Social Media can be a good medium for sharing information and living history, however, as I have found out, not everyone shares one’s passion for disseminating that information. Jealousy or something akin to it causes people to ridicule those that can be bothered.

Well, last week, this happened to me.

I received a series of messenger messages from a ‘representative’ with an increasing level of criticism and ridicule over a ‘few’ comments (tongue in cheek ones when I looked back) I had made. There was no ‘well done for all the fantastic pictures and information spread over around 130 posts during previous two years or so – absolutely none.

I was to correct myself: a cohort of ‘east coast bargemen’ were becoming fed up with my on line space.

Now, surely, if those people whoever they are have anything interesting to post, they are at complete liberty to do so…

Tied in with this I was ‘ordered’ to ‘support all barge organisations and not just one’ – this was after saying that I would not pay to go on one site as I (and Christobel) gave a not insignificant amount annually to a particular charity. This was personal and it hurt, deeply. It was the straw that broke the camel’s back…

I messaged one of the site’s moderators and got a ‘I am sorry about that…’ response. Not what I expected, so after a couple of days thought I took myself off.

Before I did that though, I trawled my posts and deleted some 110 informative ones but left anything I had posted about the Sea Change Sailing Trust.

I knew that if I submitted a post about leaving it would probably be blocked, so I found a short one still in my account to edit…

Original post was one I sent in about my mother’s tool box which came my way, it was full of barge sail repair stuff and other bits from the past.

So, this is what I added, with minor edits to read properly:

Due to the fact that a ‘cohort of east coast bargemen’ find my comments and posts bumptious, overbearing and just too many, and that I’m too averse to nit-picking, I have been reviewing my future here.

Also, I ‘must not’ post anything I see as it could cause ‘damage’ to another’s posts on completely separate site, I have been further considering my pathway ahead.

That was a blatant attempt to censor me. Note: this is against the ethos of the said group.

I was also told that I should support all barges, which I do (pretty obvious from my posts), however my point was that I had stated that I was not willing to fund other groups when I and my wife already support one to a steady and not insignificant amount.

For those that don’t know – we have both supported the Sea Change Sailing Trust financially, for a little short of two decades.

We are not rich.

We both enjoy giving this support, not just because of the barge alone, but for the work they do.

That last point really upset me, badly. (Christobel was furious)

The group which was the Cohort Mouth Piece’s specific concern, unknown to him, had had my utmost moral, written and financial support (trips), and too of my family, for many years during Edith May’s rebuild and afterwards on paid trips. I admire immensely what Tiller & Wheel have achieved from those early days.

Even then, I was still supporting another financially with occasional donations at the time. Plus being a ‘Barge Club’ member – now stopped for a few years.

So: what to do.

Ignore it . No.

After a couple of sleepless nights, I decided to leave the group.

I can only hope that amongst the ‘experts’ out there, there is someone who has the balls to challenge incorrect historical points: on facebook, they become fact.

Thank you to those that have corrected me in the past – especially to the lady with her ‘wreck’ info providing updates to my knowledge.

Following on, I deleted around one hundred and ten (110) posts of barges under sail, film clips, renovations, barge remains in the saltings and out on lonely mud flats and more besides.

A large number of my comments were also removed.

FAREWELL…

P.S. the tool box was given to the Sea-change Sailing Trust.

Do you know, after five days, I found I haven’t missed it and am again relaxed.