Harkers archive ???

[John V]

I am trying to trace the early history of my liveaboard Motor barge "Sabina H". The information I have has come 3rd and 4th hand and I would like to tie down her builder and date definitively.

 

The information I have is that she was built for Harkers in 1929 then there is a gap until the 60's when she was re-decked and partially re-bottomed and used by Peter Horlock of Mistley on the East coast sulphuric acid run. Coming out of service she was used as a liveaboard (just the bow cabin) by a David Babsky. eventually becoming a sinker and a well known eyesore at Gun Wharf on the Isle of Dogs.

 

Does anyone know if there is an archive of early Harker's records ? or can suggest any other possible source of information Thanks John

 

img003 by mudlarker2, on Flickr

[Pluto]

John Goodchild has some Harker papers, 1929-42, in his collection at Wakefield. They used to be in the Local Studies Collection at Wakefield Library, but I think are now at the Registry of Deeds in Wakefield. You can find more details on A2A, the national archive website.

[John V]

Thanks for that Pluto.

[FadeToScarlet]

Working Life on Severn and Canal by Hugh Conway-Jones has some details of the boatmen and the (scary!) working practices, which is definitely worth a read if you've not already.

[John V]

Working Life on Severn and Canal by Hugh Conway-Jones has some details of the boatmen and the (scary!) working practices, which is definitely worth a read if you've not already.

 

Thanks...not come across that one....one I got a bit ago (and a real eye opener) was "SevernTanking" by B.A. Lane

[Giant]

Was she built for Harkers or by Harkers?

 

There is a Harkers yard list at http://www.knottingley.org/history/harkerbuilt.htm which starts in 1929 (albeit perhaps only late that year) and doesn't appear to include Sabina H, unless she was built with a different name. What size is she?

 

Our own boat was built by Harkers 20+ years later (Goodwill, 1953, yard number 259).

Edited June 1, 2014 by Giant

[IanM]

The Horlock family are still in the Mistley area, I'll ask around and see if anyone knows them and if they have any records of their involvement.

[John V]

Apparently she was built for Harkers. Shortly after I bought her, I bumped into someone by accident who told me where she was built, unfortunately at the time I didn't write it down and of course by that evening I couldn't remember

 

I do know that it was a well known keel builder because I recognised the name (it wasn't Dunstons....I remember that much)

 

She has odd dimensions 66' stem to stern frame excluding rudder blade 16' 5" beam

when I bought her she had the remains of a 4 cyl Glennifer air start with a 3.5hp single pot Lister driving the compressor

The Glennifer had been under water so many times and for so long that it was completely beyond reclamation

 

img010 by mudlarker2, on Flickr

 

img021 by mudlarker2, on Flickr

Edited June 3, 2014 by John V

[FadeToScarlet]

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Tankers-Knottingley-Short-History-Harker/dp/0950236780 don't know if you've seen this book, it's slim but has plenty of details.

[John V]

thanks for that info....hadn't come across that one before will get a copy ordered pronto

[Giant]

Apparently she was built for Harkers. Shortly after I bought her, I bumped into someone by accident who told me where she was built, unfortunately at the time I didn't write it down and of course by that evening I couldn't remember

 

I do know that it was a well known keel builder because I recognised the name (it wasn't Dunstons....I remember that much)

 

If not Harkers or Dunstons, then the other main ones that come to mind are Henry Scarr of Hessle, Joseph Scarr of Beverley, or W H Warren of New Holland.

 

Have you had a look in "Tanker Barges on the Humber Waterways" by Mike Taylor? We have a few of his books but not that one I'm afraid.

[John V]

 

If not Harkers or Dunstons, then the other main ones that come to mind are Henry Scarr of Hessle, Joseph Scarr of Beverley, or W H Warren of New Holland.

 

Have you had a look in "Tanker Barges on the Humber Waterways" by Mike Taylor? We have a few of his books but not that one I'm afraid.

 

 

yet another book I haven't got!! thanks for the info. Wish I had come on here and asked some questions ages ago

[Phil Ambrose]

Interesting, we have a chap on our marina who has a barge that he brought down from Hull way and its called "Harkers Yard" I wonder if there is a connection.

Phil

[John V]

Quite possible Phill.

 

I think one of the problems I have is that Harkers didn't seem to start building in their own yard until very late in 1929 when according to Tomlinsons Canal and River navigations they took over 2 yards at Knottingly

The earliest Launch date seems to be December of that year but interestingly the list starts with job 30 something ???

Sabina H seems to appear sometime a little before the list starts....you do find yourself chasing your tail when you get involved with research!!

[Matt B]

Doesn't specifically help with you question but have you seen this web page,

 

http://hulldockbargeworld.weebly.com/rivercraft.html

 

about seventh pic down....

[John V]

Thank you ....no I had not seen that thanks very much for bringing it to my attention. I had just about given up any hope of finding a photo of her while in trade....In fact I had not realised how much she had been altered when converted for coastal use by P Horlock until I saw that picture....thanks again!

[Matt B]

Glad to be of service, the chap who runs the site is an ex keel man and seems to know many people with old pictures and often uploads new stuff. I found the only picture I have of Hope in trade on his site.

[Giant]

the chap who runs the site is an ex keel man and seems to know many people with old pictures and often uploads new stuff

 

They all hang out on a Facebook group called 'Tugs and Workboats on Humber'. Well worth getting on if you're interested, it's a gold mine of photos & info.

[Matt B]

 

They all hang out on a Facebook group called 'Tugs and Workboats on Humber'. Well worth getting on if you're interested, it's a gold mine of photos & info.

 

Thanks for that

[Andymaz]

Hi John

 

In 1976 and 1977 my boat was moored directly in front of Sabena H and I regularly visited David Babsky the then owner. I also, once or twice, accompanied David aboard Sabena H on trips up and down the river.

 

I have a few photographs of the boat on its mooring in Kingston on Thames.

 

Andymaz

[Lady Muck]

I was there at the launch of some of those vessels as a small schoolchild - in the 70's - we used to get to leave school for the launch and they'd take us all down to Harkers to clap and cheer (and get soaked by the waves from the side launching).

[Giant]

This looks interesting - sounds like it might go back earlier than the 1929 cutoff of the existing online list.

 

http://www.catalogue.wyjs.org.uk/Record.aspx?src=CalmView.Catalog&id=Z000187&pos=178

[John V]

Hi John

 

In 1976 and 1977 my boat was moored directly in front of Sabena H and I regularly visited David Babsky the then owner. I also, once or twice, accompanied David aboard Sabena H on trips up and down the river.

 

I have a few photographs of the boat on its mooring in Kingston on Thames.

 

Andymaz

 

Hi Andy

 

If you have any photos from those days I would be most obliged if you could let me have copies

I think you will find she looks very different now

 

John

Humber Barge by mudlarker2, on Flickr

Giant

 

Thanks very much for that link

 

John

[Giant]

A Harkers launch on film - skip to 38:32 to see the launch of Yewdale H. Yard number 235, launched 15th March 1950.

 

[pearley]

If not Harkers or Dunstons, then the other main ones that come to mind are Henry Scarr of Hessle, Joseph Scarr of Beverley, or W H Warren of New Holland.

 

Have you had a look in "Tanker Barges on the Humber Waterways[/size]" by Mike Taylor? We have a few of his books but not that one I'm afraid.

I know this is an old thread but had this for Christmas.

 

Page 21 has a picture of Sabina H. Captioned "Harkers Sabina H first brought petrol from Saltend as a dumb barge, when new, in 1929. It is shown leaving South Ferriby lock to join the Ancholme Navigation, on another voyage to Brigg in 1950, by which time the tanker had delivered hundreds of cargoes to this Lincolnshire storage depot and been motorised, with its capacity cut from 100 tons to 75 tons."

 

My copy was bought at the London Canal Museum.

Edited March 2, 2015 by pearley