Wreck of Thames sailing barge, 'Mamgu of London' formerly 'Canawa', Maldon Promenade Creek (EHER 13739)

The remains of a Thames spritsail barge 'Mamgu' of London which was hulked and burnt out at Maldon Promenade Creek. It was built in 1904 as the 'Canawa', and for some time served as the Marconi Sailing Club clubhouse at Heybridge, and later as an outdoor activities centre at Heybridge.

'Mamgu' of London, Official No. 120478, 80 ton yacht barge built 1904 as the Cawana. Became Marconi Y.C. clubhouse at Heybridge, was hulked and burnt out at Maldon Promenade Creek. <1> <2> In 1958 the motor yacht ‘Mamgu’, originally conceived as the working barge ‘Cawana’, was acquired by the Marconi Sailing Club from a Mr Crawshay who had used her as a permanent home for many years at Maldon. She was towed round to Heybridge Basin by Water Bailiff, Cecil Stebbens and moored bows-on to the seawall. This became the clubhouse, and some ground suitable for dinghy storage was rented from local allotment holders. In 1963 Mamgu was sold to the Education Authority of the Borough of Westham, for use as an Outdoor Activities Centre. <3> From 1963 onwards Mamgu was moored at Heybridge Basin, with young people staying on board the barge as part of their visit to Fairplay Outdoor Activity Centre. In 1980 Mamgu had become too expensive to repair so was replaced with a more modern vessel. <4> Mamgu was hulked at the Maldon Barge Graveyard (EHER 82000) by 1981. <5> Note: Whilst it is known that the Mamgu is one of the hulked vessels at the Maldon Barge Graveyard (EHER 82000), it has not been possible to distinguish it from the other vessels and as such this record has been mapped using a bounding polygon to denote the area the barge lies within. NRHE data transfer, 802124, 1520125 and 1520126: Horizontal Datum: OGB <6> Vertical Datum: LAT <6> Buoyage: WKS <6> 09-SEP-1981: This position covers three wrecks. <6> 09-SEP-1981: Three wrecks in 51 43.28N 00 41.57E (HMS HECATE), in 2m depth. <7> Seen to be located in the inter-tidal zone south of Promenade Park. <8> Note: The NRHE holds records for three vessels recorded at the site of the Maldon Barge Graveyard in 1981 by the UK Hydrographic Office, but it does not identify the vessels by their name. The records probably refer to this record (Mamgu), and the hulked barges British Lion (EHER 13735) and William Cleverly (EHER 13744), and the information has been accessioned into all three.