A Unique Survivor of a Bygone Age and a key piece of Northwest Maritime History

 

The last remaining Composite Mersey Flat, OAKDALE is also the last known surviving commercial sea-going vessel built in Runcorn.  Of all the Mersey Flats built across the region (the local style of vessel once constructed all along the Mersey, Weaver, and other local rivers and canals, and along the North West coast from Anglesey to southern Scotland), only two now survive:  MOSSDALE, built in Chester by William Speakman in 1860 (but later bought by, and rebuilt and lengthened at, Abel’s of Runcorn) is in the hands of the Boat Museum at Ellesmere Port; and OAKDALE, beached at Askam-in-Furness and used as a house boat by her owner and restorer, David Keenan.  Mr. Keenan is a very friendly man with lots of experience and knowledge of local maritime affairs.  He worked in the coastal trade for many years, including sailing as Master of OAKDALE for a lot of those and clearly he knows & loves his vessel, realising her unique status.  She is the last true sea-going (or "Outside") Mersey Flat and therefore an important piece of our local and national history, as well as being representative of a shipbuilding tradition from the region that made its mark across the globe.

 

The most modern Flats were composite-built, so therefore had steel frames and wooden planking.  Later developments led to the invention of motor-engined “Weaver Packets”.  In much the same way that we can consider the Weaver Packet as the most modern development of a Mersey Flat, the design being taken to its natural conclusion in those motor vessels, OAKDALE represents the very same level of development along the traditional sailing line and is therefore a vessel of great historical importance.  Furthermore, she is one of only five surviving composite vessels in the world (alongside the CITY OF ADELAIDE in Sydney, the CUTTY SARK in London, HMS GANNET in Chatham, and the beached remains of the AMBASSADOR in Chile), making her a craft of international significance.

 

OAKDALE was the second-to-last Flat ever constructed and was launched at the Castlerock Yard of Richard Abel & Sons, having been built to the same designs that the firm used back into the 1850s for the many vessels they created for themselves and for other concerns.  She is a sister-ship of the last ever Flat, the RUTH BATE, which has already, sadly, been scrapped.  OAKDALE has a rudder that appears to be from an older vessel, as evidenced by it having a rounded top with a decorative notch carved into it which they stopped doing after the 1890s.

 

One man’s struggle to keep this vessel going is a very compelling story and the efforts deserve national attention and as much support from the public as possible.  Therefore, I intend to donate money to this cause from the sale of my book, “Shipyards of the Upper Mersey”, and implore anyone who can volunteer to help with maintenance work (particularly in the summer months) to get along to Askam-in-Furness to help.  Skilled and unskilled labour alike will be useful and welcome.

 

Vital Statistics

Launched  on 15th September 1951 after an 18-month build, she is a 63T Mersey Flat.

72’ 6” X 15’ 9” X Depth 3’ (6’ 6” moulded depth); Lister HA3 Diesel Engine (fitted 1957).

66 Reg Tons Gross, 63 Reg Tons Net, 52 Tons Displacement in working order, Cargo Capacity 120 Tons.

Registered Merchant Vessel; Official Number 183820.

Listed on the National Historic Ships Register.

 

This vessel is critically in need of volunteers to help maintain her.  Any help in preserving this vessel would be an aid to keeping alive a very important facet of national and international shipping heritage.

 

The aim of MORS is to provide just that and the name comes from the fact that when a sailor moors a ship or boat, that vessel is secure and safe, just as this society hopes to make OAKDALE.

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