Hockley Port
After the monster clearance work on the Soho Loop (organised by Nick Grazebrook in 1970) our then Vice Chairman; Charlie Aldrick rekoned the best way to keep the loop open was to organise something for Hockley Port.
The port at that time was filled with old cars and assorted bits discarded by industry. Mostly too big for amateur removal. As ever Charlie saved the day by contacting the George Cohen scrap group, on the basis of making the job pay for itself. They got out 60 tons of oron and other metals and both were very pleased.
For a time a few boats used the port, some residential. The Port began to be used by youngsters playing traunt, but Charlie pacified authority by pointing out that if the council closed it down all these lads would be wrecking houses instead. Continuing contact led to the Port being made a youth adventure site and with this backing some old working (only just) boats were obtained. Some of the more able lads hepled out with some pretty crude conversions to camping boats.
Prisonners on work party release did a lot, one chap became a dumper driver and shed tears when his time was uo. Could he have volunteered ? Yes but he needed insurance, but all this work so far was done with out money. Small grants were obtained for taking out camping groups of lads from corrective hostels.
Betty and I used to help with the trip boats, sometimes by rescuing them with tug "Christopher James". One week it froze and we got the call to go out and break about 10 miles of ice. Another time the shear pin broke when we were miles out on one of thses sinkers, so I used a bit of broken railing bound in the shaft by a stocking. The floor boards wouldn't fit back, but we got home without mashing anyone up.
We started having boat rallies there and began to get noticed, the council even appointed a qualified youth leader, but the type of youth there defeated his attempts. They weren't bad lads, just unruly.
Rather quieter were the two who escaped from the old folk's home next to the Port and fell in. Betty bumped into one when taking out a school trip. Another day I was painting the mouse's ear'oles on CJ and happened to look down, and there was an old lady looking back at me, gave me quite a start.
The whole thing took off and an ex-Councillor was appointed to control the place. What happened then is another story.
