 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
We have been kindly loaned an iron joey boat by Ian & Malcolm Braine for use with work parties and for display. Jeff Barley travelled down onto the Staffs & Worcs with his boat Hawthorn to collect the joey which was then brought up to the Pumphouse.
Malcolm's son Ian and Pete Harrison have kindly provided some details regarding the boats history. Whilst in more recent times it has been a BW maintenance boat in the Oldbury area, being disposed of in late June to mid July 1983, it was previously owned by the BCN working in the No 1 District (Birmingham) as boat No.33. It is of iron construction and had a cabin for much of its life.
Its first gauging number was 133 so it certainly dates at least from the 1870s as that gauging would have taken place in late january or early February 1873, it was re-gauged at Smethwick on the 18th December 1902 (gauging number 18409) when its dimensionas were 70ft 8 ins long 7ft 1 ins wide with the stowage length of 50ft 9 ins. Its maximum capacity was 36 tons. On board were four beams a rudder and a deck, this is assumed to mean the large area of the bow which is still plated in.
It was gauged again at Smethwick on 5th April 1919(number 22998) this time its dimensions were (71ft 2 ins long 7ft 3/4 ins wide with the stowage lenght of 50ft 11 ins.
Changes in dimensions were not uncommon when boats were re-gauged and probably reflect inaccurances in measuring rather than real alteration. Its maximum capacity was now 33 tons and still had its cabin. However on board in addition to three beams the rudder and deck were two barrows, four horse boxes, five planks, dredging tackle, platform, crane and chain winch, and spoon.
In other words it was a spoon dredger although today it is just an open boat without cabin although it still retains the decked bow.
Currently it is at the Black Country Museum for the working boat gathering on the 24th and 25th July 2004 when it is intended that it will be used as part of a train of joey boats being pulled by a BCN tug.