Gainsborough Delivery

Picturing the Past: NarrowBoat, Summer 2025

Another delve into the Jack Parkinson Collection shows activity on the River Trent at Gainsborough in the 1950s

Both these images show the old waterfront at Gainsborough, photographed by Jack Parkinson from his cruiser Grey Dove in 1962. They were taken near high water on the tidal River Trent in and around Furley & Co Ltd’s wharf. Furley’s was founded in 1770 and served as a shipping agent, river craft owner, wharfinger and warehouse keeper, and also road-haulage contractor. Three motor barges are moored at the wharf – nearest to the camera is Tess, which was built by R. & W. Hepworth of Paull in October 1959 for Furley’s. Behind Tess is moored Balder, which was built by Richard Dunston of Thorne as one of six motor barges for Furley’s in 1938. It was 61ft 6in long and 15ft 6in wide, and completed on 7th July 1938. Some of the barge’s cargo of bulk grain is being unloaded using a vacuum hose suspended from a small crane. The air compressor supplying the suction is mounted on a trailer with its exit pipe feeding grain through the adjacent warehouse r…