A picture, although not of the Glenway but of the Glendevon being launched, shows James Little and the shipwrights that built her. They would have also built the Glenway 12 years later. Glenway is 87ft overall, 22ft wide, 82nrt, with an official number of 127260, and she was owned by John Wilks of Deal, then Samuel West.

Later she was bought by Peter England, an ex-merchant Navy Officer who moored her at Oare creek. In September 1964 my parents, Paul and Cynthia De Ront, exchanged their French Ketch Concarneau with Peter for the Glenway. My father then towed her to Otterham creek, where she remained for the next 10 years as a houseboat. One of my brothers was born aboard her and four of us were married whilst living on her.
My mother also claims to have seen a ghost on board! This happened on one moonlit night - a man wearing a black heavy overcoat that had turned a greenish colour with age stood before her. He was about 50 years old, dark haired and going thin on top, and he had a pallid complexion. He looked at her, and then disappeared into thin air. Maybe he was one of the poor souls that died at Dunkirk! On 25th January 1974 my father sold her to a Christopher Bushel from London. In 1978 she was photographed by a John Silfleet whilst moored to the saltings at Strood. Later she was rigged at Ipswich by Steve Barry but then abandoned at Maldon. Glenway was rescued by G Reeve and sold on to Hugh Poore. I wonder if Hugh would have contemplated taking her on if he had fully realised the hard work, money, and sweat and tears involved in restoring a barge! Since 1988 he has spent every spare moment of his life working on the rebuild of Glenway. At present he is about 85% along the way to completion, but if you ask him when will she be finished he will always say in two years time! Between 1988 and 1997 he replaced 76 of her frames in ekki (an American timber). In 1989 all her carlines were renewed, plus covering boards from forward to aft, port and starboard. All frames are 50% wider than the previous ones and far more durable and stronger. He has also replaced all her decks - the wood used for this was larch and pitch pine. The outer wale has also been completely renewed, plus one third of the inner wale.

Hugh Poore takes time out to admire some of the steel beams that have gone into Glenway

Oak has been used to completely rebuild her bow plus the inner wale on her bow. The apron, stem and stern post have also been replaced in ekki. There are no dumps anywhere in the vessel. All fastenings are coach screws, spikes, or 20/24mm bolts that are galvanised. There are 80 new keel bolts in stainless and galvanised steel. Approximately 5,000 fastenings have been used to date, and part of the hog has been replaced. Hugh also has used pitch pine to triple-plank her. The starboard side has been 90% replaced and the port side about 60%. Her bitt heads and forward hatch have been renewed, and a very smart main hatch cover has been made for her. Douglas fir and pitch pine have been used to totally replace all her ceilings and linings. Approximately seven years ago and as part of the process of rebuilding the bow, the chine section planking was chainsawed away aboveand below the waterline for an area 20 foot on either side of the bow. Glenway effectively sank on the blocks, and inbetween the tides new planking was attached and she was re-floated seven months later. Steel has been used extensively in replacing her superstructure. All of the overhead beams are in steel except for three of the originals, which still remain. All lodging knees have been constructed in steel. Replacing the wood with steel has been useful for several reasons: firstly, steel is an easier material to work with; secondly, the availability of the right type of timber, and the cost is a lot lower. Hugh now has to put all new gear in her. Lawrence Tester is going to help him with information concerning the positioning of the gear, including rigging and mast. The rebuild has already cost Hugh over £60,000 and he still needs mast, sails, leeboards, and an engine! If anyone has any of these for sale at a reasonable price, Hugh would be pleased to hear from them by email at hugh.poore@hants.gov.uk or phone 01962 847925. He also welcomes anyone wishing to give a hand with the rest of the work - he only asks that anyone wishing to do this contact him first. Hugh hopes to have Glenway sailing within the next two years! I look forward to seeing this, and hope that the barge will take part and make her mark in matches. I will write an up-date on Glenway when she is fully rigged and ready for her first sail.