Teddesley boat yard

[Monkey 1]

A family member once told me that my grandfarthers family, who lived & worked on the narrow boats, operated from Teddesley? I have done a bit of searching but can't find any reference to it ever being a working boat yard.

I wonder if anybody has any history of it or knows how long teddesley boat yard has been there? & what was it usd for?

Whenever I pass it always looks very quiet.

 

 

 

[PhilR]

I would be very interested myself to hear of any commercial carrying from the Teddesley yard. I can't recall seeing any activity there when I boated past in the 1960's (but my early memories are not always reliable!).

 

In the late 1970's and early 1980's they were building steel pleasure boats there, which I think would have pre-dated the establishment of the hire boat base.

 

My current boat was built in 1980 at the Teddesley yard and is still going strong.

 

Good luck with your search.

 

Phil

[alan_fincher]

In the late 1970's and early 1980's they were building steel pleasure boats there, which I think would have pre-dated the establishment of the hire boat base.

The hire boat business was certainly active by about 1977-ish.

 

I hired a boat from them with some of the proceeds from my own boat that I sold off at that time.

 

Steel hulls, fibreglass tops, Lister air cooled diesel, and leaks round most of the roof ventilators!

 

EDIT:

 

I can find references in magazines to them hiring as early as 1972.

Edited February 26, 2013 by alan_fincher

[johnthebridge]

From the early 1970s it was run by Peter and Linda Millward and they used, amongst others, Bob Allen to build their boats. I liked them very much. Pete was a good chap, very helpful, and it was a tragedy when he died at an early age, sometime in the early 1980s I think. Linda carried on the business for several years after, but I think has now finished there. They were great enthusiasts of the old school, and usually had an interesting boat or two around what I always considered to be a characterful boat yard. Amongst others, I think the Lady Hatherton used to moor there.

Edited February 26, 2013 by johnthebridge

[Dorlan]

From Teddesley Boats website...

Teddesley Boats started by Dr Peter Chapman in 1968 with a small fleet of GRP cruisers, then sold to Peter Jones who wanted to specialise in the chandlery business. We then took over the running of Peter Jones hire fleet of fibre glass topped steel narrow boats, gradually replacing them with a modern fleet of traditionally styled craft.

Peter Jones founded Midland Chandlers there in the late 70s.

 

Lady Hatherton was moored there in the in the 1980s. We were moored by her when we were stranded there for a while after the canal breached at Compton.

 

According to the internet, Linda is still involved with the business.

Edited February 26, 2013 by Dorlan

[Dorlan]

Ian Langford's Staffs and Worcs Canal book says that The wharf above Parkgate Bridge and lock was the principal wharf serving Teddesley Park.

 

There was another next to Shutt Hill Bridge and the third was a little way beyond Fancy Bridge, next to a small basin just big enough to take one narrowboat.

[TNC]

The later Teddesley built all steel boats well fitted, with nicely shaped solidly built hulls. We and many friends hired from them over the years. ISTR hearing that their fabricator had some connection with Les Allen.

[David Mack]

The hire boat business was certainly active by about 1977-ish.

 

I hired a boat from them with some of the proceeds from my own boat that I sold off at that time.

 

Steel hulls, fibreglass tops, Lister air cooled diesel, and leaks round most of the roof ventilators!

 

EDIT:

 

I can find references in magazines to them hiring as early as 1972.

 

My father bought the ex Thomas Clayton (motorised) butty Leam from Teddesley in about 1974 or 75, although I'm not sure if the yard sold it or that was simply its previous mooring. The hire base was certainly operating then.

[casper ghost]

My Dad launched his boat there in the 80's. I built mine there in 2000 and my brother built his there a few years ago. Linda was still there when I last went and Lady Hatherton was still moored there.

Casp'

[PhilR]

The later Teddesley built all steel boats well fitted, with nicely shaped solidly built hulls. We and many friends hired from them over the years. ISTR hearing that their fabricator had some connection with Les Allen.

 

I have also heard that Les Allen had some connection with the fabrication of the hulls, but have been unable to confirm that.

 

I have seen a couple of Teddesley boats built in 1978 with GRP tops and my own, all steel, Teddesley was built in 1980. That should give an indication of when they changed to all steel construction......

The steel plating is probably a bit unusual for the time, mine being 7:7:5:4 with decks of 12mm plate + lateral stiffeners.

[TNC]

I have also heard that Les Allen had some connection with the fabrication of the hulls, but have been unable to confirm that.

 

I have seen a couple of Teddesley boats built in 1978 with GRP tops and my own, all steel, Teddesley was built in 1980. That should give an indication of when they changed to all steel construction......

The steel plating is probably a bit unusual for the time, mine being 7:7:5:4 with decks of 12mm plate + lateral stiffeners.

 

This is Evelyn an all steel Teddesley we hired in 1982 (78198 - not in Jim Shead), then again in 1984 in their later livery....is she similar to Why Worry?

This NB had a nice hull shape, the bow of which looks like a Les Allen with similar thick "D" bar strakes.

 

[XAlan W]

Not sure when Teddesley started to hire, but seem to remember that along with Shopsire union cruises & Bejou line at Penkridge they purchased GRP tops for steel hulled boats being built at that time which was 1967- 71 from what I remember

[Heartland]

There was a wharf at Shutt Hill (Bridge 91) and another south of Teddesley Bridge (89) that was associated with the quarries. Commercial carrying in this part might have been associated with coal, and also stone therefore. The boat yard seemingly is from a later date.

 

Ray Shill

[PhilR]

This is Evelyn an all steel Teddesley we hired in 1982 (78198 - not in Jim Shead), then again in 1984 in their later livery....is she similar to Why Worry?

This NB had a nice hull shape, the bow of which looks like a Les Allen with similar thick "D" bar strakes.

 

I can see similarities. But Why Worry is less traditional in appearance .......... no cants, square section handrails, bigger stem post with more rake and a slightly finer line to the bow.

[Monkey 1]

There was a wharf at Shutt Hill (Bridge 91) and another south of Teddesley Bridge (89) that was associated with the quarries. Commercial carrying in this part might have been associated with coal, and also stone therefore. The boat yard seemingly is from a later date.

 

Ray Shill

 

 

I was also thinking that. maybe the boatyard is relatively new & never was occupied by a carrying co. It looks like great Grandad must have worked from elsewhere.

 

 

 

[alan_fincher]

The later Teddesley built all steel boats well fitted, with nicely shaped solidly built hulls. We and many friends hired from them over the years. ISTR hearing that their fabricator had some connection with Les Allen.

 

I have also heard that Les Allen had some connection with the fabrication of the hulls, but have been unable to confirm that.

 

 

This is Evelyn an all steel Teddesley we hired in 1982 (78198 - not in Jim Shead), then again in 1984 in their later livery....is she similar to Why Worry?

This NB had a nice hull shape, the bow of which looks like a Les Allen with similar thick "D" bar strakes.

 

That's a pleasing looking hire boat, isn't it?

 

I can confirm that in a July 1982 edition of Waterways World the Teddesley Boat Company advert says....

 

Have your next boat built by us on the superb Les Allen hull.

 

I guess that wording could either mean they built boats there based on Les Allen hulls, or they took delivery of complete hulls from Les Allen that they then completed into finished boats.

 

I wasn't aware of either possibility, I'll admit - I'm more familiar with the earlier boats with a very distinctive hull with a very broad stem post, and GRP tops - some of which are still about down our way.

[johnthebridge]

Please refer to my earlier post, number 4, where I said Bob Allen built boats for Teddesley. Perhaps I shouldn't have assumed that some people might not know that Bob WAS Les Allen and Son. After his father died, Bob and his brother were the men in charge and anyone going there to have a boat built would have dealt only with Bob. Good bloke.

[alan_fincher]

Please refer to my earlier post, number 4, where I said Bob Allen built boats for Teddesley. Perhaps I shouldn't have assumed that some people might not know that Bob WAS Les Allen and Son. After his father died, Bob and his brother were the men in charge and anyone going there to have a boat built would have dealt only with Bob. Good bloke.

I certainly know who Bob Allen is, but unless I have missed something, I still don't think it has been clearly stated if the boats were built at Teddesley, or at Allen's yard, (for Teddesley).

 

Out of genuine interest, which is the correct answer, please?

[johnthebridge]

I certainly know who Bob Allen is, but unless I have missed something, I still don't think it has been clearly stated if the boats were built at Teddesley, or at Allen's yard, (for Teddesley).

 

Out of genuine interest, which is the correct answer, please?

 

I was referring to others, rather than you, when I said this. Apologies if that was not clear. The boats were built at Oldbury, by Bob. If you knew him, I think you'd agree that it wouldn't have happened any other way!

[alan_fincher]

I was referring to others, rather than you, when I said this. Apologies if that was not clear. The boats were built at Oldbury, by Bob. If you knew him, I think you'd agree that it wouldn't have happened any other way!

No didn't know him, only "of him".

 

I actually wonder with hindsight how many of the boats we credit to particular builders were actually built by them at their base. So for instance were earlier boats like this one built at Teddesley, or somewhere else for them?

 

 

Certainly I think I remember hearing the GRP tops were made elsewhere, and shipped in?

[Simon666]

there in the early/mid 80s. For Pete and Linda.

had a hire fleet of about 10 narrow boats, ranging from a couple of the old fibre glass topped in blue, to all steel from 29 to 68 foot long in the new grey and Red liveries.

at the time some were bought used while the fleet was being built up by les Allen at Oldbury, supplying the Hull and superstructure shell.

We would then shot blast, paint and totally fit out including engine electrics etc. usually fitting a ThorneyCroft 1.5 diesel unit.

Also private customers would have new boats built using the same practice.

I am nearly 100% that the old fibre glass top boats where totally built there in the 70s. I am sure there was some old moulds lying about.

also we did our own steel fabricating, in the way of re bottoming, extending etc

I remember the traditional sign writer from near Birmingham, can't remember his name. used to watch him for hours. hope to have been of help.

[dave moore]

The signwriter would have been Roy Phillips, I worked with him from time to time in the early 80s. John Horton worked with the Allen's at Oldbury then ans went to Penkridge when the Allen's retired, building under his own name. Roy is still painting but mostly in his shed at home, none of us are as young as we were!

 

Dave

[Simon666]

that's the chap.Roy. Thanks for that Dave. used to have a polly tunnel over the water with a space heater. that was the paint shed.cheers Simon.

[Rufford]

I have a 1978 ex Teddersley Hire boat (I think), cracking steelwork and solid as a rock. :-)

[PhilR]

I have a 1978 ex Teddersley Hire boat (I think), cracking steelwork and solid as a rock. :-)

 

I'd be interested to see a photo is you have one.