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 jersey & cheese cutter cap. Instead always wore a hard felt hat and white collar and cuffs. He looked more like a doctor than a barge skipper. He had Masons’ Elsie Bertha when she was run down and sunk in the Swin1Skatty – Down Tops’l by Hervey Behham.
Topmark
Although the image is not a good one it does show the topmark, which, could be a Moon or half Moon so is inconclusive.
Barge Details
Name: Elsie Bertha, Main trade: Cement, Port of Registry: Rochester, Off. No.: 78542, Tonnage: 47, Where built: Milton, Builder, When built: 1878, Owners: Mason 1893. Run down and sunk in the Swin; date unknown.
Footnotes
- 1Skatty – Down Tops’l by Hervey Behham
Image Sources and Credits
- 1Skatty – Down Tops’l by Hervey Behham