Minutes from history ~ Spreading mud and delight

With some stop gaps, the Advancement Association carried on with sporadic meetings, forming ambitious plans, not only for the twin villages of Hoveton and Wroxham, but also proactively seeking proper public access to water courses, establishing new moorings around Broadland and also marketing the area and putting on carnivals. The neatly surmised minutes of meetings held in the first half of 1932 discuss a broad range of subjects.

A grassy meadow above the road bridge, running parallel to Station Road in Hoveton, was owned by Norwich riverside based brewery Steward and Patteson, who ran the well known King's Head Hotel, adjoining Bullard's Horseshoes Hotel. The Association council made a bold decision to take on this water logged marshland and develop it into free moorings for visiting craft. Even in the 1920s and 30s, there were evidently concerns about lack of moorings and provisions of services for visitors. On February 22nd 1932, the sum of £5.00 was agreed to rent the meadow between some of the WAA members from Steward and Patteson.

Much of the the once open pastoral fens, below the bridge was being eaten up to satisfy the thirst of expanding boat companies, associated docks and holiday houses. The increasing yachting trade created more need for temporary moorings. Boats were then usually designed with lower squat superstructures (as was Heather) to make safe passage through Broadlands low bridges ~ the decision to build a marina above Wroxham bridge made sense.

Local River Contractors tendered for the work, among them Jimmy Gorbould and O Nunn, two well known wherry and watermen, who excavated the original small dyke and spread mud on the meadow for the princely sum of £10. The pride and passionate detail of the Association members was palpable, even extending to the setting up of a flagstaff at the moorings ~ albeit documented with a slightly comical effect ~ Mr Collins, Mr Roy and Mr Press all playing their respective parts, Dad's Army, or Hi~de~Hi fashion.

Discussions of public rights of way onto Hoveton Great Broad however, were always bubbling to the surface and donations were received from the great and good, to help with the scheme to keep the large waterspace open.

Andrew, Chris