Willow Wren Original Hire Boats

[Skipper Dick]

I have a share in a nb that I believe was built by Willow Wren as part of its original hire fleet in 1964 or thereabouts. Very thick hull and wooden topsides etc. Does anyone have any information about the original fleet or maybe owns one of her sisters??

[David Schweizer]

I have a share in a nb that I believe was built by Willow Wren as part of its original hire fleet in 1964 or thereabouts. Very thick hull and wooden topsides etc. Does anyone have any information about the original fleet or maybe owns one of her sisters??

I am intrigued, I remember the Willow Wren carrying fleet which continued operating until 1969, but I do not recall them ever having a hire fleet.

 

As far as I know, the present Willow Wren Hire company was founded in the 1970's, I believe by Balliol Fowden who certainly owned the comany until the early 1990's. The boats in the fleet which are still in service today were built in the late 1970's/ early 1980's by Balliol's sister Company Braunston Canal Services, but they were all Steel construction. However if your boat has a steel hull and a wooden top, the two most likely contenders are ether Chris Barney (Barney boats) or Rugby boats. there are still plenty of both about and a few photos would soon help identuify the original builder.

Edited September 4, 2007 by David Schweizer

[richardf]

Isn't there a link up somewhere with Middlewich Narrowboats - Willow Wren Kearns I believe, would it be one of theirs?

[Paul H]

Isn't there a link up somewhere with Middlewich Narrowboats - Willow Wren Kearns I believe, would it be one of theirs?

Willow Wren did start a hire cruiser company in 1964 called Willow Wren Hire Cruisers Ltd and it was/is based at Rugby. Boats were like the carrying fleet named after water birds - indeed the fleet included several ex-working boats some as campers. My old boat Gorse was called Ibis in their fleet and was a Josher stern end with a reasonably attractive bow put on by a local engineering company - who may have also built complete boats fore them. Others were I think built by John Pinder. The whole fleet was replaced after 1981 when Balliol Fowden and Wyvern Shipping jointly owned the company. There was a separate company Willow Wren (Kearns) Ltd set uop in 1971who later changed their name to Middlewich Narrowboats. If your boat is/was named after atree it was one of theirs.

 

What's the name of your boat?

 

Paul

[magnetman]

Emma Jane according to profile. Does she have a Sabb engine? May be a Barney boat if so. My cousin has a Barney boat called Emma Susan (probably not relevant but may be)

[mayalld]

Willow Wren did start a hire cruiser company in 1964 called Willow Wren Hire Cruisers Ltd and it was/is based at Rugby. Boats were like the carrying fleet named after water birds - indeed the fleet included several ex-working boats some as campers. My old boat Gorse was called Ibis in their fleet and was a Josher stern end with a reasonably attractive bow put on by a local engineering company - who may have also built complete boats fore them. Others were I think built by John Pinder. The whole fleet was replaced after 1981 when Balliol Fowden and Wyvern Shipping jointly owned the company. There was a separate company Willow Wren (Kearns) Ltd set uop in 1971who later changed their name to Middlewich Narrowboats. If your boat is/was named after atree it was one of theirs.

 

What's the name of your boat?

 

Paul

 

Middlewich Narrowboats is still just a trading name. The company name is Willow Wren Kearns Ltd to this day!

[Richard T]

Middlewich Narrowboats only pensioned off their last wooden top about three years ago - Oak was a 70ft 12 berrth boat with an SR3 in an engine room and a full back cabin. We hired her and some of the other wooden tops on several occasions. The earliset being Larch in 1974! The 70ft boats have a very distinctive shape at the stem and bow and are easily recognised, I understand that not all were built by John Pinder were some Coles Morton? Most of the old Middlewich boats are still around in various states of repair. Pine was last seen on the Dee branch at Chester, Oak on the Shroppie, Larch on the K&A.

I'm afraid that I know little about the Rugby boats - some I know were converted working boats others were new.

Also at Rugby were Rugby Boat Builders who had a hire fleet named after clouds eg Alto sirrus. These again had a distinctive prow and were built with virtually no gunwhales. Some are still around.

Perhaps the time has come for someone to compile a list of the early hire baots which are still around - some will surely qualify as historic boats and be worth preserving

[Hairy-Neil]

.

Also at Rugby were Rugby Boat Builders who had a hire fleet named after clouds eg Alto sirrus.

 

They weren't all named after clouds, the exception being their 32ft two berth, 'El Dorado'....

[AMModels]

Middlewich Narrowboats only pensioned off their last wooden top about three years ago - Oak was a 70ft 12 berrth boat with an SR3 in an engine room and a full back cabin. We hired her and some of the other wooden tops on several occasions. The earliset being Larch in 1974! The 70ft boats have a very distinctive shape at the stem and bow and are easily recognised, I understand that not all were built by John Pinder were some Coles Morton? Most of the old Middlewich boats are still around in various states of repair. Pine was last seen on the Dee branch at Chester, Oak on the Shroppie, Larch on the K&A.

I'm afraid that I know little about the Rugby boats - some I know were converted working boats others were new.

Also at Rugby were Rugby Boat Builders who had a hire fleet named after clouds eg Alto sirrus. These again had a distinctive prow and were built with virtually no gunwhales. Some are still around.

Perhaps the time has come for someone to compile a list of the early hire baots which are still around - some will surely qualify as historic boats and be worth preserving

 

If I can get some help compiling the list I dont mind hosting it along with the working boat lists on my site, I have every copy of waterways world so could go through them at some point for information. I agree that the early hire boats played an important part in the canal survival and regenerating to what we know today.

[howardang]

Middlewich Narrowboats only pensioned off their last wooden top about three years ago - Oak was a 70ft 12 berrth boat with an SR3 in an engine room and a full back cabin. We hired her and some of the other wooden tops on several occasions. The earliset being Larch in 1974! The 70ft boats have a very distinctive shape at the stem and bow and are easily recognised, I understand that not all were built by John Pinder were some Coles Morton? Most of the old Middlewich boats are still around in various states of repair. Pine was last seen on the Dee branch at Chester, Oak on the Shroppie, Larch on the K&A.

I'm afraid that I know little about the Rugby boats - some I know were converted working boats others were new.

Also at Rugby were Rugby Boat Builders who had a hire fleet named after clouds eg Alto sirrus. These again had a distinctive prow and were built with virtually no gunwhales. Some are still around.

Perhaps the time has come for someone to compile a list of the early hire baots which are still around - some will surely qualify as historic boats and be worth preserving

 

Rugby Boat Builders were part of the IML group which had bases at Bank Newton, Anterton and Hillmorton. They became Blue haven when IML pulled out of canal related business around 1989.

 

As far as Willow Wren is concerned I remember picking up a Wyvern Shipping boat at Rugby Wharf during the time when Blisworth Tunnel was closed and Wyvern relocated temporarily to Rugby. There were a number of Willow Wren Kearns boats based there, both hire boats and also camping boats.

 

Howard Anguish

[Hairy-Neil]

They became Blue haven when IML pulled out of canal related business around 1989.

 

I'm not sure they actually became Blue Haven, more that Blue Haven transferred their business to the vacant premises at Hilmorton. If I recall correctly, Blue Haven traded previously to this from Birdingbury Wharf at Stockton.

 

IML also had a hire base at Packet Boat Lane, Cowley for a while.

[Skipper Dick]

Middlewich Narrowboats only pensioned off their last wooden top about three years ago - Oak was a 70ft 12 berrth boat with an SR3 in an engine room and a full back cabin. We hired her and some of the other wooden tops on several occasions. The earliset being Larch in 1974! The 70ft boats have a very distinctive shape at the stem and bow and are easily recognised, I understand that not all were built by John Pinder were some Coles Morton? Most of the old Middlewich boats are still around in various states of repair. Pine was last seen on the Dee branch at Chester, Oak on the Shroppie, Larch on the K&A.

I'm afraid that I know little about the Rugby boats - some I know were converted working boats others were new.

Also at Rugby were Rugby Boat Builders who had a hire fleet named after clouds eg Alto sirrus. These again had a distinctive prow and were built with virtually no gunwhales. Some are still around.

Perhaps the time has come for someone to compile a list of the early hire baots which are still around - some will surely qualify as historic boats and be worth preserving

 

What an astonishing amount of knowledge you folks have. Thank you.

 

I was interested in the comments about "Oak" as I have just seen her near Nantwich and she is definitely contemporary with my boat. My boat also has her original Lister SR2. When my father first boat Emma Jane in the late 70's she had a brass plaque with "Willow Wren Hire Cruisers Ltd". It got stolen by a repair yard at some point. I have a photo of Oak as well as Emma Jane and will post them.

[Skipper Dick]

I have a share in a nb that I believe was built by Willow Wren as part of its original hire fleet in 1964 or thereabouts. Very thick hull and wooden topsides etc. Does anyone have any information about the original fleet or maybe owns one of her sisters??

 

I have now posted photos of Emma Jane and Oak.

 

Emma Jane was bought by my father in about 1979 (from Whilton Marina if it jogs any memories). She was called Emma Jane then and I remember seeing another similar boat with a girl's name so I wonder if she has always been Emma Jane - note the Willow Wren patterning around the name.

 

Thanks for all your help.

[AMModels]

Noting the reply earlier about the rugby boats type of build with the lack of gunwhales I would hazard a guess that she is of that class and has maybe been renamed at some point between her being a hire boat and your father acquiring her.

[Timleech]

Noting the reply earlier about the rugby boats type of build with the lack of gunwhales I would hazard a guess that she is of that class and has maybe been renamed at some point between her being a hire boat and your father acquiring her.

 

Looks more like a Barney boat to me. Certainly not the 'standard' Rugby Boatbuilders fore-end.

 

Tim

[AMModels]

I thought the barney boats had a much higher stern and smaller cabin to hull height ratio? The fore end does look Barney boat style tho

[Paul H]

The photograph clearly shows Emma Jane as being a typical Willow Wren hireboat from the mid 1960s with a hull almost certainly supplied by John Pinder when he was trading as Hopwood Craft. The front bulkhead and single door is particularly distinctive.

 

I think it is too early a boat to be part of the Middlewich (Willow Wren Kearns) fleet but if the cabin has it's original cladding - and as the windows appear to have been replaced by part-louvres (typical 1970s) it may not - any scrapes should reveal the original cream paintwork of a Rugby based boat. I think the Middlewich boats were green. However just to confuse matters the front bulkheads of both fleets were green.

 

There is the possibility that it was built for a private customer by Willow Wren along the lines of their hireboats (and they used to advertise this service) but if not it has certainly been renamed from its original bird (or just possibly tree.) This was quite common as the new owner often wanted to disguise the hireboat origins and the hireboat company usually wanted to use the name again for a new boat. The typeface used on the bow is not the standard Willow Wren plain style so I suggest the bow has been repainted over the top of the Willow Wren traditional pattern. So - if you feel brave enough- how about rubbing down the area of the name carefully and see what is revealed beneath? Once you know the original name a letter to Waterways World is likely to prompt people to look through their hoilday snaps from the 60s. A lot of people will have pictures of your boat. Altrenatively BW licensing may have a record of the original name but don't hold your breath.

 

Rugby Boatbuilders were based at Hillmorton about 3 miles away and not in the Rugby Arm. They had no connection with Willow Wren apart from perhaps taking on the odd old employee.

 

Hope this helps. Let us know how you get on.

 

Paul H

[Richard T]

Just seen the picture of Emma Jane - it does look like an early Willow Wren. I'll scan a couple of pictures of Larch and if I can find one Pine and post them.(this will take a couple of days it has to be done at work) Its unlikely that it was ever a Middlewich boat as they kept them for a very long time. Does your boat have any evidence of 'bridge bars' as they were fitted to a lot of the hire boats as the wooden tops were very vulnerable to bridge damage. Middlewich used to put photos of damage in there boat manual as a warning. Incidentally Chris Cliff who ran Middlwich Narrowboats is still around do could answer questions about eraly boats.

[Richard T]

I've now added a collection of photographs of Middlewich boats to my gallery - Woodentop Middlewich boats - I've now found a photo of Beech which I'll add in due course. Also included are three pictures of Auriga when Ed Mortimer and Steve Jackson (Camel) had her at Macclesfield. Shes now looking very sorry for herself at Ocker Hill - half full of water and not used!!

I'm still not certain about Emma Jane but she does look similar to Larch and Pine. Hancock and Lane may be a possible for the builder. Definetly not Rugby Boatbuilders, the stem is the wrong shape for them.

[Skipper Dick]

Thank you all for the information and pictures.

 

The name has been repainted (same name and style) several times over the nearly 30 years I have known the boat and I am sure any early evidence will have been destroyed. Similarly, the sides and top have been replaced but in the same style as the original.

 

Looking at the photos of Larch etc. it is clear that Emma Jane is a close relative. The positions and style of the cooling air intakes and exhaust are identical. The hand rails are identical and the visibility of the internal planking through the external plywood exterior I remember from when we first owned her.

 

The possibility that she was not built for hire is I think discounted by the original presence of a brass plaque with "Willow Wren Hire Cruisers" on it.

 

No evidence of bridge bars incidentally.

 

I think Barney always used Saab engines - this has an original Lister SR2.

 

I would still like to be sure who built her and when.

 

Thanks again everyone.

Edited September 12, 2007 by Skipper Dick

[Paul H]

Thank you all for the information and pictures.

 

The name has been repainted (same name and style) several times over the nearly 30 years I have known the boat and I am sure any early evidence will have been destroyed. Similarly, the sides and top have been replaced but in the same style as the original.

 

But it is unlikely that the name band would have ever been rubbed down to bare metal particularly if a design was being followed. Get scratching!

 

Looking at the photos of Larch etc. it is clear that Emma Jane is a close relative. The positions and style of the cooling air intakes and exhaust are identical. The hand rails are identical and the visibility of the internal planking through the external plywood exterior I remember from when we first owned her.

 

The possibility that she was not built for hire is I think discounted by the original presence of a brass plaque with "Willow Wren Hire Cruisers" on it.

 

Willow Wren Hire Cruisers Ltd was the name of the company which ran the yard- any private boat they built/supplied would still have had the same plaque on it. Actually all the more reason as their name wouldn't be on it anywhere else.

I think Barney always used Saab engines - this has an original Lister SR2.

 

No way is your boat a Barnety Boat. If you could supply the engine number, I have a list which can date Listers which will give an approximate build date.

 

I would still like to be sure who built her and when.

 

John Pinder is still in business - he won't have a list but he will recognise his own handiwork.

 

And one last thought. Next time there is a historic boats rally in Braunston or nearby, seek out Trevor Maggs on "Corona." He has moored at Rugby Wharf (home of Willow Wren) since 1968 and if he doesn't know the boat he probably knows old employees of the yard.

 

Good luck. I'm sure you'll find out that it was originally names after a bird!

 

Paul H

[rrt2]

I was part of a group that hired Bittern in 1972. ( ex F.M.C. Lion ? some say she was Lion others say otherwise but it is the only name I have for her). Last time seen by me was in the late 70s early 80s in the Aylesbury boat club basin being rebuilt by I think an Australian gent.

No bridge bars fitted then

Barry

[tony collins]

Dennis Clarke (one of Nurser's apprentices) ran the Willow Wren hire fleet from Rugby in the sixties and seventies. The fleet were steel/iron hulls with wooden cabins. Some of them still exist and continue to runs as a hire fleet today. They are at the Rugby arm. Several fleets have run from that arm at the same time, including Wyvern shipping, and Viking. The WW fleet were (and mostly still are) named after birds (Dabchick, Warbler etc.) They a built like the Proverbial BSH and the larger ones weigh getting on for twenty tons!

 

When Dennis died the business passed to another company for a short while, Alan who now has the business has run it for about the last ten years I believe

 

Tony

[Keeping Up]

Be careful not to get confused between the Willow Wren hire fleet that runs out of Middlewich (ex Willow Wren Kearns, boats mainly named after trees) ) and the Willow Wren hirefleet that runs out of Rugby (boats named after birds). There's very little connection between the two.

 

For a long time the Willow Wren fleet out of Rugby were owned jointly by Wyvern Shipping and Braunston Boats

[David Schweizer]

Dennis Clarke (one of Nurser's apprentices) ran the Willow Wren hire fleet from Rugby in the sixties and seventies. The fleet were steel/iron hulls with wooden cabins. Some of them still exist and continue to runs as a hire fleet today. They are at the Rugby arm. Several fleets have run from that arm at the same time, including Wyvern shipping, and Viking. The WW fleet were (and mostly still are) named after birds (Dabchick, Warbler etc.) They a built like the Proverbial BSH and the larger ones weigh getting on for twenty tons!

When Dennis died the business passed to another company for a short while, Alan who now has the business has run it for about the last ten years I believe

 

Tony

As far as I know Balliol Fowden either owned them or was in partneship for a while in the 1980's , most of the current 72 ft boats were certainly built by one of his other companies - Braunston Canal Services. They built my boat and they are certainly very heavy boats - built like battleships.