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The Co-operative is stocking its fabulous and very popular Fairtrade chocolate bunny for the second year. The cute hollow bunny comes in a special gift box making it the perfect Easter pressie for that special someone.
Part of Fairtrade Fortnight, which this year runs from 22 February – 7 March inclusive, The Co-operative and Somerfield are offering up to 20% off selected Fairtrade products from now until 9 March inclusive (including the bunny).
For more information go to www.co-operative.coop/food/whats-hot/Food-news/The-Co-ope...
LOG PUNT ‘KING EDWARD VII'
Report prepared by Alan Wright and Chris Borough, members of the Great Lakes Historical Co-Operative Society Ltd.
Other log punt stories are contained in the Album Log Punts.
Images of the log punt King Edward VII are in the album King Edward VII
NOTE: The original image has been removed as ID uncertain
The log punt King Edward VII, known to all on the river as the ‘King’, was built by Henry Miles Breckenridge for his father, John Breckenridge at Failford – she was launched on 18th April 1902. She was 101 feet in length, 22 feet in breadth, depth of hold 4ft 6in and drawing an incredibly low 2 feet of water when fully loaded. Power was supplied by a 15hp steam engine, driving a single 10 feet wide by 8 feet high stern paddle wheel.
The ‘King’ operated on the Wallamba, Coolongolook, and Wang Wauk Rivers for around a decade, carting logs to the mill at Failford and delivering sawn timber to Tuncurry for loading onto awaiting ships.
In this period she was fitted with a derrick for loading rock, and with the construction of the Tuncurry/Taree road, was used to transfer gravel downstream to Tuncurry.
The ‘King’ then was towed north to Breckenridge’s timber mill at Kendall, working on the Camden Haven.
Launch at Failford
On Saturday last [26th April 1902] Mr. John Breckenridge, J.P., launched from his yards at Failford a steam lighter, built for the purpose of, bringing logs to the Failford mill. Her dimensions are: — Length, 101 feet; 22 feet beam; and 4 feet 6 inches depth of hold. She is built on the diagonal principle, and trussed fore and aft, to prevent her bending or getting out of shape. Her planking on the sides is 2 inches thick, on two thicknesses 1½ inch diagonals, while her bottom is 2 inches thick, and her deck 3 inches, the two latter portions being, constructed of [New Zealand] kauri. The steamer's machinery is being made by Messrs. J. and A. Taylor, engineers, Townhead Works, Ayr, Scotland. She will be supplied with a pair of high pressure horizontal engines of 30 horse-power nominal, and her boiler will be tested by cold water to 200 lbs. pressure. The vessel is now waiting for her machinery, which is expected to arrive in about three weeks' or a month's time. The new steamer was all ready for launching at a quarter past twelve o'clock when, the triggers were knocked out, and Miss Minnie Breckenridge, youngest daughter of Mr. J. Breckenridge, broke the bottle, and christened the new ship "King Edward VII.," as she glided into her natural element without a hitch. There was no gathering of guests at the launching, but we understand that there will be a public function when the steamer makes' her trial trip, when her enterprising- and generous owner will in all probability give an excursion. The Manning River Times - Wednesday 30 April 1902
Excursion to Coomba
Following a successful trial run in September 1902, John Breckenridge provided the vessel for an excursion to Coomba: “Mr. Breckenridge's excursion in the King Edward VII to Coomba, on Saturday last, was a great success, about 160 persons availing themselves of the outing. The "King" left Failford at 8 a.m., and after taking in a number of the Forster folks at the cutting [known as the stone cut], reached Coomba on Wallis Lake at about 11 o'clock. Lunch was then served to all on board, after which games were indulged in till about 4 o'clock, when the King steamed homeward. All on board seemed to thoroughly enjoy themselves, and no doubt will long remember Mr. Breckenridge's kindness.” The Manning River Times - Wednesday 5 November 1902
Transport to the Annual Cape Hawke Regatta
John Breckenridge, along with other sawmillers, commonly made their log punts available for people attending the Annual Cape Hawke Regatta. The first record that positively identified as the attendance King Edward VII was in early 1907. “The following conveyances were used: — Messrs. Wright and McLaren's punt from Tuncurry; Messrs. J. and T. Miles' punt from Forster; Mr. J. Breckenridge's " King Edward VII from Failford ; Messrs. Smith and Everingham's drogher " Victory" from Nabiac ; Messrs. Goodlet and Smith's punt from Coolongolook; and the lobster boat Thistle; besides numerous oil launches and pulling boats.” The Manning River Times - Sat 5 Jan 1907.
Combined Schools Excursion and Picnic
“Friday, the 15th October [1908], was quite a gala day for young and old on the Wallamba when the Failford, Lower Wallamba and Darawank Schools combined in arranging an excursion and picnic for the children. Early on that bright morning children, parents and friends were observable coming from all points of the compass, wending their various ways to Failford wharf. Ladies with baskets and hampers containing the necessaries for diminishing and appeasing abnormal appetites which are created by an outing of this particular character. On arrival at the wharf it was noticed that the steam punt "King Edward VII," which had been gratuitously placed at the pleasure seeker's disposal by Mr. John Breckenridge, was gaily adorned with bunting, while a commodious awning had been erected on board as a safeguard against sun, wind and rain. A start was made with something like 200 oldsters and youngsters, and en-route the pupils, parents and friends of the Lower Wallamba and Darawank schools were called for. Now the seating accommodation was taxed to the utmost as nearly 300 souls were on board. All were on pleasure bent with the one desire of making the day thoroughly enjoyable. The course now lay for Regatta Island which had been selected as the rendezvous, and here a landing was effected and fun began in earnest. Though the trip by water was enjoyable — passing en-route islands, islets, shoals, and oyster beds with groves of cabbage palms in the background, and various kinds of aquatic birds disporting themselves on the placid waters of the lakes, or hurrying to safer distance; yet the limits were somewhat circumscribed, and the buoyant feelings had full vent when the landing was made on the ideal pleasure grounds.” The Wingham Chronicle and Manning River Observer - Saturday 7 November 1908.
Breckenridge sawmill at Kendall
In 1906 John Breckenridge decided to establish a sawmill at Kendall and sent his son, Henry Miles Breckenridge, to construct and commence operating the mill. He was joined shortly after by his brothers Thomas Miles Breckenridge and Forster Breckenridge. Thomas left Kendall around 1911 and his two brothers continued to manage the operation. Early in the operation, the log punt St Olive was constructed; King Edward VII was taken to Kendall circa 1909.
It would appear that the scale of operation at Kendall was decreasing as, in October 1921, the Macleay River Co-operative Steamship Company Ltd was reported to have purchased the King Edward VII to replace the Rescue that had foundered.
The mill at Kendall was burned down in 1926; the St. Olive was taken down to Tuncurry and was purchased by Porter’s sawmill.
King Edward VII commences operation on the Macleay
The King Edward VII was used on the river as a drogher, transporting goods along the river from Greenhill to meet ships including the Kinchela and s.s Douglas Mawson. In 1922 she was valued at £1415/13/6. She operated for a short period before The Macleay River Co-operative Steamship Company Ltd. announced it was in voluntary liquidation. The liquidator advised shareholders that he had sold the two vessels, the King Edward VII and the s.s. Kinchela to the North Coast Steam Navigation Company for £12,507/19/6.
Sad end of the King Edward VII
Three years after she was bought by the N.C.S.N.C. she was being slipped for repairs and maintenance when she collapsed. The reports were brief. DROGHER DAMAGED.
“While the drogher "King Edward VII" was being hauled on to the slip for repairs on Tuesday afternoon [10th February 1925] the stern portion broke off and dropped into the stream.” Macleay Argus (Kempsey, NSW) - Fri 13 Feb 1925. The wreck was advertised for sale in late February but no record of the sale has been found.
Image Source: Great Lakes Museum, Tuncurry NSW (image PN 001005)
Acknowledgements: Information provided by the Macleay Valley Historical Society much appreciated.
All Images in this photostream are Copyright - Great Lakes Manning River Shipping and/or their individual owners as may be stated above and may not be downloaded, reproduced, or used in any way without prior written approval.
GREAT LAKES MANNING RIVER SHIPPING, NSW - Flick Group --> Alphabetical Boat Index --> Boat builders Index --> Tags List
The rebuilt Co-op Society store at the Black Country Museum is to be found in the 1950s street on the Museum site. I believe that this store originally stood in Halesowen, but is typical of the hundreds of Co-op stores of the period that could be found throughout Britain from the 1930s into the 1960s.
My immediate impression of this store was that it wasn't quite as I recall, the Co-op we used to visit was a little different. The tiled floor, the wooden shelves around the shop and the lighting look right, but I remember a wooden counter that went around the perimeter of the shop. There were very few goods that could be hand-picked, instead the shop assistant got items from off the shelves behind the counter at the customer's request. Things like butter and cheese were cut from a block, weighed and wrapped in grease-proof paper. There were certainly some goods stocked on the counter, possibly 'on offer' or that were promotions; maybe oddities in baskets in the central area? It's so long ago and I was very young. My mother took a weaved over-arm basket to the shops and a small handheld leatherette bag, which couldn't hold a great deal, so visits to purchase goods and fresh produce were fairly regular.
Friday 18th April 2025.