All aboard the SS Mackeson

[NorfolkNog]

Spotted a fascinating and amusing account on Carol’s Broadland Memories blog about a fleet of hire cruisers named after Whitbread beers!!

http://www.broadlandmemories.co.uk/blog/

The memory of Whitbread Tankard made me shudder though! I like Carol’s suggestions for boat names based on Adnams beers too.

Mind you when the lottery comes up and I buy my boat, I’m going to call her “Lady Evelynâ€

[AdnamsGirl]

Funnily enough Howard, I thought of you when I spotted it !!

It dates from the late 1960s but I have to confess that I had never heard of the names of this particular hire fleet before and whether the then owner of the Waveney Yacht Station boatyard ever did have his fleet of eighteen "Whitbread" cruisers I don't know. Craig's database lists just three of them - Gold Top, Trophy and Forest Brown - but as they were an independent yard at this time then he may not have the necessary literary references to identify the entire fleet.

At least two of the Elysian 34's joined Richardsons fleet in the early 70s at part of the Fairway class, as did the Freeman 26 "Forest Brown" which became Helmsman - maybe Clive's dad will remember more about this particular fleet?

Just another of those quirky little bits of Broadland's history!

I hope it's OK to put a direct link here to the specific article on the blog as, obviously, it will disappear down the list on the front page as I add more posts. As always with anything I mention on there, I'm always keen to receive more information or memories people may have.

http://www.broadlandmemories.co.uk/blog/2012/07/booze-cruisers/

It could have been worse .... they might have been named after Watneys offerings!!

Carol

[NorfolkNog]

It could have been worse .... they might have been named after Watneys offerings!!

That's true!!!!!