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What Happened to Beryl?


Julz

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I was chating to my elderly Dad yesterday, and he was telling me of his times out on the Broads during the 60's and how he once moored alongside a Boat at Horning called 'Beryl' which once belonged to, and was named after George Formby's Wife. This would probably have been just after George's death in 1961, but as Beryl had already died about a year previously and they had not had any children, the chances were that it was in a new owners hands when spotted. dad did say the crew were very nice people, and didnt mind him double mooring with them one bit, which was a regular occurance during the busy tourist heydays of the Broads. :)

Does anyone know what happened to this Boat please and if its still around today?

My Dad Is a big George Formby fan, and we are planning to bring him down to landlub at Wroxham for a few days next year so he can see George's old house again. I am wondering if its ever open to the public, and if so when?

Thanks

Julz :wave

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David, it's raining here you know!

I had a search around a couple of places because I remember something about George Formby being mentioned before.

Someone had said that his boat was called Lady Beryl but I have no way of knowing whether that's right or not :oops:

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Thanks Guys, im just about wetting myself laughing here! :lol::lol::lol:

Dads memory is not as sharp as it used to be so indeed it could have been the 'Lady Beryl' :)

Im Just wondering if it was eventually totally scrapped or if its around slowly rotting in a Boat graveyard somewhere? :norty:

I would have thought if it had have been still around and restored there would have been some referance to it on the George Formby Enthusiasts site,or advertised as a visitor attraction in the Norfolk guides, but I cannot find anything.

He did have a second home in Blackpool, but as far as i know all the memorabilia from his heyday is in the hands of private collectors, many of whom are members of his apprieciation society. :D

Julz :wave

Thanks Barry for that info, I didnt realise there had been several boats in George's collection over the years, I will print off this page if you dont mind so I can show the Pic to Dad when I next see him. Im sure he will be very Pleased to add it to his collection of 'Formby' Bits and Bobs (mostly newspaper cuttings) he owns :D

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Thanks Perry, that sure is an intresting newspaper artical, even I am getting to learn a lot here, and George was quite a bit before my time! I was enthusiastic at playing at being Mary Poppins around that era, which was the lastest cinema fad for kids :D:oops:

I ruined dozens of umbrellas trying to fly! :D:lol::oops:

Julz :wave

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I have spent a couple of hours surfing the net for more Info on George, and im finding out that his real self was just about as colourful as his songs and Jokes! :):norty:

Beryl was the one who had 'worn the trousers' in their relationship and was indeed his manager in all his business and entertainment life, and she was quite distant and sparing when it came to the intimate part of their marriage, causing George to look elsewhere to forefil his male needs. Indeed he had planned to marry one of his long term mistresses, and had arranged a wedding which was to have taken place two days after the date he died, the following year after Beryl had passed away :naughty:

They had several large houses around the UK, and each and every one of them she insisted was called Beryldene, including the smallest property they owned at Wroxham. This insistance obviously carried on when it came to naming their boats, with several Lady Beryls!

After Beryl died he felt relieved at his new found freedom, and publically announced that he was glad to see the back of her :o:( :x

They both enjoyed lavish and extravagent lifestyles, and Beryl spent the last couple of years of her life living in a drunken stupor :shock::(

Julz :wave

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friends of ours have their boat moored at acle, it is about 3/4 way up acle dyke. around 4 years ago

we went to look at a mooring up this dyke and after asking our friends about the old boat under this tatty

tarpaulin we were told it used to belong to george formby

so 4 years ago beryl was moored (still afloat) up acle dyke

alan

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  • 1 month later...

Lady Beryl or Beryl

A very smart dayboat of that name was restored by a Broads boatyard a couple of years or so ago.

She had a logo of a ukelele/banjolele on her transom.

I saw her in the shed but have not seen her out and about on the water.

Regards

Seajay.

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  • 7 months later...
  • 4 months later...
  • 7 years later...
  • 4 years later...

Re Lady Beryl.

I was on a Broads cruiser named Moudou or very similar in the late 40's/early 50's.  I understand was built pre WW11 by  Herbert Woods and was owned by my uncle Douglas Brock and his wife Anne who lived at Horning.  When they moved abroad it was sold to George Formby who renamed it Lady Beryl.

It was a superb craft with a large lounge area, big bedroom and a bathroom with a bath!  Power was by a Morris Marine 6 cylinder Commodore petrol engine - I remember it was so quiet.

I have been trying to find out more of its history.  Somewhere on the web I have seen a photo of a Lady Beryl with a small Dunkirk plaque mounted by the wheel and strangely my uncle never mentioned Dunkirk.  Can anybody provide any more infirmation?

Rob

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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It was a superb craft with a large lounge area, big bedroom and a bathroom with a bath!  Power was by a Morris Marine 6 cylinder Commodore petrol engine - I remember it was so quiet.

It still has the same engine fitted and it is even quieter now as despite the owners best efforts it is currently seized solid! 

The bath is still there along with as new shower fitting.  I tiled the lot year before last, also had to tidy up and finish off the tiling in the galley area due to well intentioned ammeter help 

Griff

 

 

 

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