| Description | This collection consists of apprenticeship agreements, correspondence, legal papers and photographs and family notes. Including family history 2025.
CATALOGUE STATUS: This collection is currently uncatalogued, however a box list is available in this description:
1: Box:
" High Court of Justice: Chancery Division: H.[sic - typo should be D.] Badcock Limited v Middlesex County Council and London County Council Interlocutory Judgement relating to pollution of the river and damage to the barges, 1959 1 document
" Records kept by J C Badcock, London Yard, Manchester Road: 'The Wilcox Case': Cuttings relating to Alec Edward Martin Wilcox relating to forgery of insurance broker, underwriter in Lloyds, 1954-1955, 1 file
" Correspondence of J F C Badcock, Director: Thames Barrier. Correspondence relating to impact on the company's moorings and other impact. Also Greater London Council purchase of London Yard, 1969-1972 1 file
" Letter from J C Badcock, Director, D Badcock (Wharves) Limited, bonded warehousemen and carmen of Banning Street, Greenwich, to Charles Alfred Badcock his father, relating to 'Mr Frank' [Frank Badcock (his uncle)] affairs relating to the business including selling businesses to a group of lighterman 1933 1 document
" Badock Group (D Badcock Limited): report by Annan, Impey, Morrish and Company, chartered accountants as to operational forecasts and future closure, 1970 1 volume
" Correspondence of J F C Badcock, Director: closure - management of the barge fleet including list of barges and scrappage/sale; mainly with Thomas W Hugnan and Company Limited, barge builders and repairers; and marine engineers and surveyors, 1969-1972 [from hanging file]
" Correspondence of J F C Badcock, Director: company closure, notices to staff, 1969-1972; copy of final winding up notice of voluntary liquidation of D Badcock Limited, 1976 [from hanging file]
" 'Security etc 1939-1945': correspondence kept by F W Clark/Clarke, D Badcock Limited, Providence Wharf, Riverside, East Greenwich: with Admiralty, notices on factory mobilisation, signage, invasion preparations, 1939-1943
" Badcock Group Shareholdings accounts, c 1970s
" invoice template for D Badcock (Wharves) Limited, Transport Department, 79 Banning Street, Greenwich
" Photocopies [originals retained by family]- Waterman's license for Charles Alfred Badcock, 1893 - copy; admission as freeman of the Company of Watermen and Lightermen of the River Thames in 1890s; apprenticeship with George Hunt 3 documents
Photographs:
" Badcock Wharf. Photographer S Sharp, Black and white 1 bundle 1950s-1960s
" 'Fencer' barge and collison damage (for insurance purposes?) with list of photographs, 1960-1970s with J F C Badcock's note, Also small size photographs condition survey, 1 envelope
" Sam Woodgate, Barge Yard blacksmith with two men beating a panel, 1930s-1950s 1 photograph
" Crane being delivered to London Wharf by 'Mammoth' (their barge) after knocking hole in London Bridge and 'about to attack' London Bridge, 1950s 2 photographs
" 'Lumpfish' barge, 1930s-1950s 1 photograph
" Crane collapse accident, 1933 (4 cuttings)
" Set of 3 photographs: Charles Alfred Badcock standing far left on 'volunteer' sailing barge; Badcock's Wharf by the Iron Bridge, East India Dock Road ; their house at Iron Bridge, near East India Dock Road c 1900
" Iron Bridge wharf photograph (original site) where Badcock wharf was first sited. 1920s Black and white
2: Oversize:
Iron Bridge wharf photograph (original site) where Badcock's wharf was first sited, East India Dock Road. Copyright: Associated Press Limited. c1930 Black and white with cutting featuring same image relating to straightening of East India Dock Road, 1930
3: Box of additional records received 05/11/2025 - box listed by placement student 20/11/2025:
TH/10695/3 Title Description Format Year Extent
1 Omnibus Carriage Ominbus destined to St James' Hall Piccadilly Circus, has "BANK" on its side, name of the company on the side - "Omnibus Company limited", drawn by 2 horses and carmen, pictured next to a public house, surrounded by a crowd. Black and white. Mounted on board Photograph 1890s-1910s 1 photograph
2 D.Badcock Limited vs Middlesex County Council and London County Council Compiled evidence labelled 1 to 6, with a conclusive judgement at the end, held in the Supreme Court of Judicature Court of Appeal, served in the Royal Courts of Justice. Case relating to damage to the Barges caused by pollution. The appeal failed and the case wasn't reopened. Court documents 1959-1960 7 volumes
3 Post Card Post card of the 'Volunteer' C.A. Badcocks sailing barge, with a picture of several fishing vessels by a Wharf with a visible lighthouse in the background. Postcard w/photograph 1910s-1920s 1 photograph
3 Letter from the Thames Sailing Barge Match From F.J.M. Howell, Honorary Secretary, Thames Sailing Barge Match Committee, Manchester Road. J.C. Badcock has been unamously elected to the Committee and has been informed of 2-3 upcoming matches. Letter 23 January 1955 1 document
3 D.Badcock letterhead and card A photocopy sheet (1980s-1990s) of D. Badcock Barge Owner letterhead and business card together, circa 1900. Document 1980s-1990s 1 document
3 Official licensing as a Barge Company Note from the Port of London Authority, issue number 269783, admitted to J.C. Badcock, employed by D. Badcock Limited, granted in 1944 then expired in 1945; membership letter, 1931, from S.Barnes, Honorary Secretary of the Badcock's Athletic Club giving notice of their general meeting to C.A. Badcock; London Port Emergency Committee note for Mr. Badcock, granting him permission to go to unsafe places in the River Thames in case of an emergency. Documents 1910s-1944 3 documents
4 'Badcock Family History Notes' Summary with scans of photographs. By Louisa Craven (nee Badcock). Daniel Badcock, born Sandford Devon 1832, widowed mother, apprenticed agriculture but then moved to London and apprenticed as a Bargebuilder in 1847, married Mary Hyland, started Bargeyard in 1856 then the Ironbridge Wharf in 1871, employed 20 men in East India Dock Road by 1881, died in 1887. Last recorded member, J. F. C. Badcock had a key role in closure of the business in 1960s-1970s as the Port of London changed. Family document/photographs 2025 [covering 1832-1970s] 5 documents, 13 photographs Digital version also deposited
5 Memorandum for a Salvage Service Relates to Charles Badcock appearing at court, one of the barges Badcock had was damaged and crew were in danger. The court case was about how severe the damages to the ship was and how much he was owed by a company insuring him Documents 1889 1 document Torn/fragmented
6 Barges and wharves Barge docked, barge full of scrap at a wharf, barge on the River Thames about to leave the wharf, unknown object next to a barge, ship being towed down to the wharf. Photographs 1910s 5 photographs
7 Letter sent to J.C. Badcock from his son Felix Badcock First discusses the workers at the market voting whether to strike or not and many workers didn't, an undisclosed agreement was being made with a "Hugham", agreement made the wharf business more competitive, which could cover things as worksmanship, delivery times and prices, discussions made regarding commission and cash transactions. Documents 1900s-1960s 1 document
8 Notes and plan Notes and plan regarding expansion of the wharf Documents 1930s 1 document of 2 pages
9 Business memoranda D. Badcock Limited (Barge Owners) - blank; D. Badcock Limited with a letter on the back (blank as well). Documents 1900s 2 documents
10 Second World War: Blitz telegraph pictures 4 pictures and a newspaper entry about the German planes above London, 1st picture is an aerial picture of London, 2nd is an entry that's been worn down so only the title is visible "aerofilms, Miss (blank)", 3rd is an iconic picture of a german bomber above London, 4th picture is the same shot of London from the sky but a different angle, back of the page shows the date of entry (September 7th, 1940) and the copyright, the holder is illegible but states it cannot be used or reproduced, lastly is an entry "to Greenwich" from "Corbetts Moorings" and last entry is a depiction of industrial London from the countryside. Photographs, newspaper entries, picture 1940 4 photographs, 3 newspaper entries, 1 drawing Some water damage
11 C.A. Badcock C.A. Badcock with an unnamed person on barge; different angle, showing the "Iron Bridge". Photographs 1910s 2 photographs
11 Charles Alfred Badcock apprenticeship indenture Charles Alfred Badcock, son of Daniel Badcock of Lee Place, East India Road, Barge builder to Charles Veness, citizen and merchant tailor to learn his art. Signed on parchment. Document 2 December 1874 1 document
12 Daniel Badcock's indentures' Daniel Badcock, 'with the consent of his mother' of Shebrooke, Devon, apprenticed to William Allam, Barge builder, of Shadwell, Middlesex, to learn the art of barge building, signed by William Allam, William Allam, junior, Daniel Badcock, James Badcock 'for his mother', written on parchment. With handwritten copy and original envelope. Documents 15 July 1847 2 documents, 1 envelope At risk: handwritten copy is in two pieces along the folds and is worn, handle with care
13 D. Badcock firm's dinner Event at a hall (place unknown). Copyright: Crown Copyright Reserved - Photographers: Rawood Limited (references: 2330/A,C). Depict attendees in formal dress on. Named attendees include J.C. Badcock, to his left Joyce nee Cooper (Mrs. JCB), to his right Emily Watts nee Badcock. Photographs 3 October 1947 2 rolled photographs At risk: they're heavily rolled so are hard to open and require weights when laid out to prevent it creasing/bending,etc
Also digital, received 27/10/2025, saved 30/10/2025:
'Badcock Family History Notes' Summary with scans of photographs. By Louisa Craven (nee Badcock), 2025 1 word document |
| AdminHistory | Daniel Badcock was born 1832, Sandford, Devon, died 1887. He came from Devon to London to work in the barge trade - he was apprenticed in 1847 to William Allam, barge builder, of Shadwell.
Daniel founded the company either 1856 or 1858 (according to letterhead and business card). His son Charles Alfred Badcock (born 1860) continued the business. Charles was succeeded by his son John Charles Badcock, Director and then by J C Badcock's son J F [Felix] C Badcock, Director who wound up the company.
The barge yard was established in the late 1800s and closed in the early 1960s. It moved in c1930 from Badcock's Wharf by Iron Bridge, East India Dock Road to London Yard, Manchester Road, Cubitt Town, Isle of Dogs.
During the mid 20th century the parent company was: D. Badcock Limited of London Yard, Manchester Road, Cubitt Town, with 200 'dumb barges', mooring facilities for the barges being two anchor points each end of two fleets of barges in the Port, two slipways, workshop and other facilities. The company had the following subsidiary companies:
D. Badcock Wharves Limited at Cubitt Town and Greenwich.
D. Badcock Transport Limited.
D. Badcock Export Packing.
D. Badcock Marine Limited, became dormant but made Landing Craft in the Second World War (1939-1945). Model/s of landing craft were donated to a local museum.
Then Stephens Smith Limited, Amigo Limited and Low and Duff in Scotland, all engineering firms.
Badcock made some of the barges for D-Day Landings during the Second World War.
D. Badcock Limited also sued the London Council Council, The Electricity Board, The Port of London for dumping effluent in the Thames that 'rotted' the barges bottoms. The effluent made the water to loose its suspended oxygen content making the river bed anaerobic and that corroded the steel of the barges; but also all other river craft would be effected. The court case was lost. Today we would possibly have a more favourable verdict. They subsequently cleaned up the river.
D. Badcock Limited was voluntarily wound up in 1976
More about the family:
Daniel Badcock:
Born Sandford, Devon 1832; Mother widowed; initially apprenticed agriculture but moved to London and apprenticed Bargebuilder 1847; lodged with Hyland family (Irish)
1855 Married Mary Hyland - she was living away in service
1856 Started Bargeyard
1871 Ironbridge Wharf
1881 East India Dock Road employed 20 men
1887 Died
Daniel and Mary had 9 recorded children, 4 died in infancy; once established, lived at Ironbridge:
1856 James Daniel ( 1883 Barge builder 1891 Lighterman)
1860 Charles Alfred 1901 Barge Builder
1861 Frederick Henry 1901 Barge Builder
1861 Frank - ran Bargeyard with his brother Charles Alfred Badcock
1865 Samuel - Licensed Victualler
Charles Alfred Badcock married Ella Florence;
In middle age to death lived at Hillsborough, Southchurch Road, Southend, Essex
Children:
1881 Ella - died in 1890 from whooping cough
1891 Elsie (Pop)
1892 Hilda (Nina)
1894 Ruth
1889 Ellen
? Eileen
1902 John Charles |