The history of FMC 'Kildare'
Kildare in 2003 - on the Staffs. & Worcester canal
Photo courtesy of Alan Denby
Kildare is a butty built in 1913 at a cost of £190. She was a horsedrawn boat as well as being towed by steamers and diesel engined boats.
Kildare was built by Braithwaite and Kirk in West Bromwich, for Fellows Morton and Clayton, one of 24 similar composite ( with wrought iron sides and elm bottom) butties. She traded throughout the canal system, carrying a variety of cargoes. In October 1940, she was damaged when she was at New Warwick Wharf, Birmingham. After being repaired, she continued to trade until her sale to Ernie Thomas in 1948. Some years later she was bought by Willow Wren Canal Carrying Co, entering service in 1957 as Snipe. Records show her paired with motors Grebe, Widgeon and Swan.
After two more changes of ownership, she reverted to her original name and became part of Warwickshire Fly Boat's fleet. Fitted out as a camper, she was a familiar sight on the Grand Union canal.
In September 1991, Kildare was bought by the Black Country Living Museum, aided by Friends of President and a Science Museum grant. In early 1992, she was extensively renovated and returned to her original FMC appearance. At some time, her wooden bottom had been replaced with riveted iron and her forecabin removed. A new forecabin has been built using traditional materials. Kildare, although outwardly resembling a fully clothed working narrow boat, has been fitted out to provide accommodation and support facilities for President.
Dimensions: Length 71 feet 6 inches ( 21.79 m ) Beam: 6 feet 11 inches ( 2.11 m ) Draught: 3 feet 4 inches ( 1.02 m) ( loaded ) |
The numbers on the side are:
274 - FMC fleet number 1287 - Birmingham Public Health Registration number 1396 - FMC's Waterman's Hall Registration number 12009 Grand Junction Canal Co gauging number 21743 Birmingham Canal Navigations Co gauging number |
| 1396 is FMC's Waterman's Hall Number. Waterman's Hall held
early gauging records for use with the Port of London. The boats in FMC's
fleet were listed with carrying capacities. The last FMC steamer listed with
them was Sultan in November 1900. It is believed that the system fell into
disuse about 1915 but the company livery continued to carry the number. |
|
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| Date | Event |
| 1913 | Built at Braithwaite & Kirk's yard at Hilltop, West Bromwich. Fleet No 274. Cost £190 |
| 10th April 1913 | Gauged at Smethwick for BCN No 21743 |
| 18th April 1913 | Registered at Birmingham, No 1287 |
| 10th September 1914 | Inspected at Birmingham (Capt. Geo Ward) [CIJ] |
| 31st August 1917 | Gauged for GJC No 12009 |
| 14th July 1934 | Inspected at Birmingham (Capt. J Palin) [CIJ] |
| 2nd October 1934 | Inspected at Birmingham (Capt. J Palin) [CIJ] |
| 7th November 1934 | Inspected at Birmingham (Capt. J Palin) [CIJ] |
| Nov-1934 | Docked at Saltley for overhaul [FMC dockbook] |
| 28th November | Inspected at Birmingham (Capt. J Palin) [CIJ] |
| 1st February 1935 | Inspected at Birmingham (Capt. A Beard) [CIJ] |
| 14th September 1935 | Inspected at Birmingham (Capt. A Beard) [CIJ] |
| 30th April 1936 | Inspected at Birmingham (Capt. A Russon) with Bramble [CIJ] |
| 31st August 1936 | Inspected at Birmingham (Capt. J. Higgins) [CIJ] |
| May-1937 | Docked at Saltley for overhaul [FMC dockbook] |
| 13th August 1937 | Inspected at Birmingham (Capt. G Humphries) [CIJ] |
| 17th September 1937 | Inspected at Birmingham (Capt. G Humphries) [CIJ] |
| Jun-1940 | Docked at Saltley for overhaul [FMC dockbook] |
| 1st October 1940 | Bombed and sunk at Fazeley Street, Birmingham in company with motor Robin |
| Feb-1943 | Docked at Saltley for overhaul [FMC dockbook] |
| 9th July 1943 | Inspected at Birmingham (Capt. W Littler) with Badger [CIJ] |
| 1st June 1944 | Inspected at Birmingham (Capt. W Littler) with Badger [CIJ] |
| 24th June 1944 | Inspected at Birmingham (Capt. W Littler) with Badger [CIJ] |
| 18th August 1944 | Inspected at Birmingham (Capt. W Littler) with Cypress [CIJ] |
| 30th October 1944 | Inspected at Birmingham (Capt. W Littler) with Cypress [CIJ] |
| 31st October 1944 | Noted carrying 23 tons 19 cwt of wheat to Bloxwich from Ellesmere Port with Cypress[Loading Docket] |
| 24th January 1945 | Inspected at Birmingham (Capt. W Littler) with Cypress [CIJ] |
| 30th April 1945 | Inspected at Birmingham (Capt. W Littler) with Cypress [CIJ] |
| 5th June 1945 | Inspected at Birmingham (Capt. W Littler) with Cypress [CIJ] |
| 9th June 1945 | Inspected at Birmingham (Capt. W Littler) with Cypress [CIJ] |
| 13th August 1945 | Inspected at Birmingham (Capt. W Littler) with Cypress [CIJ] |
| 5th October 1945 | Inspected at Birmingham (Capt. W Littler) with Cypress [CIJ] |
| 12th October 1945 | Inspected at Birmingham (Capt. W Littler) [CIJ] |
| 10th November 1945 | Inspected at Birmingham (Capt. W Littler) [CIJ] |
| 1st December 1945 | Inspected at Birmingham (Capt. W Littler) [CIJ] |
| 18th December 1945 | Inspected at Birmingham (Capt. W Littler) [CIJ] |
| 27th May 1946 | Inspected at Birmingham (Capt. W Littler) [CIJ] |
| Aug-1948 | Sold to E. Thomas [ FMC Dock book] |
| 1953 | Sold by E. Thomas to Willow Wren renamed Snipe |
| Jan-1955 | Bought by Willow Wren [article in 195] |
| 11th November 1957 | Seen at Braunston dry dock newly painted |
| 26th November 1957 | Registered at Daventry no 556 (Noted new cabin and engine fitted to shell) [Registration document] |
| 1957 | All following trips with Grebe and others (on occasion*). Bill Wilson, his wife Clara and sons Bill and Ernie in residence. [Information supplied by previous owners, names not recorded] |
| 9th December 1957 | Newdigate to Slough with Grebe 47.4 tons of coal cobbles |
| 23rd December 1957 | Brentford to Great Bridge 125.4t timber* |
| 2nd January 1958 | Cannock to Hayes Cocoa 48t coal |
| 8th January 1958 | Brentford to Fenny Stratford 61.3t beech blocks* |
| 9th January 1958 | Brentford to Birmingham 44.16t zinc |
| 27th January 1958 | Cannock to Hayes Cocoa 51.1t coal |
| 12th February 1958 | Griff to Oxford 48.1t coal |
| 26th February 1958 | Cannock to Hayes Cocoa 50.1t coal |
| 14th March 1958 | Griff to Oxford 44.17t coal continued to Reading for 23rd March for Enterprise trip boat on K&A |
| 26th March 1958 | Brentford to Birmingham 45.12t dates |
| 2nd April 1958 | Cannock to Hayes Cocoa 51t coal |
| 17th April 1958 | Brentford to Birmingham 47.7t zinc |
| 24th April 1958 | Cannock to Hayes Cocoa 53t coal |
| 1st May 1958 | Brentford to Birmingham 47.3t zinc |
| 12th May 1958 | Cannock to Hayes Cocoa 52.1t coal |
| 20th May 1958 | Newdigate to Slough 47.41t coal |
| 29th May 1958 | Cannock to Hayes Cocoa 53t coal |
| 4th June 1958 | Brentford to Great Bridge 64.2t timber* |
| 13th June 1958 | Cannock to Hayes Cocoa 52t coal |
| 24th June 1958 | Cannock to Hayes Cocoa 54t coal |
| 7th July 1958 | Newdigate to Slough 47.18t of coal cobbles |
| 12th July 1958 | Brentford to Birmingham 48.12t.zinc |
| 18th July 1958 | Cannock to Hayes Cocoa 52t coal |
| 14th August 1958 | Newdigate to Slough 47.9t coal cobbles |
| 21st August 1958 | Brentford to Great Bridge 68.1t timber* |
| 2nd September 1958 | Newdigate to Nash Mills 48.2t coal |
| 16th September 1958 | Griff to Oxford 47.1t coal |
| 26th September 1958 | Cannock to Hayes Cocoa 49t coal |
| 7th October 1958 | Griff to Oxford 44.17t coal |
| 16th October 1958 | Mancetter to West Drayton 47.5 roadstone |
| 29th October 1958 | Griff to Croxley Mill 52.16 coal |
| 8th November 1958 | Brentford to Fenny Stratford 75t timber* |
| 20th November 1958 | Brentford to Great Bridge 201.8t timber* |
| 1st December 1958 | Cannock to Hayes Cocoa 52.1t coal |
| 9th December 1958 | Brentford to Great Bridge 70.18t timber* |
| 22nd December 1958 | Cannock to Hayes Cocoa 53.1t coal |
| 2nd January 1959 | Brentford to Fenny Stratford 59.13t beech blocks* |
| 16th January 1959 | Newdigate to Slough 48.14t coal |
| 26th January 1959 | Brentford to Great Bridge 39.1t redwood |
| 6th February 1959 | Cannock to Hayes Cocoa 54t coal |
| 12th February 1959 | Brentford to Birmingham 48.16t soy |
| 19th February 1959 | Newdigate to Slough 48.14t coal |
| 25th February 1959 | Brentford to West Drayton 120t asphalt* |
| 6th March 1959 | Cannock to Hayes Cocoa 54t coal |
| Mar-1959 | Seen working with Teal |
| 18th July 1959 | Brentford to Olton Wharf 50t timber* |
| 17th August 1959 | Brentford to Great Bridge 74.8t timber* |
| 16th November 1959 | Birmingham to London 1000 bicycles [Report in Birmingham Mail] |
| 20th June 1962 | Mancetter to West Drayton 95.16t roadstone* with Widgeon (Capt. Roger Hatchard) [R. Hatchard] |
| 1974 | Plover and the renamed Kildare first pair in the fleet of Warwickshire Fly Boat Co as campers. [Article in 195] |
| 1981 | Sold to Clark Walters |
| September 1991 | Bought by BCM.[Article in 195]. Restored to FMC livery with new forecabin |
| 11th April 1992 | Maiden Voyage in FMC colours for BCM from Warwickshire Fly |
| For details of the trips with President since then see Trip history | |
| 24th to 27th August 2001 | Kildare left her partner at home, and eloped with Bitten on a trip to the National Festival at Milton Keynes see more here |
| 9th June 2003 | Back travelling with President - BCLM to Middlewich for the Middlewich Folk and Boating Festival. see Trip history |
| 25th March 2006 | Towed to Dadford's Wharf by tug 'Bittell' , for replacement of bottom & footings - see Working party reports |
| 20th July 2006 | Bow hauled Kildare up the 12 locks of the Stourbridge flight and Bittell towed K back to BCLM |
| 2007 / 2008 | Normal operations and trips with President |
| 2008/2009 | Over the winter - Ian Kemp gave Kildare a new front cabin and a complete repaint |
Last edited:- 07-Jun-2009