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© Broadland Memories 2006-2026

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1980s Photo Gallery

Another small collection of photographs from contributor and regular Norfolk Broads visitor Bill Cooper, whose photos of Broadland in the early 1970s can be found here.

J343 “Little Gem 5” which was hired from Richardson’s boatyard at Stalham, pictured here in 1981 moored at Acle Bridge.

The Cooper children pictured in the garden of the Bridge Inn at Acle in 1981. In the background is one of the “Tropicana” class of motor cruisers from Mixer Marine of Stalham who were based at the Broads Edge Marina.

The moorings upstream of Ludham Bridge in 1981. R971 “Silver Light 4” is moored alongside the remains of a spigot mortar emplacement which was built as part of the bridge defences during WW2. An identical one stood on the opposite side of the River Ant beside the remains on the old drainage mill which is also seen in Bill’s photograph. The derelict mill was itself converted into a two storey pillbox during the early years of the war when the threat of a German invasion seemed very real. The rivers were seen as a natural stop line which enemy tanks would be unable to cross, consequently, all of the bridge crossings were seen as strategically important and were heavily defended. Explosives were also attached to the bridges so that they could be blown up to hamper the progress of the enemy should the other defences fail.

A misty morning at South Walsham in 1981. In the foreground on the left is A490 “Compass Monarch 1” from Compass Craft at Horning.

Richardson’s boatyard at Stalham in 1981 with J343 “Little Gem 5” seen on the right.

Salhouse Broad pictured in the early 1980s.

K502 “Sancerre” from Bondon’s of South Walsham, pictured in 1983 at Salhouse Broad. One of Herbert Woods Prince/Princess of Light class can be seen in the background.

K502 “Sancerre” moored at her home yard of Bondon’s at South Walsham.

D702 “Radiant Light 4” from Herbert Woods, who were then part of the Pennant Holidays group, seen here at Wroxham viaduct moorings in the late 1980s.

The moorings at Womack Staithe pictured in the late 1980s.

“Radiant Light 4” at Womack Staithe in the late 1980s.

The first of two photographs of the counter-sterned pleasure wherry “Sundog” photographed at Geldeston by Peter Waller c1980. Built in 1906 by Daniel Hall of Reedham and originally called Ecilia (Alice spelt backwards, Sundog was pictured here awaiting restoration. Her owner at this time had bought her, pulled her out onto dry land and, so the story goes, had wanted to replace the rotting oak frames. Rather than removing and replacing them one or two at a time, the whole lot were pulled out and Sundog collapsed and the restoration was abandoned. Jamie Campbell provided the following information; “Sundog was owned by H.A.Morris (father of Stewart - the most successful dinghy sailor of his generation). HAM was a London hop wholesaler and the founding commodore of the Norfolk Punt Club. The family spent entire summers on Sundog following the Broads regattas. Their boatman was Cubitt Nudd (formerly boatman to Emma Turner and latterly rigger at Herbert Woods) Herbert Morris died in 1935, when the Morrris family fleet was dispersed.”

During the 1960s, Sundog was used as a liveaboard at Wroxham. Vaughan Ashby also recalls Sundog spending some time at Thorpe St Andrew during the 1960s, a young couple were living aboard at the time. Sadly, when her restoration was no longer a viable prospect, Sundog was broken up for firewood. The mast is all that survives and can be seen in the Royall family’s front garden at Hoveton.

Bryn House at Hoveton pictured c1988 and submitted to the archive by Carolyn Lambert who told me; “Situated on Beech Road in Wroxham it was built circa 1912 as a private gentleman's riverside residence. I lived there from 1976 to 1985 after it had been converted into flats and after it was sold it fell into considerable disrepair and was eventually demolished in favour of the three modern houses that are there now.”

Another photograph of Bryn House at Wroxham c1988. Carolyn continued; “The house boasted a magnificent oak panelled double storey hallway with a minstrels gallery and dome complete with brightly painted plaster ceiling mouldings. To the side of the hallway was a grand bay windowed reception room. Our flat was the snooker/billiard room. You could certainly see how the house originally was, the gentry rooms, kitchens and servants quarters, formal gardens, kitchen gardens and hothouse, garages, private lagoon. I have tried to research the property further but have had little luck, I always considered it to be in the style of Edward Boardman but it does not feature in any of their lists I have found to date. I would love to know who lived there.” If you can provide any information about Bryn House for Carolyn, then please do get in contact with me.

In September 2016, I purchased a large collection of 35mm colour slides for Broadland Memories which date from between 1971 and 1989. The photographs document holidays taken throughout the two decades by one family, initially on a houseboat at Hoveton, followed by a couple of trips on motor cruisers before switching to sailing holidays. Sadly, the slides came with very little information attached to them . The photographer was clearly a keen amateur and one vital piece of information I do have came from a couple of attached stickers which gave the name and address of the photographer, a D. H. Barber who was living in the Farnborough area of Hampshire at the time.  The following images cover the years 1980, 1983, 1984 and 1989 - the bulk of the collection can be viewed on the 1970s Gallery pages.

A closer view of the mill tower at Horsey in 1980.

B469 “Fair Lady 3” from Herbert Woods, pictured at Horsey Staithe in 1980.

“Fair Lady 3” at Horsey once again. I presume that the Barber’s were holidaying as a couple on their own by this point. The “Fair Lady” class were 28 feet in length and slept 2 or 3.

Another view of “Fair Lady 3”.

The final photograph from 1980 shows “Fair Lady 3” at the Deep Dyke moorings at the edge of Hickling Broad.

Horsey Mill, pictured in 1980, surrounded by scaffolding which was erected to fit a new fantail and for the renewal of the cap gallery.

An early morning, or evening shot, taken at Horsey Staithe in 1983.

In 1983, The Barber’s hired E495 “Royal Lady”, previously “Perfect Lady 6”,  from Herbert Woods. She is pictured here at Horsey Staithe, the drainage mill can just be seen behind the tree.

This looks to have been taken at the Deep Dyke moorings on the Upper Thurne, at the edge of Hickling Broad, once again which seems to have been a favourite spot for the couple.

The 28ft “Perfect Lady” class slept four in two cabins.

Another shot of “Royal Lady” at Deep Dyke in 1983.