Future of the Purton Hulks to be debated

The Purton Hulks with the River Severn 

on the left and the Gloucester and 

Sharpness Canal on the right: 

Picture by Hamish Fenton©

Supporters of Britain's largest ships graveyard, The Purton hulk site, in Gloucestershire on the banks of the River Severn, will come together at the Sharpness Dockers Club next month to debate its future.

The site which is the last resting place of Harriett, the only remaining Kennet Barge, is also the graveyard of 80 other vessels that were beached there to protect the banks Gloucester and Sharpness Canal from the ravages of the tidal Severn.

The Friends of Purton are concerned about the risk from vandalism and their Chairman, Paul Barnett  says that  despite assurances given in 2007 by English Heritage and again in March 2010 by the Culture Secretary, Margaret Hodge, that the site was adequately protected from vandalism by SSSI legislation, the hulks do not in fact have the legal protection needed to ensure their preservation for future generations.

Kennet Barge, Harriett beached on the banks of the
Severn at Purton: Picture by Bob Naylor©

Last year British Waterways claimed ownership of the site and BW Heritage Advisor, David Viner said, "It has become increasingly important to ensure that this site, which has 81 derelict vessels, has an owner to look after it properly. 

     "BW owns the canal alongside the site and a staff presence will raise awareness and help to tackle vandalism — our first responsibility is to make sure the site is protected.

     "A lot of the vandalism is because people don't realise the significance of the boats," he concluded.

Stroud MP and Cotswold Canal Vice President, Neil Carmichael with Paul Barnett, Chairman of the Friends of Purton
beside one of the hulks at Purton.

Local MP to Chair meeting

Chairing the meeting will be Stroud MP Neil Carmichael who is a Vice-President of the Cotswold Canal Trust and a member of the The Commons Environmental Audit select Committee that considers the extent that government policies contribute to environmental protection and sustainable development and among those taking part in the debate will be representatives from English Heritage, Natural England, British Waterways, Stroud District and Gloucestershire County Councils and Hinton Parish Council.

Paul Barnett said, "Everyone with an interest in the future of the site should attend to participate in the ongoing debate to protect the regions diminishing maritime  archaeology."

The meeting is at the Sharpness Dockers Club, The Docks, Sharpness, Berkeley , GL13 9UN at 7pm on  Wednesday 1 June 2011. 

Related stories: 

Last Kennet Barge in Britain's biggest ships graveyard

Anger at damage to historic Purton shipwrecks

Dogged determination protects future of historic K&A barge

Severn railway bridge disaster victims remembered

Bells toll for Severn Disaster victims

Friends of Purton website:

http://www.friendsofpurton.org.uk

Last surviving Kennet Barge is in Britain's biggest ships' graveyard says report

A report to be published in the summer recognises Purton, the final resting place of the only surviving Kennet Barge, Harriett, and another 80 hulks as the largest ship's graveyard in the British Isles.

The Purton Hulks with the River Severn on the left and the Gloucester and Sharpness Canal on the right: Picture by Hamish Fenton©

The Historic Environment Enabling Programme conducted on behalf of English Heritage surveyed all known 'vessel assemblages' (a term used to define two or more hulks which lie within 50m of each other) puts Purton's 81 hulks at the top of a list of 200 known hulk locations in the British Isles.

Harriett's sister vessel, Unity, after she was launched at
Honey Street on the K&A, c1885

As well as the Purton site on the River Severn in Gloucestershire other sites surveyed include the 26 barges on the Barksore Marshes, Kent, the 25 Mersey Flats at Sutton Locks on the Weaver Navigation, Cheshire and the 22 hulked vessels at Holes Bay, Poole, Dorset.

Friends of Purton Chairman, marine historian and tireless campaigner for the protection of the Purton Hulks, Paul Barnett, was jubilant at the news saying, "This report will go a long way to protecting the site which is a beacon of our glorious maritime heritage."

Harriett as she is now at Purton: Picture by Bob Naylor©

Links to other Purton Hulks stories:

Anger at damage to historic Purton shipwrecks

Dogged determination protects future of historic K&A barge

Severn railway bridge disaster victims remembered

Bells toll for Severn Disaster victims

Friends of Purton website:

http://www.friendsofpurton.org.uk/

Anger at damage to historic Purton shipwrecks

Only days after the enveilling of the monument to mark the 50th anniversary of the Severn Bridge disaster that cost the lives of five boatmen a boat has been seen at the site removing parts of the wrecks. 

The crew of the Larkham Ships vessel, MV Riparian, removing material from the wrecks.

Paul Barnett, of the Friends of Purton was distrought to hear of this activity on the wrecks and said, "Just days ago I said to a group of grieving people that Gloucestershire does care about its heritage as we unveiled the plaque and now this happens.

"At a time like this, on the anniversary of this disaster where five men died, this is so insensitive."

The vessel removing parts of the wrecks is MV Riparian that belongs to Larkham Ships. Fred Larkham told The Gloucester Gazette that he recognised that he had gone out at an insensitive time but he believed that people had been taking parts of the vessels and he wanted to save some of the remaining parts of the ships. He went on to tell the paper that he intended to offer the parts he had removed to a museum.

An application has already been made to list the two vessels and English Heritage have said that they are considering the application at the moment.

The incident has prompted an angry reaction and a large number of 'comments' to the story in the Gloucester Gazette.  You can have your say at: Historic wrecks 
Previous stories: 
Bells toll for Severn Disaster victims
Severn Railway Bridge disaster victims remembered
Contacts:

Friends of Purton

Severn railway bridge disaster victims remembered

by Bob Naylor

This month marks the fiftieth anniversary of the River Severn shipping disaster that cost the lives of five of eight crewmen, the loss of two ships and the partial destruction of the Severn and Wye Railway Bridge which spanned the river upstream from Sharpness.

The tankers, Arkendale and Wastedale still in the River Severn near Purton 50 years after the tragedy           Picture by Bob Naylor

On the evening, of October 25th 1960, two tankers, Arkendale with 300 tons of oil and Wastedale with 350 tons of petroleum, set sail from Avonmouth in good visibility bound for Sharpness to join the Gloucester and Sharpness Canal. 

When they reached Berkley Power Station at 10 pm a heavy fog descended and in the fog they missed the navigation lights for Sharpness and they continued upstream.  

     They both collided with the Severn and Wye Railway Bridge and one of the upright columns collapsed. Two spans of the bridge then fell onto the boats and 650 tons of petrol and oil were set on fire. A gas main on the bridge was severed and the river was ablaze for about two miles around the accident — it wasn't until the fog cleared the next morning that the full horror of the disaster could be seen. 

Monuments made from stone salvaged from the original bridge are to be erected on both sides of the river at Purton and Lydney — overlooking the wrecks of the tankers.

Paul Barnett, Chairman of the Friends of Purton said, "The installation of these memorials on either side of the river is most fitting, as they once again reconnect these maritime communities."

     Paul would like to hear from family members of the crew, particularly George Thompson, Alex Bullock and Robert Nibblett, and he would especially like to talk to anyone who has knowledge of Charles Freeland, originally from Essex, who joined a successful rescue mission to pull a survivor from the water that night.

Friends of Purton are mounting an exhibition about the tragedy from 16th October at Dean Heritage Centre, Soudley, Gloucestershire, GL14 2UB.

  

Anyone with any information should contact Paul Barnett on 07833 143231.

Websites:
Dean Heritage Museum

Friends of Purton

Dogged determination protects future of historic K&A barge
Historic ships' graveyard is taken over by British Waterways
by Bob Naylor

Harriett, the last surviving K&A Barge built by Robbins, Lane and Pinnegar at Honeystreet in 1898 beached at Purton beside the River Severn. Picture by Bob Naylor

The tireless campaign by Paul Barnett, founder of the Friends of Purton, has finally paid off and BW has now taken over the Purton site on the banks of the River Severn that is the graveyard of 81 historic ships, including Harriett, the last remaining Kennet Barge built by Robbins, Lane & Pinnegar at Honeystreet in 1898.


In March this year, the former Labour Government Culture and Tourism Minister, Margaret Hodge, called together representatives of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, Local Authorities, English Heritage, Natural England and British Waterways, and of course, Paul Barnett, to discuss the crucial need for somebody to step forward to protect the site. As the Gloucester and Sharpness Canal is protected by the site and BW have a long-term interest in the embankment — they stepped forward to take ownership.

Paul Barnett, founder

of the Friends of Purton

Picture by Bob Naylor

Paul Barnett, whose dogged determination to protect the vessels will assure their future, said, "This is a great day for these last remnants of our maritime history.
     "For too many years we have witnessed our heritage being habitually destroyed by vandalism and arson, now at last British Waterways, by taking this monumental decision, has embraced the challenge to ensure that these few remaining relics are to be given a fighting chance."




BW Heritage Advisor, David Viner said, "It has become increasingly important to ensure that the site, which has 81 derelict vessels, has an owner to look after it properly. 
     "BW owns the canal alongside the site and a staff presence will raise awareness and help to tackle vandalism — our first responsibility is to make sure the site is protected."
     "A lot of the vandalism is because people don't realise the significance of the boats," he concluded.




Paul Barnett's first success in his battle to save the Purton Hulks was when he got Harriett listed and he then set his sights on protecting the rest of the site. He enlisted the help of the then local MP for Stroud, David Drew, who spoke about the Purton Hulks site in an adjournment debate in Parliament on 8th December 2009.  
     He said, “It certainly seems unique when one hears Paul Barnett talking about the hulks for several hours; he is most enthusiastic about them. I know that some find him somewhat difficult because he has driven things forward as a personal campaign, but with hindsight people will say thank goodness he saw it as a vision and as his responsibility.”