About Us : Peter Freebody

Richard Way, a close friend of Peter, wrote a moving eulogy to Peter that was shared at his funeral. We reproduce this eulogy here (with many thanks to Richard), as it captures so much of Peter's rich and colourful character and life.

Peter Freebody and wooden boatbuilding have become synonymous, and he is famous throughout the traditional boatbuilding world. This determination to maintain the ethos of craft boatbuilding at Hurley has been so successful, that it has provided a foundation for the general revival of boatbuilding in The Middle Thames. His passion for the centuries-old tradition of the Freebody family trade on the river at Caversham & Henley drove him to strive to ensure that the business would survive for the next generation.

A large personality, strong ambition, enormous business drive and a marvellous gift for publicity have all played a part in this very long and demanding plan. It started with Peter & Mike Spiers and others, building the sheds (which still stand) on the land at Hurley purchased from his grandmother - the family previously having traded from Caversham in Berkshire.

Pete and Elizabeth lived in the Old Boathouse. Old Ma Freebody patrolled the workshops and kept all in order. Peter just worked all the time, and he was in the yard at weekends, to work and to welcome customers. In the 1960's this ambition seemed futile - fibreglass boats were the rage, and wooden boats were out of fashion, seen as a liability and the skills to maintain them were in decline.

Doggedly Peter continued to work hard, maintaining and repairing boats to excellent standards. Such standards in old boats and the ensuing cost were not customary then, so Peter's charm and keen sense of humour were occasionally needed to convince a difficult customer to accept the expenditure. His remarkable skills as a salesman helped to close this financial gap.

As the demand for fine traditional craft rose and the prices achieved also increased, so could the quality of the work... and Freebody boats held their value. Pete had a great facility to enthuse a customer with the rebuilding of what seemed to others to be just an old wreck. He could kindle the dream of a beautiful boat, instructing in matters of style or difficulties of construction... awakening anticipation of the enjoyment that such a boat could bring.

The picturesque boatyard had a way of getting under the skin, smelling of turpentine and wood, with beautiful boats emerging from ruins and skeletons. It featured on television and calendars, in films and advertisements... photographed or painted by professionals, and admired by thousands of tourists, walkers of the towpath, or pilgrims from America... all enticed by the mystery and romance of the place... they were welcomed by Peter and invited to sign the book.

Peter was never one to run with traditional business conventions, and was always a risk-taker, so when the finding of original and interesting boats to restore became difficult, he decided to start building new boats as a speculation, and these he successfully sold. A large fleet now returns to the yard each winter, for storage and maintenance. He would take on demanding restoration projects partly out of bravado, and partly because nobody else would contemplate doing such a job... because they did not have the skills... or vision.

For a while, Peter's confidence and appetite for risk led the company into large projects. The boom of the 1980's turning into the 1990's recession, and business became difficult, but he never let himself become defeated and he never gave up trying.
At this point Melanie became the controller of the inner office, and Kate and Richard matured as fine craftsmen in the workshop, and this greatly helped to steady the business.

By the end of the 90's, Peter was confident enough to expand the range of new boats. With an especially good eye for detail, the original boat designs have been progressively developed into a new fleet of Classic Boats, made more luxurious to suit modern expectations. All this time he worked hard... and when others were enjoying their weekends, or accepting the easy way out of selling up... Pete was working hard in the boatyard.

It helped that Elizabeth, his family, friends and workforce all shared and accepted this crusade. They have complimented Peter's determination and skill, and it is a great accolade Peter, that the yard is now preserved for future generations.

Peter had a most equable personality. Almost always happy, and ready with a whimsical joke or a quip. He worried, but did not let it show. He felt time would resolve problems. Very rarely angry, he preferred to defuse confrontation with a smile, and did not bear grudges. When work was available he was happy to give a boy a holiday job, or hopeful craftsman (from all points of the compass)... a start in a traditional workshop. Thus, a large number of people, myself included, owe their careers to Peter, some leaving to found their own craft-based or boatbuilding companies. His outlook was kindly to all living creatures and he was considerate to wild birds, or the river fowl that swarm the boatyard slipway... or runaway hamsters. He sanctioned workshop time to deal with the care of injured swans,

He would always find the money for a tree-surgeon. He loved his wife, his children, their spouses, his grand children, his garden, family history and the river. He was a handsome man, with a marvellous head of hair, an easy smile and who knew how to dress well. Elizabeth and Peter were integral and vital to village life, sociable and popular, knowing how to do other things with style too, especially when it came to celebrations, and from Mill House they threw parties with gusto and generosity.

It was partly a result of Pete's patience and kindness that he was able to acquire the boathouse in Henley, and he was canny to use it for corporate work. But he always reserved Saturday night and the fireworks, for his family and friends, holding court from the balcony. From this balcony, it was also an opportunity to observe launches he did not know, or check up on the boats that were nurtured at the yard. At some point during the week of Henley Regatta, he would invariably be in trouble for difficult manoeuvres in a launch, driving at speed, or taking no notice whatsoever of lane discipline on the river. his style of driving a launch or the Volvo was... 'distinctive', and it was always thought that only reasons he passed his driving test was that he had impressed the examiner... by turning up in a Lagonda.

At Hurley Regatta (an event not possible without commitment from the yard) he could propel any punt with astonishing speed, not having punted since his previous race the year before.

Peter built many clinker boats during his apprenticeship at Wotten's Cookham yard. This type of work had a special appeal for him and he did it well. At Hurley he built clinker rowing gigs for sea scouts, skiffs, and latterly a lot of dinghies. Recently, with the help of Kate and Richard, Peter had built many variations for the river and private lakes. On Friday 17th December, a bitterly cold day, he had part-fastened another strake onto his latest dinghy. It is certain that he had every intention of finishing that plank on Saturday afternoon, if his early (but merciful) death had not intervened.

Day to day, we shall miss his physical presence at the helm... but his spirit and individuality remains strong with his family, friends, customers... and in his designs. There will be countless, affectionate stories about Peter that we can relate to each other. He has earned his place in the history of the river, and the yard continues his work.

The one thing we shall never know... and that is where he put all those padlocks and keys. I can hear his laugh.

Toodle pip.