The restoration of Ethel Maud took place at Shoregate Creek, Upchurch
until recently, when the barge was moved to Lower Halstow Creek.
Click the montage to enlarge.
Congratulations to Gary Diddams and parents, Jean and George, on moving another step closer to completing their near 22-year restoration of Thames Sailing Barge Ethel Maud.
With the new rigging still to be added, the barge was moved to her new home at Lower Halstow Creek on Wednesday 13th July 2022, with the assistance of fellow local Thames Sailing Barge Edith May and her crew.
Regular walkers along the Saxon Shore Way will have glimpsed the incredible transformation of Ethel Maud in her previous dry berth home at Shoregate Creek, Upchurch, where the barge spent many years undercover.
Ethel Maud, a stack barge, was built of pitch pine on oak in 1889 by John Howard's barge building company in Maldon, Essex and carried hay and straw from east coast farms to London to use as horse feed and bedding.
The barge went on to achieve success as the race winner in the Blackwater Match in 1921, 1922 and 1934 and was one of the 'Little Ships' at Dunkirk in 1940, where she was loaded with stores for the British Expeditionary Forces.
In December 1951, the barge gained an engine but kept her mainsail and foresail until 1961. Ethel Maud was laid up in 1963 because of new regulations and re-rigged before moving to race and sail in Medway until the late 1970s. In the 1980s, she was sold and converted to a static house barge at Sheerness but retained her masts. In 1996, Ethel Maud moved to the Dolphin Barge Museum, Sittingbourne, where she became derelict.
With only the original bottom of the hull remaining and thought to be beyond repair, Gary purchased the 80ft barge for a complete rebuild in 2001.
Carpenter Gary's original vision when he took on the restoration was to bring back to life the sight of historical maritime beauty, once again sailing in the waters of the River Medway, Thames and East Coast. Through years of skilful hard work and dedication, he has undoubtedly achieved his vision.
We look forward to one day stepping aboard Ethel Maud and seeing her sailing gracefully around our coastline once again.
Barge history sourced from www.nationalhistoricships.org.uk and www.ethelmaud.webs.com
Upchurch Matters
