Early on a Friday morning in August of 1900 the Thames spritsail barge Saltcote Belle - built in 1895 by master ship builder John Howard at his yard in Maldon - was moored at Heybridge Basin awaiting the arrival of a party from the Britannia Fruit Preserving Company of Tiptree (better

known now as Wilkin and Sons Ltd).

Instead of her usual work carrying grain to Saltcote Maltings, the barge had been chartered by the company for a day trip on the Blackwater. By 7.30 a.m. a party of 80 employees – 'men, women, boys and girls' – and Mr C.J. Wilkin, had arrived and boarded.

These details, and an account of subsequent events, are contained in a report in the Chelmsford Chronicle of the 10th August 1900, the headline for which clearly indicates that the outing for the Tiptree jam makers did not go according to plan.

Having got under way in 'delightful' weather it is recorded that a 'pleasant sail was experienced as far as Bradwell Point', when food was served. Messrs Tew Bros., bakers and confectioners of Maldon provided the catering and one can readily imagine that thus far the employees were greatly enjoying the 'beanfeast' - all at their employer's expense.

It was not long though before events took a turn for the worse.

At about 3 p.m. when the barge was off St Lawrence Stone on its return journey, a storm blew up. This must have been of sufficient intensity to cause serious concern as the captain considered it was unsafe for the voyage to continue, and a decision was taken to lay the barge up for the night.

With the barge moored about a quarter of a mile offshore in very heavy water and cresting waves – conditions described somewhat wryly as "very unusual" for the Blackwater - the party prepared for an unexpected overnight stay on board.

By midnight the situation had become 'very serious indeed'. The excursionists were 'huddled together all over the barge' in 'blinding, driving rain and an intensely cold atmosphere' and nearly all of them were 'troubled by violent sea sickness'.

In the circumstances it seems unlikely that food and drink would have been the first thought on anyone's mind but it is indicated that 'by a remarkable piece of good luck, Messrs Tew Bros. had put a double stock of provisions on board, so that the passengers wanted for nothing in that

respect'.

In an effort to make everyone as comfortable as possible the crew arranged the sails in the hold 'to enable the women to lie down during the night', whilst the men were accommodated in the cabin and the forecastle.

Fortunately the Saltcote Belle and its occupants were robust enough to survive the night, and by 10 a.m. the following morning the storm had abated sufficiently for the barge to begin the return voyage to Heybridge Basin. There, after more than 19 hours on the open river, the 'beanfeasters' disembarked and were able to return to their homes in Tiptree.

Before conditions had deteriorated on the Friday night a small boat with three men had been able to put off from the barge and reach St Lawrence Stone, where 'several assuring telegrams to the trippers' relatives in Tiptree' were able to be dispatched.

This no doubt gave the relatives some comfort, but probably not much to the trippers themselves, as surely this must have been a very frightening and miserable ordeal for them indeed.

Nevertheless, throughout the 'thrilling experience' of the headline, which the Chelmsford Chronicle characterised 'as exciting an adventure as the most arduous could wish', the excursionists are said to have 'behaved admirably under Mr Wilkin's direction'.

Whether the fortitude suggested by the somewhat understated reporting was the reality we can only speculate, but what seems certain is that in the age of social media such an incident would surely provoke very different reactions today.

Finally, what of the Saltcote Belle?

Sadly, like so many Thames sailing barges, she is no more. Her remains lie somewhere off Woodrolfe Creek, Tollsbury.