The Hero-Steam Dredger on the Thames

[Mutley]

|book2| 1n the 1901 Census an ancestor, William Sebborn, has as his profession a ???????? Steam Dredger, written above dredger is the word Hero.
I presume from the area he lived this was on the River Thames.
I have googled for hours and although I have found some wonderful sites none mention a Dredger called The Hero.

Source is RG13/698, Folio 6 Page 4 (transcribed as Sitton)

I would be grateful if anyone can make out the first word or has any information specific to this vessel.

Thanks, Mutley

[Jfremont]

I think the first word is master... but what the word above is I can't make out. But think it was put there later by a compiler. Other experts will know I think.

John

[Mythology]

"Harb" - a checker's mark for "Harbour" I presume.

Edit:
That is my reading of it, not an expert opinion.

[Mythology]

Forgot to say ...

"I think the first word is master"

So do I.

[Mythology]

"think it was put there later by a compiler."

Again, so do I. The census pages that we see are full of scribbles put there by the checker classifying occupations, not part of the householder's return.
On the recent "Who Do You Think You Are?", Nigella Wotsername was looking at a household with a load of servants and a Nurse, who, according to her, was sick at the time. I have not seen the page, but I would cheerfully lay a fiver that "Sick" is in different handwriting and is a checker's mark.

[Mutley]

Thanks to you both, you're right we think, Hero is Harbour and he was the master.
Next Question:
Does anyone know the name of the Steam Dredger in Erith Reach in 1901 or how can I find out? We know it was there in 1940's and maybe have a family recollection of it still being there in the 1960's
Thought it was the Goliath but she is a tug not a Dredger.
Mutley

[Peter Goodey]

I would cheerfully lay a fiver that "Sick" is in different handwriting and is a checker's mark.Spot on! And the handwriting was very obviously different.

[Mythology]

Ooh!
Thanks, Peter - I can collect the post tomorrow without worrying that a brown envelope might be a claim from her solicitors. ;)