My Father worked for Humphrey & Grey And as A Kid During School Holidays I went to Work with Him and Have Many Great Memories of Going Up and Down the Thames on the Tug’s with Him, Sir Aubrey, Friston Down and Then The Big Boy, The Grey Lash. I Remember on one occasion The Grey Lash From The Bow to the Stern of the second tug With the Barges IN between was Probably as Big as any Ship That had come down the Thames, Dad’s Name was Bert Verlander as was my Grand father Before him who were Both Lightermen, I Still have A copy of his Papers as he was made A Freeman of the Thames.
By Steve Verlander (28/07/2023)
Now GPS Anglia
By Ben (09/10/2014)
The lighterage tug FRISTON DOWN, measuring 99 tons gross, has had a varied career, but its days might be numbered.
Starting life at the Thorne, Yorkshire, shipyard of Richard Dunston Ltd, it was delivered in October 1964 to Humphery & Grey (Lighterage) Ltd, of London. It was sold when nearly 20-years old, in 1983, to London & Rochester Trading Ltd (Crescent Shipping), Rochester, with which company it remained until 1988. Its next owner was Medway Port Services Ltd, of Chatham, which sold her in ’92 to General Port Services Ltd, also of Chatham. In 1995 her original 550bhp diesel engine was found to be a bit iffy and it was replaced in 1996 with a new Caterpillar diesel of 1150bhp. General Port Services changed its title a couple of times, but was still its owner, when, in July 2012 it was reported that FRISTON DOWN had “picked up a chain, ripped out its prop shaft, and caused much engine damage”. The veteran tug is now laid up at Chatham and its future is in doubt.
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My Father worked for Humphrey & Grey And as A Kid During School Holidays I went to Work with Him and Have Many Great Memories of Going Up and Down the Thames on the Tug’s with Him, Sir Aubrey, Friston Down and Then The Big Boy, The Grey Lash. I Remember on one occasion The Grey Lash From The Bow to the Stern of the second tug With the Barges IN between was Probably as Big as any Ship That had come down the Thames, Dad’s Name was Bert Verlander as was my Grand father Before him who were Both Lightermen, I Still have A copy of his Papers as he was made A Freeman of the Thames.
Now GPS Anglia
The lighterage tug FRISTON DOWN, measuring 99 tons gross, has had a varied career, but its days might be numbered.
Starting life at the Thorne, Yorkshire, shipyard of Richard Dunston Ltd, it was delivered in October 1964 to Humphery & Grey (Lighterage) Ltd, of London. It was sold when nearly 20-years old, in 1983, to London & Rochester Trading Ltd (Crescent Shipping), Rochester, with which company it remained until 1988. Its next owner was Medway Port Services Ltd, of Chatham, which sold her in ’92 to General Port Services Ltd, also of Chatham. In 1995 her original 550bhp diesel engine was found to be a bit iffy and it was replaced in 1996 with a new Caterpillar diesel of 1150bhp. General Port Services changed its title a couple of times, but was still its owner, when, in July 2012 it was reported that FRISTON DOWN had “picked up a chain, ripped out its prop shaft, and caused much engine damage”. The veteran tug is now laid up at Chatham and its future is in doubt.
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