In 1924 the Horlocks commissioned seven new steel Thames barges, of which
Xylonite was the third. Six of these 'seven sisters' are still afloat:
Blue Mermaid was lost to a mine in World War 2. They were built at Mistley.
Xylonite was built in 1926 and delivered to Frederick William Horlock,(F.W. Horlock) who owned her for the first ten years. On 30 October 1936
Xylonite was sold to Marcus Frederick Horlock and Walter Richard Horlock. And on 31 October 1938 she was registered to M.F. Horlock and Company Ltd. Horlocks barges sailed under a blue
burgee blazoned with a white
maltese cross. She was sold in August 1958 to The Greenhithe Lighterage Company Ltd and the Tester family. She was cut down to a motor barge, with all rigging removed and a new wheelhouse. The rear hold was modified to take a diesel engine. She carried cargo until June 1977. She will operate out of the
Heybridge Basin. ==Media==