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© Broadland Memories 2006-2026

Page  11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19

1960s Photo Gallery

On this page is a collection of 20 photographs which date to somewhere between 1960 and 1964 and feature the motor cruiser “Skye”. Once again, I have no information attached to these as to who the people seen were.

B549 “Skye” moored alongside Ernest Collins yard at Wroxham, looking across to Jack Powles boatyard. Skye was built by Powles as “Lode Star”, one of the “Lucky Star” class of motor cruisers. Originally part of Powles hire fleet, this particular cruiser had disappeared from the hire brochures by 1960 and was presumably sold in to private hands as I cannot find reference to it elsewhere within contemporary brochures, and there are no boatyard or agency markings to be seen on the hull.

“Skye” moored alongside Loynes boatyard at Wroxham. As “Lode Star” she was listed as being 32ft in length and slept four. There were two single berths in the aft cabin, with adjoining toilet compartment Ahead of the wheelhouse were two more berths in the saloon/cabin, leading through to the galley with a second toilet right at the front of the boat. In the background you can see the old granary building which was once part of a larger flour mill complex which stood on the opposite side of the road. The granary was demolished in the 1960s and the only part of the mill apparently still standing is the small building which is now home to Ken’s Fish & Chip shop.

Another photograph taken at Wroxham/Hoveton. This is upstream of the bridge, probably taken from the garden of the Kings Head Hotel. The hotel was owned by the Steward and Patteson brewery until the company was taken over by Watneys in 1963. In the background on the left you can see one of the large Broads Tours passenger launches. The write-up for Wroxham in the 1964 edition of the Broads Book included the following: “Several hundred thousand people visit Wroxham every year; a great throng to start on cruises - many to stay in the excellent hotels or picturesque bungalows - and a tremendous number for a day’s outing on one of the numerous excursion boats.”

Cruising on board the motor cruiser “Skye” in the early 1960s.

Another photograph taken whilst underway - unknown location but it looks like they are either on, or entering one of the Broads. I think this is almost certainly Northern Rivers though.

This, and the next photograph, were taken at the same location - possibly at Ranworth or maybe Salhouse Broad?

Taken at the same location as the previous photograph.

Stepping aboard “Skye” - this may well have been taken at Ranworth, or possibly South Walsham?

Unknown location, but the large motor cruiser seen in the background looks to be one of Herbert Woods “Ring of Light” class.

Taken whilst cruising through Horning, this is “Traumerei II” which was built by Graham Bunn at the Windboats yard in Wroxham in 1953 for businessman Mr C. Roe. She has led quite an adventurous life, having been taken to France in the mid to late 1960s, before moving to Spain and then on to Mallorca, undergoing a couple of name changes along the way. It was bought by Richard Branson’s sister in the 1990s and given yet another new name - “Vanessa’s Folly”. Subsequent changes of ownership has seen that name shorted to just “Vanessa” and she now resides back in the UK on the Thames. The first Graham Bunn built boat given the name Traumerei was bought by George Formby in the early 1950s and re-named “Lady Beryl”. It was sold on in 1957 when the newly commissioned “Lady Beryl 2” was launched at the Windboats yard, a craft which looked very similar to Traumerei II above.

The white mill near Horning Ferry, converted from the original smock drainage mill which stood on this site  for use as a holiday home by H. Neave of Catfield in the 1930s.

The crew pictured outside the Ferry Inn at Horning. This image dates the collection to 1964 or earlier as you can see the pub still has the thatched roof which was destroyed by fire in March 1965. The pub had been owned by the Norwich based Steward and Patteson brewery until 1930 when it was sold off to become what was believed to be the only Free House on the Broads at the time. It became a Steward and Patteson pub once again c1960, the brewery itself being taken over by Watney’s just a few years later.

Another photograph taken outside the Ferry Inn at Horning. A foot and cycle ferry was still operated between the Ferry Inn and the Woodbastwick side of the river at this time.

Looking across the river Bure from Horning Ferry Inn, the crew get back on board “Skye”.

A riverside garden - this also looks as though it may have been taken at Horning.

B549 “Skye” pictured alongside the Ferry Inn at Stokesby - pubs seem to be a recurring theme in this set! The pub was owned by the Great Yarmouth based Lacons brewery, although a share of that brewery had been bought by Whitbread in the late 1950s. The brewery was bought as a whole by Whitbread in 1965 at a whopping purchase price of £3.2 million according to the Norfolk Pubs website.

Another photo of the crew alongside Stokesby Ferry - it looks as though one of chaps has had a mishap!

Four of the crew members pictured on board “Skye”.

The injured crew member, very sensibly wearing a life jacket …. and what appears to be a floatation device for his bandaged ankle too. As he appears un-bandaged in an earlier photo, was this the result of a jumping ashore accident, perhaps?

The final photo from the set, also taken at Stokesby Ferry Inn.