For immediate release

PR 246

8 September 2006

The Horace and Hannah a shrimper built in Great Yarmouth in 1906 sailed into the harbour on Monday, after having been purchased for the town by the Borough Council’s regeneration team.

The 18 foot 8inch on the waterline boat, which weighs 2.5 tons, is the last seaworthy sailing shrimper - a legacy of the Borough’s history when at the end of the 19th century up to 100 boats put to sea to bring home pink and brown shrimps for holiday-makers’ teas.

The return of the boat was the work of Principal Conservation Officer Steve Earl, one of the people behind the success of the Town’s Time and Tide museum, who learned of the boat’s existence last year.

A keen sailor, Steve bought a 1995 sailing magazine at a maritime sale as it had a story about the Horace and Hannah. He discovered the boat had been bought and meticulously restored by Suffolk architect Graham Hussey and his son Dan.

Steve arranged to meet Graham at last year’s Great Yarmouth Maritime Festival and asked if he was interested in selling the Horace and Hannah. The answer was no - a decision which changed in February.

“The beauty is that Graham undertook such meticulous research on the way the oak-on-oak clinker boat was originally built,” explained Steve. “And ensured that the vessel was accurately repaired.”

Steve negotiated the sale of the boat which he secured for £6,000 and sailed her back to Great Yarmouth from its berth near Orford, in Suffolk, on Monday with Graham Hussey.

The Horace and Hannah will have a permanent mooring at South Quay and there are plans that sea cadets will gain hands-on experience of handling historic sailing boats on a regular basis.

The boat was built by Edward Robert Barnell, a shipwright at Beeching Bros, on the town’s East Quay, for fisherman Horace Gedge. The boat was named after Horace’s parents who owned a fishmongers at 20 Middlegate Street.

Mr Gedge sold the boat in the early 1930s to Fred Symonds Senior; the boat was then used by his son’s Fred and Bill, and then grandson David who sailed it with his father during school holidays and at weekends.

It changed hands twice more before being bought by Graham Hussey in 1984, who with his son spent the next five years lovingly restoring the boat. It was re-registered at this time. Its original YH32 number had been reallocated so today it bears the number YH321.

The Horace and Hannah will be sailed at 11am on the Sunday of the Maritime Festival (September 10) by Steve Earl and Graham Hussey. They hope to be joined by David Symonds, who was in Great Yarmouth on Monday to photograph the family’s boat returning to port.

“Bringing the Horace and Hannah back to Great Yarmouth is a real opportunity to secure for the future this unique part of the town’s maritime history,” said Steve.

“Building on the success of the Time and Tide museum and the improvements on the South Quay this further develops our maritime assets and provides another attraction for residents and visitors.

“It also secures the opportunity for young people to enjoy and sail this historic craft.”

This is an opinion that is echoed by Peter Paine, Chairman of Great Yarmouth sea cadets. “We are looking forward to a new challenge for our sea cadets in developing their skills at sailing this historic vessel.

The funding for the purchase came from the South Quay regeneration and improvements budget.

The return of the boat was welcomed by Councillor Bert Collins, portfolio holder for Enterprise, Tourism and Culture.

“I welcome the return of the Horace and Hannah,” he said. “This builds on the success of recent years, where step-by-step the image of Great Yarmouth is being transformed.

“This acquisition is another important part of the development of the Borough’s maritime heritage for the benefit of the community.”

There are only a few motorised shrimpers still in existence and the Horace and Hannah is the only one still in full sailing condition.

Great Yarmouth has another shrimper, Coronation, which is a static exhibit in the Time and Tide museum. Steve Earl was project leader in obtaining the old curing house, which houses Time and Tide, and gaining the funding for the award winning project.

For further information contact Principal Conservation Officer Steve Earl on 01493 846419.

Photographic note: The Horace and Hannah when it was undergoing repairs.

Issued by Karla Symonds for:
Liz Dann
Press Officer
Great Yarmouth Borough Council
01493 846513