Britain Afloat: meet Jimmy Lawrence

Britain Afloat is on BBC One London and South East on Friday, 29 September at 19:30 and on BBC Two on Saturday 30 September at 20:00. It will also be available on the iPlayer across Britain for 30 days thereafter.

My thanks to Paul Tambini for the heads up…

Barges on the telly: Jimmy Lawrence and Nick Ardley on BBC2 TV 29th and 30th September

Jimmy Lawrence talking about life on the barges

I gather that the first programme of the new BBC2 series Floating History of Britain goes out on the 30th September, and that it is to be about Thames sailing barges. I’m told it will include material from this year’s Thames Match.

I told also that the BBC Breakfast show on the 29th September will include an interview with legendary barge skipper, sailmaker and wonderful raconteur Jim Lawrence together with cruising sailor, long-time barge hand and author Nick Ardley, whose young life was spent on the barge May Flower.

Jimmy Lawrence talks about being a 15-year old mate on a sailing barge during WW2

Jim Lawrence, retired Thames Barge skipper from Paul Desmond on Vimeo.

My thanks to the Thames Sailing Barge Trust for letting me know about this one!