Boat history

[Johnboy770]

Whilst looking on the Macclesfield Canal website, i noticed a paragraph at the top, the boat in question is called "Hebble" under Birtles & Morris of Runcorn dated 1977 in Bollington. Anyone shed some light on this?

Edited October 10, 2016 by Johnboy770

[pete harrison]

This is almost certainly the former Thomas Clayton (Oldbury) Ltd. HEBBLE, a horse boat that was converted to a motor by Ron Turner on behalf of its owner in 1973/74.

 

I do have a record for Birtles and Morris, but not relating to HEBBLE. I do wonder if this a fictitious Company name as the boat that I do have under Birtles and Morris and HEBBLE did at one time have the same owner - in fact it looks rather like one was sold to buy the other

[ron turner]

HEBBLE WAS A CLAYTON OIL BOAT, IT WAS GIVEN TO ME BY PETER FROUD IN  THE 1970s I CUT OFF THE STERN END AND REBUILT THE WHOLE BOAT  AS A MOTOR BOAT IT WAS SOLD TO BIRTLES & MORRIS, THEY USED IT ALONG WITH THE MOTOR BOAT HARRY BELONGING TO THE BOAT & BUTTY CO TO CARRY SALT FROM NORTHWITCH TO WESTONPOINT, A YEAR LATER I CARRIED THE LAST FOUR LOADS OF SALT TO WESTON POINT BY NARROW BOAT ON ANT AND AXE. I HEARD HEBBLE WAS SOLD TO A PUB UP THE MAC, AND CUT IN HALF, AND USED AS A FETURE.

[sinep]

Does anyone know anything about my Dad's old boat, Margaret ? We had her in the late 50s early 60s, when Dad used her as a hostel boat. I have found a few pics of her on the net, but know nothing of what happened to her. 

The first pic is of me and Dad, with Margaret in the back ground

Margaret as a hostel boat, probably on the LLangollen canal

Margaret at the northern portal of the Harecastle tunnel

Margaret long before we had any contact with her

 

 

[pete harrison]

8 hours ago, sinep said:

Does anyone know anything about my Dad's old boat, Margaret ? We had her in the late 50s early 60s, when Dad used her as a hostel boat. I have found a few pics of her on the net, but know nothing of what happened to her. 

Margaret as a hostel boat, probably on the LLangollen canal

Margaret at the northern portal of the Harecastle tunnel

Margaret long before we had any contact with her

 

 

The name MARGARET was quite common and the top two photographs are not the same boat, and I am pretty sure the bottom photographs illustrates yet another with the same name. I have health registrations for 59 boats under the name MARGARET, but fortunately the one you have an interest in has a known history.

Would your father be Pat Saunders ?

[Pluto]

On 07/04/2017 at 23:27, ron turner said:

HEBBLE WAS A CLAYTON OIL BOAT, IT WAS GIVEN TO ME BY PETER FROUD IN  THE 1970s I CUT OFF THE STERN END AND REBUILT THE WHOLE BOAT  AS A MOTOR BOAT IT WAS SOLD TO BIRTLES & MORRIS, THEY USED IT ALONG WITH THE MOTOR BOAT HARRY BELONGING TO THE BOAT & BUTTY CO TO CARRY SALT FROM NORTHWITCH TO WESTONPOINT, A YEAR LATER I CARRIED THE LAST FOUR LOADS OF SALT TO WESTON POINT BY NARROW BOAT ON ANT AND AXE. I HEARD HEBBLE WAS SOLD TO A PUB UP THE MAC, AND CUT IN HALF, AND USED AS A FETURE.

Hi Ron, are you still making water cans, as a number of people on this forum are always asking where to get new ones! As to Hebble, I seem to remember one half being on display outside the boatyard at Heath Charnock on the L&LC, possibly in the late 1980s, though I am not sure of the exact date.

[sinep]

Hi Pete,
Yes, my Dad was Pat Saunders. I have found out a few bits and bobs about Margaret's history, but would love to know what you have found out. But, in particular, I am very curious as to if she is still around somewhere, or if not, what happened to her after Dad had her.

[pete harrison]

On 09/04/2017 at 19:21, Pluto said:

Hi Ron, are you still making water cans, as a number of people on this forum are always asking where to get new ones! 

I have a Ron Turner made Can in my collection, beautifully decorated in the north western style 

[pete harrison]

1 hour ago, sinep said:

Hi Pete,
Yes, my Dad was Pat Saunders. I have found out a few bits and bobs about Margaret's history, but would love to know what you have found out. But, in particular, I am very curious as to if she is still around somewhere, or if not, what happened to her after Dad had her.

A letter in Waterways World magazine October 2003 page 97 stated that "MARGARET ended her days with a broken back and sunk at her Stonebridge Wharf mooring where she was later broken up and burnt"

Stonebridge Wharf is at Shalford on the River Wey, but unfortunately the author of the letter does not give a date of MARGARET's demise 

[alan_fincher]

[X Alan W]

On 08/04/2017 at 12:49, sinep said:

Does anyone know anything about my Dad's old boat, Margaret ? We had her in the late 50s early 60s, when Dad used her as a hostel boat. I have found a few pics of her on the net, but know nothing of what happened to her. 

The first pic is of me and Dad, with Margaret in the back ground

Margaret as a hostel boat, probably on the LLangollen canal

Margaret at the northern portal of the Harecastle tunnel

Margaret long before we had any contact with her

 

 

If the " Margaret you are seeking info on is the one in the colour photo's try contacting Harry Arnold I think he is in Alrewas as I'm pretty sure he was involved in the horse drawn hostal craft

[sinep]

13 hours ago, pete harrison said:

A letter in Waterways World magazine October 2003 page 97 stated that "MARGARET ended her days with a broken back and sunk at her Stonebridge Wharf mooring where she was later broken up and burnt"

Stonebridge Wharf is at Shalford on the River Wey, but unfortunately the author of the letter does not give a date of MARGARET's demise 

Thanks Pete. That would make a lot of sense. Dad had a number of boats moored at the Guns Mouth, the junction of the Wey and the Wey and Arun canal, including Margaret and Firebrand, a broad beamed boat during the 60s. We lived a couple of miles away, so this was the nearest mooring to home. I mostly remember Firebrand post 64 -65, so maybe Margaret sank around about then. Dad would have been a bit strapped for cash and moved to Worcestershire in 1966, so would have had less time and resources to do much to any of the boats. Many thanks

 

[sinep]

13 hours ago, alan_fincher said:

Hi Alan

I am somewhat gob smacked at all the photos, some including Dad - and in colour too !!! They are fantastic, where did they come from ?

Where are you headed for in Birmingham ? We have family staying over Easter, but we might be able to meet up with you and Cath at some point

[sinep]

3 hours ago, X Alan W said:

If the " Margaret you are seeking info on is the one in the colour photo's try contacting Harry Arnold I think he is in Alrewas as I'm pretty sure he was involved in the horse drawn hostal craft

Thanks Alan, I'm pretty sure that Harry came to Dad's funeral, though so many came from the boating world, I cant be sure. Many thanks.

 

[Derek R.]

Wonderful pictures Alan. So who is who in all those images? Sinep?

[archie57]

Trilby-hatted gentleman is Jack Roberts. An early boating holiday (1962) we were pulled along behind "Margaret" by the white horse "Mary" and I was given a tour of "Margaret"s cabin by Mr Roberts.

[sinep]

On 11/04/2017 at 12:45, Derek R. said:

Wonderful pictures Alan. So who is who in all those images? Sinep?

My Dad is the dark haired guy with glasses and a rust coloured top, not sure of any others,