Endeavour Spring edition

Endeavour Northampton Branch Newsletter — Spring 2026

Grand Union Canal Water transfer project As many of you will have heard, a significant project to transfer water from areas north of Coventry (in the Severn-Trent Water Authority region) to customers in the Luton area (Affinity Water area) via the Coventry, North Oxford and Grand Union Canals is currently being developed by these two water companies in conjunction with the Canal and River Trust. It is an exciting but daunting proposal which, when completed, will involve moving up to 115m litres of water per day from the Midlands to the South East.

A seven week long Phase Two consultation period on the proposals so far has just been launched, running from 11th February to 2nd April 2026. You can find details about these proposals on the project team’s website https://guctransfer.co.uk along with dates when manned events are to be held along the length of the project route, giving the chance for detailed discussions with staff. In the Northants area these are as follows: Waterside Pub, Crick Road, Rugby on Friday 13th March from 12.00 – 3.00pm Daventry Community Centre, Ashby Road, Daventry on Friday 13th March from 4pm – 7pm Stoke Bruerne Canal Museum, Bridge Road, Stoke Bruerne on Saturday 14th March from 10.30am – 1.30pm Continued on page 16 waterways.org.uk/northampton Printed by Colour Image. Phone 07368 291216 email colourimage@aol.com

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As I’m writing this it’s raining again! there are floods again just like last year but then we had canal closures as we had no rain so where did all that water go?

The Water Transfer project that is on the front page will help on the Coventry, North Oxford and Grand Union Canal as extra water will be flowing along these they canals so there shouldn’t be any shortage of water.

Canal River Trust (CRT) has been given £6.5 m extra from the Government but it’s targeted for discrete projects (e.g reservoirs) so not helping with the canal problems.

The government is sort of covering itself for drinking water with support for reservoirs and the risk of a major flood if one failed.

At the Branch meeting in January Stuart Mills CRT Chief Investment Officer gave a talk on how they got their money by investments.

Government Grant £52.6m (2023/4 £52.6m) Investments and Property £51.1m (2023/4 £55.4m) Donations and legacies £6.7m

(2023/4 £6.3m)

Utilities and water development £44.4m (2023/4 £44.9m) Boating and moorings £55.2m (2023/4 £51.5m) Other funding £22.6m (2023/4 £26.6m) Total Funding £232.6m (2023/4 £237.3m)

Head office have moved from Chesham to Berkhamsted New address is Hardy House, Northbridge Road, Berkhamsted HP4 1EF

IWA Northampton Branch web site www.waterways.org.uk/northampton Please visit it regularly to see any updates

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March

10th 2pm IWA Northampton Branch Meeting at The Boat Inn Stoke Bruerne. Speaker Roger Butler—The Hidden World of Canal Architecture. A colourful tour of our 2000-mile of inland waterway network looking at all aspects of their exceptional artistic, architectural and engineering vernacular style, ranging from sweeping aqueducts to tiny bollards; from colourful historic narrowboats to ‘Roses and Castles’ artwork ;from grand World Heritage Sites to quirky listed buildings.

10th 7pm April 14th 7pm

Annual General Meeting ON LINE See pages 10 & 11 For details IWA Northampton Branch Annual General Meeting at The Boat Inn Stoke Bruerne.

Waterway Quizzes & Games With John Pomfret.

Join us for an evening of waterway themed games and quizzes.

Stoke Bruerne Canal Museum Activities on page 29

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Branch Chairman’s Jottings

by Bernard Morton As I write this, we are saying “goodbye” to January – what a drab, wet start to the New Year it has been. When I’ve drawn the bedroom curtains on yet another dark, wet day, I have consoled myself that at least the reservoirs, canals and rivers will be filling up – lets hope that is so! Still, there is comfort in seeing snowdrops flowering in the garden and to notice the nights are drawing out.

CANAL BREACH. I am sur e we wer e all stunned by the gr aphic coverage on TV and on social media of the catastrophic breach on the Llangollen Canal at Whitchurch which occurred just before Christmas.

The collapse left two narrowboats trapped in the breach hole and one teetering on the edge. One of the two washed into the hole was Sefton, which was formerly owned by the late Eric Young and his wife, Irene, who were both loyal members of this Branch. Sefton attended many of our boat gatherings and we came across Sefton at Worcester last summer where we moored close by. We introduced ourselves to the owners and was able to give them some of the history of their boat. The fact that they are continuous cruisers (liveaboards) makes this disaster even more catastrophic especially as it happened just before Christmas – luckily, they weren’t on board at the time.

Credit must go to CRT who moved very swiftly to get the boats removed – an onerous task in view of the isolated area in which the breach occurred - which was completed by mid-January. Congratulations to all those involved in the recovery of the boats! Hopefully, the surveys the boats are now undergoing will show that no serious damage has occurred and they can be refurbished quickly.

The Llangollen Canal is another matter, however, as investigations continue as to the cause of the embankment collapse. It is estimated that repairs will take at least 9 months and will undoubtedly cost several million pounds.

BRANCH TALKS. Our talk in J anuar y was by Stuar t Mills, Chief Investment Officer in CRT about How CRT is financed. Stuart gave an excellent presentation and responded eagerly to our many questions.

If you couldn’t attend, I thought you might be interested in some of the

8 statistics Stuart presented. CRT’s income for 2024-5 is broken down as 22.6% from govt grant (£52.6m), 23.7% from boating and mooring fees (£55.6m), 19.1% from utilities and water (£44.4m), 22.0% from investments and properties (£51.1m), and 12.6% from fundraising (£29.3m).

So, nearly a quarter of funding comes from boaters just slightly more than the Govt grant, which we know will decline in the years ahead.

With regards to investments, CRT has a strong property portfolio, most of which is not waterside. Who knew that CRT owns city centre properties of all kinds! This portfolio is worth around £658.1m and is managed inhouse. Other financial assets amount to £366.9m which are managed by external advisors.

Water and utilities is an area of particular interest to our Branch with the proposed water transfer scheme for the Grand Union Canal which could provide 130 kilometre link from Minworth to Leighton Buzzard. CRT sees such schemes as a source of long-term sustainable income (inflation linked) with our waterways already supplying around 300ML/day.

Our March talk will be by Roger Butler on The Hidden World of Canal Architecture. Roger has given many interesting talks over the years on a range of canal related subjects so do put the date in your diaries (10th March at 2pm).

BRANCH AGM. This year we have decided to hold our AGM vir tually as face-to-face attendances over the past years have been very low.

In doing this, we are acknowledging that not all our members live in the Branch area and many live busy lives with other priorities (families, jobs etc). So, I do hope you can join us on 10th March at 7pm via Zoom Please see page 10 for details of how to join our AGM. We are currently a committee of only eight, with two corresponding members who are unable to attend meetings. Our normal committee size is 10+ so you can see we are understaffed. This means that we would benefit from some “new blood” to give us new ideas, inspiration and support. We meet via Zoom on the third Wednesday of each month, between September and May. We would love to be able to welcome new members onto our committee so please do consider joining us.

So, here’s hoping Spring gets a move on! Nowadays, I notice the cold too much to be boating at the moment and can’t wait to be back on the boat.

However you visit our waterways, stay safe and enjoy yourselves.

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TASK PARTY DATES NORTHAMPTON ARM

March 1st,17th. April 5th,21st.

May 3rd,19th.June 7th,16th.

Contact Paul.Lynam@waterways.org.uk or phone 07817 461842/01604 247792 BUCKINGHAM CANAL SOCIETY WORK PARTY DATES Every Tuesday, Every Thursday and Second and last Sunday in month.

Contact: athinabec@aol.com or phone 01908 661217/07721 319404 STOKE BRUERNE CANAL PARTNERSHIP March 11th. April 15th. May 13th, June 10th.

Contact: stokebruernecanalpartnership.org.uk BRAUNSTON CANAL SOCIETY TASK PARTY DATES March12th,28th. April 9th,25th.

May 9th,30th. June 11th,27th.

Contact clive at braunstoncanalsocty@gmail.com or phone /text Clive on 07817 435911

The IWA may not agree with opinions expressed in this magazine, but encourages publication as a matter of interest. Nothing printed may be construed as policy or an official announcement unless so stated, otherwise the Association accepts no liability for any matter in the magazine.

Neither the editor nor IWA can accept responsibility for any errors or omissions in the magazine, and opinions stated are those of individual contributors. We will, however, gladly publish corrections if notified. The editor reserves the right to shorten or modify articles published in the interests of clarity or space.

The Inland Waterways Association is registered as a charity (No. 212342)

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NOTICE OF AGM IWA Northampton Branch NOTICE is hereby given that the Annual General Meeting of the Northampton Branch of the Inland Waterways Association will be held on Tuesday, 10th March, 2026, via Zoom commencing at 7.00 pm.

Instructions for joining AGM are as follows:Topic: IWA Northampton Branch AGM Time: Mar 10, 2026 19:00 London Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81466281321? pwd=43Vt2JHr6hwFQeCpBkeoKDETbvhaj3.1 Meeting ID: 814 6628 1321 Passcode: 849463 One tap mobile +442034815240,,81466281321# United Kingdom +442039017895,,81466281321# United Kingdom Join instructions https://us02web.zoom.us/meetings/81466281321/invitations? signature=MkOcim88Bmvtv5EptRzHk-FUrqJ72-_y5VGI11DWKHY

AGENDA: 1: Apologies for absence 2: Minutes of previous AGM held on 11th March, 2025 3: Matters arising 4: Chairman’s Report 5: Treasurer’s Report 6: Statement of Committee size 7: Election of Committee members 8: AOB Under the IWA Branch bylaws effective from 16th May 2009, last amended 11th June 2011, there is no restriction on the maximum size of the committee.

Tony Clarke, Paul Lynam, John Pomfret and Helen Westlake retire by rotation and seek re-election.

It is no longer necessary for those who wish to stand for election to be nominated and seconded but all who wish to stand must agree to do so. Written consents from Branch members wishing to stand for election should be deposited with Branch Secretary Sandie Morton before the commencement of the AGM business via sandie.morton@waterways.org.uk

{signed) Bernard Morton, IW A Northampton Branch Chairman

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NORTHAMPTON BRANCH - ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING 10th March 2026 CHAIRMAN’S REPORT

Welcome to this year’s Northampton Branch AGM which is being held online via Zoom. We have decided to do this to try and improve the number of our members who participate in our AGM and we encourage you to actively participate.

BRANCH EVENTS. Lynda Payton has arranged an interesting range of talks again for us and we are again offering a mix of afternoon talks during the darker winter months with evening ones scheduled as spring approaches. Attendances have been varied and we would like to know why more members don’t attend. We fully appreciate that some of our members live outside the Branch area but maybe the topics we offer don’t interest you – if that is so, please let us know what interests you.

Just a head’s up – April 14th 2026 meeting (7 pm) will be our Quiz evening run, once again, by John Pomfret and his partner Liz. We have moved the Quiz from December to try to attract more teams to participate.

May 19th 2026 meeting will be an afternoon guided walk down the Northampton Arm led by Penny Foster (CRT Ecologist). She will explain about the fauna and flora and you will have an ideal opportunity to admire the hard work carried out by our dedicated volunteers and to view the various art installations the Branch has created over the years.

In May 2025 I was delighted to welcome Richard Parry to the Arm for what was his sixth visit especially as he was due to leave CRT in a couple of months. He had been a great supporter of our adoption of the Arm over the years and in his speech he described our adoption as “exemplary”.

At the end of June 2026, our Branch attended the 21st annual Historic Narrowboat Rally and Festival at Braunston with our sales and information stand – we thank those who gave up their weekend to man/woman this stand. We were delighted to receive a cheque for £200 from Tim Coghlan – thanks Tim Our Annual Dinner in November has traditionally been an evening event but, as numbers have dwindled over the years, and having consulted with members, we decided to alter to a lunchtime meal on a Saturday. This was held on 22nd November at the Boat Inn and was enjoyed by all who attended. Our 100 Club draw took

12 place after the meal and the Branch John Faulkner Trophy was awarded to The “Watford” Gang who have looked after our workboat acquired from CRT. They have overseen repairs to the hydraulic system, repainted and made some safety improvements to it since we took ownership. We thank them for their hard work on what has become a very useful addition to the Branch’s assets, particularly for the clearance of offside vegetation on the Arm. NORTHAMPTON ARM ADOPTION. The Northampton Arm continues to be the main focus for the Committee and our growing band of volunteers. Geoff Wood, who has been one of the Task Party Co-ordinators since the beginning of our Adoption, decided to step down from this role. It is hardly a retirement for Geoff as he continues as Deputy Branch Chairman, Membership Secretary and to represent us on the Stoke Bruerne Canal Partnership. Paul Lynam, having stepped back from being our Branch Treasurer last year, had been assisting with organising the task parties and has taken over Geoff’s role.

Our bimonthly task parties have continued this year and we have continued to enjoy support from Cummins who send groups of hardworking volunteers to us regularly. We have run 22 task parties including one with the Northampton Litter Wombles. These have seen locks repainted, by-washes cleared and vegetation cut back along the towpath. There have also been 9 extra days where Watford came and supported our much-needed offside vegetation clearance.

The final 40 metres of towpath reconstruction was completed from Wootton Brook to the M1 (using funds from Cummins in 2024).

It was on the final day of this work that Richard Parry joined us.

Additionally, 140 metres of hedging has been laid completing 850metres of hedging from locks 3 to 6 along the Arm. Whilst this work hasn’t been exclusively IWA, a large number of our volunteers have been involved, and our tools have been put to good use.

THANK YOUs. Lastly, as always, I’ll conclude my report with my most sincere “thank yours” to the very supportive committee of our Branch.

It has been a privilege to work with you all for another year – I think I have been Chairman for something like 17 years now.

In no particular order, I would like to thank …

Geoff Wood – having stepped back from joint Task Party Organiser, has continued to support as Deputy Chairman, Membership Secretary and Liaison on the Stoke Bruerne Canal Partnership. Thanks Geoff.

Mick Butler and Paul Lynam – they are joint organisers of our Task Parties and have continued to plan and motivate our Arm activities with

13 great enthusiasm. Mick is also our Events Organiser and Paul has been appointed to the National Finance Committee where his financial background is highly valued. Many thanks to both of you.

Maria Hobbs – has continued in the role of Treasurer, having taken over from Paul, and been kept busy keeping track of our finances and dealing with the 100 Club. She has also been a regular volunteer on the Arm for several years. Thank you, Maria.

Tony Clarke – as Editor of our quarterly Branch Magazine Endeavour, has continued to produce what is one of the largest magazines produced by any IWA Branch and which is always a good read. Not only is Tony kept busy hunting out interesting articles but also looking out for advertisers.

The advertising revenue from these businesses provides an important source of income for the Branch. Tony would, I know, welcome contributions from you, our members, about your experiences on and around the waterways. Thanks, Tony.

Helen Westlake – our Planning Officer tracks planning applications in our Branch area and recommends how we should respond to anything that might impact on our waterways. We welcome her knowledge of the planning system and especially its jargon! She continues to sit on the National Planning Advisory Panel where she brings her knowledge and experience to bear on planning matters beyond our Branch setting. She has recently become very involved with the proposed GU Water Transfer Scheme and is keeping us all up-to-date with the proposals from various meetings/ consultations. Thanks, Helen.

John Pomfret, an avid boater, and long-term member of IWA both nationally and locally, brings his encyclopaedic knowledge of UK waterways and news from IWA head office to our meetings. Thanks, John.

Gail Anscombe, Lynda Payton (corresponding members … their preference!) - jointly look after our webpages, Facebook and X. Do follow us on these and show your support. Lynda is also our Meetings Organiser and has excelled herself with an interesting programme of talks yet again.

Thank you, Gail and Lynda.

Catriona Butler (also a corresponding member – again, her choice) – contributes her ideas via email responding to matters arising within the Branch. Thanks, Catriona.

Sandie Morton – finally, many thanks to Sandie who is our Branch Secretary and looks after all Branch communications, committee/AGM minutes etc, and who keeps the Chairman in check!

Bernard Morton, Branch Chairman - March 2026

14 2025Annual Summary Overview for AGM 2026 Dear Members, I’m pleased to present a financial overview for the past year (please also see attached summary of accounts).

IWA Northam 2024

Expenditure During the year we have had a cou- Income ple of notable events, including the purchase, repairs and launch of 2,763.90 Watford, our boat, and due to hav630.00 340.00 ing funds from Cummings left over from 2024 we completed a further 99.00 0.00 section on the Northampton arm 416.88 1069.40 canal path.

156.00 We have ended the financial year 685.00 745.00 with a reduction in balances; this 255.30 was due to a couple of advertisers withdrawing their business and the 7200.00 6,998.87 committee made the decision not to 477.33 charge any of the advertisers for one quarter due to adverse weather conditions affecting their business.

7,243.65 9,077.81 19,515.76 18,642.38 Looking ahead, the committee re873.38 main cautiously optimistic that things will get back on track.

Thank you for your ongoing support, and I am happy to discuss these results further if required.

Maria Hobbs IWA Northampton Arm Treasurer

7,730.33 8,603.71 873.38

Ar Totals

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mpton Branch Summary Accounts 2025 Income

Advertising 100 Club Monthly meeting Other Subscriptions Annual Dinner Committee Exp Boat Project - Watford Donations m Task Parties (incl transport) Arm Projects

1,852.92 607.50 240.00 346.87 881.00 0.00 325.00

Expenditure

330.00 426.62 580.58 40.00 945.00 642.51

Surplus/Deficit in Year

2,015.45 744.40 5,724.56 -1,471.27

Opening bank & cash Closing bank & cash Change in bank & cash

8,603.71 7,132.44 -1,471.27

0.00 4,253.29

16 Continued from front page Hard copies of the proposals are also available in libraries at Long Buckby, Daventry and Towcester.

In brief, the scheme includes proposals to transfer water via a new pipeline from Minworth, near Birmingham, to the Coventry Canal at Atherstone. From there, the water will journey south along the Coventry, Oxford and Grand Union canals to a point just south of Bletchley where it will be transferred to a pipeline, via a new water treatment works, to an existing covered reservoir near Luton.

Along the way, there will be numerous pinch points where extra works will be required eg pumped bypasses (with pumping stations) to uphill locks, gravity bypasses to downhill locks and four intermediate transfer locks. In addition there are proposals for strengthening embankments especially at Weedon Bec and in the Brinklow and Ansty areas, raising banks eg south of Whilton locks and in Cosgrove and alternative proposals for the Iron Trunk aqueduct.

The latest details available on the website include diagrammatic routes for bypass pipelines and construction areas where work is going to be required. There is a Map Book which provides information about all the areas where work is proposed. The Phase Two Consultation Brochure provides even more detail. You can find all these via this link https://guctransfer.co.uk/consultation-materials/ The positives from the scheme include an assured water supply to areas of population growth where current aquifer supplies are inadequate and environmentally damaging, regularisation of water levels along the canals and a permanent income stream for CRT. Social and environmental benefits for areas along the canal network which will suffer the greatest upheaval during construction are also promised though no details are yet available.

There will of course be negatives where construction work is required and there are a number of concerns about the effects of a higher water ‘flow’ especially in tunnels and under bridges.

Members are encouraged to go online, read all the information now available and submit their comments. At the time of going to press with Endeavour, your local IWA Committee has not yet had the opportunity to do this and decide on its response so would welcome any feed back via the chairman at bernard.morton@waterways.org.uk by the third week of March at the latest.

17 Waterways Investment Welcome but Fails to Address Systemic Underfunding Crisis IWA welcomes £6.5m Government grant for Canal & River Trust infrastructure but warns it's a one-off payment, not systemic reform • 3,000 miles of canals and rivers managed by Environment Agency and other navigation authorities left without additional investment • IWA calls for comprehensive funding review

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IWA has welcomed the announcement of £6.5m Government investment in Canal & River Trust waterways, while warning this one-off capital grant is not the systemic funding reform Britain's canals and rivers urgently need.

This additional investment will fund essential resilience work on specific infrastructure across the Canal & River Trust's 2,000-mile network, supporting communities, businesses and wildlife that depend on secure waterways.

However, the funding is targeted at discrete projects (e.g reservoirs) rather than addressing the broader maintenance backlog. It provides no support for the 3,000 miles of Britain's navigable waterways not managed by the Canal & River Trust, many of which (particularly those managed by the Environment Agency) face critical infrastructure challenges due to chronic underfunding.

Mike Wills, Chair of the Inland Waterways Association, said: "IWA welcomes any additional funding for our waterways, and this investment reflects the aims we've been campaigning for. Our Risk Index shows that climate change poses one of the biggest threats to canal and river infrastructure, so investment specifically targeting resilience to extreme weather is a priority.

Last year's disastrous breaches demonstrated the costs of fixing problems after they happen. But our Risk Index also shows that much more is needed. This is a one-off capital grant for specific projects, not the first instalment of ongoing investment, nor part of a comprehensive review of long-term funding requirements. It does nothing to change the Government's overall funding approach to waterways, and it does nothing for the 3,000 miles of Britain's canals and rivers managed by the Environment Agency and other navigation authorities.

We need the Government to develop a long-term funding plan that addresses the needs of all 5,000 miles of Britain's navigable waterways. Piecemeal project grants won't build the resilient network the country needs."

IWA is calling on the Government to: • Conduct a comprehensive review of funding requirements across all Britain's waterways • Develop a funding strategy that covers maintenance and climate resilience

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Extend support beyond Canal & River Trust waterways to the entire 5,000mile network

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VISIT STOWE HILL WHARF FOR ALL Y

Proprietor Robert Gudgeon • • • • • • • • • •

Full Repaints Hull Blacking/Stern Gear Inspection and Repairs Engine Repairs and Maintenance Complete Fit-Out and Woodwork Alterations 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 the A5 at Stowe Hill towards Nether Heyford. By boat close to Bridge 26

ALL WORK UNDERTAKEN, FROM SIMPLE TASKS TO COMPLETE FIT-OUTS

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YOUR ESSENTIAL BOATING SERVICES

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W

hen 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

22 ALAN FIRTH - THE ODD LOCK ARTIST Part 3 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.’

During the show, we found time to go through copies of various old photographs I had collected of the yard, including one which was nothing more than a photocopy of a Coventry Evening Telegraph article of 1953 reporting the launch of the wooden butty Lucy. There were two photographs, one of which was the yard as seen from our wet dock looking towards the marina entrance. Alan’s eyes lit up. It was just what he wanted. ‘Would I like the scene in winter? It could work ever so well.’ I can recall him saying this in that rich Lancastrian voice of his. I told him how I loved the winter scenes of the 17th century Dutch artist Hendrick Avercamp – especially his winter skies. Alan knew the artist well, and promised me just that.

I lent him the article and away he went.

A few days later he rang to ask if he could come and see me and discuss what he proposed to do. I suggested he came over in a couple of days time for lunch at the then Boatman Hotel, and bring his wife, which he did. To my astonishment Alan first called at the marina office and produced the painting now well under way. He had done all the sketching, and the sky, canal water, and dock entrance had already been airbrushed in. He had also put his artistic licence in: – faraway people, horses, and those trees outside his studio window. Little more than a month later, he called again with the painting almost finished, for final approval and a choice of mount and frame – I simply went with his recommendations on both. And again we had lunch. Not long after that, the painting was finished and he came and presented it to me. And again we had lunch. It was all such fun. And the painting has been the pride of my mantlepiece at home ever since.

I gave Alan all the reproduction rights to the picture, which was soon in demand. Northamptonshire County Council got wind of it and I was rung

by Janet Walls, its Head of Libraries & Museums, who asked to use it for their official Christmas card that year, a request which gave me great pleasure to agree to. We had a photo-call at the marina to announce it, with Alan holding the painting with the view behind. In the official press release, I was quoted as saying:, ‘In their hey day, the canals sadly attracted very few artists - in contrast to the maritime trade. But now they are well served by some outstanding talent, which we are delighted to encourage and assist through our sponsorship scheme.’

The following year the IWA also used it as one of its Christmas cards.

There have also been many print versions for framing, and I commissioned

23 a one-off large signed print from Alan to present to Braunston church where it has hung in pride of place in the vestry to this day. The church’s spire features in the painting.

In 1999, Alan was back at the show with his latest Braunston scene called simply W inter Gathering. It was of the canal outside the Stop House – a very peaceful winter scene of working boats moored up and a couple of distant figures. It was a lovely painting, which astonishingly was based on a photograph that Alan had taken of the workings narrowboats moored outside the Stop House in the middle of the previous year’s show. His ability to spot pictures never ceased to astonish me. Alan said I could have it for £750, but I told him I had other plans.

The year 2000 would not only be the Millennium, but also the thirtieth anniversary of the last Jam ‘Ole Run in 1970 – the last fleet-run of working narrowboats under regular contract. This we would be commemorating with a re -enactment fleet, and I intended to give all the participants – some thirty or more – a souvenir print of the painting I wanted to commission from Alan.

The subject would be a photograph I had taken of the start of the 1997 Jam ‘Ole re-enactment.

Alan was very reluctant. It was all people, but he said he would have a go. I know he really struggled, because the painting is dated 1999, but as October 2000 was approaching, I had to chase him to complete it and get the forty prints done. I recall collecting them from his bungalow – which I visited for the first time, and saw his studio, and those two trees beyond - with only days to spare. He was not at all happy. ‘I don’t like that picture. The people are terrible.’ He also told me that that was his last painting. His arthritis was now making it painful to work. Years ago he had had an accident and broken two fingers and dislocated a third and they had now come back to haunt him. I felt dreadful that I had put him through all of this, and as a moorer and resident at Braunston Marina later fell in love with the painting, I was happy to on-sell it to him for that £750, and live with a signed print for my home.

Alan said he would come see us off early on the Saturday morning, and maybe watch the boats two hours later going through Hillmorton Lock. Some of the fleet of a dozen or more old working narrowboats would be travelling loaded, and this now rare sight, he wanted to see again. But he did not come.

A few months or so later, Alan called at the marina shop. He had a present for me. It was a high quality full-size print of that Stop House W inter Gathering painting. He had had only two made, each for a special friend, and I was one of them. As usual we had lunch at what was now the Mill House Inn. It was to prove the last time we met.

In 2003 Alan at the age of only 70, had a severe stroke, which paralyses him

24 and made him bedridden for the rest of his life of nearly ten years. Whilst he was in hospital Terry Stroud went to see him and was hardly even recognized. Terry suggested I did not go, as it only added to the pressures on Anne. Instead I sent him a copy of the third edition of David Blagrove’s A t the Heart of the Waterways, a canal history of Braunston which we had recently republished. By David’s own choice, that Jam ‘Ole painting was proudly placed on the new front cover. I heard from Anne via Terry that it had made him very pleased.

In about 2005, with the Braunston Historic Narrowboat Rally now into its third year, I was approached by painter Dusty Miller, then head of the Guild of Canal Artist, to re-introduce that artists’ tent. They were now being charged a lot at Crick Boat Show, where once it had been free at the Braunston Boat Show. I was happy to bring that tent back as a sponsored attraction to the event. I suggested to Dusty that we should make the first event special with a retrospective exhibition of Alan’s works. I knew where a few originals were, starting with that one above my mantelpiece at home. Dusty approached Alan through Anne, but sadly Alan asked that we did not hold the exhibition.

With Alan’s condition worsening it was decided that he and Anne should move to Yorkshire to live almost next door to the younger ‘twin’ Teresa and her family. To add to their troubles not long after the move, Anne developed cancer and died in 2009. Alan died on 26th January, 2012, in a nursing home, with his beloved ‘twins’, Teresa and Sally there for him. When I heard news of this, my mind went to those lines in Puccini’s opera Tosca: ‘I lived for art, I lived for Love, never did I harm a living creature. Why, O Lord, why dost thou repay me thus?’

With Alan now at rest, I spoke to Teresa at length, each sharing our happy memories of Alan. Ironically she had that ‘Odd Lock’ painting above her mantelpiece, which Alan gave her, and also that plate-painting of Jim and Doris. And yes she would be very pleased for us now to have a retrospective exhibition of his works at that year’s Braunston Historic Narrowboat Rally.

And yes, she would lend us those originals, and the others that she and her siblings were given by Alan – including all the Wedgwood paintings, none of which had been sold. She had been researching Alan’s published paintings and reckoned there are well over fifty of them alone, which we now needed to track down. And yes, she and Sally would be delighted to accept my invitation to open the A lan Firth, Canal A rtist – A Retrospective Exhibition – so I would at last meet them both.

By good fortune, in the run up to the Rally, a woodworking workshop at the marina became vacant. It was in a prominent position, and at of about 1,200 square feet in size, with high ceilings large west facing windows, and good locking doors, and with a lick of white paint, it would become the ideal ven-

25 ue for the exhibition. Having put out feelers, we had soon had some forty plus paintings, and the exhibition was a great success, the guests including Tony Hales, the then Chairman of the CRT and of course Terry Stroud.

Amongst the pictures that Sally produced was a painting by Alan of the Dutch city of Utrecht with its main canal and the cathedral tower beyond.

The city is best remembered for its famous peace treaties, variously between 1709 and 1715 that ended the War of the Spanish Succession, and in particular giving Gibraltar to Great Britain in perpetuity. The story of the picture’s inspiration was that Teresa and her boyfriend were on a visit to Sally, who was then working there in an hotel. On an evening walk, and at that spot where the painting was made, Teresa’s boyfriend proposed to her, which led to a very happy marriage. When Alan heard the story, and on his very next visit to Utrecht, he painted that scene as his wedding present to them. Alan used all his artistic license, setting it by moonlight, bending the canal, and moving the double bridge and cathedral tower to pictorially better positions.

It was the only painting that Alan painted in Holland. This was despite his great affection for the 17th century Dutch artists - and Vermeer in particular and his several visits to that delightful canal-crisscrossed country.

In 2023, my wife and I visited the great Vermeer Exhition at the Rijksmuseum. We also took the opportunity to visit Sally and her now Dutch husband Pieter in Utrecht and also see that scene of that proposal which Alan had painted. I took a photograph of Sally standing where it had all happened – but actually on the canalside below..

I followed this up with a suggestion to Sally and Teresa to hold another exhibition of Alan’s works, but they felt that what we had done in 2012 was enough. Much of their collections had now been dispersed around families and friends, including myself, who following the exhibition, was given the original sketch painting for ‘Between the Locks’ – which I look at every day when at home. Also the IWA had reproduction rights to so many of Alan’s paintings for Christmas and greetings cards, so his work would remain in the canal-public eye for some years to come.

Prior to the opening of this year’s Braunston Historic Narrowboat Rally, I approached the shortly to retire CEO of the CRT Richard Parry, offering to present him with a framed good-quality reproduction of that Barlow’s Yard 1953 scene. He graciously accepted this offer, and I asked Sheila and David Suchet, who were to open the Rally, to present it to him on our behalf before its opening. It was all well received, and I suggested to David and Sheila that they might like one too for all they had done for our Rallies and the canals.

Yes please, was the reply. So that painting is now on prominent display in three canal-enthusiasts’ households, as well as the vestibule in Braunston church.

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WHILTON MARINA CHANDLERY Under New Management Chandlery, Diesel, Pump out, Groceries Pay us a visit, just browse and see what we have to offer for all your boating needs

Open Monday to Saturday 9am–5pm ALL YEAR ROUND Tel 01327 844639 E-mail: marinachandlery@gmail.com 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.

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Please let advertisers know that you saw their advert in Endeavour, that way advertisers know where your business came from!

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BUCKINGHAM CANAL SOCIETY Our AGM take place on Saturday 18th April at Buckingham Community Centre meeting at 7pm. This year it will be a talk by Kev Maslin a award winning Waterways photographer specialising in historic narrowboats so should be an excellent evening with refreshments provided as well.

At our Cosgrove site we have a new to us work boat called Wilstone purchased from CRT and has recently joined our other work boats at Cosgrove.

Also at Cosgrove we continue to run work parties each week on Tuesdays and Thursdays and the volunteers have been carrying out a variety of tasks along the canal include boat maintenance and a variety of tasks including planting over one hundred saplings. Over the weekend of 6th - 8th March WRG Forestry will be joining us.

At our Bourton Meadow site where we run our Conservation and Green Gym groups on alternative Thursdays and on the second Sunday of each month work continues keeping this site looking attractive for walkers and proving environmental tasks for our volunteers.

Our Sunday work parties have suddenly become very popular particularly for people taking part in the Duke of Edinburgh awards scheme and this has proved to be good way for us in recruiting new volunteers.

Anyone taking part in this scheme under sixteen years of age must come with a parent and this means we get an extra volunteer sometime two if both parents come and as parents doesn’t want to stand around doing nothing all day whilst their child works they join us well!

The Water Transfer Schemes (Affinity & Anglian) which aims to move up to 115ML a day from the Midlands southward towards London and northern Home counties means that Terry Cavender and other Trustees have become involved with the discussions and meetings taking place about this scheme.

Hope to meet up with Northampton IWA members at our AGM Athina Beckett

33 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.

COMMERCIAL RATES

CLASSIFIEDS

1/4 Page (box) £12.00 +VAT 1/2 Page (box) £25.00 +VAT Full Page £40.00 +VAT Other sizes by arrangement

(suggested donations) £1.50 for 22 words, 15p each additional word £3.50 for box around classified advertisement (nb. telephone numbers count as one word) £3.50 for photographs

10% discount for 4 issues paid yearly in advance 5% discount for 4 issues paid quarterly

March Saturday 21st 11am-4pm Characters on the Cut –an exhibition about Jack James, Sister Mary, Thomas Amos, etc who lived and worked on the canal at Stoke Bruerne . FREE 30th March —10th April (Easter school holidays) Dur ing Museum opening hours—Easter Egg Hunt.

30th March –10 April (Easter school holidays) Quack Quack, Take Two Steps Back –Water safety training for little ones. Bookable in Advanced FREE 30th March –10 April (Easter school holidays) J unior Lock Keeper Raining Bookable in Advanced FREE

April Saturday 18th 10am –4pm Wir e wr apped J eweller y Wor kshop .

Bookable in Advanced Saturday 25th 11am –4pm Lets go Geocaching FREE

June Saturday 6th (Volunteers Week) Volunteer Recr uitment Stand Saturday 13th –Caring for Our Canals FREE

The next edition of Endeavour will be published in Summer 2026

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Branch Chairman Bernard Morton 07785 375787/ 01604 858294

Joint Task Party Organiser

E-mail: bernard.morton @waterways.org.uk

Michael Butler E-mail: michael.butler

Vice Chairman, & Membership Secretary

Newsletter & Archivist

Geoff Wood E-mail: geoff.wood @waterways.org.uk

@waterways.org.uk

Tony Clarke 07305 893924 E-mail: tony.clarke @waterways.org.uk

Committee Member Branch Secretary

John Pomfret

Sandie Morton

E-mail: john.pomfret @waterways.org.uk

01604 858294 E-mail: sandie.morton @waterways.org.uk

Treasurer Maria Hobbs Email maria.hobbs @waterways.org.uk

Committee Member Catriona Butler E-mail: Catriona.butler @waterways.org.uk

Branch Meetings Lynda Payton E-mail: lynda.payton @waterways.org.uk

Planning Officer Helen Westlake E-mail: helen.westlake @waterways.org.uk

Non-Committee posts Website Gail Anscombe Email: gail.anscombe@waterways.org.uk `Social Media Lynda Payton Email: Lynda.payton@waterways.org.uk

Joint Task Party Organiser Paul Lynam E-mail: paul.lynam @waterways.org.uk

Vacancies Publicity Officer and Grants Officer

The Inland Waterways Association is a membership charity that works to protect and restore the country's 6,500 miles of canals and rivers.

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