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Message board > Miscellaneous topics > Attention HARDY owners on the River Thames.

Message 6 of 6
Posted by member Peter Cox on Tuesday 14 March 2017

Could the boat have been a Dunkirk Little Ship? The Archivist of the Association of Dunkirk Little Ships might be able to help. He has a lot of information about boats of that era even if they weren't Little Ships. Contactable via their website.

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Message 5 of 6
Posted by member John on Tuesday 14 March 2017

Thanks for that information Simon and with luck may help in our quest. Although by now may well have gone to boat heaven, or wherever boats go! But worth a try. All the best John

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Message 4 of 6
Posted by member Simon Kidd on Tuesday 14 March 2017

John. I've never heard of the boat or book, but will look it up. There are not many yards on the Thames of which I'm unfamiliar, in terms of tracing, have you spoken with Wootten's Boatyard near Cookham and Dennett's Boatbuilders near Chertsey, a lot of the old guard are no longer with us, but you may just be lucky. Certainly Woottens would be my first port of call - and ask around. Other areas where you do get a few older vessels, or at least still have a few people with consummate knowledge of the classics would be Weybridge Marine (A couple of the older berth holders are well informed), Peter Freebody and Co (Unlikey but worth a try), Stanely and Thomas Boatbuilders Windsor. There are always the odd boat in places like Hambledon marina and even up at Letchlade. She could equally be anywhere - Canvey Island is a typical resting place of such vessels. Good luck with it Best Regards Si.

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Message 3 of 6
Posted by member John on Friday 3 March 2017

Hi Peter. Many thanks for your post. I am indeed referring to 'Searching for Sir Humphrey: And Other Tales from the Thames'. My brother was at college with Chris Morris, the author and photographer of that book. When they met (for the first time after 46 years) Chris gave my brother a copy of the book, and hence our interest in the lost 'Sir Humphrey'. Knowing that there are Hardy boats on every stretch of the navigable Thames we thought that if the Sir Humphrey still existed anywhere then at least one eagle-eyed Hardy owner must have spotted it, or perhaps at least know something about the boat's ultimate fate. However, after all this time we have to be realistic and accept that the chances of finding anything new are now very remote. But it was worth a chance. For anyone not familiar with the book, it's a great read for anyone interested in the River Thames. It covers the whole length of the river from Allhallows to Lechlade and its 144 pages has countless full colour photographs as well as fascinating personal anecdotes and lots of interesting facts about all aspects of the river.

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Message 2 of 6
Posted by member Peter Cox on Friday 3 March 2017

Presumably you've read the book 'Searching for Sir Humphrey: And Other Tales from the Thames'. The only vessel of that name with a registered radio is a fishing vessel in the Faroe islands; unlikely to be the same one but it is about the same size.

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Message 1 of 6
Posted by member John on Thursday 2 March 2017

* LOST - Sir Humphrey We are Searching for Sir Humprey, a thirty foot converted naval auxiliary with real brass portholes, last seen near Bourne End, River Thames, in 1953. Any info about the fate, possible location, or sighting, of this old vessel would be very gratefully received for sentimental reasons.

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