SB Elsie Bertha

Naming Frank Mason ordered Elsie Bertha in 1878 from Miltons, a Kent builder. This was Masons’ third vessel and was named for his daughter who had died aged five months. Skatty Her final skipper, Arthur Catchpole, was a smartly dressed man and was known as Skatty., he would have nothing to do with the orthodox seaman’s blue …

SB Jumbo

Masons probably had Jumbo from new in 1883. Shipping movement records show Jumbo with Brooks as the master in London in August 1888 and Quantrill in 1900. Whether or not she was sold with the rest of the fleet to Cranfields is uncertain but by 1916 she was registered with the Cotton Powder Co., City, London. War …

SB Orinoco

As Elsie Bertha was lost in 1894 it is probable that Orinoco, bought new in 1895, was her replacement. At some point, she was fitted with a deckhouse and, conceivably converted to wheel steering although she may have had this originally. Masons were rather unsporting on a Friday in 18971For an account of the 1897 …

SB Excelsior

Masons bought Excelsior second-hand in 1888 as their fourth vessel. Along with the remainder of the fleet she was sold to Cranfields in 1912 eventually being used for training as she was, by then, their smallest barge.

SB Petrel

Petrel was built by Orvis in Ipswich in 1892 as Masons fourth vessel. The first three had a family-related name so it is unclear why she was called Petrel. Fred Strange was skipper in 1894, she competed In the Harwich Race in 1897, see Orinoco. Quantrill was skipper in 1905. Arthur Catchpole (see Elsie Bertha) had …

SB Grace

Grace was Masons second barge built at their own yard at Stoke, Ipswich in 1874 and named for George Mason’s daughter Grace Eliza. Along with the rest of the Masons fleet, she would have carried cement and mixed cargoes to and from Waldringfield. Ernest Smith, one-time mate on Augusta, and his brother Isaac continued sailing …

SB Augusta

Augusta was Masons’ first barge built at their own yard at Stoke, Ipswich in 1874 and named for George Mason’s daughter Augusta. Along with the rest of the Masons’ fleet, she would have carried cement and mixed cargoes to and from Waldringfield.

SB Kingfisher

We know from Walter Tye’s book that Kingfisher was used in the mud digging for the cement works. His information was firsthand from the crew. Robert Simper says that Kingfisher was built by William Colchester in 1878 as a tiller-steered ‘stumpie’ (no topmast)1Kingfisher  – Topsail 44, Barges on the Deben by Robert Simper. However, the …