Ramsholt, River Deben
September 27, 2021
HM 161. George Collins - the oldest Harbour Master in Great Britain!
At 91, George is probably the oldest working HM in the country and it was a pleasure to meet him. Born in 1930 he has lived next to the stunning River Deben all his life and took over from his father, also HM of Ramsholt. What a gem of a man.
George goes to work nearly every day, walking from his cottage upstream to his office - a boat semi-moored at a jaunty angle on the tiny quay next to the Ramsholt Arms. George is employed by the Ramsholt Fairway Committee who in turn pay the Crown Estate to lease the river bed and lay moorings in long lines called "trots".
At 14 George started working horses on a farm owned by Sir Cuthbert Quilter (what a wonderful name!). I don't think George got on with horses, and he soon joined his father fishing for sole, "flat fish" and lobster. He had to wait until 1980 to become Harbour Master and his life nearly came to an end when a gas bottle exploded in his previous "boat office" and burnt it to the ground. He escaped by picking up a burning gas bottle and throwing it in the water!
George looks after over 200 moorings on the river and not surprisingly they have a long waiting list. It is idyllic but not uneventful. In the 1987 gale, 37 boats broke their moorings. George told me he loves his job for various reasons - there was mention of topless Dutch sailors (!), amongst other things, but what he is most proud of is he has never taken a day off and has had no holiday for 50 years.
You could argue I have found the happiest HM in the country as well as the oldest. Thank you George - it was a pleasure to meet you.
PS Thank you for your tip on how to get off a mooring buoy when the line has got wrapped around the chain (photo 8) - hard reverse and then hard ahead!
At 91, George is probably the oldest working HM in the country and it was a pleasure to meet him. Born in 1930 he has lived next to the stunning River Deben all his life and took over from his father, also HM of Ramsholt. What a gem of a man.
George goes to work nearly every day, walking from his cottage upstream to his office - a boat semi-moored at a jaunty angle on the tiny quay next to the Ramsholt Arms. George is employed by the Ramsholt Fairway Committee who in turn pay the Crown Estate to lease the river bed and lay moorings in long lines called "trots".
At 14 George started working horses on a farm owned by Sir Cuthbert Quilter (what a wonderful name!). I don't think George got on with horses, and he soon joined his father fishing for sole, "flat fish" and lobster. He had to wait until 1980 to become Harbour Master and his life nearly came to an end when a gas bottle exploded in his previous "boat office" and burnt it to the ground. He escaped by picking up a burning gas bottle and throwing it in the water!
George looks after over 200 moorings on the river and not surprisingly they have a long waiting list. It is idyllic but not uneventful. In the 1987 gale, 37 boats broke their moorings. George told me he loves his job for various reasons - there was mention of topless Dutch sailors (!), amongst other things, but what he is most proud of is he has never taken a day off and has had no holiday for 50 years.
You could argue I have found the happiest HM in the country as well as the oldest. Thank you George - it was a pleasure to meet you.
PS Thank you for your tip on how to get off a mooring buoy when the line has got wrapped around the chain (photo 8) - hard reverse and then hard ahead!