Welcome to Postcards from the Norfolk Broads. This site is intended to take you on a tour of the Broads, illustrated by old postcards from my own small collection. Originally my lifelong fascination with the Broads and particularly its hire boat fleets lead to my collecting cards where these craft were individually identifiable. Slowly but continuously this has developed into my record of the Boat Builders and their creations in the years up to the early 1970’s when these specialised craft were hand built by the local craftsmen.

To help me in this pastime I have called upon my own memories and observations, my small collection of old holiday brochures and Broads library and, of course, the internet. My research has also lead me to a greater interest in the period beyond my own recollections and the production of the ‘Early Days’ and ‘Extras’ pages.

(For Links to new items please see the foot of this page. N.B. It is sometimes necessary to scroll down a little after the new page has loaded)

Sometimes it is possible to be certain of a boat’s identity. Sometimes there is so little evidence it is hardly worth trying. Most of the time you can take an educated guess and be reasonably sure but it is possible to be mistaken and I have had to revise a few of my initial identifications.

Naturally I have made every effort to ensure that my facts are correct and if I cannot be certain I try to make that clear within my text.  I am always delighted to hear from any visitor who can assist me, who disagrees with any of my “facts” or just wants to discuss the content. Your e-mails are always answered and input is always acknowledged on the site.

Likewise, pinpointing the vintage of photographs can be difficult. It gets easier with practice but one can rarely be precise. Postal dating can provide a clue but some postcards remained in print or in retailer’s shops for many years. If any visitor can be of assistance in dating any of the postcards I would be delighted to hear from them also.

As I have stated, the narrative takes the form of a cruise along the Broadland rivers and is a work in progress which will be added to whenever suitable subjects come to hand. Now that the initial development of the site is completed new articles are added, on a fairly regular basis and flagged on this page; but this is subject to the availability of suitable material and time.

Naturally, the fact that the text is not initially a completed work may, at times, seem to interfere with the continuity of the piece. I will try to avoid this by linking-in the new topics as best I can. In a similar way: The discussions are lead by the content of the postcards themselves; which does mean that you will find instances where they appear in sections other than their actual locations. For example: Truman & Hunter Yachts on the River Ant or Herbert Woods and Banham’s on the Lower Bure page. I hope visitors will forgive these apparent discrepancies? 

The Broads are a national asset and as such can be the subject of political issues and differing opinions regarding usage and development. Other than my rather obvious fondness for the days when the rhond was lined with boat yards I have made a point of avoiding comment on any such issues. This web-site is intended to be a purely nostalgic tour of the Broads and my only objectives are to entertain and maintain historical accuracy.

Naturally there are issues of copyright to be considered when using postcards for illustration and this also applies to the scans I have included; from the holiday firm’s catalogues, to help better describe the boats encountered by the photographers.

I have contacted all the publishers concerned, for their permission to do this, and am delighted to say that they have all responded in a most positive, friendly and interested manner.

Some postcards were published by companies that are no longer trading and consequently I have no means of knowing to whom (if anyone) the copyright belongs.

Where possible, I have acknowledged these companies and in the event that any organisation has objections to their products’ inclusion I would hope that they will contact me, if only to seek their removal. I will of course comply with any such request.

 
Brian Kermode – Revised July 2010

In January 2011:

Lower River Bure:        The first ever Blakes - Herbert Woods Entry?

In March 2011:

River Bure Page:            'Ernest Collins' famous Pleasure Wherry

River Waveney Page:   'Broadlander' at Beccles

In April 2011:                 Ernest Royall's first Cabin Cruiser

In May 2011:                   Song of Eve (George Smith & Sons)

In June 2011: River Bure Page

                                                 Golden Hinde at Horning Ferry

                                                Whispering Winds at Horning

In August 2011:        Acknowledgements Page: The Edmund Nägele Collection

In September 2011:  Extras Page:           The Jack Powles Set

In November 2011: River Bure Page:   The view from Loynes' Yard 

In December 2011:  Extras Page:             Arthur Ransome's Norfolk Boat Builders