Jim Lawrence 1933-2024
It’s with sadness that we report the death of Jim Lawrence, barge master, sailmaker and east coast waterfront character, who died aged 90 after a short illness in late January, writes Dan Houston. One of the last skippers working in the coastal Thames Sailing barge trade, Jim began his working life aged 15 in 1948, earning £1 a week on the sailing barge Gladys. He was the youngest skipper of his era, on the Mirosa, when he got his ticket at just 18. At that time there were 150 barges still trading under sail, but the fleet and income was dwindling compared to motor barges. Jim persevered with sailing barges until just six were left in trade, and in 1963 at the age of 29 he had to give up. It was the end of an era where the graceful, stately trade of the sailing barge had been the London River’s lifeblood for centuries.
By then Jim had already taught himself sailmaking and, after working using the barge ’s copious hold as a sail loft, he set up in Brightlingsea creating barge. He was one of the founders of the Colne Smack Preservation Society in 1971.
