Tag: Rebuild Project Manager

Will Collard Lecture

January 10, 2013 / / 0 Comments

William Collard strolls Cambria’s Decks in Sept 2010, Picture by Matt Care from down in the main hold.

This is a bit short notice but I have just received word of a lecture by Rebuild Project Manager, William Collard to the National Historic Ships UK who say that “Monday 14 Jan: Wellington Trust Heritage Evening – talk on the subject of historic vessel CAMBRIA, the Thames sailing barge. 7pm start, with bar open from 6.15″ Further, ”

This evening’s talk is on the subject of the restoration of the Thames sailing barge (and National Historic Fleet vessel), Cambria. William Collard, a member of the Watermen & Lightermen, was closely involved in her restoration and will give a fascinating account of the process.

1900 start, with the bar open from 1815.

£25 for Wellington Trust Friends and £30 for non members. If you would like to come for the lecture, but are unable to stay for the supper, then a donation of £5 is requested”.

and lastly,

“The Cambria was the last Thames sailing barge to operate entirely under sail. In the 60’s her skipper, Bob Roberts, was well known as a shanty-man. Like so many of her type she fell into decline, but has now been restored to her former glory, and this year she had a full season undertaking charters. William Collard, a member of the Watermen & Lightermen, was closely involved in her restoration and will give us a fascinating account of the process.

As usual, for those who wish to enjoy the supper, and the sociability that accompanies it, the cost is £25 for Wellington Trust Friends and £30 for non members. If you would like to come for the lecture, but are unable to stay for the supper, then we ask for a donation of £5.

Business Manager, HQS Wellington, Victoria Embankment, London WC2R 2PN

If you want to go, it looks as if you need to visit the website at

http://www.nationalhistoricships.org.uk/calendar.php?date=2013-01-14

Go along and support our Good Friend!

Sailing the Sorlandet

November 13, 2012 / / 0 Comments

Norwegian sail training ship, Sorlandet; picture a screen grab from You Tube noted by David Rye.

A bit of a treat today with a link found by our friend and occasional contributor, David Rye.

Go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v6DZIvMZWzQ&feature=youtu.be

This is a video explaining how to sail and manouvre a square rigger. This link is to part 1. The video claims to explain all sorts of manouvres from weighing anchor and getting under way, through tacking, heaving to and finally anchoring under sail but part 1, 11 minutes long manages only to explain the sail plan and get under way. I presume the other parts will cover the rest. It is fascinating stuff mainly for the myriad ropes (sheets, buntlines, braces, halliards etc) and huge amount of people needed to crew the ship. In this case it is the Norwegian sail training ship Sorlandet. Get a look at it, if only for the beauty of the ship and the snippets of info you will be able to drop into conversation if it all goes quiet in the snug tonight. A ‘ship’ for example was a fully square rigged vessel with squaresails on the mizzen, anything less, for example a mere ‘Spanker’ on the mizzen, and you were a ‘barque’. The commentator also sounds worryingly like Rebuild Project Manager, William Collard, to me anyway!

Thanks very much for that, David!

Work Party 1989!

October 10, 2012 / / 0 Comments

1989 Cambria work party notification from William Collard’s own archive.

Here’s a bit of history from Rebuild Project Manager, William Collard, found when he was going through his Father’s barge-related paperwork. It dates from 1989 when Cambria was in Dolphin Yard and was a ‘joint project by the Maritime Trust and the Dolphin Museum’. It is written by Rod Spratling, we think the ‘Boss of Volunteers, Basil’ of his day but William can find no other mention of him and did not know the gentleman.

The work party was to happen on Sunday 19th March and Rod was asking for a good turn out to make a “good impression” because the session might be visited by a crew from Television and Local Radio. The tasks were to be ‘mucking out’ the accumulated debris beneath the hold cieling and clearing limber holes, chipping, wire brushing and painting winches and fittings, spraying preservative fluid and generally tidying and making ship shape the decks and hold. They were laying on tea, coffee and soup for the volunteers. The letter came with an attached sheet by which you could reply listing which of the jobs you were happy to help with. “You could end up on TV”, said Rod.

Thanks for that, William. Fascinating stuff.

MTB 102

September 22, 2012 / / 0 Comments

MTB102 alongside Cambria at Gravesend recently; photo by William Collard

Rebuild Project Manager William Collard sends me this nice picture of the Motor Torpedo Boat MTB 102 moored alongside ‘us’ at Gravesend. You will recall that MTB 102 led the Flotilla of boats on Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Pageant day. Being an important historic vessel, 102 naturally has a big write up on the internet including a very full section in Wikipedia at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MTB_102 from construction by Vosper Thornycroft, through wartime service, post war activity, decline and then restoration. There are a million and one impressive images available on https://www.google.ie/search?q=MTB102&hl=en&rlz=1C1DVCH_enGB423&prmd=imvns&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=rWhdUO2KLorDhAeBp4CIBw&ved=0CCsQsAQ&biw=1680&bih=916

and she has her own website at http://www.mtb102.com/ . This has the latest news, newsletters, programme of events in which she will be involved, more lovely images, technical information, lists of sponsors and much much more detail.

Happy Hunting