The People behind the Edith May
A project of this size requires vision, inspiration and commitment, including support from both family and friends. The principle people involved are:
Geoff Gransden
Geoff first developed an interest in barges as a young boy after a close encounter with the famous racing barge ‘Sirdar’ whilst dinghy sailing on the Medway. He has subsequently served on the Medway Barge Sailing Match Committee for the past 28 years, 11 years of which have been as Chairman.
In 1990, Geoff acquired the Whitstable fishing smack ‘Thistle’ in a derelict state and undertook a complete restoration and re-rigging. Underway since 1997, Geoff has skippered ‘Thistle’ extensively around the East Coast, all without an engine.
The ‘Edith May’ has proven a much larger project than anything previously undertaken, but Geoff has been able to take it all in his stride. He enjoyed taking an active role in the restoration, both supervising and undertaking many of the tasks involved and is now the skipper of the Edith May.
Jane Gransden
Jane married Geoff in 2004 but her involvement with barges goes back much further to the days when they originally met aboard ‘Sirdar’ whilst in their teens. Originally living in ‘Mill House’ in Lower Halstow, a stones throw from where the barge is currently moored, her father was manager of Eastwoods local brickworks, which owned the ‘Westmoreland’. He was also Chairman of the Medway Barge Sailing Match Committee since 1967, before passing the mantle to Geoff.
Jane has provided the much needed support required throughout the restoration. An excellent cook, her skills will be in great demand once the barge is up and running.
Eric Gransden
Eric Gransden trained as a carpenter and joiner at the age of 14 and these skills enabled him to undertake almost any task put to him.
Having owned and built boats ever since he was a boy his skills were put to good use, first with ‘Thistle’ and now ‘Edith May’. Incredibly, at the age of 89 he was still taking a major role in the rebuild, having laid an entirely new deck, restoring the windlass and manufacturing the focsle scuttle from reclaimed oak among many other tasks.
Sadly, Eric passed away in October 2010. His legacy will live on for many years to come and the Edith May would not be the craft she is today without his extraordinary efforts.
Edward Gransden
Introduced to ‘Thistle’ at the age of four, Edward’s first task was to burn the rotten timber from the smack. Since her re-launch in 1997, he has been involved with sailing the smack everywhere with his father.
Having returned from reading Geography at Southampton University, Edward took an active role in the rebuild of Edith May, caulking the decks laid by his Grandfather and effectively serving an apprenticeship in shipwrighting.
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