Sailing barge VICTA at the Strood, West Meresa.
VICTA built 1874, Official No. 67085, formerly & CO. Before WW2 she was coming into East Mersea when she stranded across Cumber Gut and broke her back. She was taken to the Hard, then became a house barge at the top of Peldon Creek. Finally she was moved to a spot on the west side of the Strood. Ces Hewes and his family lived on her, in the cabin on deck.
By this photograph, they had moved ashore and she was derelict - her remains still lie in the saltings there.