Wilfred (Thames barge)

Wilfred was a barge moored on the River Thames, London.

The Wilfred in 2010.

History

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Wilfred was built by J. Piper of East Greenwich in 1926. It was used as a cargo carrier until 1970, when she was sold into private ownership.[1]

Until 2024, the boat was moored off Temple Pier on Victoria Embankment, London.[2] The barge sank on 4 January 2024 during Storm Henk.[3] It had been operating as a "floating bar" for 15 years.[4] It was operated by Bar & Co.[5] It was re-floated but had sustained severe damage.[6] In February it was towed down stream to Erith for breaking up.[7]

References

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  1. ^ "SB Wilfred refloated after sinking in storms | National Historic Ships". www.nationalhistoricships.org.uk. 2024-01-15. Retrieved 2024-08-28.
  2. ^ "Bleak future for SB Wilfred on the Thames | Ships Monthly". 2024-08-28. Retrieved 2024-08-28.
  3. ^ "London flooding: Floating bar sinks during Storm Henk". BBC News. 2024-01-05. Retrieved 2024-08-28.
  4. ^ King, Jordan (2024-01-05). "Captain of sunken party boat in Thames left jobless and 'too upset to speak'". Evening Standard. Retrieved 2024-08-28.
  5. ^ Davis, Barney (5 January 2024). "'All is lost': Captain of party boat sunk in Thames speaks of devastation". The Independent.
  6. ^ "The King's Reach – Ebb & Flow". 2024-04-21. Retrieved 2024-08-28.
  7. ^ "Historic Thames Barge 'Wilfred' Scrapped". ATYC. 26 February 2024.