Sailing Barge Master

Originally the

Stamford Brook

, the 20m

Dockman

has, amongst its other virtues, a bollard pull of 8.5 tons from 312 twin turbo Dorman engines installed by previous owner PR Services, which invested some £200,000 in a refit that included not only the engines, gearboxes and drives, but also the bigger helm position and windows. Together these give not just the much needed extra comfort but also enable better viewing of operations from the bridge.

Sailing Barge Master is the story of a Victorian bargeman. The author George Winn first went afloat as third hand on a diminutive, well worn and humble river sailing barge in 1877 when he was just eights years of age. This was after just two years of formal education, a significant proportion of which was apparently missed due to truancy.

He then served some years as mate then skipper aboard the craft of Kent brick and cement maker, Smeed Dean & Company. He then progressed to commanding much larger sailing barges working coastwise, mainly around the Thames Estuary, the south coast of England and the Continent.

Eventually he decided to work for himself and a dream was fulfilled when he became master and owner of the ketch barge Diana, one of the largest of its type and engaged in the Channel trades.

Although George Winn’s words were penned more than 70 years ago, his manuscript was kept as a treasured family heirloom which has now been brought to print. His views on fate and the world around him nearly cost him his career and the loss of command during the times of Queen Victoria.

This book is remarkable for a number of reasons. Firstly it’s from a manuscript that was written between 1934 and 1949 and was finished just short of the author’s death aged 82. It also covers in depth and at first hand a period in the river and coastal sailing barge trades which has never previously been recorded in such a detailed and personal way.

It would make a noteworthy read for anyone who has an interest in maritime heritage and a love of true stories.