Albion (wherry)

The "Albion" is a Norfolk wherry. Built in 1898, she served as a trading vessel and then as a lighter until being acquired by the Norfolk Wherry Trust for restoration and preservation in 1949. Since 1981 she has been moored at the Norfolk Wherry Trust wherry base at Womack Water near Ludham.

Appearance

"Albion"’s construction is unique amongst Norfolk Wherries as she is carvel built (smooth hulled) whereas all others are clinker built. Apart from her hull construction, her general appearance follows that of a typical trading wherry with a forward counterbalanced mast of Oregon pine, a large cargo hold in the centre of the hull and crew quarters aft. She is steered from a small aft well by rudder and tiller.

Etymology

The traditional meaning of Albion is as an ancient and mythological name for the British Isles (or sometimes specifically for England).

History

[Albion; the Story of the Norfolk Trading Wherry - Martin Kirby/Norfolk Wherry Trust] "Albion" was built by William ‘Billy’ Brighton at his shipyard on Lake Lothing between Oulton Broad and Lowestoft for W.D. and A.E. Walker a firm of Bungay maltsters. She cost £455 to build and was launched in October 1898 in a livery of green with a brown oxide top.

"Albion" was nearly lost in January 1929 when she sank near Great Yarmouth Bridge but was raised 3 days later. She had a further mishap in 1931 when she lost her mast but had it replaced with that of the wherry "Sirius". Shortly afterwards she was bought by the General Steam Navigation Company, who changed her name to "Plane" and appointed a new master, George Farrow, who remained with her until the Second World War when she was stripped down and used as a lighter.

In 1949 she was acquired by the then newly formed Norfolk Wherry Trust who renamed her back to "Albion", restored her and operated her full-time as a trading wherry until 1953 when, unable to support a full-time crew, "Albion’s" hold was swept out and she spent summers as a crewed charter accommodating groups of young people sleeping in hammocks. She continued to ply as a trading wherry however after sinking a further two times it was recognised that this was economically unsustainable and in 1961 the Trust decided that "Albion" would never carry ‘dirty’ cargo again.

References

External links

* [http://www.norfolkbroads.com/interest/wherries.html Norfolk Broads wherries]
* [http://www.wherryalbion.com/index.htm The Norfolk Wherry Trust - Home of the Albion]
* [http://nationalhistoricships.org.uk/index.cfm/event/getVessel/vref/99/ Albion on the Register of Historic Vessels]