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Jack Powles


AdnamsGirl

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Herewith a couple of the many photo's of 'Jack Powles' I took onboard 'B.A' March 2008.  He was known as 'Young Jack'  within the boatyard to avoid confusion with his uncle the Jack Powles.  'Young Jack' was the yard foreman during the time that 'B.A' was under construction, (1966) young jack oversaw 'B.A's build program and was hands on himself during her construction.  I'll try and dig out the write up on him

Griff

BA NBN 213.JPG

BA NBN 214.JPG

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Found it:-

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Saturday 22nd Mar 2008  -  A phone call to Moores does the trick as a berth has become available, by 1300 we are safely alongside opposite their office. No charge and they are glad to have us it seems, even offering us a berth inboard in the basin, never got this sort of treatment when out on a hire craft, why is that then?
They are happy for us to use the shore side facilities and our friends would be welcome to park and leave their car in the yard car park over the weekend foc.

Ron - the chap in the office then explains to me that he has previously photo’d ‘B.A’ and taken the picture to show an old friend of his. Ron also showed him the Anglia afloat article with ‘B.A’ in it. This friend of his is 87yrs old (Yes 87) and his name is . . . . . . . .

‘Jack Powles’     Gasp

Now I am left a bit reeling at this news seeing as the Jack Powles died an age ago in the last century.

Ron then explains that the current ‘Jack Powles’ who is very much alive (even at 87) is the nephew of the original Jack Powles and was/is known as ‘Young Jack’  Young Jack worked in his Uncles Yard ‘Powles Craft’ for his Uncle ‘Jack Powles’ until it was sold / closed. I told Ron that we would like to meet ‘Young Jack’ one day perhaps.
We then settled down to boat/people watch for the afternoon as our guests were not due to arrive until around 1700.

20 mins later Ron is back stating that Jack Powles will be down shortly to visit us o/c of his lunch!!!!!   Scared

 

‘Hands To Action Stations’   Scared    Gasp

Hoover up, wipe down / polish / stow all gear / tidy round, another shave, quick change, check camera / visitors book, check mooring ropes / jetty, another tidy round and we are ready in all respects to receive our VIP.

And arrive he duly does, a very smart well spoken gentleman, who on standing beside ‘R641 Star Supreme 1’ (‘B.A’) is somewhat overcome with emotion and memories of an age now gone forever. He is savouring the moment.
I am a little concerned how to get him onboard, I needn’t have worried, it turns out that ‘Young Jack’ is still spritely too.  It was a dream to have his company onboard for the hour n half he spent with us. The stories from yesteryear were a joy, this man’s memories of the Broads before / during and after WWII were just amazing to listen to. Carol (Adnamsgirl) would love him to bits, this man is a living history of an age we look at in black n white old photo’s
Jack was then given a thorough guided tour of ‘B.A’ he was mightily impressed and nearly lost his composure again, especially in the aft end of ‘B.A’ He was running his hands over certain areas explaining that he had himself worked on the building of R641 way back in 1966, his area of responsibility was the after end!!
Jack confirmed what we now know in that R641 was indeed the first of the class and then she was subsequently used to make a plug for her five sisters 2 thru to 6 and other classes that followed used the same hull mould.
One of the things that he hoped we had was the badge on the apron, he said he used to make them all by hand. Sadly of course we don’t have one but we live in hope, Jack did state he would ask around for us.

He stated that he would of so liked to give us a Powles enamel badge but that he only had the one and his grandson had lost it.

Well we have got 4 of those precious badges (although I didn’t tell him this). No prizes for guessing who I am sending one to this coming week?

Then came the highlight for me, ‘Jack Powles’ signed our visitor’s book. The very same Jack Powles who helped build her 42 years ago, now it was my turn to get a grip of myself!!   Blush

If only we had known that Jack was still around we could have invited him to our recent commissioning ceremony, that would have been something eh?

This was certainly a ‘Red Letter Day’ for us and ‘B.A’ it was such an honour to welcome him onboard

We got some good Photo’s of Jack onboard with Broad Ambition, copies will be sent on to him.

Griff

 

 

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