Flags of the ships on the Weaver
These are the flags of the ships that visited the Weaver
Norway
Denmark
Cyprus
Portugal
Sweden
Morocco
Turkey
Granada
Panama
Faroes
Malta
Holland
Maldives
Monrovia
Lebanon
Ireland
Honduras
Gibraltar
Faroe Islands
Finland
German
Isle of Man
Guernsey
Jersey
Blue ensign. Red ensign. White ensign.
The Blue Ensign is the Royal navy reserve. The Red Ensign is the British Merchant Navy.. The White Ensign is the Royal Navy
World Scout Sea Cadet Sea Scouts
1949 1967 1984
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The three flags British Waterways have adopted since nationalisation.
British Waterways Freight services at Anderton Depot and Weston Point Docks flew their own flag which included the BWB logo.
Flags of nations.
Most of the flags in the collection were presented by the Captains of the ships that frequented the River Weaver. The practice began in 1975 when a Gibraltar registered ship the Anna H asked the Dutton lock keeper Carl Leckey to dispose of a Rhine mast he had that was surplus to requirements. On the island between the locks at Dutton is located a pintel previously utilised in conjunction with the bridge that spanned both locks this was taken away in the 1960s.
The pintel fitted the base of the steel mast perfectly. Until the mast could be taken away the lock keeper erected the mast on the pintel.
The Captain then presented the lock keeper with the Gibraltar flag on the understanding it was flown whenever he visited the Weaver. This is how it all began the next ship to pass through was another regular trader a Dane. Not to be outdone the Captain also presented his flag with the same request. With few exceptions every ship from then on contributed a flag to be flown as a welcome to the visit. Some owner Captains also presented a house flag to be flown with the country of registry.
Some of the flags are duplicated the reason being the Captains insisted their own particular flag had to be flown to greet them.
A number of the ships were registered in faraway countries. These were known as flags on convenience ships for example Panama, Antique, Cyprus Lebanon Singapore. The ships had not necessarily visited these countries to attain registration.
Other flags were presented by yachts, tourists and visitors especially Americans Australians and New Zealanders. Some Americans sent their state flags on returning home this is why they are included in the collection.
The Skull and Cross bones the pirate flag was flown on the sunken wreck of the Chica that lies above Dutton Locks simply to entertain visiting school children.
I hope you enjoy the collection. A number of the flags in the collection are tattered torn and dirty this is because they flew from the from this ships quarter in all kinds of weather summer and winter. Some of the flags in the collection are now defunct as the countries have achieved independence or changed their national flags for various reasons examples. South Africa. Russia. Yugoslavia.
These flags are very precious to me as they hold many memories of the time when the Weaver was a thriving commercial river not the lazy backwater that it has now been reduced to. Give a thought to the number of trucks clogging the roads that have replaced the ships that once carried their cargoes directly to and from the heart of Cheshire to and from all parts of Europe and further. The biggest ship to navigate the Weaver as far a Anderton Depot in 1985 was the Dutch ship MV St Michael 1068 tons achieving the long term objective of being in excess of 1000 tons. How many trucks are now utilised to replace this one ship alone?
Carl Leckey MBE Retired Dutton lock keeper
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