A 1947 narrowboat which carried clay slip in the Potteries has been chosen as one of four historic vessels from the UK to be appointed by National Historic Ships UK as its Flagships of the Year for 2025.
Dane was recognised for her planned participation in the Etruria Canal Festival and Stoke-on-Trent Boat Club Festival, as well as regular trips, workshops and the opening of a new Learning Centre at Middleport Pottery, where the vessel is based.
Built at the Charles Stanyer yard in Burslem, the vessel along with the three other UK Flagships of the Year will ‘fly the flag’ for maritime heritage and the boat will receive a special broad pennant to fly onboard and a brass plaque
Dane was built by the Mersey Weaver Ship and navigated the Trent & Mersey waterways as a working narrowboat until around 1957.
She transported clay slip from Liverpool to the potteries, with return trips often involving the shipment of finished crates of pottery for onward shipment across the world.
Dane was gifted to Re-Form Heritage and is now based at Middleport Pottery. (Kev Maslin)
In 2012, Dane was purchased by the Narrow Boat Heritage Foundation and underwent a major restoration.
She was then gifted to Re-Form Heritage and is now based at the Middleport Pottery heritage site.
Students and visitors can learn about the history of the vessel and the Pottery, as well as the lives and challenges faced by workers transporting goods to Liverpool and Hull docks.
Throughout the year, Dane participates in local canal festivals, offers public trips from April to October, and is used for weddings and at Christmas, when Santa and Mrs Santa arrive onboard.
As well as learning about the history of the vessel and the lives of the workers who transported goods across the region’s canals, visitors can also take trips on Dane from April to October.
Visitors can take trips on Dane from April to October. (Re-Form Heritage)
The other 2025 Flagships are:
Barnabas – 1881 Cornish fishing vessel, now teaching the unique skills of sailing and preserving traditional boats to the local community
Sir Walter Scott – Victorian passenger steamship celebrating 125 years of steaming on Loch Katrine in the Scottish Highlands
Llanthony – 1930s Gentleman’s Motor Yacht which saved 280 lives at Dunkirk and recently completed an award-winning restoration
National Historic Ships UK’s annual Flagship Awards have been running since 2009. The Awards provide an opportunity to demonstrate and celebrate the value of historic vessels to the wider public.
