Narrow Boat PEARL

[Heartland]

After a talk at Walsall Library, today, I was asked by one person who attended and mentioned his 1960's trip on PEARL from Wolverhampton towards the mines at Cannock Chase. He is keen to track this boat down and what happened to her. He thought she was a wooden hulled motor boat. Has anybody a suggestions as to identity. Perhaps Laurence might have some idea?

 

Ray Shill

[Liam]

Usually found tied up near the Salt Barge Pub, at Marston, Northwich, in Cheshire near (just south of Anderton).

[David Schweizer]

After a talk at Walsall Library, today, I was asked by one person who attended and mentioned his 1960's trip on PEARL from Wolverhampton towards the mines at Cannock Chase. He is keen to track this boat down and what happened to her. He thought she was a wooden hulled motor boat. Has anybody a suggestions as to identity. Perhaps Laurence might have some idea?

 

Ray Shill

I remember a narrowboat called Pearl in the 1960's she was owned by Binky Bush (one of the founding members of the Narrowboat Owners Club), and normally moored at Aylesbury. From recollection she was an ex Thomas Clayton motor called originally named Baron. I don't knw what happened to the boat or even whether she still exists.

[carlt]

Forum member PearlyGeoff, who posts here occasionally, lives on her.

 

If you send him a pm you may get some more information.

 

Edited to add Pearlygeoff's profile link.....Clicky

Edited July 17, 2012 by carlt

[Laurence Hogg]

The Thos Clayton "Pearl" is listed on Jim Sheads boat listing, currently as unlicensed according to his records. "Pearl" AKA "Baron" is still around as Baron to my knowledge.

[carlt]

The Thos Clayton "Pearl" is listed on Jim Sheads boat listing, currently as unlicensed according to his records.

Yes, that'll be Pearlygeoff's.

[josiejo]

baron is our coal boat around london owned by pete Wakeham and steered by a french man called Dom

[Derek R.]

Looks like we are talking about two PEARL's.

 

That which Binky Bush owned and was in Aylesbury basin for some time, we went to view in the late seventies. Kitted out as a hotel boat with cabins along one side and three pot Bolinder in the stern, we decided not to. This is the PEARL that was formerly BARON to our understanding which was gained from HNBOC members who were 'in the know' at the time.

 

Later, the cabin had gone, and it was moored below Denham Deep for some time in the hands of the Wakehams (Haven't seen Roger and Fran for ages). So maybe there is another PEARL as owned and lived aboard by PearlyGeoff?

[alan_fincher]

Previous threads about the composite boat "Baron" / "Pearl", (Binky Bush's boat)......

 

Here and (including photos) Here

[Laurence Hogg]

There are (were) two "Pearls"

1: Uxbridge built motor for Thos Clayton Ltd, sold off before cessation of trade now residing at Lion Salt Works.

2: 1989 Saltley built "Baron" FMC steamer converted to diesel sold to Holloways then Binkie Bush (renamed Pearl) now back to original name.

 

There was a third ish, "Pearl Hyde" which operated in Coventry as a trip boat.

[carlt]

There are (were) two "Pearls"

1: Uxbridge built motor for Thos Clayton Ltd, sold off before cessation of trade now residing at Lion Salt Works.

...not to be confused with "Poyle", the Nurser butty built for Thos Clayton Ltd, converted into a motor and renamed by Lionel Stander...

Edited July 18, 2012 by carlt

[Derek R.]

That must have been the "Welcome" boat, another Aylesbury resident, and a warm welcome from Beryl if I'm not mistaken.

[pearlygeoff]

Hello

 

Pearl is my boat which I rebuilt in 1990/91 at Caggy's Yard Tipton. Not the boat associated with Binky Bush.

 

Originally built by Nursers as a butty in 1935. Converted to a motor by Claytons in 1945. Mostly used in the gasworks/tar trade but during WW11 transporting oil from Ellesmere Port to Oldbury - still horsedrawn.

 

Lots of 'history' and I've met several people who worked her including Johnny Jinks, various Tolleys, Atkinses and some I can't remember as I met them on the move going the opposite way to me.

 

I have moved around a lot until a serious illness in 2006 and have been in the Northwich area since then mostly in dispute with British Waterways over their treatment of people needing to stay in an area for medical treatment. Have been evicted and had licence revoked since February 2010, which I may have mentioned before, and am currently awaiting 'trial'.

 

Any more information contact me at geoffmayers@hotmail.co.uk.

[pete harrison]

There are (were) two "Pearls"

1: Uxbridge built motor for Thos Clayton Ltd, sold off before cessation of trade now residing at Lion Salt Works.

2: 1989 Saltley built "Baron" FMC steamer converted to diesel sold to Holloways then Binkie Bush (renamed Pearl) now back to original name.

 

There was a third ish, "Pearl Hyde" which operated in Coventry as a trip boat.

The Thomas Clayton (Oldbury) Ltd. horse boat PEARL was built by Nurser Bros., Braunston and "taken away" on 07 February 1935. My records suggest that PEARL was sold by Thomas Clayton (Oldbury) Ltd. in 1966 having latterly worked on the Banbury Gasworks traffic (1963) amongst others.

 

PEARL HYDE was the wooden former Ovaltine motor ALBERT, being converted into the Coventry based trip boat in 1958. PEARL HYDE was replaced by a new steel hulled trip boat named PEARL HYDE II in 1973 built by Sam Springer.

Edited July 18, 2012 by pete harrison

[Tam & Di]

There are (were) two "Pearls"

1: Uxbridge built motor for Thos Clayton Ltd, sold off before cessation of trade now residing at Lion Salt Works.

2: 1989 Saltley built "Baron" FMC steamer converted to diesel sold to Holloways then Binkie Bush (renamed Pearl) now back to original name.

 

There was a third ish, "Pearl Hyde" which operated in Coventry as a trip boat.

 

 

???

[pete harrison]

???

1898

[Athy]

.

PEARL HYDE was replaced by a new steel hulled trip boat named PEARL HYDE II in 1973 built by Sam Springer.

....and currently undergoing work at Fox's Marina in March, having just changed hands. It was mentioned in another thread recently.

[Heartland]

I have some more information about this PEARL, the opinion is that this craft is believed to have carried coal. Did Claytons have any boats for that traffic?

 

Ray Shill

 

But, it could be a Holloways craft.

 

Ray Shill

[pete harrison]

I have some more information about this PEARL, the opinion is that this craft is believed to have carried coal. Did Claytons have any boats for that traffic?

 

Ray Shill

 

But, it could be a Holloways craft.

 

Ray Shill

Thomas Clayton (Oldbury) Ltd. horse boat PEARL 81 was gauged as B.C.N. 1851 (10 May 1935) and was complete with a "covered top". When PEARL 81 was converted to a motor it was re-weighed under the same B.C.N. gauge number with the table being amended on 21 January 1948, and again it was listed as having a "covered top".

 

The "Holloways craft" was, as I understand it, still named BARON (exF.M.C. Ltd.) when owned by J. Holloway & Son, Oldbury, or it was possibly nameless and only named by its fleet number (I am as always happy to be corrected). BARON was renamed as PEARL when it later passed to W. Cresswell & Son, Oldbury and then to PAUL when it passed to S.T. Brant & Co., Birmingham. I can confirm that BARON / PEARL / PAUL was a conventional carrying boat latterly involved in the transportation of coal. This is also the boat that as PEARL was converted to a house boat by the late Binky Bush - and is now once again renamed as BARON. Although this information is published on Richard Thomas's 'steamer' website (http://www.steamershistorical.co.uk) I have taken my information from the gauge table B.C.N. 22372 along with other details from my own records.

[dave moore]

Hi

 

The Thomas Clayton "Pearl" was tied in Gas Street Basin in the mid to late 60s. The owner was then Barry Stanton, one of the Stanton family who owned the Clayton boat "Kubina" and who were involved with the hire fleet "Brummagem Boats" at Sherborne St Wharf. (AS I recall, they metamorphosed from an outfit on the Aston flight called Planet Cruisers) Pearl, at the time, was a motor without an engine and rather badly hogged....I used to spend weekends aboard with Barry's consent; she was not in the best state at that time and the tanks still had residue of tar from her carrying days. I penned an ode...

 

The Pearl, a broken, twisted wreck...

Sometimes I think " Oh what the heck,

Why should I care if she sinks

Releasing all foul s*** and stink

 

I've seen her subsequently at a variety of places on the system, not for a while. Good luck to the current owner!!

 

Cheers

 

Dave

[pete harrison]

Hi

 

The Thomas Clayton "Pearl" was tied in Gas Street Basin in the mid to late 60s. The owner was then Barry Stanton, one of the Stanton family who owned the Clayton boat "Kubina" and who were involved with the hire fleet "Brummagem Boats" at Sherborne St Wharf. (AS I recall, they metamorphosed from an outfit on the Aston flight called Planet Cruisers)

Cheers

 

Dave

The hire fleet that operated from Lichfield Road, Aston was Planetfleet Cruisers Ltd. and they had nothing to do with Brummagem Boats Ltd. - except of course being in competition. 'Planetfleet Cruisers Ltd. hire boats were painted orange and blue and always looked to be rather unkept, although their chosen colours probably did not help. Planetfleet Cruisers Ltd. went out of business as a hire company in about 1981 but their yard continued in use as a mooring for some time (and probably still is for all I know).

[dave moore]

Hi Pete

 

If I recall correctly, Alan Green was at Planetfleet Cruisers and was later, certainly, a director of Brum Boats...you reemember?

 

Dave

[Heartland]

Hi

 

The Thomas Clayton "Pearl" was tied in Gas Street Basin in the mid to late 60s. The owner was then Barry Stanton, one of the Stanton family who owned the Clayton boat "Kubina" and who were involved with the hire fleet "Brummagem Boats" at Sherborne St Wharf. (AS I recall, they metamorphosed from an outfit on the Aston flight called Planet Cruisers) Pearl, at the time, was a motor without an engine and rather badly hogged....I used to spend weekends aboard with Barry's consent; she was not in the best state at that time and the tanks still had residue of tar from her carrying days. I penned an ode...

 

The Pearl, a broken, twisted wreck...

Sometimes I think " Oh what the heck,

Why should I care if she sinks

Releasing all foul s*** and stink

 

I've seen her subsequently at a variety of places on the system, not for a while. Good luck to the current owner!!

 

Cheers

 

Dave

 

Thanks Dave, I think that the boat being searched for is BARON, I believe I have pictures of her in the RCHS Collection as a steamer.

 

Ray Shill

[pete harrison]

Hi Pete

 

If I recall correctly, Alan Green was at Planetfleet Cruisers and was later, certainly, a director of Brum Boats...you reemember?

 

Dave

I certainly recall Alan Green being a director of Brummagem Boats Ltd., and I am more than happy to take your word for it that he previously had an involvement with 'Planetfleet'.

[josiejo]

saw pete wakehams boats fmc baron delivering water at the olympics today with guccc denebola and taurus delivering diesel to the water chairots jo.