John Howard's largest trading barge RECORD REIGN, launched in 1897. Ketch rigged and carrying square fore topsail courses, the leeboards were omitted from this painting for the skipper's pride.
Used in Barges, page 17, Last Stronghold of Sail page 125, and The Big Barges page 28 (where there are several more photographs).
The Big Barges short history says: RECORD REIGN of Maldon 10594. Built by Howard at Maldon, 1890. 139 tons.
Schooner built to use Heybridge Lock, but when she was fully loaded with 275-300 tons the gate would not close under her clipper bow. In the First World War a Q-boat with two 40hp Bolinder oil engines and gun covered by dummy boat. In 1926 owned by Sadd of Maldon, with 40hp auxiliary. Managing owner (1934) Harold Bates, Hertford. On 9 Febr 1935 as motor-ketch ashore at Keadby, and finally lost at Branscombe, east of Sidmouth, with a rock through her bottom.
Ron Green has records of her visits to Heybridge Basin:
She came in to Heybridge Basin on 18 August 1897 with 312 tons of coal and iron for Bentall. This was almost certainly her first cargo and definitely her first visit to the Basin. It would have been then that they discovered she didn't quite fit in as her next visits she brought slightly less - 27 Nov 270t, 6th Apr 1898 307t, Dec 1st 306t, 11th Mar 1899 etc. She seems to have traded regularly to the basin until 1 Jan 1903 when she arrived with 292t of coal. All of this under the command of Daniel Laythorp, although on May 30 1901 she came into load 130t iron under master W. Wright who brought her in again with 40t coal on July 26. This was a temporary command as Laythorp was skipper on 1 Jan 1903 visit.
Date: 1902