Harry Neal Windlass

[magnetman]

possibly half of a 'pocket windlass' ?

 

[sarahavfc]

Daves Windlass...

 

 

[dave moore]

Thanks Sarah

If anyone out there has more information, I'd be grateful to receive it. Cheers

Dave

[AMModels]

No Information but I know where theres one very similar with T&S E stamped into the shank. Next time you see H you might want to ask if Neals made windlasses for Elements on a job lot or singular basis.

[magnetman]

Daves Windlass...

 

 

can't really tell from the pictures but it appears there may be a small notch taken out of the centre of each side of the socket at the larger end where it would first meet the paddle spindle. a little semicircular groove probably put there during forging. All the Wheelock (GH Cooke stamped as well) windlasses I have had out have this feature, and one very similar but without the Cooke branding. It seems like it is a makers mark but to be fair other makers could have used it as well. The windlass pictured does look to me like a Cooke are you sure there isn't a clay pipe imprint somewhere on it?. I've had a couple out with small clay pipe imprint but no name stamp and one with the clay pipe the wrong way round.

 

 

 

 

the way that the end of the handle is flared slightly is also indicative of a Cooke windlass.

 

definitely time for the anorak.

[sarahavfc]

Is this the clay pipe?

 

[dave moore]

Wishful thinking I'm afraid Sarah, that's just corrosion damage.

Magnetman, you are right to suggest similarities to a Wheelock, I've wondered for years and was surprised to have Horace's very positive identification last year, until then they were unknown to me.

It erally is a joy to use and I still wonder why people produced functional and attractive goods in those days, sadly we seem to have lost the knack in the 21st century...most modern windlasses are ugly brutes. As a committee member of the Waterways Craft Guild we looked into producing Cooke type replicas, but the pattern costings were around £1000 before production could start and I couldn't see us selling many. As an aside, whilst zipping up my anorak.....I've lost it in the cut at least 3 times and have spent hours with a keb recovering it, in the days before sea searcher magnets.

Cheers

Dave

[AMModels]

Im not surprised he recognised it so quickly, as I recall we had about 2 or 3 of those exact windlasses Dave along with a couple of double eyes for when we ventured south, the doubles had the plastic rotating handles and we always considered them a bit cissy as you didnt get the requisite blisters from using them....and if you ever asked for a pair of gloves!!!!!

 

[dave moore]

Andy

Talking of gloves....just about every female boater I see these days is wearing the bloody things! Is it me, or has skin become softer in the 21st century. Sorry, my grump just escaped....

Dave

[AMModels]

Next time you see H ask him abut women boaters and marigolds...his dad had a few things to say about them lol.

 

[Derek R.]

I'm not sure I would put too much emphasis on any notches. I've one on the boat that I've notched in much the same way - and put the boat name on it.

 

The little six inch I have has a series of punch marks on the shank; five on the web; and one either side of a similar notch on each square edge:

 

(Must have been a domino player?)

 

 

The one I have that is most like Dave's also has notches - easy to do with a rat tailed file though I haven't, and wouldn't touch these:

 

 

Possibly a copy of a respected maker, I don't know, and both have flared handle tips too - as have the galvy and the bronze.

Whilst not wishing to deface or personalise them further, I don't think I would be past sleeving them discreetly and carefully so that a favoured one could be used. What better pleasure to be had than use them for their proper purpose.

 

 

Edit: Last one worth a look - Nothing special, save it's the one we had and used a lot with Yarmouth. Smooth handle with no flare to the end, 8 inch shank, 1.1/4" x 1.3/16" taper. Small enough to still use as is, at least on the S. GU.

 

Edited August 30, 2008 by Derek R.

[AMModels]

BTW, does anyone else read this topic as 'Hairy Neal Windlass' or have I developed an unhealthy obsession.

[alan_fincher]

BTW, does anyone else read this topic as 'Hairy Neal Windlass' or have I developed an unhealthy obsession.

See post number 5 of this thread!

[AMModels]

[dave moore]

Thanks to all of you who've bothered to contribute to this obscure thread. I've just been away on the boat for the w/end and spent time rummaging under the cabin floor, where I normally put gear that isn't often needed. Among a motley collection of ugly modern windlasses there is a small eyed old one which I aquired as a lad at school and I can't remember who or where from.....the clay pipe stamped on one side of the shank and G H Cooke on the other.....bingo! Got one!! How could I miss it for all these years? I'll post a picture soon.

Cheers Dave

Edited August 31, 2008 by dave moore

[alan_fincher]

If you ever need some help sorting out your glory hole with "some of the stuff that isn't needed", just post an invite on the forum.

 

I'm sure you'll find a few willing volunteers to sort through and re-home some of it for you!

[dave moore]

Alan

I promise....there are no more surprises to come! Double eyed cast things painted pink (where did that come from?) and a few others, nothing to stir the spirit, honestly. I only wish I could recall how I got hold of it, 45 + years later and the memory cells are fading fast. I remember using it in 67 on the T&M when I was ferrying a film crew around, all the spindle sizes are different now and I haven't tried it on the new standard spindles. Will do so soon . If I remember rightly, the T&M spindles were tapered from 1" broad to 7/8 small end, as an early canal I recall the spindles as narrow and well worn.... a bit like me, altho' the narrow now no longer applies!!!

Cheers

Dave

Edited August 31, 2008 by dave moore

[dave moore]

Hi all I promised some pictures in the last post. Thanks to Derek R and his kind instructions I've managed to take pictures and put them on to a photo host site. To say I'm chuffed, especially with the Wheelock, is putting it mildly

Cheers Dave[

 

 

and another

 

 

 

 

 

The photos show the pair alonside a 12'' ruler, the head of the Harry Neal windlass and the shank of the Wheelock showing the distinctive "Clay pipe" trademark of G H Cooke, the maker

Edited September 7, 2008 by dave moore

[Derek R.]

Excellent! Cheers. No stopping you now . . .

[dave moore]

Hi Windlass Watchers!

A tad more information, if you're interested. Speaking to other greybeards at the funeral of another boater earlier this week, I brought up the windlass question. They knew of Neal windlasses and suggested that I contact another long time boater, again and aquaintance from the 60s who has extensive knowledge of these things. He confirmed provenance of the Neal and also the Cooke -a apparently forgeries aren't unknown - and told me that Harry Neal was a toll collector around the Stewart Aqueduct, which carries the old main line over the new close to Spon Lane. As well as this, he also made windlasses for boaters. I'll try and find out more soon

Cheers

Dave

[David Schweizer]

Hi Windlass Watchers!

A tad more information, if you're interested. Speaking to other greybeards at the funeral of another boater earlier this week, I brought up the windlass question. They knew of Neal windlasses and suggested that I contact another long time boater, again and aquaintance from the 60s who has extensive knowledge of these things. He confirmed provenance of the Neal and also the Cooke -a apparently forgeries aren't unknown - and told me that Harry Neal was a toll collector around the Stewart Aqueduct, which carries the old main line over the new close to Spon Lane. As well as this, he also made windlasses for boaters. I'll try and find out more soon

Cheers

Dave

 

Well I know that my two Cookes aren't forgeries, I bought them from a retiring Working Boatman in 1969 for five shillings each. He only asked for five shillings for the two, but that seemed a bit mean.

Edited September 26, 2008 by David Schweizer

[magnetman]

Well I know that my two Cookes aren't forgeries, I bought them from a retiring Working Boatman in 1969 for five shillings each. He only asked for five shillings for the two, but that seemed a bit mean.

I definitely think they are forged

[dave moore]

I definitely think they are forged

 

 

Sorry...it wasn't my intention tp pun (unusually!). My expert indentified the grain in the metal as characteristic of a forged, as opposed to cast, windlass.