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A sailing experience not to be forgotten

Recently unearthed historical photos of Ironsides

IRONSIDES was built by Stanfield and Clarke, Grays, Essex in 1900 and sold to Associated Portland Cement Manufacturers.

She carried stone from Portland to London under sail alone. She was nearly lost after a collision at Limehouse around 1909 and nearly lost again in a gale at Dungeness in 1928. That year she was sold to the London Rochester Trading Co. and converted to a motor barge (single hatch) in 1938.

She was damaged in the Docklands Blitz in 1940.

In 1967 she was converted to a charter yacht and became a regular winner of the Champion Barge. She has now been authentically re-rigged as a Thames Sailing Barge, although she has been converted below for charter and private groups. The iron hull has been extensively replated in steel.

Current owner from March 2012, Toby Lester, restoration almost complete but ongoing with this year 2016 attending as many functions as possible.

Norman J Brouwer, International Register of Historic Ships (Edition 2, 1993, pp154) pub: Anthony Nelson
D G Wood, Barges Sailing Today: Sailing Barge Information Pamplet No: 1 (1995) pub: Society for Spritsail Barge Research
Classic Boat (march, 2002) Ironsides wins second Solent barge match

Key dates

  1. 1900 Built by Clarke & Stanfield, Grays, Essex
  2. 1900-1928 Owned by Associated Portland Cement and carried stone from Portland to London under sail alone
  3. 1928 Sold to the London & Rochester Trading Company
  4. 1938 Converted to a motor barge
  5. 1940 Damaged by enemy action in World War II
  6. 1967 Converted to a charter yacht
  7. 1984 Interior refurbished

Bibliography

IRONSIDES was built by Stanfield and Clarke, Grays, Essex in 1900 and sold to Associated Portland Cement Manufacturers. She carried stone from Portland to London under sail alone. She was nearly lost after a collision at Limehouse around 1909 and nearly lost again in a gale at Dungeness in 1

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