Workboat Watford on show at Braunston Historic Boat Rally
This is the story of how a small group of canal volunteers, with help from Canal and River Trust staff, moved a rather decrepit and forlorn workboat from Tooley’s Yard in Banbury to Watford Locks and restored her as a volunteers’ workboat called “Watford”.
See full story on page 18
waterways.org.uk/northampton
In the February edition, I was commenting on how wet it had been and the flooding across the country. Now, we have a completely different story with severe water shortages, lock opening hours restricted and some canals even closed.
In our area, the Leicester Line and the South Oxford are both closed and lock openings are restricted on flights at Braunston, Long Buckby and Stoke Bruerne - these locks are only open from 8am until 4pm with last boat in at 2pm. This is due to very low water levels in reservoirs feeding these waterways and limiting openings of locks allows water levels time to recover overnight especially where there is back pumping.
Thoughtful use of locks (ie. sharing when possible and making sure all paddles and gates are closed when leaving locks ) is essential at a time like this. On the Northampton Arm recently, somebody left a paddle open at lock 14 and drained the pound. This took a long time and a lot of precious water from the Grand Union Canal to refill.
Elsewhere on the system, canals are closed across the country from the Leeds & Liverpool Canal and the Rochdale Canal in the north to the Trent And Mersey Canal and the South Oxford Canal in the Midlands.
Is this likely to be the norm now? Climate experts warn that in the UK extreme weather is becoming the norm. With extreme heat and droughts in summer and flooding in winter, what can CRT do to minimise shutdowns and restrictions in the years to come? I suspect they will not have the funding to do much at all!
Have you had to change your plans this summer or got stuck because a canal has been closed? Let me know if anything has happened to you! My details are on page 30.
September
4th & 18 Canal Museum Stoke Bruerne Craft and Chatter twice monthly crafting & natter
6th 11 –4 Jewellery Workshop Learn wire erapped jewellery techniques in a one day workshop.
6th 11-4 Pop-up Museum with artefacts from the museum
20th 11. Pirate Day Be a pirate for theday with games, best dressed pirate competition & live music
27th 11.30 IWA National AGM at the Jubilee Conference Centre, Nottingham NG7 2TU
October
14th 7.30 IWA Northampton Branch meeting at The Boat Inn Stoke Bruerne Tim Coghlan Waterway Artist-Bring your own favourite picture
2nd & 16th Craft and Chatter Twice monthly crafting and chatter Canal Museum Stoke Bruerne
November
6th & 20th Craft and Chatter Twice monthly crafting and chatter Canal Museum Stoke Bruerne
11th 2pm IWA Northampton Branch meeting Guided Tour of Foxton Inclined Plane accompanied by knowledgeable guides, take tour of the historical and extraordinary Victorian inclined plane and remains of the Boat Lift. Option to the Museum extra charge £4 pp or £3 concessions)
22nd IWA Northampton Branch Annual Luncheon at The Boat Inn Stoke Bruerne see page 8 for details and menu
December
9th 2pm IWA Northampton Branch meeting at The Boat Inn Stoke Bruerne for afternoon tea (charge applies) or Christmas ale and a chance to swap Christmas cards—catch up with friends and play Christmas Bingo Prize for best dressed table.
I write these Jottings whilst trying to adjust to normal routines having not long returned from a most enjoyable 7 week boating expedition! This year, in the company of our friends Ian and Linda Bekusch on nb Kooshie Number, we retraced a journey we had made previously (in 2015 I think) with the late Eric Young and his wife Irene on nb Sefton (more of that later). Full details about our trip on page 20
What’s happening in the Branch ANNUAL DINNER – NOW LUNCHEON! It may seem very early to mention that our annual Branch Dinner will be held on Saturday 22nd November 2025 at the Boat Inn, Stoke Bruerne. We have listened to your views and will be trialling a lunchtime meal at 12.30 pm for 1.00pm eating. We have understood many concerns that an evening meal means travelling quite late at night often in poor weather and will trial a lunch instead this year. Please support this gathering as it is one of only a handful of opportunities for us to meet up as a Branch now that we no longer hold a boat gathering.
Details of the menu and a booking form are included elsewhere in this issue of Endeavour.
BRANCH MONTHLY MEETINGS. Lynda Payton has once again come up with an interesting range of talks etc for our monthly meetings. Though some have still to be confirmed, they include afternoon meetings starting at 2pm during the winter months and evening meetings starting at 7.30pm so we hope you will support these. They are always on the second Tuesday of the month, starting in October and finishing with a walk in May 2026.
14th October at 7.30pm Tim Coghlan –Waterway Artists –Bring your favourite picture
11th November at 2pm Guided Tour of Foxton Inclined Plane/Museum
9th December at 2pm Xmas Nogging & Natter Prize for best decorated table
13th January at 2pm Stuart Mills - How CRT is Financed
10th February at 2pm Kay Andrews The 1950 Market Harborough Festival & Boat Rally
10th March at 2pm Roger Butler Hidden World of Canal ArchitectureUnusual and unique buildings
10th March at 7.30pm AGM via Zoom (more details to follow) - trying to oost attendance at our AGM!
14th April at 7.30pm John Pomfret Waterways Quiz and other games
12th May at 2pm Penny Foster CRT leading wildlife walk on N’ton Arm.
SOCIALEVENT FOR YOUR DIARIES!
Following consultation with members, we are trialling a Luncheon instead of a Dinner this year. We had a low turnout for our Dinner last year and a short questionnaire on the night and at subsequent monthly meetings indicated an overwhelming majority in favour of a midday event rather than an evening one. So, we listened and consulted with the Boat Inn and have come up with the tasty menu itemised below.
The price per head shows an increase of £2 over the 2024 price which seems reasonable considering how food costs have escalated over the year.
The committee hope that you will support this event as this is a rare opportunity for us to get to meet and chat with you, our members.
Do put the date in your diaries and complete the booking form attached/enclosed to secure your place. Please be sure to indicate if you would like to be seated near friends and if you’re booking as a group you will, of course, be seated together
ANNUALBRANCH LUNCHEON
Saturday 22nd November 2025 at 12.30pm
The Boat Inn, Stoke Bruerne
Home Baked Bread Basket
Home Made Tomato & Basil (v)
BBQ Pork Belly Bites
Mozzarella Sticks with Sweet Chilli Sauce (v)
King Prawn &Avocado Salad with Soured Cream & Chives
Fillet of Scottish Salmon with Leek & Lemon Sauce
Grilled Rib-Eye Steak with Onion Rings & Tomato [£5 supplement]
Chicken Supreme with a creamy Pancetta Sauce
Slow cooked Rump of Lamb with Rosemary& Redcurrant Sauce
Creamy Vegetable Pie (v)
Served with a selection of fresh vegetable & potatoes
Lemon Tart with Pouring Cream (v)
Home Made Bread Pudding with Toffee & Rum Sauce(v)
Salted Caramel & Chocolate Torte(v)
Fresh Fruit Sorbet with Cream (v)
Cheese & Biscuits (v) [£2 supplement]
Coffee or Tea with Mints
MEAL PRICE IS £32 per head plus supplements if desired. (v) = Vegetarian.Any other special dietary requirements, please contact Sandie Morton on 07917 163860 before booking
TASK PARTY DATES
August 3rd, 19th. September 7th, 16th. October 5th, 21st. November 2nd, 18th. Contact geoff.wood@waterways.org.uk or phone 01604 453932
01908 661217/07721 319404
August 12th. September 9th. October 8th. November 12th. Contact: stokebruernecanalpartnership.org.uk
August 14th, 30th September 12th, 27th. October 9th, 25th. November 13th, 29th. Contact clive at braunstoncanalsocty@gmail.com or phone /text Clive on 07817 435911
2025 BRAUNSTON HISTORIC NARROWBOAT RALLY REVIEW
Tim Coghlan writes:
21st BRAUNSTON HISTORIC NARROWBOAT RALLY REMAINS AS POPULAR AS EVER
Despite so many other summer events going on - both nationally and closer to home - and threatened water shortages together with an emergency stoppage on the Grand Union Canal near Leamington, this year’s Braunston Historic Narrowboat Rally remained as popular and successful as ever. Held in its traditional slot over the last weekend in June, a total of 79 historic narrowboats attended, versus 74 last year. Originally there were close to 100 booked – the best potential turnout for many years, but disappointingly a number had to withdraw.
The boats that have attended our Rallies over the years represent in total
Sir David and Lady Sheila Suchet presenting Charlotte Fleming, Secretary of the Narrow Boat Trust, with a cheque from Braunston Marina for £1,000. With them is Tim Coghlan of Braunston Marina. The Narrow Boat Trust with its pair of boats – Nuneaton & butty Brighton - was the principal beneficiary of the 2025 HNBR. (Victoria Jane Photography)
about two-thirds of the entire fleet of historic narrowboats now surviving on the waterways that are in reasonable-to-good order. The overall total is estimated at only about 250 of them, versus the 35,000 modern narrowboats. This emphasises the fleets’ historic importance – almost an endangered species - and also the vital roles that museums, canal societies and private owners perform in their preservation for the future.
It is rewarding for the Braunston Historic Narrowboat Rallies that it continues to inspire new restoration projects with the intention of showing them at our rallies. Also that there are now a number of younger and very enthusiastic owners coming onboard, so safeguarding the surviving fleet for the future. The annual Braunston Historic Narrowboat Rallies remain by far and away the largest gathering of these historic narrowboats anywhere on the inland waterways, and the best place for gongoozlers to be seen in great numbers. And they come in droves, with about 5,000 attending the rally, coming from all parts of the UK and abroad.
Most disappointingly for this year was the absence again of President, the last surviving coal-fired steam narrowboat. The problems of building a new steam boiler to modern standards have at last been resolved and reconstruction is now underway. It is hoped that the boat will be back in steam by the end of this year, and fully restored in time to lead the parade at the 2026 Rally. If so, music legend and steam enthusiast Pete Waterman will be onboard to open
Tim Coghlan introducing Sir David Suchet on the paired-up Nuneaton & butty Brighton before Sir David renamed the restoration-in-progress marina entrance bridge ‘Peter’s Bridge.’The renaming was in memory of the late Peter Andrews, whose generous legacy of£150,000 funded the restoration of the Grade One listed bridge and other repair works on the canal at Braunston. (David Jowett)
that year’s Rally – something he has been waiting patiently to do since 2020. They say that things come to those who wait – so fingers crossed.
The Rally was opened jointly by the great actor Sir David Suchet, and his wife Lady Sheila. In her early youth, she had played many parts at the Belgrade Theatre including 35 performances as its romantic leading lady. That was before she was swept off her feet by David who was working at the RSC at Stratford, and in a gap between productions, came and worked as a bit-part-player in a Belgrade production. The rest they say is history! Once an item, they both continued with their acting careers and bought a narrowboat to live on, moored preferably at the mid-point between where they were each working. Once children were underway, Sheila retired from acting and the Suchets moved ‘onto the bank’ as the old boatmen would say. But they have always remained active canal enthusiasts - including both being vice-presidents of the IWA. In past years they have each opened our Rallies, but never together. So it was a very special occasion for all of us to enjoy their double act!
The Suchets opened the Rally on the Narrow Boat Trust’s pair of boats, the motor Nuneaton and its butty Brighton. In recent years both boats have undergone major restoration, thanks to two very generous legacies, which should give them a good few trouble-free years ahead, as they continue coal-carrying in the traditional way – and thus preserving the working boatmen’s skills of boat handling.
As in the tradition of the canal-working days, David steered the motor and Sheila the butty, with not a little help from members of the Narrow Boat Trust. (When in 1962, the young working-boatman Les Lapworth (21) proposed to the 17 year old Alice Wain whilst on a rural walk behind the Greyhound Inn at Sutton Stop, he romantically said to her ‘Please marry me and steer my butty!’ Ironically as a young girl, the late Alice had worked the Brighton with her parents in the 1950s.)
Following the formal £1,000 cheque presentation by the Suchets to the Narrow Boat Trust – this year’s principal beneficiary of the Rally - the breasted-up Nuneaton and Brighton traveled from their overnight mooring on the Grand Union Canal by the Stop House, and hove-to under the restoration-in-progress marina entrance bridge. Here before formally opening the Rally the Suchets officially renamed the entrance bridge ‘Peter’s Bridge’ to commemorate Peter Andrews’ £150,000 legacy to restore it. They then unveiled the new bridge plaque,- temporarily fixed as works to the iron superstructure are as yet incomplete – whilst Daventry Brass play the boatmen’s favourite funeral hymn, Abide With Me. And to add more theatre, the Suchets then declared the 2025 Rally open to a full peal of bells from All Saints Church, Braunston – the Cathedral of the Canals - and Daventry Brass Band playing their footstomper ‘Floral Dance’ to set the festive mood.
The opening pair were then followed by the Braunston based historic pair of boats, the Nutfield & Raymond, in the traditional parade though the marina and round to the Braunston Turn and back. In the Raymond’s hold was a precious cargo of celebrity guests, including Richard Parry, the shortly retiring CEO of the Canal & River Trust.
The winning historic narrowboat for this year’s ‘Nurser Award’ Buckby Can for the Best in Show as voted by the historic narrowboat owners’, was to Tadworth & Bordesley’s young owners Andrew and Cathy Haysom, who live on their boats with their dog, and supply fuel to the boaters on the southern Grand Union between
Bulbourne and Bull’s Bridge. The award was presented to them by Tom Stott of Midland Chandlers, comprising the Buckby can annual trophy and £250 of Midland Chandlers vouchers
The Guild of Waterways Artists were again provided with their own marquee, sponsored by Braunston Marina, and ten of its members had their works on display, including the great canal artist Dusty Miller.
The Rally is also billed as a canal festival – in the fine tradition of the first IWA Rally held at Market Harborough in 1950, inspired by its co-founder Robert Aickman. Entertainments included a new performance of canal musical from the Oxford based Three Idle Women. The Rally’s resident music-impresario Janul for some years now, produced the amazing musicians she finds each year for the beer tent – a miniGlastonbury, without the mud. On the Saturday, children were entertained by Professor Diamond’s Punch & Judy Show
On the Sunday evening, to close the event, the Rally sponsored a candle-lit choral concert by Fiori Musicali of Renainssance music. The venue was across the meadows from Braunston at the ancient church of Wolfamcote. This was to raise awareness of this redundant church and the funds needed for its preservation.
Braunston Marina will be hosting the event again next year on the same last weekend in June, 2026, with , hopefully, Pete Waterman opening it on the restored President, towing its butty Kildare. Here’s hoping we see you there!
The Braunston Historic Narrowboat Rally is sponsored by Braunston Marina and Towpath Talk, and is supported by the Canal & River Trust. Tim Coghlan
When you go cruising again let me know about your trip so we can all share in your experiences. This is where you can suggest new places to visit or to avoid.
Write a report about your cruise, let others know the good and not so good places to moor, eat, drink, places of interest worth visiting and anything else that might help others to enjoy that area. Let us know of any mishaps or interesting things that happened on your journey. Include pictures of your cruise, unusual things scenery and anything else that you want to add. I am looking forward to receiving your reports.
Or maybe you could tell us about the boats you’ve hired or owned.
Send your articles and stories to tony.clarke@waterways.org.uk
VISIT STOWE HILL WHARF FOR ALL
Proprietor Robert Gudgeon
• Full Repaints
• Hull Blacking/Stern Gear
• Inspection and Repairs
• Engine Repairs and Maintenance
• Complete Fit-Out and WoodworkAlterations
• Plumbing Installations and Repairs
• Electrical Installations and Repairs
• NEW — Fuel Polishing Service
• Stockists of Morris Oils and Grease
• Full range of Batteries always available (please let us know your requirements)
By road we are easily found, a few yards off theA5 at Stowe Hill towards Nether Heyford. By boat close to Bridge 26
ALL WORK UNDERTAKEN, FROM SIMPLE TASKS TO COMPLETE FIT-OUTS
YOUR ESSENTIAL BOATING SERVICES
Continued from front page WORK BOAT WATFORD
4000602 as she was originally known, was built as a “Workman’s Flat” in the late 1960’s/early 70’s by one of the British Waterways repair yards. She was originally designed to be hand pulled. Later fitted with the option of an outboard motor. In the late 90’s she was converted to hydraulic drive. Her final years were spent on the South Oxford Canal.
In February 2024, with the aid of a community grant from the Canal and River Trust, she was transferred to the IWA Northampton Branch, and an official “home mooring” was created at the top of Watford Locks.
The first priority was to get a quotation for replacing the hydraulic pump, cleaning the hydraulic tank and replacing all the perished hoses. Whilst this was proceeding, refurbishing and repainting the main cabin, fitting a washbasin and storage for refreshments was carried out. The “Refleks” diesel heating stove was stripped down, replacement parts fitted and restored to full working order.
Next the Engine box and hydraulic tank where removed, so that the rotten floorboards could be replaced, and the bilge cleaned out.
Once the Engine mountings had been replaced and the tank relocated, a specialist company was engaged to fit the new hydraulic pump, hoses, and flush out the whole system and refill with clean hydraulic fluid.
We now had a working hydraulic drive, and the boat could be used without the assistance of an outboard motor.
The next phase was to start preparing the hull, lockers and hull for painting, The cabin roof was in a particularly bad condition.
“Watford" has been used for a number of Volunteer projects during her refurbishment: - cutting back a fallen tree near Crick tunnel, scraping the lock gates and walls at Watford locks, moving 120 bags of stone for the Daventry Towpath Taskforce to fill “washholes” between Norton Junction and Braunston tunnel. During January, February and March, of this year, “Watford” was used to cut back the offside vegetation on the Northampton Arm. Working from Gayton Marina, 14 volunteers Watford in a sorry state when we got it
put in over 550 volunteer hours on the section from the junction to Lock 1. The boat was then moved to Northampton Marina and a number of overhanging trees between Locks 16 to 17 where extensively cut back.
We were invited to take the boat to the Braunston Historic Boat festival this year, and take part in the processions. This proved a great opportunity to promote the IWA Northampton branch.
The final repainting of the boat should be completed over the next few weeks, and we have plans to use the boat, despite the Leicester Line closures, for a number of projects.
Plans are being prepared for more offside cutting down the Northampton Arm over the winter. Dave Lee
Watford being used on the Northampton Arm
Continued from page 7
Bernard and Sandie’s seven week boat trip re-tracing an old trip
Our route took us from our home moorings at High House Wharf along the Grand Union through Braunston and Leamington Spa, then down the Stratford Canal. This was a very leisurely cruise as we were aware that Lock 40 on the Stratford had been closed for major repair work since January. We took the decision to proceed slowly as the lock was due to open within a few days. Of course, there was a bit of a queue of boats awaiting the opening like us and we heard that some had been stuck in Bancroft Basin in Stratfordupon-Avon since January – I can think of worse places to be stuck!
Lock 40 was opened on the appointed day, and we were able to proceed once pounds had been rewatered. No boat movements for 5-6 months meant water levels were low (a foretaste of what was to come) but at least we were able to move on. What we hadn’t realised was that the weekend we were due to arrive in Stratford coincided with their Regatta on the River Avon. As a result, moorings on the Avon had been suspended for the weekend and people moved into the basin. Luckily for us, we managed to squeeze into two moorings as boats left to head up the newly opened Stratford Canal.
After a few enjoyable days in the Basin, we headed off down the River Avon towards the River Severn. The Avon is a favourite river of ours, with beautiful countryside and charming villages and towns with good moorings. At Tewkesbury, we joined the River Severn stopping off at Worcester. As we pulled into some vacant moorings, we were surprised to see nb Sefton moored up there. The owners were very friendly and were interested to learn that Sefton had been on a number of cruises with us four. I’m happy to say that Sefton looked very smart and had become a live-aboard for the new owners. Eric would have been pleased to know his beloved boat was in such good hands.
From Worcester, we left the Severn at Stourport and headed onto the Staffs and Worcester Canal. Sandie was most disappointed to find out that the Tardibigge flight was closed as she wanted to give it a go – she was the only one of our group that did!
The Staffs and Worcester Canal is a favourite of ours with sandstone cliffs and caves in places, quite unlike anywhere else we’ve come across. From here, we travelled along the Stourbridge Canal to the Dudley area, where we had planned on visiting the Black Country Museum once again. There were great changes since our last visit – a large visitor centre with museum and café – and an entrance fee of £26.95 per person. This is probably value for money as it allows access for a full year but if you’re not a local, it seems rather steep – or is that just me? As we had visited twice before, we decided
to do the boat trip into the Dudley Tunnel instead, which we hadn’t done before. I can highly recommend this trip with a very interesting commentary on the history and importance of this mining area.
From there, we headed into central Birmingham and were lucky to find 4-day moorings just before the top lock of the Farmer’s Bridge Flight. This was a busy weekend for Birmingham as Black Sabbath were playing their final gig at Aston Villa football ground and ELO and Stevie Wonder were playing at the Utilita Arena (formerly NIA) on consecutive nights. Sadly, we had tickets for none of these!
After a few days rest, we headed off again down the Farmer’s Bridge Flight with no problems at all. Unfortunately, the Aston Flight had a lock out of action and was closed so we had to use the Garrison Flight which was new to us. At one point, water was flooding over the lock sides and was about 6 inches deep on the towpath and causing dog walkers and pedestrians a big problem. Sandie had to don her wellies to get to the paddles and this was when she found that they had a hole, previously undiscovered! I can only assume that this excess of water was due to the closure of the Aston Flight. This excess of water was short-lived however, as we found very low levels at the Minworth and Curdworth lock flights on the Birmingham and Fazeley Canal, which resulted in us grounding several times. I was grateful for my much-maligned bow thruster to get Inca moving again – much better than a long wooden pole!
From here, the water situation grew ever more serious and resulted in time restrictions on the Atherstone, Braunston and Buckby lock flights. We were quite glad that we had abandoned our original plan to take the Trent and Mersey Canal and return via Leicester.
We got back to our home moorings only to find the Northampton Arm was only open Mondays to Wednesdays which meant a delay for Kooshie Number in getting back to its home mooring at Titchmarsh.
So, a lengthy trip with hot, sometimes too hot weather (33 degrees at times) and only a couple of rainy nights but, of course, not enough to help the low water situation on our canals. Low water was not the only problem we encountered. Since our last such trip in 2015, we noticed a serious degradation of the infrastructure – not just lock failures causing serious delays and closures – but many instances of paddles not working or being extremely stiff to operate, lock gates out of action and hasty, temporary repairs to lock beams to name just a few problems encountered. These made us all wonder if we aren’t getting a bit too old for boating! It also made us wonder if CRT will ever be able to get on top of all these outstanding repairs and how necessary adequate Government funding is.
Now send in your boat trip or waterways experience to share with others. My details are tony.clarke@waterways.org.uk
ALAN FIRTH - THE ODD LOCKARTIST
Part 1
Tim Coghlan recalls the life and works, and his own personal memories, of canal artist Alan Firth 1933-2012 – once described by the IWA as ‘probably Britian’s best known waterways artist.’
There is one signatureFirth which really has most of the elements of his canal artist style, technique and artistic licence. It is his well painting of Bearley Lock on the South Stratford Canal. The high lying alone and isolated in the middle of the countryside a half mile north of the Edstone Aqueduct, is the only one on that canal which is not linked to a lock flight, and with it a barrel keeper’s cottage. Regardless of its correct name, it was just known to the working boatmen as ‘Odd Lock’. Alan Firth was also a loner, and the ‘Odd Lock’ name had its appeal. As Terry Stroud, the main distributor of his works, commented to me following his death, ‘I probably sold more of his works than anyone else, and met up with him on a number of occasions, but I really knew very little about him as a person’.
Alan Firth canal-side in 1993 A photograph taken of him for the Wedgwood brochure Waterways By Winter Moonlight. Alan never owned a boat and did not even go hire-boating with his family – but painting the canals as they once might have been, became his life’s work. (Wedgwood)
The painting is simply called Sunny Valley – Stratford on Avon Canal, as its main subject is the famous Samuel Barlow’s butty Sunny Valley. The butty was used in the wartime propaganda film Painted Boats, and is seen here below the lock, in all its glorious traditional livery. It is still the seemingly happy carefree days of the working boatmen – another world from today. Two boatwomen in traditional dress are chatting whilst enjoying a cup of tea. Beyond up on the lock, their husbands are conversing whilst waiting for it to empty. There is a butty in the lock just visible and coming down, and in the distance the two horses are grazing peacefully. It is the passing of these boats, held up for a few minutes by the emptying lock, that makes for this social occasion. It is a bright spring day, the towpath is alive with early yelow flowers and its hedge ablaze with white blossoms. God’s in his heaven, and all’s right with the canal world!
Alan completed his artistic training near Manchester, at what is today the Salford School of Art and Design. Here a formative incident occurred. He was invited to visit Lowry’s small, terraced house in Salford with a group of
.
students. He once told me, ‘Lowry was a very introverted and difficult man. I remember as we arrived, watching him through his window as he went round his canvasses putting price labels on them - in case one of us impoverished students wanted to buy one! The largest were £60 - a bargain you might say, they go for hundreds of thousands of pounds now - but that £60 was half a year’s student grant. Sadly, I knew one day they would be worth a fortune, and I regret it to this day. But what I learned from Lowry was invaluable. He set out to be an artist in the fashion of the day and failed miserably at it. So he decided to do his own thing and stick to it. It worked for himand it’s worked for me. People still question whether he was an artist - as they do about me. I just call myself a painter, and a canal one at that.’
A signature painting of Odd Lock that really has most of the elements of Alan’s style, of technique and artist’s licence. (Alan Firth Estate)
To pay for his life as an artist, Alan had also trained as an art teacher. In 1960 he moved to Coventry to become art teacher at the Tile Hill Wood School, where he continued to teach until ill health made him take early retirement in 1983. This was due to his continuous exposure to a minute undetected leak in the art department’s gas heater, which caused him lung damage and left him permanently short of breath. During this time, his first marriage to Joy failed, and ended in an acrimonious divorce. They had had two children, a son John and a daughter Sarah, who is an artist. In 1975 Alan remarried to Anne, a math's lecturer at Hereward College in Coventry. Because they were both now in their forties, they decided to adopt a pair of halfsisters, Sally and Teresa aged five and two and a half respectively, who had been taken into care. Alan used to refer to them as ‘the twins’ as they arrived on the same day. The new arrangements proved to be an immensely happy one, and in their respective declining old ages, a rewarding one to their adopted parents
WHILTON MARINA CHANDLERY
us
The Branch is collecting old printer, and/or inkjet cartridges for recycling. I would be most willing to take them off your hands. This form of recycling may not generate large amounts of funds but, as they say, every little helps.Please bring them to the Branch meetings or please email me to arrange collection on sandie.morton@waterways.org.uk
IWA Northampton Branch has a Facebook page. It is at https://www.facebook.com/IWANorthamptonBranch Members will find posts there about our talks, Task Party dates and much more, as well as being able to use it for discussion purposes. We’d like to hear your views. We also have a Twitter account @northamptoniwa where you can leave us a message or engage in discussion on what’s happening.
Please
BUCKINGHAM CANAL SOCIETY
Unfortunately, we seemed to have picked the worst weekend to hold our annual Canal Festival and Craft Fair which took place over the weekend of 29th – 20th July. There was a severe weather warning given out the evening beforehand and I received several emails asking if we were cancelling the event - but no it still went ahead in spite of the weather!
The site was set up on Thursday 17th July and with help from a Corporate group from Allianz who helped with mooring signs and put up gazebos and then on Friday 18th Network Rail assisted plus help from our own volunteers and two people from WRG.
Saturday morning was wet and some of the boat traders didn’t open up until 2pm and the Craft Fair in the village had low attendance but things improve in the afternoon and both Craft Fair and Canal festival did well. It was a very similar pattern on Sunday with the morning rainy and more people attending pm but unfortunately just as we were packing up the heavens opened up and it just poured down. However, at 5pm when all visitors had left, the sun came out. I think people enjoyed themselves in spite of the weather.
At our Bourton Meadow site, the main task has been removing the excess of weed in the canal but the hot weather has helped here as more volunteers have chosen to don waders and help remove weed from the canal bed. Again, we have had help from Corporate groups including Marsh, Mercedes and NHBC.
On Wednesday 4th June we received a visit at our Bourton Meadow site from Pippa Kirkbridge, the High Sheriff of Buckinghamshire and Vice President of Heart of Bucks Community Foundation. This visit was part of the Heart of Bucks 25th anniversary tour in recognition of our charitable services to Buckinghamshire. The group were very impressed with our work at Bourton Meadow and promised to continue to provide more help in the future.
On Saturday 12th July, a very moving memorial service was held for Gerry Millard who was Trustee and Construction Manager for the BCS with a memorial stone being unveiled near Bridge One at Cosgrove.
Also at Cosgrove volunteers have been working on a new landing
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stage but a lot of the recent work at Cosgrove has preparing the site for our annual festival and again we have received extra help from corporate groups which include the Open University and Vinci Technology.
Athina Beckett - Buckingham Canal Society
Working on the Landing stage at Cosgrove
All advertisements must comply with the requirements of the Trades Descriptions Act and avoid misrepresentation of goods offered for sale. The Business Advertisements (Disclosure) Order 1977 requires that businesses seeking to sell goods must clearly indicate this in an advertisement. The next edition of Endeavourwill be published in November 2025
Branch Chairman
Bernard Morton
07785 375787/ 01604 858294
E-mail: bernard.morton @waterways.org.uk
Vice Chairman, & Membership Secretary
Geoff Wood
E-mail: geoff.wood @waterways.org.uk
Branch Secretary
Sandie Morton 01604 858294
E-mail: sandie.morton @waterways.org.uk
Treasurer
Maria Hobbs
Email maria.hobbs @waterways.org.uk
Joint Task Party Organiser
Michael Butler
E-mail: michael.butler @waterways.org.uk
Newsletter & Archivist
Tony Clarke 07305 893924
E-mail: tony.clarke @waterways.org.uk
Committee Member
John Pomfret
E-mail: john.pomfret @waterways.org.uk
Committee Member Catriona Butler mail: Catriona.butler @waterways.org.uk
