We recently visited the incredidble Old Hall at Gainsborough, built in the 15th Century on the east bank of the River Trent. Gainsborough developed into a thriving port in the 18th Century which rivalled Hull in trade and was granted official port status in the 19th.
We continued exploring the west bank of the Trent and came across the Humber Keel, Comrade moored at Keadby. We met Ian Murray and had a great chat about all things Comrade and Humber Keel & Sloop and he introduced us to the Onesimus, also moored at Keadby, and his history with the barge which led us to back to A River Full of Stories.
In the book helmsman John Whittles told us about the origin of the Onesimus and his story: “All my family were bargees in Hull, they used to run coal and things on the River Hull. Me grandad had a barge built in Beverley, at Scarr’s here, out in the river and it was called Onesimus … My aunty, the youngest daughter christened it and the old story goes that me grandad and me dad were strict Methodists and they wouldn’t have any alcohol so they named the barge with a bottle of pop. Me grandad before he had barges, he had ship’s chandlers, it’s now a pub, The Sailmakers. Me dad bought Onesimus when me grandad died and then after he died me brother ran it for a while before he sold it. Me dad used to concentrate on coal, he was subcontracted by Rafferty Watson’s coal firm near Scott Street Bridge … but when me brother and myself inherited the barge there was not much cargo left, we sold it to some people who ran it for a while and since then it’s been made into a house boat. It’s changed hands three or four times. I go and see it occasionally …”
The Humber Keel & Sloop Preservation Society are currently looking for volunteers to help with the Comrade’s renovation and upkeep on Tuesdays and Saturdays. If you’re interested please contact Ian on 07881 922601 or through the society’s Facebook page via their website.
Here are the photographs from the day.
All photo’s copyright Richard Duffy-Howard
Rich and Lou Duffy-Howard