Historic Oulton Broad: The Robinson Yards

[Guest JARobinson]

Hello everybody, I've just registered here at Jill's reccomedation after corrospondance at Flickr.

I've been researching my family history for a number of years now, and have a fairly hearty tree put together. However the highlight of the tree is certainly my great Grandfather Jack's boatyard.

He was brother to Leo Robinson, who is often regarded as a more prominat and successful boat builder, though i've found that Jack's own work is still noteworty.

I've digitalised around 300 of my own broadland picture collection all circa 1910-40. Around 50 of the best I have thrown onto my Flickr account, which is where i came across Jill, who was very helpful and directed me here.

Jamie Campbell, who some time ago I approached on a differnt forum, provided me with a further suppliement to my collection. He may well freqent here - I never got a chance to properly thank him for his efforts, so if he does stray here: Thank you very much Jamie, the help was invaluable.

So, is there any general information in relation to either Jack or Leo's yards that anyone would care to offer?

I shall attach a taster of some better photographs for flavour:

Jack himself:

[jillR]

i wonder if any of the old boys over at dennis cleavlands yard on lake lothing have any gossip for you.

[jillR]

some links that may help .....

if you can see the boat reg number on your pictures, this may help get names and also craig may be able

to put you intouch with more people.

http://www.horning.org.uk/boatsearch.php

carol also has a wealth of knowledge as i think i may have already mentioned

http://www.broadlandmemories.co.uk/index.html

or the vintage wooden boat association

http://www.vwba.org/wiki/index.php5?title=Main_Page

jill

[Guest JARobinson]

That broadlandmemories website has a couple of postcard scans which include what was Jack's boating shop (which is today Jeckyl's,) which as it happens I have the same original postcards somewhere around here...

I'll have to study this database very carfully, there's loads of reg numbers in these pictures that could well be in there.

[AdnamsGirl]

Hi Jack

What fabulous photos, both on here and on your Flikr pages .... thank you for sharing them! It's good to see someone taking the time to scan and preserve these wonderful, historic images.

As regards the history of the Robinson yards - I have not had the chance to delve too deeply into the individual history of the Broadland boatyards yet .... too much general history to try and piece together and not enough spare time to be able to do it all in! I do have a few suggestions of contacts you can try which I will PM to you.

Carol

[Guest]

It's a pity in some ways Carol that retirement is still a long way off for you - it sounds like you would be so busy you'd wonder how you ever had time for a job!

[mbird]

What enchanting old scenes JAR, thanks for sharing them. I love the idea that everyone seems to be in their Sunday best to have a trip on a boat, even in a rowing dinghy.

[AdnamsGirl]

Hi Jack

You may have already found this on a Google search - The Greater Manchester County Record Office have a collection of photos which were taken by someone on holiday on the Broads in the 1920s and amongst them is a photograph taken at Jack Robinsons yard. Scroll down the page on the link below to item no: 1670/71. If you contact them then they may allow you to have a copy.

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/A2A/records.aspx?cat=124-1670&cid=72#72

Also - have you tried contacting the Suffolk County Record Office as they are quite likely to have records and photographs relating to the Robinson yards.

http://www.suffolk.gov.uk/LeisureAndCulture/LocalHistoryandHeritage/SuffolkRecordOffice/

Carol

[Guest JARobinson]

Thanks for that Carol - yes i've seen that such a record exists but i'd been hesitant to contact the office because these archives tend to be either only avalible for appointed viewing or heftily charged for reproduction...

But i have gone ahead and sent the greater Manchester record office an email, we'll see what becomes of it.

[Springsong]

Hi JAR

I know nothing of your great Grandfather but in 1939 but in 1939 my parents and both sets of grandparents and my Aunt and Uncle took a holiday on the Broads on Golden Eagle one of the Leo Robinson fleet, see the picture. The other picture is apertaining to your comments about cars. My father's father never owned a car in the whole of his life, so living in north london they took a cab to Oulton Broad, as you do.

I do have a colour 16mm cine film of this holiday, and no Carol I still havn't had it put on CD yet,this winter perhaps.

There is one of the Eagles that I know of still on the Broads . Blue Eagle I think.

[Guest]

does anyone have a link to JAR's flickr page? I really dont understand that site so cant find it! Some of you may know that my parents own Romany, built by robinsons in 1927. Currently just finishing the hull restoration - she will be back in next year!

Chris

[Guest JARobinson]

Good to hear, any pictures by any chance?

heres the flicker page:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jackarobinson/

[Guest]

I can do some pictures after the weekend - they are all on my portable harddrive - which you guessed it, i left in norfolk! Also will hopefully be working on the boat this weekend so may well have some upto date ones for you as well. She was rotting away on the thames - and we just couldnt leave her there! i wont lie there have been days when I wished we had never seen her, but that first cruise down the river will be lovely! Thanks for the link!

[Julz]

JA, are you any relation to the Robinson family who owned the chalet park at St Olaves back in the late 1960s, and were the people responsible for digging out the Yacht basin near St Olaves Bridge, Now part of St Olaves Marina?

Julz

[Guest JARobinson]

I'd say not - I've never heard of such a family connection, but there again we're fairly sure Leo's own descendants moved from Suffolk to Norfolk and may well have something to do with it.

Its a pretty common name though...

[C.Ricko]

Hi Jack,

My Dad biked to school with your Grandads brother Peter!

[Julz]

Well actually St Olaves is in Suffolk, but for a fleeting moment i thought i may just have traced the guy whom i looked after as a newborn, and pushed in his pram along the towpath of the Haddiscoe New cut, back in the year around 1968. His name was Andrew James Robinson, but as he grew up he was known as James, or Jamesey as a toddler, and was the youngest of 5 children at the time, hence when i spotted the JA Robinson screen name, i thought that there may be a slim possibility that it was you

Like you say though, it is quite a commonly found name...

My father lost touch with them when they eventually moved to Norwich, but i often wondered what became of them and what the tiny baby grew up to be, and where he is now

Julz

[Guest JARobinson]

Fantastic!!

Peter was an -very- exceptional man, we have always said hes the best thing the family ever produced. He wasn't allowed to fight in the war because the Governement put him into early detection and RADAR development in '38. After the war he left for the USA to work on the newly formed NASA space programme, then once the space race was over and the US lost its taste for space-agency funding in the mid 1970s, he left for the country with the next largest space programme (technically the USSR) but he went for Canada because of helping to win the race against the Soviets in the first place and because of a personal distaste for left wing politics (plus it took fairly convicted communistic sympathy for anybody to willingly defect). There he stayed until unfortuantly developing altzimers in 2004, then eventually passing away earlier this year at the age of 87.

He did marry, and does have now middle aged children over there in Canada.

[Guest JARobinson]

Well actually St Olaves is in Suffolk, but for a fleeting moment i thought i may just have traced the guy whom i looked after as a newborn, and pushed in his pram along the towpath of the Haddiscoe New cut, back in the year around 1968. His name was Andrew James Robinson, but as he grew up he was known as James, or Jamesey as a toddler, and was the youngest of 5 children at the time, hence when i spotted the JA Robinson screen name, i thought that there may be a slim possibility that it was you

Like you say though, it is quite a commonly found name...

My father lost touch with them when they eventually moved to Norwich, but i often wondered what became of them and what the tiny baby grew up to be, and where he is now

Julz

I am dearly sorry, but im afraid my name is Jack Anthony Robinson, I do hope you find him eventually. It's my doing for picking a vague username...

[Guest]

But i have gone ahead and sent the greater Manchester record office an email, we'll see what becomes of it.

Hi Jack

we live in Middleton not far from Manchester city centre so if you give us the address what your looking for ect me & my dad will pop in & have a look if you would like us to.

Jonny

[Guest JARobinson]

I was just now writing a thank you for such a kind offer, but low and behold that email just now got a responce. Hes attached a tiny image of the picture as well as copy prices. It'd be about £6 for a print by the look of it.

The address of the archive office according to Google Maps is,

56 Marshall St, Manchester, Lancashire, M4 5FU‎ - 0161 832 5284‎

I dont know much about that part of the country but by the look of it its bang in the middle of Manchester.

Of course i'd not want you to go out of your way to recover a simple photograph that may or may not be of much interest, and of course any charge incurred I'd field for via post. Its totally up to you whether you'd like to pursue it.

Here the thumbnail:

Its very hard to see much as such.

The articles reference number is "Negative Sheet Number 1/U27/36"

Thank you once again for the very thoughtful offer.

[Guest]

Hi Jack

as were not that far away i speak to my dad while were having tea if he still wishes to have a pop round then it might be this weekend we will keep you posted if you still want to have a look.

I will also take my camera with me bit if i can work my charm and get something for free i will d

Jonny

[Guest]

Hi All some time ago i promised some pictures of Romany, a 1927 built Leo Robinson motor cruiser that we are currently rebuilding. I finally got around to digging out my portable hard drive so here goes nothing! Here she is as she appeared in the blakes catalogue.

[Guest]

last week.

[jillR]

brilliant

jill