited March 29, 2019 by magnetman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Markinaboat Posted March 29, 2019 Report Share Posted March 29, 2019 Penny, pm sent with contact details for previous owner Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heartland Posted March 30, 2019 Report Share Posted March 30, 2019 The firm of Thomas Bantock & Sons continued after Thomas's death. Their boatyard near Priestfield is shown on the BCN Distance Tables (1910/1919). Gauging records mention at least three GWR Boats for their main depot at Hockley 459 7/10/1922 4 Cabin Iron hull 735 4/10/1923 2 SWINDON Cabin iron hull 1133 6/2/1926 5 HOCKLEY Cabin Iron hull Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Lewis Posted March 30, 2019 Report Share Posted March 30, 2019 18 hours ago, Penny Post said: Hello everyone, We purchased this boat believed to be a Bantock 1925 called Rebecca from Iver last year. We are doing a full restoration from bottom up. If anyone knows any information or history we would be very grateful Picture from 2013 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roland elsdon Posted March 30, 2019 Report Share Posted March 30, 2019 3 hours ago, Heartland said: The firm of Thomas Bantock & Sons continued after Thomas's death. Their boatyard near Priestfield is shown on the BCN Distance Tables (1910/1919). Gauging records mention at least three GWR Boats for their main depot at Hockley 459 7/10/1922 4 Cabin Iron hull 735 4/10/1923 2 SWINDON Cabin iron hull 1133 6/2/1926 5 HOCKLEY Cabin Iron hull Didnt realise they built so late into the 1900s also cabin boats rather than open day boats. Cabin would have been wood. unfortunatly motorising has lost any back end so impossible to establish if she was open or cabined. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BWM Posted March 30, 2019 Report Share Posted March 30, 2019 10 hours ago, magnetman said: I think that's the boat with the awkward looking cants on the front deck. Too much steelwork. Was discussed here a while ago on the boats for sale section. Nice boat. Rather unusual dollies on it. I have never seen those dollies on any other boat. They are very distinctive. I wonder who did the motor conversion. That photo looks like the offside moorings at Cowley near Uxbridge. Eta I think it is a bantock but not sure if its one of the early ones with the wooden chine plank and wooden bottoms. I'm certain that this boat has a riveted iron bottom, and knew the previous two owners. They lost a rivet from the baseplate on the Thames, and even though that was repaired i believe the baseplate is still largely original. The motor stern conversion is really nice but i'd definitely change the cants up front! Perkins four pot engine for power i think. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penny Post Posted April 1, 2019 Author Report Share Posted April 1, 2019 On 29/03/2019 at 12:30, Penny Post said: Hello everyone, We purchased this boat believed to be a Bantock 1925 called Rebecca from Iver last year. We are doing a full restoration from bottom up. If anyone knows any information or history we would be very grateful 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparrowcycles Posted April 1, 2019 Report Share Posted April 1, 2019 1 hour ago, Penny Post said: Hey penny, steve here we spoke the other day.. Wow, you're really going for it! Definitely better than an overplate. I hope you find some good history about Rebecca. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NB Esk Posted April 1, 2019 Report Share Posted April 1, 2019 Sad as it is to see 100 yr old plate come to the end of it's life, I have to say I think you're going about it the right way. I take it the old riveted repairs will be preserved just as they are? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MtB Posted April 1, 2019 Report Share Posted April 1, 2019 I get the impression those are old photos from when the steel cabin was added. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penny Post Posted April 1, 2019 Author Report Share Posted April 1, 2019 No they are as she is now. We have gone back to the start! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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