Heybridge Basin (Cannibal Island)

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Bruce Norton

Basin Yacht Stores (Norton Marine)

Chandlery, General Stores, Post Office, Boatbuilders, Shipowners.

Mrs Norton the owner (Bruce Norton. Manager)

1967 - 1972

In the mid 1960's the Norton family, managed by Bruce Norton took over 'Muckers Island' from Curly Hiscock 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.

(above) Bruce Norton (with beard) and Peter Brookes aboard the barge yacht 'Wanda' owned by Colin Brookes in an 'Old Gaffer's'event.

(above) an Alan Hill designed 'IP23' built for a Mr Tate, fitted out by Norton's from a fibreglass shell supplied by Colvic Craft, exiting one of the new boat sheds. Peter Little is leaning on the boat.

(above) employees and marine engineer contractor Peter Fellows (extreme left with Peter Little next to him), at the launching of the 'IP23' on the new slipway built by Colin Brookes and 'Darby' Stebbens.

(above) Peter Little (Norton employee) pumping out Norton's yard launch purchased from Harland & Wolf. The little clinker sailboat 'Teal', owned by Colin Brookes on the mooring just behind him. The 'Wirral' on a mooring extreme right and Cecil Stebbens 'Judy' on a mooring extreme left.

The next Norton project was to purchase the 72ft tug 'Ferret', which was 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'.

(above) the Norton Marine tug 'Ferret' alongside Sadd's wharf.

The hardstanding for boats was extended.

(above) the smack 'Waterlily' owned by Colin Brookes after being dug out of the mud at St Osyth, on the hardstanding in Norton's yard awaiting rebuild.

The moorings were developed in to a small marina by dredging and the purchase of a floating mooring barge (the ex-eelbarge 'Gerhard'), with a walkway to it. A licence was aquired for the storage and sale of diesel fuel and gas.

(above) Norton moorings along the front of the stores and yard. The barge yacht 'Wanda' of Colin Brookes in the foreground and the Launch 'Nemo' of Eric Clarke at the outer end.

(above) outer moorings of Norton on the outside of the floating pontoon barge 'Gerhard'. Nortons yard launch is afloat extreme left, with two models of the little imported Hungarian built 'Magyar' sailboats on the right.

(above) the 'live aboard' barge 'Lady Helen' on Norton's inner moorings by the seawall.

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' (named after Bruce and Glenys Norton's two sons Ben and Sam).

(above) Norton's 'Ben Nor'. (named after his son Ben Norton)

(above) Norton's 'Sam Nor'. (named after his son Sam Norton)