Muckers Island

Heybridge Basin (Cannibal Island)

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'Mucker's Island'

A chronological history

1811. a boat on it was converted in to a dwelling by Andrew 'Mucker' and Dinah 'Dinee' Clark (Rat Hall)

1920. Mrs Blott (Pembury)

Jack Phillips (cafe)

Curly Hiscock (Basin Yacht Store & Boatyard)

Bruce Norton (Basin Yacht Stores & Boatyard)

1973. Holt & James Ltd (Stores & Boatyard)

Arthur Holt Ltd (Boatyard)

History

Andrew 'Mucker' and Dinah 'Dinee Clark

'Mucker's Island' began as the mound of spoil from digging out the lock during it's construction. For it's first use a small bridge connected it to the seawall and eventually this part was filled in to make it fully joined. Dwellings have existed on it since at least 1811. One of the earliest was described in 1852 as a broken and decayed vessel which had been fitted out as a dwelling. A small three room house was next constructed on the end, and was occupied by Andrew 'Mucker' Clark and his wife Dinah 'Dinee', and their fifteen children. The house was dubbed by locals as 'Rat Hall' or 'Muckers Place'. During a surge tide flood, some locals looking for 'Dinee', found her floating on an upturned table in the kitchen of the cottage.

(above and below) 'Rat Hall' on the island. The ballast barge 'Billy Boy', with the '9ft post' behind it. A Brig with sails set on the foremast is running towards 'Hillypool'.

(above) 'Rat Hall' almost awash on a high tide.

(above and below) more early pics of 'Rat Hall' and Muckers Island.

Mrs Blott

In 1920 May & Butcher bought a number of woodern huts off the Navy stationed on Osea Island. Mr Blott a manager rebuilt one of the huts as a home for his sister on the island in front of 'Rat Hall', which she named 'Pembury'. And demolished 'Rat Hall'.

(above) The new building occupied by Mrs Blott, with 'Rat Hall' still standing behind. From a card postmarked 1927. There is now a direct walkway on to the island from the seawall, making it no longer an island but a small peninsula.

(above) the new building from Osea Island erected by Mr Blott, with the old 'Rat Hall' now gone. The old sailing vessel 'The Astrid Gloriana' in the right background used as a storage hulk by May & Butcher.

(above) The building as a private house occupied by Mrs Blott.

(above) another view of Mrs Blott's private house. It's the Leeboard from the sailing barge 'Unity' that can be seen as a bank stop up against the side of the pathway to 'Muckers Island' and the steps down to the beach.

(above) in this view the house is probably still occupied by Mrs Blott. The sailing vessel 'St George' is also laying against 'The Gloria' both being dismantled by 'May & Butcher'.

Jack Phillips

The next occupant was Jack Phillips who altered the front of the building and opened a small cafe in it.

(above) an early picture of the 'Yacht Stores & cafe', as built and run by Jack Phillips, just after being taken over by Curly Hiscock, before he extended it outside.

D 'Curly' Hiscock

After Jack Phillips, the first major development was undertaken by the new occupier Curly Hiscock. Curly came from London and at first lived on a boat in the canal, and while working as a shipright opened a boat paint store in the wooden building attached to 'The Old Ship' alongside it's garden, and facing the foreshore. before moving on to 'Muckers'. After taking over 'Muckers', he built small boats mainly to order and undertook repairs in a small shed at the rear. He altered the seaward side with a large amount of infill and opened a good sized seated cafe there called 'The Quarterdeck Cafe', also changing the front part of the building to a chandlery. He gave the site the new name of 'Basin Yacht Stores', and even extended the business to the summer only opening of another yacht store in Maldon High Street.

(above) Curly Hiscock's 'Basin Yacht Store', with new extended outside cafe. The Newham Outdoor Centre's barge 'Mamgu', can be seen behind.

Bruce Norton

In the mid 1960's the Norton family, managed by Bruce Norton took over the island and made big alterations to the business. The front part of the building was converted in to a General Store as well as a chandlery, and a small Post Office was opened and run by Bruce's father-inlaw Mr Picton. Two large boatsheds were built with most of the work being undertaken by Arthur Keeble. A large concrete slipway was constructed by 'Darby' Stebbens and Colin Brookes. The company operated under two names, 'Basin Yacht Stores' and 'Norton Marine'. The business expanded rapidly and another satellite chandlery was opened at Hullbridge. The company gained several new contracts apart from the Post Office, the first was after installing a crane jib for lifting small craft over the seawall from trailers in front of the 'Jolly Sailor' over to the beach, it gained a contract nfrom the Newham Outdoor Centre among others. The second was a contract to build the orders for boats from the designer Alan Hill, who had gained considerable notoriety and exposure at the London Boat Show. The next project was to purchase the 72ft tug 'Ferret', which operated by the registered skipper and pilot Colin Brookes, Norton's gained the contract for moving all the shipping on the Blackwater for 'Sadd's' and 'Boulton & Paul'. The moorings were developed in to a small marina by dredging and the purchase of a floating mooring barge, with a walkway to it. A licence was aquired for the storage and sale of diesel fuel and gas. The final expansion of the company was the move in to the small shipping and cargo business with the purchase of two 300ton coasters, the 'Ben-Nor', and the 'Sam-Nor'.

(above) launching a newly built 'IP23', from the new boatshed and slipway, when the business on the island was run by Bruce Norton and family.

Holt & James

In 1973 the business was taken over by Arthur Holt and James McMillan, renaming it as 'Holt & James Ltd'. Arthur Holt having been building boats in the large red shed alongside the canal basin, and James and Caroline McMillan living on the boat 'Lita' in the canal. James working in London after leaving the army as a Captain. The business activities of the 'Basin Yacht Stores', were considerably reduced. Only the chandlery part remained of all the retail business, and for the first time in it's history, no longer was an y part used as a residence. The certification of the crane jib was lost along with it's associated contracts. The shop at Hullbridge had already been sold seperately, the tug contracts were lost, and the small marina began to deteriorate. The boatbuilding and repairs continued but at a greatly reduced rate, with chandlery eventuall only being opened sporadicaly.

(above) a picture taken during the island occupation of 'Holt & James Ltd'. The island had been developed to this stage by Bruce Norton. The long building housed the chandlery and stores at the front with the residental area in the rear part. The round roof building is the new boatshed. Behind the blue fibreglas hull is the 'Gerhard' an ex eel barge of Hans Kuijton, bought by Bruce Norton as a floating mooring barge with a walkway out to it. The Newham's new 'Haybay' barge replacing the 'Mamgu', can be seen behind.

Arthur Holt

Arthur Holt and James McMillan eventually went their seperate ways with Arthur remaining to run the further much reduced business on his own under the new name of 'Arthur Holt Ltd'. Over the next few years,Arthur mainly on his own but sometimes with another helper built several boats. The chandlery shop became even more run down with very little stock and very limited opening hours. The upkeep of the moorings was now mainly left to the boat owners themselves.

(above) Arthur Holt (left) launching one of his newly built boats while operating the yard on his own, under the name of 'Arthur Holt Ltd'. The two boatsheds built while in the ownership of Bruce Norton are still in use, as is the original slipway.