Part of the
Acorn Archive
Hearts of Oak
W H Podd of Lowestoft
W H Podd Ltd Established 1886
Established and Managed by
Walter Humphrey Podd.
History
Directory
Entries
1890 Walter
Podd 387, London Road South, Lowestoft.
1896 Walter Podd Fish Merchant/Buyer 58, St Leonards Road, Lowestoft.
1902-1909 29,
Trawl Fish Market and
58, St Leonards Road, Lowestoft (
Residence Of Walter Podd).
1912 Walter Honey
Podd Fish Salesman 9 & 10, Trawl Fish Market, Lowestoft. This entry in the
Directory gives his middle name as “Honey”. In view of all other records being
shown as “Humphrey”, the directory entry must be an early typographical error.
~~~~oo~~~~
From 1909 until 1954 they were still at 29 Trawl Fish
Market Lowestoft but were no longer at St Leonards Road Lowestoft, their other
premises being in Ontario Road, Lowestoft. These premises at Ontario Road
became a net loft and are now converted into houses.
The Podd company’s fishing boats were largely named after
family members.
From 1925 the owner was named as Walter Humphrey Podd,
residing at The Poplars, London Road South Lowestoft. Walter Humphrey Podd died
two years later and was buried 18th October 1927 at Kirkley
Cemetery. John D Mummery writes … he took over a part of my Gt. Grandfather's fish wholesale
business here in Lowestoft. He has a very large memorial in Kirkley Cemetery,
in South Lowestoft, indicating that he was a man of substantial substance.
They became a limited company in 1938. During World War
II, the Podd Fleet was requisitioned by the Merchant Navy for mine sweeping.
Under the management of Edward William Podd, six trawlers went to Milford
Haven, namely PILOT JACK, J.A.P., BOY CLIFFORD, HELPING HAND and HOLKAR. In
1941 they were moved to Padstow, Cornwall. Whilst fishing there, two vessels
managed to pick up the survivors ( commander and crew ) of a submarine which
had been hit. There was also another incident where they had been hit by
machine gun fire, but managed to get back to port. This little fleet returned
to Lowestoft in 1946, and were all sold, save for the J.A.P. The fleet was
replaced by the JOHN WILLMENT, LORD WENLOCK and EAGER.
The business expanded in 1954 with one business as
General Engineers operating from Whapload Road, Lowestoft, near to Mariners
Score and a second business as Fish Merchants at 12 Waveney Road, Lowestoft.
In 1957 two 100 foot wooden trawlers ( W.F.P. and ADA
KERBY ) were built at Fraserborough. Two other steel trawlers were sold to
Ghana, sailing to Accra. One of them, was later said to have sunk after striking
into a lighthouse.
The first mention as trawlers owners in the Company title
appears in 1959 when they are shown as Trawler Owners And Fish Merchants at 5
Battery Green Road, Lowestoft.
Three steel trawlers were built at £75,000 each, the
BRYHER, MINCARLO and ROSEVEAR. They were
named after three isles in the Isles of Scilly, because of the welcoming
kindness received by David Podd, when he stayed at a school-friend’s house with
his mother and father. His friend at Truro School was Barneslie Ward, who, with
his father Rodney Ward, of the Isles of Scilly, had strong associations with
the Isles of Scilly Steamship Company
( featured on another part of Hearts of Oak ).
From 1967 the different branches were together as W H Podd
Marine And General Engineers And Trawler Owners with them moving to new
premises at the corner of Hamilton Road and Battery Green, Lowestoft. The
company were taken over by Small & Company in the late 1970s. Some family
members then set up Metal Coating Motors in Pakefield whilst another became a
Veterinary Surgeon in Tonning Street, Lowestoft.
Inshore
Trawlers Ltd were a subsidiary of W H Podd but they do not appear to have owned
or operated from premises of their own. No mention could be found of Lowestoft
Motor Trawlers Ltd.
In
1970, a decline in the fishing industry, due to shortage of crew, forced the
ships to lay in port, at great expense.
The White Fish Authority re-possessed the ships as it was impossible to
repay the loan. BRYHER and MINCARLO were sold to Boston Deep Sea Fisheries,
Lowestoft as stand-by ships for oil rigs in the North Sea. WH Podd continued with the marine
engineering business, but with so few fishing vessels operating, it meant it
was impossible to maintain the business and David Podd sold the engineering
works, around 1985, to Klynne Tugs of Lowestoft.
Chris Cleveland writes …. WH Podd was sold out to Klynne Tugs of Lowestoft, I used to know
Roger Klynne when I was in the industry, and
Keith Ashby was a foreman ( just retired
from Klynne ), they are located at Whapload Road Lowestoft.
PRESS
CLIPPINGS
1962 : W
H Podd is the oldest trawling firm in Lowestoft. In fact, for the whole Fishing
Industry in this country, for diesel engine conversion on vessels of 75 feet and
over, W H Podd were the pioneers. W H
Podd gave the first order for a full size motor trawler, the J.A.P. W H Podd were the first to construct a full
size trawler using the largest controllable pitch propeller. W H Podd were the
first to construct and design diesel
machinery to suit fishing conditions and last the life of the hull.
1977 : Fifty
years ago, October 11th 1927, Walter H Podd, one of Lowestoft’s best
known trawler owners, died. He became successful because of his earnest
application and unswerving perseverance.
WH Podd Premises 1977
Letterhead shows address
Engineers and Agents,
Battery Green Road, Lowestoft
On Admiralty List
Diesel Engines
Trawl Winches
Hydraulic Capstains
Diesel Engine Maintenance
Marine Engineers
Besides the kind help I have received from other sources,
especially that of David Podd, of Lowestoft, grandson of
Walter Humphrey Podd,
I am very grateful for the kind assistance and extensive
information from
Lowestoft Record Office
Central Library, Clapham Road,
Lowestoft, Suffolk, NR32 1DR
Terry Lynes Assistant Project
Manager
Heritage Workshop Centre,
80a High Street, Wilde's Score,
Lowestoft, Suffolk, NR32 1XN
My Thanks to Roger Griffiths for
his persistence and assistance.
Raymond
Forward