SAILING BARGE VICTOR

Victor has spent 130 years being part of the story of Ipswich.  She was built here. She worked here. She has welcomed nearly 100,000 people aboard here. Now it's our turn to look after her.

Victor was built by Horace Shrubsall at the Dock End Yard in Ipswich in 1895 for Mr Owen Parry. She was part of a working waterfront when sailing barges were the HGVs of their day, carrying 80–120 tonnes of cargo around the shallow waters of the East Coast using little more than wind and tide.

Victor carried linseed from East Coast farms to Parry's mill in Colchester, delivered linseed oil to the paint and varnish works at Millwall and brought back linseed and cotton cake for animal feed in Ipswich.

She wasn't built to be a museum piece. She was built to work. And that's exactly what we want her to keep doing.

Victor's future is now in peril. Forming a charity that can take ownership of the vessel is the best way to ensure that Victor has a long and secure future in our town

A large sailboat with bright red sails sailing on a body of water near a distant shoreline.
  • Group of people standing on a black boat named Victor, with ropes and rigging, in a marina during the day.
  • A group of people on a docked sailboat, with some sitting and others standing, engaged in activities like reading or using devices, in a harbor setting with buildings and other boats in the background.
  • A young man with glasses and brown hair, smiling, holding onto a rope on a boat during sunset, with other boats and water in the background.
  • A black sailboat named Victor docked along a city waterfront, with buildings and people walking on the promenade, under a partly cloudy blue sky.
  • Black and white photograph of two boats docked in front of a historic building with columns and stairs leading to the entrance.
  • Black and white photo of an old harbor scene with ship, warehouses, and railway tracks under a bridge with large supporting columns.
  • A historic harbor scene with boats docked and a large industrial building labeled R & W PACE in the background.
  • People on a sailboat during sunset on the water, with a bridge in the distance.
  • People sitting and standing on a boat docked at a harbor, with some reading and talking, and a woman walking nearby.
  • A boat docked at a harbor with modern buildings, including a hotel, visible in the background. The boat has a tall mast with a furled sail and is surrounded by other boats on the water, under an overcast sky.
  • View through the scope of a telescope showing boats on a dock and a building in the background on a body of water.
  • Looking up the rigging of a sailing ship at the sails and rigging from below against an overcast sky.
  • Close-up of a boat dock with life rings attached, one bearing the words 'Victor London,' surrounded by ropes and other nautical equipment.
  • Close-up of a shiny 1896 vintage mechanical timer or gauge attached to a copper-colored cylindrical part, mounted on a weathered teal metal surface with rusted bolts.
  • Children and adults on a ship's rope structure, with some holding ropes, at a harbor with boats and industrial buildings in the background.
  • A painting of sailboats with red and white sails on the water under a partly cloudy sky, framed and hung on a wooden wall.
  • Woman smiling and steering a boat, with a bridge in the background.
  • People aboard a sailboat, looking up at its large red sail and a bridge overhead, with an overcast sky.
  • Close-up of a thick, twisted white rope resting on a green surface.

TIMELINE

1895

Built in Ipswich
Victor was built by Horace Shrubsall at Dock End Yard for Owen Parry. She carried linseed from East Coast farms to Colchester, returning with barrels of oil.

1926

A legendary skipper
Renowned skipper Felix Mallett took command of Victor, having served with distinction in both World Wars.

1932

A new owner
London & Rochester Shipping Co. bought Owen Parry and Victor, then valued at £450.

1939–45

Wartime service
Victor carried munitions, including torpedoes and shells, from Chatham Dock to naval vessels under cover of darkness. She survived a direct bomb strike that destroyed a lighter alongside her.

1947

The last sailing barge
Victor was the last sailing barge to be decommissioned. During the tow to Brightlingsea, the barge Chieftain sank after the tow proved too fast.

1950’s

From sail to motor
Victor was converted to a motor barge and traded on the Medway until she was sold in 1964.

1964–74

Close calls and changing fortunes
Victor passed through three owners, briefly became a strip club, and was later abandoned in the Channel. A Ramsgate lifeboat rescued her crew and towed her to safety. She eventually became a houseboat on the Medway.

1974

A new lease of life
Navy-trained shipwright Owen Emerson bought Victor, rebuilding and re-rigging her.

1995

Back under sail
Nick Briggs restored Victor as a 40-passenger charter barge and floating office, operating between the South Coast and London.

2005

Coming home
Steve Godwin and Tony Chancellor brought Victor back to the East Coast. A major refit followed, restoring her rigging, systems, decks and accommodation. Victor returned to passenger and events work, carrying up to 40 passengers.

2026

Save Our Victor

After more than 20 years sailing from Ipswich, Victor’s skipper is retiring and her future is uncertain. This is where you come in: The Victor 1895 Community Heritage Trust is raising £100,000+ to secure her future as a community-owned maritime heritage asset, keeping her working, accessible and where she belongs: in Ipswich, where she was built.