Norfolk
Norfolk () is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in East Anglia in England. It borders Lincolnshire to the north-west, Cambridgeshire to the west and south-west, and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the No ...
Broads. Like two of the other surviving wherries, '' Maud'' and ''
Solace
Consolation, consolement, and solace are terms referring to psychological comfort given to someone who has suffered severe, upsetting loss, such as the death of a loved one. It is typically provided by expressing shared regret for that loss and ...
'', she was built by Daniel S. Hall of Reedham. ''Hathor'' has been listed on the register of
National Historic Ships
National Historic Ships UK is a government-funded independent organisation that advises UK governments and others on matters relating to historic ships.
in the
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
since 1996 and is part of the
National Historic Fleet
The National Historic Fleet is a list of historic ships and vessels located in the United Kingdom, under the National Historic Ships register. National Historic Ships UK is an advisory body which advises the Secretary of State for Culture, Media ...
.
History
''Hathor'' was built in 1905 for Ethel and Helen Colman, daughters of
Jeremiah Colman
Jeremiah Colman (1777–1851) was an English miller who founded Colman's Mustard, a business which merged into the conglomerate Reckitt & Colman, and is now owned by Unilever.
Life
He was born in Norfolk in 1777 to Robert Colman (1749-1807) and ...
and
Caroline Colman
Caroline Colman (9 May 1831 - 5 July 1895) was the wife of Jeremiah James Colman, the third member of the family in charge of the eponymous company Colman's mustard. Caroline Colman had exerted significant influence over the social welfare of the ...
of the
Norwich
Norwich () is a cathedral city and district of Norfolk, England, of which it is the county town. Norwich is by the River Wensum, about north-east of London, north of Ipswich and east of Peterborough. As the seat of the See of Norwich, with ...
Colman's Mustard dynasty. Ethel later became the first female Lord Mayor of Norwich in 1923. The wherry was named
Hathor
Hathor ( egy, ḥwt-ḥr, lit=House of Horus, grc, Ἁθώρ , cop, ϩⲁⲑⲱⲣ, Meroitic: ) was a major goddess in ancient Egyptian religion who played a wide variety of roles. As a sky deity, she was the mother or consort of the sk ...
in memory of Ethel and Helen's brother Alan Colman who had died in
Luxor
Luxor ( ar, الأقصر, al-ʾuqṣur, lit=the palaces) is a modern city in Upper (southern) Egypt which includes the site of the Ancient Egyptian city of ''Thebes''.
Luxor has frequently been characterized as the "world's greatest open-a ...
in 1897 whilst on a convalescent trip with the family; they had travelled the Nile on a boat called ''Hathor''.
Hathor's interior was designed by architect Edward T Boardman, the husband of Florence Colman, sister of Ethel and Helen, and son of
Edward Boardman
Edward Boardman (1833–1910) was a Norwich born architect. He succeeded John Brown as the most successful Norwich architect in the second half of the 19th century.British Museum
The British Museum is a public museum dedicated to human history, art and culture located in the Bloomsbury area of London. Its permanent collection of eight million works is among the largest and most comprehensive in existence. It docum ...
.
The cost of the basic wherry was £595; with an added £1057 spent on internal woodwork and £407 for other fitting out. The ''Hathor'' had cabins to sleep six, with extra accommodation for the skipper and steward, and made her maiden voyage on 2 August 1905.
''Hathor'' remained in the Colman/Boardman family until 1954 when she was sold to Claud Hamilton who owned her for almost 10 years. She was then sold on and used as a houseboat until 1985 when the Wherry Yacht Charter Trust purchased her in a dilapidated state and undertook an extensive two-year restoration.
''Hathor'' is currently in sailing order and fitted out to charter standard.
Description
''Hathor'' is
clinker-built
Clinker built (also known as lapstrake) is a method of boat building where the edges of hull planks overlap each other. Where necessary in larger craft, shorter planks can be joined end to end, creating a longer strake or hull plank. The techni ...
Norwich
Norwich () is a cathedral city and district of Norfolk, England, of which it is the county town. Norwich is by the River Wensum, about north-east of London, north of Ipswich and east of Peterborough. As the seat of the See of Norwich, with ...
architect
Edward Boardman
Edward Boardman (1833–1910) was a Norwich born architect. He succeeded John Brown as the most successful Norwich architect in the second half of the 19th century.quanting for propulsion.