Elver 1934

Travels of the Yacht 'Elver' on the Essex coast and on a trip to the Netherlands.

One of a series of films recording the travels of the schooner Elver, her owner V.B. Harrison, crew and guests. Scenes are shot from the Elver including adjustment of sails, sea, waves, buoys, coastline and passing boats, sometimes close enough to see crew in detail. Scenes include: tea party with young guests; larking about as Tarzan; Bullo and Nomad II; children John and Susan allowed to steer at the wheel and climb the mast; in the Netherlands, entering the River Schelde, scenes of shipping at Flushing, shore at Veere and Willemsdorp including the long railway bridge, lifting bridge on the Oude Maas, shipping at Rotterdam, shrimp boat and return Channel crossing.

Keywords

Boats; Sailing; Sea; English Channel; Ferries; Travel abroad

Intertitles

Spelling as it appears on the intertitles “Elver” 1934 Bullo’s Nomad II on the Blackwater June. Kath, K. Scott, Biddy and Aline A real good tea The Castles on “Elver” Tarzan comes on board Hereditory [heredity) will out Children on “Elver” June 1934 Nomad II John becoming a real sailor Ronald giving Susan lessons Back to the Hard in the dinghy The Dutch trip Early morning approaching Holland Charles at the helm Entering the Schelde Pilot for Antwerp being put aboard a steamer Flushing Flushing harbour “Elver” at Veere Leaving Veere On the way to Rotterdam Railway bridge at Wilhelmsdorp [Willemsdorp] Wilhelmsdorp [Willemsdorp] Lifting bridge on the Oude Maas Java boat arriving with us at Rotterdam Uncle Paul in charge on the Oude Maas The lifting bridge again Leaving Flushing a marvellously rigged boat A Dutch shrimper Mid-Channel Sammy in charge The flash of the Outer Gabbard Hook boat arriving at Harwich at dawn On the way to Mersea Charles having a siesta The End

Other Places

Blackwater Estuary, Essex River Schele, Netherlands Flushing [Vlissingen], Netherlands Veere, Netherlands Willemsdorp, Netherlands Harwich, Essex

Background Information

Elver - “V.B. Harrison’s wishbone-rigged schooner Elver was built at Lymington in 1923 and was a familiar sight in the Blackwater, with moorings at West Mersea until the 1940s.” John Leather, The Salty Shore, Seafarer Books 2003. A published photograph of the yacht refers to Skipper Ron Pullen. Did the Harrison family know C.W.A. Scott? (See aeroplane sequence in Cat 8907. If so, K. Scott could be his first wife Kathleen Scott. The Schelde river reaches the sea at Walcheren, Zeeland Outer Gabbard lightship – light vessel in the North Sea