Kate_MM

That's good to hear, thanks for mentioning it. Kate (Trustee at Tooley's) Hi Ray, as John says, a bit of poetic licence - a very young (but keen) reporter interviewed Jacob. I think the fact that Hardy was built in Braunston probably obscured the finer points of the Warwickshire coalfields! Haven't replied before because I was puzzled - having done some investigating, Hardy has never been with Ian Staples and even if it had, Sean visited us at Tooley's before he died and was delighted that we (including Ian) were making an effort to work on it. Who was the owner who lost heart? We now know, and are in touch with, most of the previous owners so if this is an additional one we'd love to meet them.

Yes, we have a pretty good history of Hardy and believe that it had an Armstrong Syddeley. However, the question of authenticity versus sustainability does seem to be one of the dilemmas of restoration, and something that we need to explore with both potential funders (esp if it's lottery and public money) as well as other similar projects.

I get a bit lost in threads and replies sometimes! Which bit are you inclining to be agreeing with? Interesting point re the engine - at the moment we haven't made a final decision as to how to approach Hardy's engine, but will need to do so soon. The aim will be to do it in a way that is as sustainable as possible. I appreciate that is a minefield. If you are in a position to help us make an evidence based decision I'd love to hear from you. Kate

As the Tooley's boatyard trust trustee leading the project I'll confirm we are committed - to you it may sound half arsed and I can understand that, you aren't here seeing what we are doing. We have an experienced wooden boat builder, Ian Staples, who worked with the Tooley brothers and a very talented young apprentice, Jacob Beak, who is training in traditional skills with the Pioneer Trust in Brightlingsea, leading the team of volunteers. We will bring in additional skills and expertise as we need (and can afford!) them. As to the plan, we could have followed the Raymond model, found sponsors and fundraised for the work to be done by others but Tooley's history lies in building and maintaining wooden boats, not sending them off to others to work on. Central to the project is the process of the work, preserving and teaching the traditional wood boat building skills. So, the process is as important as the finished product. We do plan to end up with a restored boat that will help us share the stories of the world of the working boats as well. Do feel free to come and see the work in progress. We'd be happy to show you round - an invitation that is open to everyone btw. Best day is Saturday as there is work going on most weeks and interesting well informed people around to talk to, but other days are fine if you're in the area. And, if you or anyone else reading this would like to get involved in the project, just let me know. I have a long list of things that I would welcome help with, and they don't all involve making chalico, caulking or removing shearing! Thanks for the opportunity to share what we are doing, you can follow the story in various ways but the one I seem to manage best is the Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/RestoreHardy See you all soon 🙂 Kate (Saffin) banburycanal[at] gmail.com

The prizes were hearty! We're aiming to keep Hardy hearty 🙂 Hesperus is sadly lost for good. It was moored at the farm between Slat Mill and Cropredy, came to Banbury, sank several times (even beat Hardy's record I think!) and then the owner set off to take it London via the Thames (apparently), got as far as Northbrook lock where it sank and he abandoned it. It was eventually broken up - I can't remember exactly when, in the last year I think... but I find it very easy to think something was six months ago only to find it was actually three years!

Hi Crispin, Thank you so much for this. I first got interested in the trainees about 15yrs ago and have since toured a show (as Alarum Productions) with Heather Wastie about their work and lives. It including several references to your grandmother including a whole song about her journey on Willow and Ash based on her report to the Ministry of Transport. I believe you know Amy-Alys Tilston on whose blog we found a copy of the report. I'm looking forward to learning more about Molly and her extraordinary war service. It's interesting to see the Daily Sketch article and the reference to 'Canal Boatwomen' as we have only ever found reference to them as 'trainees'. Here's our website and we would love to link to your work once you have completed it if that would be OK with you. www.alarumproductions.org.uk Thanks again! Kate

Thank you everyone for your ideas, suggestions, comments and information - all really helpful. Now I just have to write the play! See you in June...

I didn't know that! Love to know more... Here's the original acknowledgement from the first edition of Idle Women by Susan Woollfitt

Thank you - a very good pointer! I'll get in touch with them Thank you - I've downloaded it. It's fascinating how much related material is turning up. Just need to turn it all into theatre now!

Don't feel to bad - it's a very commonly perpetuated myth!

I haven't seen the maypole one - the school will love that! And I think I can find the source for the boy on the fence because I have seen that somewhere else. Thank you xx thank you, I know of the archive but haven't searched it in relation to this - but it would make sense with FMC being based in Birmingham

The nickname did come from the book, or more accurately, the title of the book - Susan Woolfitt's daughter Harriet suggested it based on the IW National Service badge. The term was never used by the trainees or anyone else during the war. They were only ever known as 'trainees' as far as we have been able to ascertain. Oddly, the origin of the term is only ever acknowledged in the first edition of the book (I have a photo somewhere - I have glimpsed a first edition, no chance of ever owning one). Which is a shame because despite the 120+ performances of Idle Women of the Wartime Waterways that Heather Wastie and I have taken to many corners of the system as well as the numerous talks given by the acknowledged expert, Mike Constable, the myth that it was a nickname created by the boatmen or the women themselves persists!! As to the Bottom Rd story I would agree, Susan Woolfitt was there. Rose Ramlin is a fictional character but her story is based entirely on the interviews Sheila Stewart recorded, a key one being Ada Littlemore, so we drift into the interesting area of memory and shared stories versus the factual.

That is exceeding interesting. The boatmen of the north seem to be a very different breed from the Midlands and south - the 1923 strike was very much initiated by the union rather than the boatmen, whereas the Liverpool bargemen were clearly acting independently. Thank you, you have widened my horizons, although whether I can work that into the show is probably questionable if accuracy is to be central! The only other strike I had come across any mention of, and I'm not sure it really was a strike, was resisting the instructions of the 'company' (not sure which but probably the GUCCC) that pairs that had delivered a load to Tyesley from London had to use the Bham & Fazeley, known as the Bottom Rd, to go on to Coventry to load coal. They hated it because it meant double locking and bowhauling the butty through the single locks. thank you again x That is brilliant information - I am in touch with the history society but have yet to actually get to ferret in their cupboard! Knowing this might be there has got me very excited. The children in yrs 4,5 & 6 are so looking forward to creating their own show about an event that happened in their village. I have never worked with a school so committed and involved in a project.

Thank you, a really good suggestion. I was already planning to search it for 1920s village stories but I confess I hadn't thought to add the boatmen's strike, so a very useful prod! Haven't started that yet because, although we have ACE funding it doesn't cover everything and we need to so some fundraising to contribute 10% of the budget. So, we currently have a small crowdfunder going to cover a subscription to both the news archive and the 1921 Census. I'm hoping the census will reveal the boating families with links on the bank. Also I did know that an extra teacher was drafted into the school but hadn't come across mention of teaching the adults - something I can definitely bring in. Or the delays because the horses needed some attention. Is that something you have sourced from the archive? Thanks again x

Hi, thank you! I do have the Braunston village website link, and, I think, most of the images on Bing. But the Narrowboat piece (although I'll have to ask if they will release a copy for me) and the steamershistorical are both new and very useful. Thanks again x