Made to last, built from oak hewn in the Forest of Dean, the Newark is something of an enigma in name and construction alike.

Originally built as a dock lighter in 1896 by Joseph Barnard at Monk Meadow, the Newark retains many of the features of the Gloucester shipwright’s characteristic Stroudwater barge construction, with its canoe stern configuration. This design was commonplace on the local waterways of the day and became the one preferred by Barnard, who produced a series of successful canal working craft between 1890 and 1894, from his yard on the canal bank south of the city.

Evidence to support the ongoing success of the company can be seen in the following entries from the Gloucester Journal issues of the day:

Barnard Launches Lighter Pride (GJ 13 Dec 1890 p5c6)
The successful launch of a lighter was witnessed from Mr J Barnard’s yard on the Canal Bank on Saturday. The lighter, an open one, was built to the order of the Gloucester and Sharpness Lighterage Co, is named the Pride and will carry a burden of probably 160 tons. This is the fourth built by the above firm.

Barnard Launches Lighter Northwich (GJ 23 Jan 1892 p5c4)
The fine open lighter Northwich was launched from Mr J W Barnard’s yard on the Canal Bank on Wednesday afternoon. Length 100 ft, breadth 21 ft 6 in, depth of hold 6 ft 6 in. She will carry 260 tons, is built of the best English timber and specially designed for lightening vessels at Northwick Oaze or Kingroad. This is the fifth built to the order of Mr G T Beard, contractor, of Gloucester.

Barnard Launches Lighter Penarth (GJ 16 Jul 1892 p5c6)
On Saturday, the open lighter Penarth was launched from J Barnard’s yard, Canal Bank. She will carry about 170 tons. She will be used for lightening at Northwick Oaze and if necessary take cargoes up the river. This is the sixth built to the order of Mr G T Beard of Gloucester.

In light of these successes and instant demand for his services, Barnard relocated to a larger yard in Monk Meadow, where, between 1894-1914, he continued to produce good quality timber craft for local companies, including the Dock Co. which, in 1907, commissioned the shipwright to build a mud flat (RAIL 864/7).

This prosperity was not to last and at the onset of the Great War, the spiralling demands the conflict placed on resources and men eventually led to reduced order bookings for timber built vessels. In light of dwindling orders, Barnard was eventually forced to cut his overheads and in 1919 it is recorded that the company continued to maintain a yard at west end of Monk Meadow Dock albeit with very little business being done. (RAIL 864 Misc).

Thus, another little firm, despite its hard work and productive ideas was consigned to history.

In compiling the piece above, The Friends are indebted to the research of Hugh Conway Jones for the historical detail.