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George Greenwell aboard the sailing barge Ardwina of the Isle of Wight April 1936
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George Greenwell aboard the sailing barge Ardwina of the Isle of Wight April 1936
George Greenwell aboard the sailing barge Ardwina of the Isle of Wight April 1936
" LENSMAN" TURNS PENMAN TO PICTURE THE LIFE OF A BARGEE
LENSMAN, as you see by the pictures on pages 16 and 17, has spent nearly a week shooting " life on a Thames barge. Below is the first instalment of his record of his adventures.
By LENSMAN
Harry Evans, of Ipswich, was the skipper, Harry Kent, of Grays, the mate.
The crow was the little dog Peter. And I was the passenger.
The sixty-six-ton sailing barge, Ardwina, took five days between London and Cowes, Isle of Wight, and we had only a few hours sleep.
Its a.slow life and a hard life, the life of a Thames bargee. Calms hold him up sometimes for days. Gales and tides sweep him off his course.
He never knows exactly when hes going to get back to the " missus, "
The skipper and mate of the Ardwina spent years teaching the dog to be a real crew... to pull on the ropes. Peter pulls all
right. But he always pu!ls the wrong way.
Do you wonder the Thames bargee likes colour in his language
We left Albert Dock on a Sunday afternoon, and when we reached Grays we unshipped the side lights, put up the anchor lights and went
ashore for a pint
Round the World ?
The two Harrys told me a story about the Ardwina.
Some years ago, before they were sailing her, she was gale swept and away went the mast. A French tramp took her in tow, but the rope
broke. A new rope was used, but that, too broke.
So the crew went aboard the French tramp and left the Ardwina to drift. She was picked up by another Frenchman three weeks later.
" The old girl might have been round the world for all we knew, " they added.
But to return to the present trip. At 5 o clock next morning a good breeze was blowing, yet, as soon as we put the sails up, it dropped and we were becalmed.
Then we had a wash in an " egg cup, " Water is scarce on board. Then we went ashore for another pint.
That night we had cocoa, on top of beer
Staff
Daily Mirror
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Greater London
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Media ID 21753599
© Mirrorpix
1936 Adventure Captain English Channel Journey Sailing Ships Sailor Thames Barge Coxswain Ships Wheel
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George Greenwell aboard the sailing barge Ardwina of the Isle of Wight April 1936 - Lensman Turns Penman to Picture the Life of a Bargee
EDITORS COMMENTS
. In this photo print, taken in April 1936, we are transported back in time to witness the arduous yet fascinating life of a Thames bargee. George Greenwell stands proudly aboard the sixty-six-ton sailing barge Ardwina, accompanied by his trusty crewmate, Peter the little dog. The journey from London to Cowes on the Isle of Wight was no easy feat. The slow and unpredictable nature of life on a Thames barge meant that calm weather conditions could delay their progress for days, while fierce gales and tides threatened to steer them off course. Such challenges were all part and parcel of this demanding existence. As we delve deeper into their story, it becomes evident that even Peter had been trained rigorously over years to become an integral member of the crew. However, despite his best efforts, he always seemed to pull in the wrong direction – much like life itself sometimes! This particular trip held its own share of adventures as well. From unshipped side lights at Grays to becalming moments followed by refreshing pints ashore and even cocoa enjoyed under starry skies – every experience added color and depth to these men's lives. Through this remarkable photograph captured by "Lensman" we gain insight into a world where hard work intertwines with camaraderie and resilience against nature's whims. It is truly a testament to human determination amidst challenging circumstances - reminding us that history holds countless stories waiting patiently for our discovery.
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