JennyMorgan Posted February 15, 2017 Share Posted February 15, 2017 If nothing else some memories for Vaughan: http://www.wayfordmarineservices.co.uk/product/hearts-wards-classic-broads-cruiser/ On the other hand a second home back home in England. How could the local council refuse her a mooring at Thorpe Green? 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vaughan Posted February 15, 2017 Share Posted February 15, 2017 1 hour ago, JennyMorgan said: If nothing else some memories for Vaughan: Fabulous memories, actually. I have handled hundreds of boats in my time, but this one will always be the best. Not only a classic Broads cruiser but just about the last Hearts Cruiser left, to my knowledge. Apart from the Six of Hearts, which is still going strong, in the Thames Estuary, with almost all of her original planking, and built just after the War. I don't know what condition she is in now, but it seems this is a serious re-build which didn't quite get to completion before the owner has decided to sell. I will try and dig up some photos tomorrow, of what she used to look like. 1 hour ago, JennyMorgan said: How could the local council refuse her a mooring at Thorpe Green? Don't get me started, about Thorpe Green and the history of the Parish Council! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JennyMorgan Posted February 15, 2017 Author Share Posted February 15, 2017 http://www.broads.org.uk/wiki/index.php5?title=Hearts_Cruisers_of_Thorpe,_Norwich Good looking boats. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jillR Posted February 15, 2017 Share Posted February 15, 2017 hi vaughan with Thorpe in mind have you spotted the thread on A. G. Wards ?.............. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trambo Posted February 16, 2017 Share Posted February 16, 2017 The first Broads cruiser I sailed on in 1962 and again in 1963/64. Last saw her in the sheds of the old Woods Dyke boatyard, completely refitted but she still had the carved King of Heats over the helm. Fred Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vaughan Posted February 16, 2017 Share Posted February 16, 2017 2 hours ago, trambo said: but she still had the carved King of Heats over the helm. All of Hearts boats had a playing card, in cast aluminium alloy, screwed onto the stem head and painted in the appropriate colours. Each boat had the wooden mould for this plate screwed to the dashboard, so that the card on the stem could be re-moulded in case of damage. When we ran out of the Hearts "suit" of cards, the Princess of Hearts, Heartbeat and Heartthrob had what looked like a card of "hearts" from a distance but was in fact a mermaid, with a coronet on her head. Oh, how I wish we had kept some of those! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timbo Posted February 16, 2017 Share Posted February 16, 2017 I'm sure I spotted another Hearts cruiser in Rico's wet shed Vaughan! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vaughan Posted February 16, 2017 Share Posted February 16, 2017 9 hours ago, jillR said: hi vaughan with Thorpe in mind have you spotted the thread on A. G. Wards ?.............. Thank you very much for that Jill, I hadn't seen it. The photo of Thorpe Old Hall is interesting as they seem to be pretty rare these days. The modern bungalow beside the hall in the photo was built for the Wards to retire to when they sold the yard, and the hall, to the Milbank brothers of Jenners. I guess that would have been in 1964. Notice also the great cedar tree, which David Millbank had cut down, to make the front lawn into a car park! Did you realise that the three pretty girls sitting on the cabin top of one of the boats, are the Beverley Sisters? Apparently they were doing a show in Yarmouth, and the photo was for Blakes publicity. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ranworthbreeze Posted February 16, 2017 Share Posted February 16, 2017 4 minutes ago, Vaughan said: Did you realise that the three pretty girls sitting on the cabin top of one of the boats, are the Beverley Sisters? Apparently they were doing a show in Yarmouth, and the photo was for Blakes publicity. Hi Vaughan, Here is the picture for you. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JennyMorgan Posted February 16, 2017 Author Share Posted February 16, 2017 The Beverley Sisters, that brings back memories! They used to have lunch at my father's restaurant. One of them was engaged to a footballer, can't remember which one, and dad had me take them for a trip up the river in his launch. The general consensus was that they were lovely people. Dad used to have a lot of the Yarmouth stars visit his restaurant back then. The one I liked least was a rather dour Yorkshireman called Wilfred Pickles, he told awful jokes too, whilst my favourite was Billy Fury. Good old days! 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vaughan Posted February 16, 2017 Share Posted February 16, 2017 17 minutes ago, Timbo said: I'm sure I spotted another Hearts cruiser in Rico's wet shed Vaughan! I shall have to have a good sniff around Rico's wet shed when we pick up our hire boat in May! Sounds better than the Broads Museum. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timbo Posted February 16, 2017 Share Posted February 16, 2017 4 minutes ago, Vaughan said: I shall have to have a good sniff around Rico's wet shed when we pick up our hire boat in May! Sounds better than the Broads Museum. Oh it is Vaughan. You see some right old fossils...there's Griff, Doug, and Mike for starters! 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bound2Please Posted February 16, 2017 Share Posted February 16, 2017 There was also a Hearts Cruiser in Richo's private basin round the back when we moored there about 4 years ago Vaughan, cant remember which one but did look sorry for its self sadly. Charlie 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JennyMorgan Posted February 16, 2017 Author Share Posted February 16, 2017 This list might help track down any other Hearts boat that might still be afloat: http://www.broads.org.uk/wiki/index.php5?title=Boatyard_Details&YardId=66 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vaughan Posted February 16, 2017 Share Posted February 16, 2017 Here she is in her former glory! Built in 1952, she was probably the first hire boat to use Formica for panelling and work-tops. She was one of the first to have a fully opening sliding wheelhouse canopy (the first was the Knave) and almost the first to have a diesel engine - the first was also the Knave, in 1949. She was also, I believe, the first on the Broads to use cold-moulded plywood lamination for her fore-deck and cabin top. So she was the state of the art, in her day! The boatbuilders at Hearts built the boats themselves but all cabin interiors were done by my father personally. Here is the Princess of Hearts, a six berth version of the King, when brand new in 1957. Perhaps you can just make out the mermaid, on the stem plate? 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JennyMorgan Posted February 16, 2017 Author Share Posted February 16, 2017 Good to see the steering wheel to port rather than the lubberish starboard now seen on quite a few modern boats. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ranworthbreeze Posted February 16, 2017 Share Posted February 16, 2017 2 hours ago, JennyMorgan said: The Beverley Sisters, that brings back memories! They used to have lunch at my father's restaurant. One of them was engaged to a footballer, can't remember which one, and dad had me take them for a trip up the river in his launch. The general consensus was that they were lovely people. Dad used to have a lot of the Yarmouth stars visit his restaurant back then. The one I liked least was a rather dour Yorkshireman called Wilfred Pickles, he told awful jokes too, whilst my favourite was Billy Fury. Good old days! Hi Peter, Didn't one of them marry Billie Wright? Regards Alan 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bound2Please Posted February 16, 2017 Share Posted February 16, 2017 Yup your Wright there Alan Charlie 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trambo Posted February 16, 2017 Share Posted February 16, 2017 What great photographs Vaughn which bring back loads of memories. I remember the gear lever alongside the steering stool which to a twelve year old seemed so over the top compared with the the small throttle control seen on the helm. Also the galley were I'm afraid I had blood all over the place when I somehow, (well I do now how but no one else ever will unless they get me really tipsy) sliced my hand between the thumb and finger and needed three stitches which were performed by the G.P. at Reedham. Probably a helicopter job if it happened today! I remember in 62 I had the top bunk of the starboard side cabin but in 63/64 and on the Ace in 65 I managed to nab the fore cabin which to us kids became a sort of hideaway from the adults. Great fun and such beautiful boats. Fred 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vaughan Posted February 16, 2017 Share Posted February 16, 2017 Thanks for that Trambo. I will have another look in the loft tomorrow - I may have a few more photos of those cabins for you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vanessan Posted February 16, 2017 Share Posted February 16, 2017 9 hours ago, ranworthbreeze said: Hi Peter, Didn't one of them marry Billie Wright? Regards Alan Babs Beverley married Billy Wright who played for Wolves. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smellyloo Posted February 17, 2017 Share Posted February 17, 2017 12 hours ago, vanessan said: Babs Beverley married Billy Wright who played for Wolves. Oh shucks .... when I was a lad I was convinced that she would fall hopelessly in love with me! Then, when I grew up, I was convinced that Kate Bush would invite me round for tea!! Life is soo litered with disapointment, 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VetChugger Posted February 17, 2017 Share Posted February 17, 2017 I had very similar hopes Smellyloo for Sonja Kristina and Julie Driscoll. The delights of testosterone loaded teenage life! Continual disappointment and rejection! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bound2Please Posted February 17, 2017 Share Posted February 17, 2017 Julie Driscoll (wheels on fire fame) there's a name from the past I had a few drinks with her in late 60's with Brian Auger, minus their Trinity in the Green Gate (now sadly a mc Donalds) Ilford. They was there to see Annie Lawrence who i had a crush on. who was the singer with the resident band there at the time. Charlie. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Broads01 Posted February 17, 2017 Share Posted February 17, 2017 What a gorgeous boat and some great photos. My own memories of Hearts are from the 1980s onwards so I'm always interested to fill in the gaps in my knowledge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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