SB Ardwina finds a new home with Tiller and Wheel

Looking after a Thames barge takes a huge amount of time, effort and funds.  For 44 years, the architects and planning consultants Rolfe Judd, took on this task as custodians of Ardwina, a 1909 wooden Thames sailing barge.

However, the time had come for new owners to take her forward and they wanted to ensure she would go to a good home.  Recognising the hard work Tiller and Wheel have put in to raising the profile of their historic ships since 2019, Rolfe Judd approached them to become her new owners.

This would have been difficult for a small organisation to take on, but Rolfe Judd have generously offered to sponsor Tiller and Wheel over the coming years to help keep Ardwina in good condition and enable her to join their fleet, creating special experiences for a new generation.

This support will be invaluable as Tiller and Wheel continue to grow, creating more opportunities for the public to engage with these ships and for T&W to increase the support available to them.  Next they will be sitting down with Rolfe Judd employees Willie, the Skipper of over 40 years, and Daryl, Ship Manager, to hear some of the tales of Rolfe Judd’s ownership and learn about the rich history of Ardwina under their flag.

About Tiller and Wheel:

Tiller & Wheel CIC are a small family business dedicated to promoting the historic East Coast fleet of smacks and barges and providing high quality experiences aboard their historic vessels Edith May, a Thames Sailing Barge, and Thistle, a Whitstable oyster smack.  There used to be over 2000 Thames Sailing Barges but now there are only around 30 left sailing.  Tiller & Wheel’s two Directors, Ed Gransden and Heather Burgess, want to ensure a sustainable future for all the remaining Thames Sailing Barges. 

In a first for the East Coast and possibly the world, Tiller and Wheel have removed the price tag from sailing trips aboard their historic Thames barge Edith May, and will be making their public sailing schedule free to all.  This is made possible through the power of crowdfunding.

Whilst they will be offering a free sailing schedule, they hope that people choose to support their work through their Patreon page.  From as little as £3 a month, people can sign up to help the heritage business achieve their aims of taking thousands of people out on the river who would not normally have the opportunity.

Ardwina's History:

The last wooden barge to be built by Orvis & Fuller in Ipswich, Ardwina initially worked carrying stone from Portland to Greenwich under EJ&W Goldsmith of Colchester. 

What followed was a period of near disaster.  In 1938 she was dismasted and left to drift in a channel gale before colliding with a Dutch coaster in the Thames in 1955.

Following this unfortunate turn of events, Ardwina was saved by Daniel Bros of Whitstable. While consideration was given to converting her to a motor-barge – only her bow and port side were repaired.  With no engine installed, she lay dormant in Whitstable until being sold in 1959 for use as a private yacht and eventually a houseboat in both Chelsea Reach, Battersea and Maldon, Essex.

Ardwina was purchased by Rolfe Judd in 1979.  She returned to Dock End Yard in Ipswich for a full restoration, including the installation of an engine.  After restoration, she made a triumphant return to London to take first place in many Thames Sailing Barge matches, before enjoying a much more serene retirement hosting regular company get-togethers.

Following Rolfe Judd’s long stewardship, ownership of Ardwina has been passed to Tiller & Wheel, where she’ll become part of their active fleet, providing opportunities for the public to engage with these ships and ensure they survive long into the future. 

Source: Tiller and Wheel website

Read more about Tiller and Wheel, one of our Shipshape South East projects.