Last modified: 2018-09-22 by rob raeside
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![[Herbert Woods Broads Holiday Adventures]](../images/g/gb~yhwbh.gif)
image by Pete Loeser, 19 January 2010
Image originally found on a small porcelain ashtray - a 6-pointed blue star
on a white triangular pennant.
Tom Pountney, 7 January 2008
I write from the County of Norfolk, England's Eastern bulge into the North
Sea, to inform you of the origin and present day usage of this pennant. The
star's unusual six points along with the absence of a broad blue boundary on the
luff (leading) edge of the flag confirm this as the "house" pennant of the
Herbert Woods fleet of inland holiday hire vessels based in the village of
Potter Heigham in Norfolk, UK. The fleet's base, which remains intact and in
operation today, is known as "Broads Haven" and is one of the more iconic
historic features of the inland waterway known as the Norfolk and Suffolk
Broads. (I hasten to advise that the term 'broad' relates to a wide shallow
lake, many of which are linked by rivers forming the boating navigation system.)
Herbert Woods (1891-1954) was a magnificent pioneer of Broads boating, of the
local boat hire industry and a famous upholder of the British legal rights for
commoners to navigate and fish in tidal waterways. Woods was a respected
individual both during his cruelly short lifetime and his name and legacy
continue to attract respect and admiration.
The many sailing yachts operated
by the Herbert Woods boat yard all had the word "Lady" in their name - Fair
Lady, Fine Lady, Perfect Lady and so on. So in 1945 when Herbert Woods formed a
sailing club for his yard employees and other "friends" of the Lady fleet he
named it the Lady Yacht Club. To this day the club continues to celebrate the
Lady fleet and to honour the late Mr. Woods' wishes for the whole enjoyment of
his boats.
After more than four decades admiring and sailing the classic
"Lady" yachts - and in more recent years coming to own a similarly styled Broads
yacht myself - I am proud to have been invited to membership and to fly the Lady
Yacht Club pennant both on my vintage (1935) vessel and my veteran Breton cap!
So much more comprehensive and accurate information about Herbert Woods and the
Broads Haven boat yard was published in 2002 by Mr. Woods' youngest daughter
Jennifer in her book "Herbert Woods - A Famous Broadland Pioneer".
References: Enjoy the Broads and
The Lady Yacht Club.
Jerry
Ping, 23 June 2013