Rye Harbour Image Library

Picture No:	212
Courtesy of:	Mary Lestocq
Year:	1980

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Coaster Ivy - B

One of the regular coasters visiting the wharf.
Picture Added on 12 January 2007.

Comments

Hi, stayed overnight in Rye & visited Rye harbour last week hoping to see a ship or two ! on the Rye Wharf, no luck, I went into the office of the Wharf & spoke to a very helpful/interesting gentleman who told me about the trade & development of the Wharf (Rastrum Ltd Shipping & Warehousing), I have a shipping Web Site www.shipspotter.co.uk which covers mostly the shipping around North Foreland but i am keen to get a photo of a coaster on the River Rother either in or outbound from the Wharf, i will credit one with the Photo if I am lucky enough to receive one to put on my site if that is o/k, i believe ther is a ship due around now 18th-19th Feb 07 with cargo of Talc frm Rotterdam. Nice to see the Photo of the "Ivy-B"
Regards all at Rye thank you for very interesting break Chris & Cris(Wife)
Added by Chris on 18 February 2007.

What a lovely picture of the Ivy b i used to work on the Georgena b there were 4 coasters there other two were Doreen b and Jennifer b.
Added by Robert Berritt on 19 January 2011.

I hitched a ride over to Rye on the Ivy B from Rotterdam in March 1981. I was working at the Missions to Seamen in Rotterdam at the time. (Yes, I was the "Mission Man!") Great times! Great people!
Now please can anyone tell me what year & month the "Ivy B" got sunk for gun-running in the Med, possibly somewhere off Cyprus? I'm working on a painting of the "Hoomoss" that I photographed from the "Ivy B" somewhere off Dungeness, and just wanted to put a bit of history of the 2 boats behind the picture.
Thanks a lot!
Added by Paul Mallett on 02 August 2011.

I got a job as D.H.U. (deckhand uncertificated)on the Ivy B from Nov 1981 to July 1982. I was a professional yachtmaster but needed to get commercial seatime to get a Seamans Discharge Book and seatime towards a second mates certificate. The Ivy B and Georgina B were both running out of Rye at this time owned by a company called Van Broek Marine. Each ship ran with a Skipper, a Mate and three deckhands. There was no engineer on board, once a month a shoreside engineer came on board and gave the engine a lookover and assured us that it would run for another month! There were little notice plaques at various places on the engine saying such things as "2 squirts of oil every 3 hours" or "Turn greaser every 2 hours". We followed this advice and amazingly, although we had many adventures on our trips over to the continent going as far afield as the Rhine, I don't recall any major engine failures. Wonderful days of my youth! I wish I could re-live them!
Added by Cedric Hellier on 16 January 2012.

Hi and WOW, Love the pic of the Ivy B, I worked on the Doreen B 1976/77, I'm sure it was oil the rocker/tappet cups every hour, yep and grease the sturn tube on a regular basis. Anyone remember another ship thats not been mentioned the Caterina W? It was also a van Broek Marine vessel, I dont know how long it lasted because it was quite rotten and needed plenty of welding repairs before she could be classed as sea worthy as the rest of the fleet, cough cough. Anybody have any pics of the Doreen B? Love to hear from anyone that also worked on the ships. Steve
Added by Steve Mason on 23 June 2012.

Ooops, having read what Robert Berritt wrote, my mistake, The Caterina W was renamed the Jennifer B, I would love to know what became of the Doreen B, was a great time of my life now I look back on it but was also at time the most frightening times of my life when we were out there in all sorts of weather and extremely rough seas. Paul Putwaine was the skipper and a very nice person as were all the crew. Used to love going up the Rhine, stop of at Rotterdam for a night or 2 on the way to pickup the pilot, Yohan an old world war 2 bargie, he told us many stories about the spitfires and bombers flying up the Rhine. I still remember waking in Dueseldorf at about 6am with the worse hangover of my life and having to go start throwing the hatch boards about, oh for Magreggar hatches, would have been lovely. I went back to St Valery sur Somme just a few weeks ago, it's not as it used to be but still brought back lots of good memories.
Added by Steve Mason on 23 June 2012.

What ever happens to all the boats? It would be interesting to know what happened to them, I had so many memories of them when I lived at Rye Harbour - I used to tied them up at the wharf.
Added by Robert Berritt on 16 June 2013.

I got a job with van broek marine at tylors wharf in Isleworth London in 1970 on the edna b the owners where brian and neal they had a boat yard in twickenham london we run from london to france holland belgium and germany there was another ship called the catherina w which was owned by someone called denise and audrey in 1971 van broek marine got georgina b then they bought the ivy b in 1972 we then moved to rye harbour under new owners which was tylors from isleworth who then bought the doreen b in 1973. We ran to st valery sur somme for talc and rubber for firestones rotterdam and up the rhine some names skippers neal golding philiph latham kenny marsh morris hughs dave saddler brian the owner mates purcy leemam vic ling pat patanosta deckhands little john larry wooding rod from rochester marcel from st valery yoggy from ipswich malchom from twickenham bill from stains who took over the copper kettle in rye. I left in 1974 when I got married to the niece of the cafe owners in st valery who was roland and elaine the owners of the inkerman arms in rye harbour where we used then was pat and patrica who use to come on trips with us I ended up becoming a mate of the ivy b and larry wooding the mate of the doreen b I have wrote a list of who was where on the boats.
Added by Tom johnson on 22 August 2013.

What happened to the b boats it would be interesting to know.
Added by Robert Berritt on 28 December 2013.

Single Ship Report for "5087998"
Keel Type:Cargo; Launch Date:15.9.56; DOC:22.11.56; Tons:350; DWT:413; Length:45.0; Beam:7.6; Builder: Hanseatische (Hamburg); Subsequent History: 1964 CARAVELLE - 1972 IVY B.
Disposal Data: leaked & beached near Ras Gharib (Egypt)19.8.83 & looted. Alleged gun running.
Added by Chris Coleman on 07 January 2014.

I was on Georgena B from 1974 till 1978 I had some very good times with mole skipper and John Matei left and went to sulley freight.
Added by Donald Ager on 05 February 2014.

It was great looking at ship spotters saw all the b boats it's a shame they are not running anymore. I miss seeing them in Rye Harbour where I used to tie them up. May they rest in peace
Added by Robert Berritt on 18 March 2014.

Hi Steve
I was on the cath w, then the doreen B
Added by Frank on 03 June 2014.

Hi Robert
I think I can remember you, I used to be on the doreen b with brian the skipper and lennie as mate
Added by Frank on 03 June 2014.

Those were the days, they were good ships, it's a shame they went, I do miss them, may they rest in peace, they done a lot of work between them...
Added by Robert Berritt on 14 June 2014.

Hello,
I was the Mate on the Edna B.
Took delivery of her in Rotterdam and Brian Van Broek and I brought her back for refitting at Twickenham.
The hardest work of my life but wonderful experience.
What happened to her?

Added by Leigh Middleton on 28 December 2014.

My memory is playing tricks. Of course, Brian's surname was Puyenbroek.
Having now read previous posts I see she ended up gun running and looted. At least she didn't sink!
Added by Leigh Middleton on 04 January 2015.

Hi all. I used to work for a short spell between 76/77 on the Jenifer B, My Dad was the Transport Manager at Taylors all his life... I was sent away a few times during the school holidays in the mid sixties for a real adventure with the Dutch skippers and cape verde crew... it was that I think that kindled my love of all things maritime....the skipper during my childhood was Mr DeBoer who was from Delfsijl where all the little ships were registered... a tough old Dutchman who ran a very neat operation... I drove a lorry for Taylors and volunteered to go aboard the Jennifer, taking a massive paycut...the skipper was Digger Woodruff (?) and we had a variety of characters aboard..Mad days really..with some hairy moments thrown in...we sailed into St Valery with a broken throttle cable and me operating the revs on the three pot Brons motor with a red rag tied to the dangling wire which was connected to the brass wheel next to the Steering gear above my head... I was to increase or decrease power as the rag jerked up or down the bulkhead... I did this on another occasion when a Rhine Pilot was aboard.. I had become so adept at it that he never realised the linkage was broken....Good times..
Added by Kevin Miller on 25 May 2015.

Well hello I worked at vanbroek marine as trainee boat builder with nick lidyard shipwright Duncan the garuless Scottish engineer my friend Dave symmonds and others for Neal and Brian puyenbroek and pop their dad. Mid 1970 Brian gets this pretty little classic dutch coaster 120ft by 25ft .we brought her up Thames from the pool of London and just fitted under Richmond bridge to the mooring on swan island at the yard . to get the board of trade survey chipping and cement washing ballast tanks, lacquering inside air tanks, main bearing play and big ends checked with solder wire.peter house ex r.n. was the man.I think this boat was the catarina w. Within a short while of being back in comision . Brian bought another similar slightly larger coaster renaming her the Edna B. Running from taylers wharf in isle worth carrying talc from St. Valery in France. I last saw her and raised a wave from Brian in rye harbour in 1977 about July time when I was aboard my own humber keel motor barge enroute from hayling island to brentford on Thames.
Added by Stefan proszynski on 25 October 2015.

I sailed on the ivy b for a while. She was a tough old girl and she took on some very heavy seas at times. I spent a lot of time on the wheel in rough weather as the auto pilot had a mind of it`s own at times but I enjoyed being on the wheel. It is strange I always felt safe on the ivy b what ever the weather through at her despite her age.
Added by B,BARRETT on 19 January 2016.

I used to work on the Rye Trader, in about 1970, sailing from Rye to the River Eems in Germany, for Seaweed fertiliser Cargo for Teinmouth. I remember Robert Berritt from Rye Harbour who broke his leg, remembering him tying up Coasters at Alsfords Wharf. Working on the coasters was hard work, little money, but met great people. Barry Arnold, Rye.
Added by Barry on 02 June 2016.

Anyone who worked for Taylors Isleworth Green Lorries? Maybe you knew my father Peter Birch? Or his father Robert Birch.
Added by V.Birch on 17 June 2016.

I see that the wharf has been taken over by rastrum, glad to see it still working they are getting bigger ships in now
Added by Robert Berritt on 03 April 2017.

Good day to you all nice to read about you all. Kind regards Chris ex-Marine Engineering Superintendent (oily rag) From 1976 to 1979, How is Mr Bulpit director and Les Fitch? the office manager
Added by Chris Packham on 04 April 2017.

My father Hartley Helman was the Trinity house pilot at Rye and berthed the first boat to berth at Rye Wharf he also piloted ships up to the Strand Quay I have some photos of that time 1971
Added by Hartley Robert Helman on 20 June 2017.

Hi all good to read all the comments on the B boats, I started on the Catherina - W as a deckhand in the early 1970s Dennis Cox and Audre where the skipper owners, this man taught me everything I know when I first went sea being a ex commander in the Royal Navy Left there to go mate on the Edna B and spent many interesting times, Edna B caught fire off the hook of Holland, mid 1970s had to abandon ship I believe the vessel was Written off. On my return to the UK did some relief mate and skippering with Morris on the Georgina B, , after which joined the Doreen B as her full time mate, as mentioned by Tom Johnson, had a grounding incident with the rye pilot that landed the Doreen B On the breakwater sheet piling after steering failure, these are just some of my times spent with Van Broke Marine, great years, joined a vessel Called the Alberson under skipper David Sadler, then when skipper and mate an the Argus pride, late 1970s joined Whitbury shipping as master mate of the St. Andrews, leaving in 1982 to emigrate to the land Dowm under, I have wonderful times and meny happy memories of Rye, Saint Valery sur Somme, Isleworth.
Will dig up some photos of all the B boat and post them for you info and memories
Larry Wooding
Added by Larry wooding on 03 September 2017.

I lived and grew up in Rye and use to hang out with friends at Rye Harbour we used to watch the B boats come in at the harbour entrance I remember an incident which involved one of the B boats blocking the harbour entrance I think it was the Doreen B would have been in the mid to late 70s at low tide she was on her side about 200 metres from the harbour entrance. I think she would have been leaving the harbour as she was facing out to sea could this be the incident with the steering failure??

Added by on 14 November 2017.

hello all i was deckhand on the georgen b from 1974 until 1978 with skipper mole and mate little john some very good times and met some very nice men on my travels left the georgena and went as mate on the subro vesta for a time and then went as mate with cresent shipping on the bencol with paul skeates or as we knew him the turk i wish i knew his number i would like to get in touch lots of very good memorys best of luck old freind?packed up seafaring in 1986 due to ill health .
Added by Donald Ager on 07 May 2018.

hello robert berritt you do not remember me i was moles brother in law or deck hand on the georgena b for just over four years i remember being in the inkermans arms one day having a pint or two playing darts and mistakenly missing the dart board and getting you in the leg .sorry? HOPE AFTER ALL these years you are still ok some very good memories of my time on the georgena bye for now donald ager
Added by Donald Ager on 13 May 2018.

I was a deckhand on the Doreen B for about 5-6 months, circa 1975-76 when the skipper was Paul Putwain, who also drove the crew in his newly acquired Mustang to the cinema to watch Jaws!
We were also done by customs and excise for exceeding our weekly allowance of 200 ciggies and 1 bottle of spirits from the bond locker, as it was xmas, I had 600 ciggies 6 bottles of spirits and 80 dutch cigars which had cost me £35. I was fined £75 and allowed to keep 1 bottle and 200 ciggies! the weekly wage was about £30-£40 depending if we were at home or abroad. Other memory was running aground just of St Valery and tourists walking around the ship. Dropping a hatchplank breaking my toe. The engine breaking down in a severe storm about 15 miles off Belgium, I was known as Jerry or Jess then. Great memories mixed with hangovers and seasickness!
Added by Jem de Blondeville on 26 February 2019.

Hi to you all. I used to work on the Ivy-B in the mid eighties. The skipper was Phil Latham. We had great times working gentlemans hours from Rye Wharf. The main ports being St Valery-sur-Somme and the Rhine. I remember Robert Berritt from the Inkermans ( our second home ) I also sailed with Maurice on the Georgina-B and on the Jennifer-B. When Rycon shipping moved to The Thamwell with Dave Sadler and also with Black Jack the Dutchman. All well known characters on the coast and probably no longer with us. After a spell on the Thamwell, I moved to the Con Zelo working out of Newhaven until she was sold to a German owner. I finished my seagoing career with Lapthorns on the Betty Jean. All my sea time is remembered with affection. Yes it was hard work for little pay, but the good timed made up for it. Steve Kemp
Added by on 28 April 2019.

I remember seeing Donald Ager on the Georgena b hope you are ok .
Added by Robert Berritt on 07 April 2020.

Oh yes. Ivy B, chipping rust, just for a crust, Swan Island, Twickenham, just upstream of Eel Pie Island, now there's a story. Edna B, named after Brian Puyenbrook's wife Edna, she was secretary at VanBroek Marine. Neil Puyenbroek owned the ex HDML "Wendala" and sold it to Fred Pond, I crewed "Wendala" to Calais several times and ultimately to Vancouver, BC, with 5 others in 1973 but that's another story. I remember Brian Puyenbroek, driving his Rover 3.5 over the somewhat rickety bridge onto Swan Island and virtually writing it off on one of the buildings. Neil Puyenbroek sold the business to Penton Hook Marinas around 1974/5. He ended up crippled when he fell out of his attic onto a length of 2"x2" which went straight up his back side, Fond memories.
Added by David Simmons on 08 May 2020.

Chris Packham, long time no see you old Matlow. It was you that got me the job on the Doreen B in 76, great times. Donald Ager I remember you, your brother in law and John, I wish I could do it again. Paul Putwain was our skipper, 18 months prior to then he was a lorry driver and knew nothing about the sea, imagine that happening these days. I hope your all staying safe in these awful times. Geesh 44 years ago, gone so fast. Take care you all, Steve
Added by Steve Mason on 10 May 2020.

Hello to David Simmons. Sorry to correct you, but Brian Puyenbroek owned 'Wendala'. I was a friend of the Puyenbroek family, and did several deliveries with Brian or Neil. Brian wrote the Rover off hitting a very large road sign. I was Mate on the Edna B, taking delivery of her in Rotterdam one dark and rainy night, bringing her back to Twickenham. She was brought up to LLoyds Standards, and I worked on her for about twelve months, interesting, never worked so hard in my life! Neil sadly died of cancer. If anyone is interested, I do have some stories of life on the Edna B, some amusing, some not!
Added by Leigh Middleton on 23 August 2020.

Hello to Leigh Middleton. I now have to correct myselfl! "Wendala" was not an HDML. She was one of only four of her type, built between 8-6-1942 and 10-1942 by RA Newman at Hamworthy. Admiralty small boat Numbers: 41184-41187. They were known as 70' Sea going Motorboats and designed for clandestine use, hence the tunnels for their stern gear, this enabled them to go close in without damage. The other three boats were "Amberjack", "Stardust" and "Southern Maid". "Wendala" very sadly sank on the Fraser River, her engines were salvaged.
Added by David Simmons on 30 August 2020.

Hello again to Leigh Middleton. Re "Wendala" owners. 1948, S.G.Hall. 1953, HA, MC, JH and MKD Hall of Ripley in Surrey. For 1967-68, the owners were these plus Vanbroek Marine. By 1970 the owners were CWJ Morley and Brian Puyenbroek.
Added by David Simmons on 30 August 2020.

In 1976 I sailed on the Doreen b from Gainsborough to Holland then over to Rye - Phill Latham was the skipper then.
Added by Jeff cope on 15 November 2020.

Actually Edna was dads mother's name Georgina was his first wife. Dad died when he was 46 from an infection in his chest.
Added by David Puyenbroek on 22 January 2021.

I was a marine engineer that done a lot of work on the Georgina B and sailed with her out of Rye a couple of times. Her skipper was Maurice he lived in Lee on Solent.

Added by on 06 December 2021.

I started my sea going career on the Ivy-B with Phil, Betty, Steve, Richard and Barry. Good old days remembered fondly. Life seemed a lot simpler then and full of characters like Maurice and Little John on the Georgina-B.Love to catch up with either Steve or Barry again for a beer or two.
Added by Roy Higgs on 14 April 2024.