Hairy-Neil

I used the shower here last autumn and later, phoned CRT to report that using it was a health hazard... The drain was blocked and having the water running for more than a minute or two was flooding the whole facilities block...

Seen more on the river navigations than canals. Loads of Grebe on the Witham, Nene, South Yorkshire (Don) Navigation

Interestingly the father's occupation on that record is listed' as 'Vagabond'

Once something is in written text it's most difficult to change. My own experience is on the Sleaford Navigation. The third lock down has a surviving toll office. I first walked the canal around 30 years ago as a result of an article in Waterways World, and noted that said toll house was said to be octagonal when in fact it is hexagonal. Every article and leaflet I've seen on the navigation since has continued the error, including Wikipedia. I've just edited it (wikipedia), I wonder how long my edit will survive... Even the Sleaford Navigation Trust gets it wrong on their own website... http://www.sleafordnavigation.co.uk/Walk%202%20revised.pdf

My grandmother was embarrassed, if not ashamed of her boating roots....

Thanks for the information. My grandmother lived in Pinn Close, Cowley, for around 40 years (c.1960 - 2000), just opposite the Paddington Packetboat PH, off Cowley High Road. My uncle still has the property.

I've known for years that I'd got boaters in the family but have recently discovered that my great, great, great grandmother drowned in the Warwick & Napton Canal at Stockton. From The Leamington Courier 20 December 1873 Death Drowning. Susannah Benton, 55 years of age, wife o: Frederick Benton. steerer, of Warwick, was accidentally drowned in Griffin's Pound, Stockton, on Saturday last. The deceased was returning to Warwick empty canal boat, belonging to Messrs. Greaves, Kirshaw, and Bull, and fell over into the canal. supposed she was under the influence of liquor. The husband also fell into ai, but contrived to ai, to rescue nimself. At the coroner's inquest the deceased, the verdict Accidentally drowned was returned. The body of deceased was brought Warwick, and interred on Wednesday. We are informed a discreditable scene occured at the funeral, through the misconduct of one of the bearers. It is stated that the body of the unfortunate woman was conveyed to Warwick in a carrier's cart. Could anyone please tell me: 1. Which is "Griffin's Pound, Stockton", 2. Any information on the boats of "Messrs. Greaves, Kirshaw, and Bull", It is sobering to realise that soon afterwards, and quite possibly as a result of the drowning, her daughter (my great, great grandmother) and husband John Cotton, moved onto the bank at Uxbridge, where they settled and he thereafter worked as a Coal Heaver. Fast forward a couple more generations and mother was born, Uxbridge 1937.

Midnight was a moorer at Pyrford Marina...

Hey? Surely if that was the case, once the lock had filled the water flowing over the top gates it would also weir over the guillotine.... The way a guillotine is used as an additional weir is by chaining the mitre gates open and winding up the guillotine...

I'll go with that, but that's different to your earlier "slash and burn" comment that implies we should, given half a chance, ride rough shod over existing habitats. I love boating but it wouldn't appeal the same if it was in a sanitised channel... One-track views can never work. Everyone should be prepared to meet half way...

Restoration grants usually come from different pot to maintenance funds. The Heritage Lottery Fund for example will pay for restoration. It won't fund new build or general maintenance...

It has never been WRG's intention to restore the whole Montgomery canal single handedly. Their prime purpose is to demonstrate that it can be done by restoring stragegic lengths, with the hope that the local authorities will then take up the batton. The Mont has had at least its fair share of canal camps and work parties over the years and there are 101 other worthwhile canal restoration sites around the country that are demanding their time. BTW, Not speaking on behalf of WRG here but as a volunteer who put in many hours on the Aston Locks length. I'll also hazard a guess that you are a boater who fancies criusing this length and have never taken up a shovel/wheelbarrow/brick trowel in anger...

Has that got boats then? If the newts are that popular in Shropshire then surely they'll also be an environmentalist campaing to prevent that canal's rebirth as well. Are the Norbury Wharf boatyard going to give up their drydock without a struggle.... That's just what the tree huggers want to hear, that boaters couldn't give a sh!t about anything but themselves.... My mother did the recent RSPB Birdwatch and noted starlings at 100+... I know them as flying rats...

Likewise, twice I've been all the way to the tunnel portal, on a boat built to historic tug proportions (believe it draws 2ft 9in). Yes there are bits where progress is slower than others. Weed was a far bigger problem than depth, so go early in the season before it takes over... There was an historic boat rally at Retford about 18 months back and several of the attendees continued up to Worksop and back, 'Chertsey' included. At the time they couldn't get further than Stret Lock, though I understand this pinch point has now been addressed....

fifty years after the death of...

Thanks for that Alan. Will pass that on to my daughter who's currently running with the family history batton, having taken over from my father, who took over from me when he retired. Back on topic, I watched the first episode last night to see what the fuss was about and wasn't so distressed I couldn't watch it.