Hull History Centre director Martin Taylor looks over the archive material.       

June 5th 2018

The society archive collection of documents, picture sand artefacts were officially handed over to the Hull History Centre to be digitised and correlated into part of the extensive recourse that the History Centre has on file concerning the areas maritime heritage. The archive had been the long term project of the societies archivist Brian Peeps who had painstakingly logged and continued the collection until his retirement from the post earlier in the year.  In time all the items will be made available on-line to students and researchers world wide to aid the study of the areas industrial and maritime past connected with our unique types of sailing barges found on the Humber, Trent and Ouse. Together, the archive of historic detail of the barging trade can show how the town’s, village’s and Cities in the north east grew industry and in turn developed our ports into what they have become today, largely due to our waterways and the vessels that used them. Before the creation of the canal network from 1761 and the coming of the age of steam transporting large amounts of goods, raw materials and produce could only be done using keels and sloops on our river system. The background to the people and the vessels that did that will soon be available to everyone.

Lawrie Elms coordinated the the hand over and is seen here with at right our guest Hannah Cunliffe, director of the National Historic Ships Register and centre Carol Tanner from the Hull History Centre. Both our vessels are on their National Historic Fleet so Hannah was there to oversee the hand over and spoke of the importance of our vessels in the areas maritime heritage to the gathered enthusiastic members and friends.

After lunch Hannah took time to visit Amy Howson and Comrade at the marina and chat to the volunteer crew’s who are essential to the upkeep of our vessels.