Name Worcester

1.      What is the vessel’s ability to demonstrate history in her physical fabric?

Evidence for designs, functions, techniques, processes, styles, customs and habits or uses and associations in relation to events and people.  How early, intact or rare these features are may impact on significance.

WORCESTER was the last of five motor tugboats built between 1908 and 1912 for the Sharpness New Docks and Gloucester and Birmingham Navigation Company for use on the English narrow canals. She is mono-hulled and was constructed of iron throughout, apart from oak doors and skylight hatches in her cabin area, and wooden fittings in the cabin itself. She has a centrally located funnel and a cabin area that extends across her width and along two thirds of her length. She has a curved transom which is raked forward steeply exposing the rudder when unladen. The stern is fitted with a perforated iron supporting frame raised about 1 foot above the deck. Her external structure has remained virtually unaltered.  

WORCESTER’s original engine was a 36 hp twin cylinder 2 RO 1 British Kromhout engine, built at the works of Plenty & Sons Ltd, Newbury. It produced pungent fumes and alterations were made to reduce this following legal action. In 1930 a new 30 hp Bolinder semi diesel engine was fitted. In 1972 her engine was removed and work was started to conserve her. A new phosphor bronze main diesel injector pump was made, and the 2½ tons of engine was reinstalled in 1977. Recently further major conservation work has been carried out, mainly to her hull and superstructure, requiring a considerable amount of riveting, metalwork and woodwork. When the waterways in Britain were nationalised in 1948 WORCESTER was painted in the new British Waterways blue and yellow livery. Previously she had a cream superstructure, black hull and red oxide roof, a colour scheme that was restored following her acquisition by the Boat Museum in 1972.

2.      What are the vessel’s associational links for which there is no physical evidence?

Associations with people or places.  Off-ship research.

WORCESTER was built in 1912 by Isaac J. Abdella & Mitchell of Brinscombe Port, Stroud, on the Thames and Severn Canal where she spent most her working life, giving her strong associations with this area. She worked initially on the Worcester and Birmingham Canal towing horse-drawn boats along the lock-free pound between Tardebigge and Kings Norton and through the Tardebigge and Shortwood tunnels. She continued working throughout the First World War, despite attempts by her owners to sell her to the Admiralty to reduce their costs.  WORCESTER remained a working vessel, later being used as a tunnel tug and then for icebreaking, until she was sold into private ownership in 1963/4.  Under the custodianship of the Boat Museum Society, she has represented the National Waterways Museum at events in Manchester, the Midlands, Gloucester and Belgium. She is a rare survivor (along with SHARPNESS) of a pre-First World War canal tunnel tug and has been recorded on the National Register of Historic Vessels since 1998.

3.      How does the vessel’s shape or form combine and contribute to her function?

Overall aesthetic impact of the vessel, her lines, material she was built from and her setting.  Does she remain in her working environment?

The function of WORCESTER was as a canal motor tugboat. Her iron construction and powerful engine made her entirely fit for purpose, and her extended deck cabin assisted her in operating in all weathers. With her new Bolinder engine she was capable of towing a train of 12 loaded boats, with a total displacement of 400 tons, at about 2 miles an hour. She operated with a crew of two. Her appearance was in keeping with her function; what she lacked in elegance was compensated for by her impressive power and performance, although her smooth superstructure and curved transom presented a satisfying appearance. Although no longer located in the Thames and Severn area WORCESTER is now owned, maintained and operated by the Boat Museum Society, and conserved in operating condition at the National Waterways Museum, Ellesmere Port, where she is on display to the public.

Source: NHS-UK team, 01 February 2017.                                                               

This statement was developed as part of the Heritage Lottery funded First World War project. http://www.ww1britainssurvivingvessels.org.uk/