|
Thursday May 15th - The
Broads and a boat called Rogue
Our May speaker, Kate Smith, began her
talk by taking us on an investigation of the waterways
of East Norfolk. From Breydon Water we sailed upstream
and probed the rivers to their heads of navigation (New
Mills on the Wensum, Geldeston Lock on the Waveney and
Dilham Canal on the Bure) and then surveyed the
interlacing broads. She also touched on some of the
oddities on the banks – such as St Benet’s Abbey with
its intrusive mill and Hardley Cross with its strange
inscription (“erected in the reign of Philip and Mary”).
But throughout came references to and
photographs of yacht racing, which suggested that Kate
Smith’s interest in the broads was not entirely
academic. In fact she and her family have for some years
been boating and have been involved, in particular, with
a celebrated boat named “Rogue”.
Rogue is a veteran 27ft long river
cruiser (33ft including the bowsprit), having been
built in 1912 by The Norfolk Broads Yachting Co shortly
after Harry Blake’s 4/6d advert in the London press had
sparked a demand for boating holidays. For the next few
years she played her part in satisfying that demand
until, in 1920, the hire fleet was sold and she passed
into private hands.
Kate Smith’s husband encountered Rogue in
the 1950s when his maths teacher at Paston invited him
to crew the boat. But the family subsequently moved away
from Norfolk and it was not until 1989 that a
combination of a return to this county (and a quickly
growing son) re-ignited their interest in yachting. A
friendly tip-off sent them hurrying to Ely where, moored
on the Cam, was Rogue. She was, however, in a dreadful
state, almost a hulk, and it took optimism and four
years hard work to restore her in readiness for a
re-launching at St Olaves. Since then Rogue has been
happily winning races and trophies (Kate Smith was
particularly proud of the “Top of the Broads” trophy)
and there seems no reason why Rogue should not sail
triumphantly and confidently into her centenary year.
Watch out for her!
SOCIETY NEWS
Our committee has agreed to provide a
wooden seat for Catton Park. It will be sited in the
picnic area and we have every hope that it will be well
used.
On the 17th July our speaker
will be Barbara Mudd and she will be talking on “Words”.
Confusing?
George
Jeffries
◄ Back to the Old
Catton Society main page.
|
