Thomas H is a Sheffield Class Humber Keel Barge.

She was built in 1940 by Richard Dunston Ltd., Thorne, Yorkshire.

She was one of two sister ships commissioned by the Hodgsons Tannery at Beverley Beck on the Humber, where she worked for many years. Her sister ship was called Richard after the other Hodgson bother.

She was never under sail, at the time she was built the government was subsidising the building of motor driven barges.

She is extra wide beam at 15.5 feet and she is 62.5 feet long.

We bought her in early 2006 through Alan Pease in Goole and roped him into emptying the various tanks and debris she had in her at the time, decking over her open hold, replacing the unusable Lister engine and generally get her onto working order for the trip down from Goole around the coast to the Thames. Then, we got him to pilot her down too.

This is a belated attempt to diary the ups and downs of our journey so far.

Tuesday, 1 December 2009

RIP Mike

We have only just heard and are very sad that Mike Gough was found dead in Faversham Creek just a week after we left dry dock.  By all accounts, Mike seems to have died from a fall from the dock in the early hours of the morning.

When we arrived at Faversham in September, Mike was the first person to greet us as we moored up next to Henry, the Thames Sailing Barge on which he lived.  Mike was very welcoming and we will always remember him with fondness.  He was only 55 and it's a terrible waste.

Rest in peace Mike.  You were kind and eccentric and memorable.