Endeavour - May 2014

Endeavour

1 to attempt (eg the fulfilment of an obligation) by exertion of effort; 2 archaic to strive to achieve or reach ~ vi to make an effort to do something n a serious determined effort

Northampton Branch Newsletter - May 2014

OUR BOAT GATHERING WAS A POPULAR SUCCESS

Full report on pages 20–25 Sunshine photocall for a group of boaters at the May Day Bank Holiday Branch Boat Gathering at Nurser’s Dock at Braunston Marina Picture by Andrew Denny, Waterways World

The IWA was founded in 1946 to campaign for the retention, restoration and development of Britain’s navigable waterways and for their fullest commercial and recreational use.

The IWA is a registered Charity (no. 212342) , whose work is supported by members’ subscriptions.

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EDITORIAL MUSINGS Hello …is there anyone out there? Sometimes, sitting in the editorial chair, you have to wonder.

I like to think that in every edition of Endeavour there is something in the contents deserving a reaction – agreement, disagreement, criticism, perhaps even a measure of praise. But no, a deafening silence all round, and at the end of the day (now there’s something you can complain about – a lot of people thoroughly dislike the use of this expression) I do occasionally wonder what it’s all about.

IWA is a campaigning body and this very reason should attract a spirited approach by adherents. Now I realise we’re not always the campaigning type and many of you are “armchair members” for a whole variety of reasons (health, age, agreeing with our cause but no time to get actively involved and so all memberships are equally valuable) but surely there are some of you who feel strongly enough to pick up your pen or sit in front of a computer and comment on certain issues, national as well as local.

For example in the last two issues contributions by Steve Miles must have raised a few points meriting a reaction.

It would be splendid if we could get a correspondence column going in Endeavour.

There have been “letters to the editor” in the past although never regularly and rarely with the controversial bite we should expect from a membership/readership such as ours. You don’t even need to reveal your identity as long as I can verify the source of the letter writer.

There are people today who react with indecent haste to controversial matters by posting messages on the internet or tweeting without thinking the subject through properly – in other words, the traditional, often damaging knee-jerk reaction. Letters to the editor which are likely to appear in print deserve, I submit, a more considered approach.

In no way do I want to resort to the trite journalistic ruse of writing to myself disguised by an unlikely sounding pen name.

Over to you, with fingers crossed – but I am afraid with not a lot of confidence. Go on, prove me wrong. (Latest— yes you have, please see page 11).

IWA Northampton Branch now has a Facebook page. It’s at https:// www.facebook.com/IWANorthamptonBranch Members will find posts there about our talks, work 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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DIARY DATES

June

14th –15th Stoke Bruerne Family Festival (details see pages 10, 18, 19) www.friendsofcanalmuseum.org.uk 28th-29th Braunston Historic Narrowboat Rally & Canal Festival (see page 26 and back page)

July 19th-20th

Buckingham Canal Society Festival, Cosgrove (details 01908 662127)

August 7th 2pm

Heritage walks for Grandparents and Grandchildren from the front of Stoke Bruerne Canal Museum. Booking essential 01604 862229 (details page 34) 9th Crick/Foxton 200th Celebrations (see page 17) 9th –10th Blisworth Canal Festival (details www.blisworthcanalfestival.co.uk) 28th 2pm Wildlife Safari from the front of the Canal Museum. Booking essential 01604 862229 (details page 34)

September 9th 8pm

IWA Northampton Branch Meeting at The Walnut Tree Inn, Blisworth. Speaker to be announced.

13th –14th Stoke Bruerne Village at War (see page 35 or contact www.friendsofcanalmuseum.org.uk)

Branch Task Party dates on the Northampton Arm June 1st, 17th, July 13th, 29th, August 10th, 19th, September 7th, 23rd.

For details see web site or contact geoff.wood@waterways.org.uk Braunston Canal Society Work Party dates June 1st, 12th, July 6th, 17th, August 3rd, 14th, September 7th, 18th.

Further details contact Chris Burton on 01788 891546

Buckingham Canal Society Work Party dates June 8th, 12th, 26th. July 10th, 13th, 24th, August 7th, 10th, 21st, September 4th, 14th, 18th.

Further details contact Athina Beckett on 01908 662127

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

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Branch Chairman’s Jottings

by Bernard Morton 2015 BECKET’S PARK RALLY. It’s now official – the Branch will be hosting a major national IWA boat festival on the River Nene at Becket’s Park, Northampton, over the August Bank Holiday period next year. We received the formal go-ahead for the event in February and now, with the 2014 Branch Gathering over, it is a case of “all systems go” as actual planning gets underway.

The organising committee, working alongside the IWA Events Committee, is chaired

by Branch committee member John Pomfret (who, as many of you are aware, is well connected at IWA national level), and also includes representatives of the Environment Agency, the Canal & River Trust and Northampton Borough Council. Informal exploratory meetings have already been held.

The event will focus on the 200th anniversary of the opening of the Northampton Arm, with the Branch mainly involved in the waterborne aspect of the festival. Many landside activities centred on Becket’s Park will be led by the Borough Council. Full support in various guises will be forthcoming from EA and CRT. It could be a biggie.

Veteran members of the Branch are reported to be already sorting out their 1971 IWA National Rally gear!

NORTHAMPTON ARM ACTIVITY. Please turn to page 16 and there you will read all about the impressive work the Branch is undertaking on the Northampton Arm as part of our Arm adoption programme. I am indeed proud to be Chairman of a Branch whose members can achieve so much in such a relatively short time.

We only started work “on the ground” last summer, but since then the pace has steadily picked up and currently, under the joint leadership of Geoff Wood and Mick Butler, is positively buzzing along. At the time of writing, activities are focused at the sani-station at Gayton Junction, the emphasis being on painting the exterior of the building, part of a programme which will be continued on the locks down the Arm during the summer. At Far Cotton, the area around Lock 17 has been transformed, with wholesale vegetation clearance and the reappearance of the full-length concrete quay-heading on the river approach to the lock. Now your committee is hopeful that discussions with EA and CRT will result in a “Welcome to Northampton Arm” sign, also acknowledging our Branch’s adoption, at Lock 17.

Another eye-opener is the volume of rubbish litter-picked. So many beer cans and bottles, so many plastic bags, so many discarded food containers – some of the rusty tin cans must have been lying there for years. Our pickers on their initial clearance sweep think they have gathered everything. Oh no – the follow-up pickers delving deep into the bushes find an equal quantity of trash. It will be interesting to find out later in the year how much has returned. Unsurprisingly the Briar Hill area between Lock 15 and Lock 16 has been a happy hunting ground for our pickers.

8 SOCIAL MEETINGS. I am so pleased to report that attendances at our monthly Branch social meetings during the past “talks season” have increased markedly.

I’m glad more of you are coming along because since last September, when the 2013/14 season began, we have had a varied and intriguing series of speakers all of whom gave admirable illustrated talks. These ranged from the ever-popular Richard Thomas talking about the Manchester Ship Canal, who later in the season returned to tell us about the River Stort Story, to Tony Conder (his specialist subject is definitely Gloucester Docks) and local speakers Tim Coghlan who described “Evelyn’s War” and James Griffin on the fascinating history of the family Wyvern Shipping company at Leighton Buzzard. Somewhere amongst that lot our very own David Blagrove reminisced, accompanied by his inimitable musical diversions on the squeeze-box.

Incidentally, I was pleased to learn that Wyvern Shipping have a policy of cleaning and polishing their boats regularly to keep them looking smart, a practice which I like to follow as it certainly does work.

As always our grateful thanks to Graham Treagus for assembling such a splendid bunch of speakers. Make a note in your diaries that the second Tuesday in the month from September onwards is Branch speakers’ night at The Walnut Tree Inn at Blisworth. It’s never too early to start sorting out your social programme!

SUMMER AHEAD. I am writing these notes before our Branch Gathering, well recorded elsewhere in Endeavour, then follows the summer proper when I would hope you are all well and truly on the move whether by boat or Shanks’s pony (or even bicycle) along the towing paths or exploring waterway features far and wide.

I know some of our members venture onto foreign canals and rivers (will this soon include the Caledonian and Crinan Canals?). Why not tell us all about such trips, either at our social meetings or via an article in Endeavour?

But wherever you go and whatever you do, afloat or on land, may the weather stay fair - and enjoy.

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11 Letters to The Editor

THOMAS CLAYTON LTD IN NORTHAMPTON As part of my research for a new book project (a canal story set during the First World War), I came across a fact which I thought might be of interest to Branch members, given the ongoing disputes about the Westbridge Arm's navigational status.

The Environment Agency continues to insist that the Arm is not and never has been a navigation, at least on an 'official' level. But it is an undeniable fact that Thomas Clayton (Oldbury) Ltd, the operators of purpose-built tanker narrowboats, had for many years a contract for the movement of tar residues from Northampton Gas Works, situated by what is now the roundabout at St Peter's Way; and the only waterborne access to the works was up the Arm past Phipp's Brewery which once stood where Carlsberg is now. Not a navigation?

Having come across this fact, which I admit has never been 'secret' anyway, I am now incorporating it into my story, with the crew of a (fictional) pair of Clayton's horse-boats taking over that traffic in 1915.

Steve Miles

BOAT GATHERING CONGRATULATIONS We just want to record our thanks for the excellent Boat Gathering. We have never attended before, other than once as day visitors a couple of years ago, in part because we moor on the canals and not the river but also because of time constraints.

We had a great time and enjoyed the whole weekend! Please pass on our thanks and congratulations to all those who helped the weekend go so well! We realise that there was a lot of work in planning and running such a good event!

Alan and Glenda Dodds Tranquility

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12 BRANCH COMMITTEE MEETINGS REVIEW February Urgent Business

The Branch has purchased an amplifier system and a infra-red pointer for use by speakers at Branch Meetings.

Grand Union Conservation Area Plan: the committee was in support of the plan.

Stoke Bruerne Development Plan was fully supported with no comments.

Northampton Arm Adoption Mick Butler (MB) and Geoff Wood have settled into their leadership roles and have surveyed the whole length and confirmed there is still a lot to be done. MB and Lynda Payton are having First Aid training and MB and Steve Miles Strimmer Training both provided by CRT. Treasurer’s Report Current balance £4969.25 Branch Magazine/Website The magazine is now in full colour at a small extra print cost. All agreed it was worth it.

Lynda Payton and Tony Clarke are to operate the website jointly.

Membership There are currently 294 memberships equalling 462 members, including family members.

Planning Matters Branch Planning Officer Geoff Wood welcomed Helen Westlake, who is taking over the planning role. Helen has already made comments on waterside developments at Cosgrove, putting her planning expertise to good use.

Reports from Local Societies, Partnerships etc Friends of the Canal Museum Lynda Payton reported on the sad loss of David Henderson, Manager of the Museum. A WW1 project has begun to research the role of the GU Canal, working boatmen and the village of Stoke Bruerne during the war. The results will form an exhibition in the Museum. A Heritage Lottery Fund grant is being applied for.

March Urgent Business

Northampton Arm Adoption

13 John Highmore (CRT) has informed the Branch that CRT are happy for us to move to self-supervising status. They will still support with provisions and equipment, rubbish clearance etc but will no longer regularly send a member of staff along to Task Parties.

Treasurer’s Report Current balance £4720.45 which shows a reduction reflecting the decision to reduce the account balance by purchasing items for use on the Arm adoption.

Membership Current 295 memberships (466 members).

2015 Festival It was reported that IWA Festivals Committee has been renamed IWA Events Committee. A formal go-ahead has been given by IWA Events for the Branch to host the Festival at Becket’s Park, Northampton over the August Bank Holiday 2015.

CRT The “Welcome to Northampton Arm” sign at Lock 17 was discussed; EA are prepared to contribute towards the costs. It was agreed the Branch should contribute 1/3, especially if there is mention of the Branch’s adoption of the Arm. Reports from Local Societies, Partnerships etc Stoke Bruerne Canal Partnership It was reported that the weighing machine has been restored and is now on display in Swansea.

April

Northampton Arm Adoption The Task Party will focus on the sani-station at Arm End with CRT providing scaffold and someone to erect it. Geoff Wood has registered the Northampton Arm adoption with Northampton Volunteer Centre and with Santander. Task Party dates are set until the end of the year.

Membership There are 300 memberships (474 members). This represents an increase which is thought to be due to a year’s free membership offer currently available. Hopefully these new members won’t disappear next year.

2015 National A Northampton waterside inspection has been carried out by the EA, Mike Morse (IWA Waterspace Director), John Pomfret and Bernard Morton. This confirmed that with weed clearance beyond the site of the

14 old sani-station, approximately 350 boats could be accommodated.

Planning Matters The application for the development of 45 apartments near Lock 17 of the Northampton Arm was discussed and whether a request for “planning gain” money for improvements should be made. A letter regarding the development of a silage treatment plant at Blisworth Tunnel Farm had been received and concern was expressed about smells leaking down the tunnel shafts.

AOB It was noted that the IWA stall at Stoke Bruerne Family Festival needs volunteers to man it, as does the Branch stall at the Historic Boat Rally at Braunston on 28th/29th June.

There are three Branch images on the new IWA calendar — Northampton Arm, Stoke Bruerne and Braunston.

Geoff Wood commented on the excellent work by Blisworth Canal Partnership on clearing vegetation near the northern tunnel entrance.

NEW BRANCH MEMBERS ARE WELCOMED We extend a warm welcome to the following who have joined Northampton Branch since the last issue of Endeavour

NEW MEMBERS Mr D Adkins, Rushden Mr M G & Mrs F E Horsley, Daventry Mrs A Root & Family, Blisworth Mr. N. & Mrs. S. Barden, Northampton Mr. C. & Mrs. J. Burton, Braunston Mr. S. Bell & Family, Braunston Mr. A. & Mrs. J. Bhavsar, Little Irchester, Wellingborough Mr. P & Mrs. G Mortimer, Crick Mr. A & Mrs. C. Paterson, Long Buckby Mr. C. & Mrs. P. Forster, Nether Heyford Mr. M. & Mrs. J. Holliday, Staverton, Daventry Mrs. N. Holloway, Northampton Marina

MEMBERS WHO HAVE MOVED TO THE BRANCH Mrs. S. Line & Family, Sleaford, Lincolnshire Mr. A. Brook, West Haddon Mr. D & Mrs. P. Steel, Crick Marina

We look forward to meeting you all at Branch events

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Northampton Arm Task Party Update Highlights so far: We have run 12 Task Parties up to the end of March.

We have had 29 different volunteers attend so far.

We have amassed 412 volunteer hours so far.

The Branch has purchased two strimmers for vegetation clearance.

Seven volunteers have been trained by CRT to operate strimmers.

CRT have allocated a secure storage area at Gayton Yard for our equipment.

Tasks carried out so far: We have litter picked about two-thirds of the Arm, which has yielded well over 150 bags of rubbish plus things we could not get into bags such as a boat toilet, vehicle tyres, cable insulation and wood pallets. The amount of rubbish from Lock 17 back to bridge 13 was unbelievable. It will be interesting to revisit this area in 6 months time to see what the litter situation is like.

The sanitation station at Gayton Junction has had all the ground vegetation removed from around it, including the vegetation amidst the coping stones at the canal edge.

Lock 1 has been prepared for painting.

Locks 14 and 17 have been painted.

A tremendous amount of vegetation removal has been carried out around Lock 17.

This includes the lock landing on the river side and back to the narrows on the canal.

The strimmers were put to work here a lot and the difference before and after is amazing.

We did spend a considerable amount of time here, but the results are well worth while.

We now have to cease any vegetation clearance due to the bird nesting season.

Going forward, we will now concentrate on lock and other infrastructure painting during the better weather. We will start at Gayton Junction and work our way down the flight.

The Branch Committee would like to thank all the volunteers who have turned up and helped in all sorts of weather and to say to those of you who have not, you don’t know what you are missing.

This is a great opportunity for us all to become involved in improving the Northampton Arm canal corridor for all its users.

Please see page 4 for Task Party dates.

Geoff Wood

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Crick Tunnel is 200 years old on Saturday 9th August 2014 The Crick History Society, in collaboration with other societies along the old Grand Union Canal (as it used to be called), plans to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the official opening of the canal from Foxton to Norton Junction, near Long Buckby Wharf. The focus will naturally be on Crick Tunnel and Crick Wharf, with a marquee on The Moorings car park.

Highlights planned during the day include:           

A cavalcade of boats leaving Crick to travel to Foxton over the weekend Boat trips through the tunnel Horse boat demonstrations Trading boats Children’s events Demonstrations of canal crafts Talks on local canal “heroes” Displays of the canal’s construction and history Food, including a hog roast Music Beer

The organisers hope there will be something for everyone to enjoy. Put the date in your diary now. If you have stories or photos of activities on this stretch of the canal, or could contribute your time or expertise, please contact the Crick History Society (Bryan Turner on 01788 824545).

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Celebrating our Waterways Heritage at Stoke Bruerne’s Family Festival A fun packed programme of boats, canal crafts, food, drink, live music, theatre and children’s activities is expected to keep the whole family entertained at Stoke Bruerne’s Annual Festival over the weekend of 14th-15th June. Centred on the Canal Museum and organised by The Friends of The Canal Museum, the event will host a large number of craft demonstrators including ‘Roses and Castle’ painters, rag rug makers, quilters, lace and crochet makers, potters and wood carvers, rope splicers, knot and fender makers, and featuring Stoke Bruerne’s very own blacksmith who will be giving demonstrations at his canalside forge.

This year’s event forms part of a two year Heritage Project following an award of £67,000 from the Heritage Lottery Fund to the Stoke Bruerne Canal Partnership who are working with the Canal & River Trust to ensure that the canal, village and surrounding countryside are well interpreted, maintained and conserved to provide a wonderful resource for leisure, recreation and learning for all. As well as interpretation panels and a series of activity programmes, funding is available to train volunteers in leading guided heritage walks which will feature in the programme over the weekend.

As to be expected at a water-based festival, working and historic boats will be there in abundance joined by a variety of trading boats, selling anything from cheese to mouth-watering fudge. For those who want to get afloat there will be a chance to take a boat trip on “Indian Chief” or “Charlie” into the famous 1¾ mile long 200 year old Blisworth Tunnel. And, don’t forget to watch out for the special water based spectacle. What will the theme be this year? You’ll have to come along to find out.

On land the festival will feature live music, theatre, dance, children’s activities, a real ale bar and a craft and produce market, not to mention a chance to learn more about the canal’s rich heritage by joining one of the guided walks. A wide variety of canal societies, local charities and activity clubs, such as the Northampton Model Boat Club, will be there to talk about their activities and one of Stoke Bruerne’s two local pubs, The Navigation, will be holding a beer festival to make sure festival goers don’t get too thirsty.

As usual the weekend kicks off early on Friday evening for those arriving by boat when popular Braunston based duo Ramshackle will be heading up a musical jam session with a fish & chip supper from 7.30pm onwards. Saturday evening sees the return of the acclaimed Kevin O’Regan Band performing live on stage. All-in-all expect an activity-packed weekend for families with plenty to interest everybody.

The event is free admission with parking in the village car parks charged at £5 per car. All surplus monies raised will go to The Friends of The Canal Museum charity towards their work supporting the Museum. More information can be found at: www.friendsofcanalmuseum.org.uk/sb-family-festival

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CAN YOU BAKE A CAKE, MAKE A PROMISE OR DONATE AN ITEM FOR OUR AUCTION? At the Stoke Bruerne Family Fes val on Saturday and Sunday, 14th‐15th June, The Friends of The Canal Museum are organising a Boaters Auc on combined with an Auc on of Promises, so as well as dona ons of boaty bric‐a‐brac, we need promises of all sorts of things we can auc on to raise funds to help The Canal Museum.

These could be a service you can offer or a couple of hours of your me, for example gardening, decora ng or boat servicing, or you might be able to offer a boat trip, a meal or a weekend away in your holiday home.

We will also have a Sales, Cake and “Find the Wine” stall – and could really do with cakes and help for an hour or two running the stall.

If you can volunteer an hour or two of your me or can donate something, please contact

Sandie Morton on 01604 858294 or Lynda Payton on 01604 861205 Thank you!

20 Karin Cotter reports on the Branch’s Boat Gathering centred at the historic Nurser’s Dock at Braunston Marina over the May Day Bank Holiday

“HAPPY MEMORIES OF A GREAT WEEKEND” The rain is running down the window panes in my kitchen and the birds on the bird table in the garden are looking a little bedraggled. Our narrowboat is once again moored at its pontoon, batteries on charge. The Bank Holiday weekend is now just a memory, but what a great weekend it was!

We had set off for Braunston on Thursday morning, remembering to dodge the torrent of water pouring from the brick-lined roof towards the northern end of Crick Tunnel and then waiting about an hour at the top of Watford Flight. We shared locks on the Braunston flight and moored outside the marina in time for supper. There were just three boats before us. The bank between the entrance and the ladder bridge had reserved moorings for the boats booked in for the weekend, and so it all looked a little empty. We had arrived for the IWA Northampton Gathering 2014 in plenty of time to help set up the next day.

We spotted a few familiar faces on the towpath, walking up and down, looking anxiously for Sculptor and her precious cargo – all the tables, awnings, the marquee and other bits of equipment, and the beer – to arrive from Stoke Bruerne.

After a two year absence, this year’s Gathering took place over the May Day Bank Holiday weekend at a different venue. In an effort to thwart the unpredictable levels

CRT’S Neil Owen with his son being shown around Raymond

21 of the river Nene that disrupted the 2012 rally, and to provide a location more convenient for those members whose boats are moored on the canal system, the organisers had looked at alternative canal-based surroundings.

The iconic iron cast bridge and the whitewashed warehouses around the old arm always manage to invoke an atmosphere steeped in history and industry. Visiting Braunston, one is reminded of the importance of the this stretch of the Grand Union from the turn to the top lock, both in times past, and for those interested in the canals today. The scenes are brought to life at the annual historic boats shows, when upwards of a hundred boats gather, some moored four or more abreast between the two marina entrances and others packed into the old arm.

We didn’t quite recreate the historic boat show at our Gathering, but there were some historic boats and a few boat traders, all of which brought colour and interest to the weekend. Raymond and Nutfield were well turned out and rightly won the prize for the Best Turned Out Boat. We could go aboard, sit in the restored back cabin of Raymond and imagine how cramped the living conditions were, but marvel at how well these cabins were designed, with every available space put to good use. Sculptor and Renfrew were moored at the bottom of the arm too and Aldgate was moored at the entrance. There were a few trading boats moored outside the entrance selling canalware, woodcrafts and other miscellaneous bits and pieces and, in total, some 30 boats had registered for the Gathering.

Friday was spent helping to set up the big marquee with beer and cafe extensions and the grill area for the evening’s BBQ. The site was nice and flat and dry, if a bit dusty, with plenty of space to sit out if the weather allowed. We registered our boats around 5pm as the bar opened and the BBQ grill was heating up.

We were invited to Cooks Catriona and Linda at the BBQ sign up for bar duty and we put our names down for two sessions. I’m so glad we did, as we got to know lots of faces and have a chat too. We settled our chairs at a nearby table and were soon chatting to everyone around us whilst we tucked into our burgers, cooked by our excellent chefs, Catriona and Linda, and huddled in our warm fleeces. We had brought our own mugs for beer which saved us paying for one of the plastic ‘glasses’ and two excellent beers were on sale.

22 Fun and games followed a brief welcome speech by Mick Butler, the Gathering Committee chairman. If someone had said to me that one day I would be sitting in a marquee on the quayside at Braunston Marina at a beetle drive on one of the coldest nights of the spring, I would have laughed but....well, there we were. And Plenty of fun during the beetle drive what a great way to meet everyone! Sadly, the cold evening temperatures meant that most people left fairly soon after the bingo was over in order to get warm back on board their boats.

Our boat felt nice and cosy when we opened the back cabin doors.

The next morning the crows, nesting high in the trees around the arm, woke us with their noisy chatter and calling. The sky was blue and the sun shone brightly and it soon warmed up. There was time for a wander around the arm and the towpath, looking to see who’s here and spending a little with the boat traders before heading back to the main tent for the official opening. Paul, Mick Butler (right) with Neil Owen opening the Gathering from the marina, was there with Chris Heaton-Harris, MP for Daventry, and Neil Owen, CRT Acting SE Waterway Manager. Neil stepped in to replace CRT Chief Executive Richard Parry, who was unable to come. Bernard Morton, our Branch Chairman welcomed everyone and hosted a trip for the VIP guests on Aldgate. As they gently motored out of the marina entrance, we stayed on for some lovely cakes and coffee while having a go on the

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Nijinxky entertaining the boaters on Saturday evening tombola (why do the numbers on my tickets all end with a 7 or a 3?) and browsing the various stalls set up in the marquee. In the afternoon, there was a guided walk over Braunston Tunnel, but my thoughts were elsewhere – the Cobblers were fighting to stay in the Football League at Sixfields (they succeeded, by the way).

In the evening, we were entertained by Nijinxky, a really good band, ideally suited to an event such as this. They, just two of them, played acoustic guitars and sang folksy songs with often a haunting harmony. The evening’s raffle was for the Warwicks and Northants Air Ambulance and raised about £148.

The glorious weather continued into Sunday. As the church bells rang out, we wandered around Braunston looking for answers to the treasure hunt quiz, which we handed in later that day. Then the auction began, ably conducted

by Eric Young and Bernard Morton.

There were some real bargains to be had and one or two items attracted strong bidding Bernard Morton and (a somewhat shy) Eric Young — a metal planter decauctioning a picture

24 orated with roses in the canalware style was keenly fought over. The more energetic amongst the group gathered together for another afternoon walk, whilst the rest of us sat in the bar or out in the sunshine supping beer, reading the papers or talking. The last few burgers were BBQ’d and eaten. Tim from the marina joined us, as did Richard Parry from CRT who had been unable to attend the day before. He went around meeting and chatting to those in the bar and outside, and no doubt had his ear politely burnt more than once with boaters’ concerns.

As the afternoon sun weakened, we all gathered for the fish & chip supper and, later, the quiz organised by Sam Samuells and Lynda Payton. The marquee was very full and extra tables had to be found. Prizes were given out for the Best Dressed Table, Boaters’ Quizzes, Best Turned Out Boat and the Treasure Hunt, and another raffle, in aid of the Friends of Raymond (approx £166), was held.

As the evening’s activities ended and we all drifted back to our boats, requests were made, and promises given, to help clear away in the morning. As the good weather continued on the Bank Holiday, with lots of hands to help, the marquee and awnings were dismantled and everything was soon piled up on the quay, then loaded back into Sculptor to be taken back to Stoke Bruerne. Everything on the quay was left tidy, just as if nothing had happened. As we turned our boat eastwards towards our home mooring, we took with us happy memories of a greatly enjoyable weekend when lots of new friendships were made and a few old acquaintances renewed.

Thanks to the committee who all put in lots of work behind the scenes to make it happen. It really is much appreciated. Thanks, too, to Tim Coghlan for offering an excellent venue. See you all next year, back in Northampton, in August.

The bankside outside the marina

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Our Sincere Thanks Raffle prizes and auction items were generously donated by many individuals and commercial organisations, including ABC Leisure Group, Gayton Marina The Boat Inn, Stoke Bruerne The Canal Museum, Stoke Bruerne Grand Junction Boat Company, Blisworth Arm Mill Wharf Boat Company Midland Chandlers Queen Victoria, Gayton The Navigation Inn, Stoke Bruerne Stowe Hill Workshop Walnut Tree Inn, Blisworth Whilton Marina Richard Gill Trading boat Comfortably Numb/Echoes

Our thanks also go to Braunston Marina, who generously allowed us to use the Marina and facilities; The Friends of The Canal Museum at Stoke Bruerne; and Braunston Canal Society

Prize Winners Best Turned Out Boat: Raymond and Nutfield Quiz winners: Nick Wolfe’s team Mad Jacks, who also won Best Dressed Table at fish and chip supper Sweets in Jar: Jane Beckett (nb Samson) Boaters Quizzes: Nick Wolfe (nb Aldgate) Treasure Hunt: jointly by Bob and Karin Cotter (nb Dihedral) and Nick Wolfe Left: winners of the Best Dressed Table Right: Steve Miles receiving a trophy for the Best Turned Out Boat

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Full steam ahead for the twelfth Historic Narrowboat Rally & Canal Festival at Braunston Marina, 28th – 29th June, 2014 Tim Coghlan of Braunston Marina writes: The popularity of the annual Braunston Historic Narrowboat Rally & Canal Festival is now well established. And June 2014 will see the twelfth occasion that we have hosted this unique and much loved event in our historic marina and on the adjoining canals - thanks to support from the Canal & River Trust. We are also pleased to be joined by Towpath Talk as co-sponsors, whose generous publicity will ensure that what is already THE historic narrowboat rally will continue to go from strength to strength.

We have now established a tradition of rotating the theme of the Rally between the surviving Fellow, Morton & Clayton fleet and what we have termed the other Braunston Boats – Barlows, Blue Line and Nursers, plus the GUCCC boats, all with Braunston connections. In pride of place will be the Braunston Marina based Raymond & Nutfield, lovingly looked after by the enthusiastic Friends of Raymond.

They were part of the small Blue Line fleet, the boats that took part in what transpired to be the last run under regular contract, carrying coal from Atherstone to the ‘Jam ‘Ole’ in west London, until the trade collapsed in October, 1970.

Our rallies now attract around a hundred of the estimated three hundred surviving historic narrowboats, which are in something like their original form and remain navigable. What has been an enormous pride and pleasure to me is how much the Rally WWII canal veterans, working boatwoman Laura Carter and volunteer Idle Woman Sonia Rolt, on the Nutfield in the opening parade of the 2006 Braunston Historic Narrowboat Rally. The theme of the 2014 Rally will be thecontribution to the WW1 war effort by working boatmen

27 The 75-year-old veteran working boatman Tom Lapworth at the 2013 Rally. He is seen (right ) on the Narrowboat Trust pair Nuneaton & Brighton. The Nuneaton, then owned

by British Waterways, was worked by Alice Lapworth’s parents in her childhood has encouraged their preservation and major new restoration schemes.

Each year we have seen two or three boats for the first time in various stages of restoration. Hopefully 2014 will see more.

Each year we look for a new theme for our rallies, and twelve years on they are still not that hard to find.

2014 will mark the centenary of WWI, in which the boatmen played their part. But as almost none of them could read or write, very little has been recorded of their endeavours. This is unlike WWII, where the willing pens of the Idle Women volunteers did so much to record their contribution. It is hoped that the Rally will inspire further research into WWI - information on which I know is still out there to be found.

The Rally will be officially opened by guests of honour, former working boatwoman Alice Lapworth and her brother-in-law former working boatman Tom Lapworth.

Both now in their seventies, they have memories of the canals in WWII, when as young children they travelled the canals with their parents. Tom has dramatic memories of air raids in London and Birmingham. After Alice Lapworth came off the canals in 1962, she learnt to read and write, and in 2012 she wrote a small book A Horse, A Boat, And You about her memories of canal carrying. It is a fascinating insight into family life on the working canals. The book includes what little she can recall of her grandfather Jack Wain, who bravely volunteered to fight on the Western Front – and survived - even though as a boatman he was in an exempt occupation.

In the now well established tradition, at 11.00 am on the Saturday of the Rally, Tom Lapworth will steer the motor Nutfield into the marina, towing the butty Raymond steered by Alice Lapworth – as a boatman husband and wife would have done in the working days. Their entry will be fanfared to the sound of Braunston’s church bells and music on the quayside from the local Salvation Army band – to acknowledge the

28 Sallies great works in times past in serving the poor working boatmen. (They are needed equally today in looking after the destitute living rough on the canals, and they will be a beneficiary of the Rally.)

All the other historic narrowboats with Braunston connections will be moored in the old Oxford Arm in the marina. Other historic narrowboats will be moored out on the mainline, thanks to the support of the Canal & River Trust. All historic narrowboats will be invited to participate in the now famous daily parades. The event is open to all historic narrowboats.

There will also be the famous Braunston beer tent, plus fast food and fun. Music will be provided by Ramshacle, DPN and other folk and R&B groups.

To help cover the infrastructure costs and to add to the public interest, trade exhibitors are invited to attend. Canal societies with whom the marina is associated are also invited – being offered free marquee or outside space. There will be an admission charge to the public of £10 per car. All profits will be donated, as usual, to canal and local causes, the main recipient being the canal charity, the Friends of Raymond.

The Braunston Historic Narrowboat Rally & Canal Festival is sponsored by Braunston Marina and Towpath Talk magazine, with support from the Canal & River Trust.

The success of the eleven Rallies to date has made this into THE Historic Narrowboat Rally & Canal Festival. Here’s hoping we see you here.

An Arm full: historic narrowboats and visitors galore in the Old Arm of Braunston Marina in 2012

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Problems on the Northampton Arm Your input is required, please Geoff Wood writes: At the recent CRT Spring S.E. Waterways Forum, the following two questions were asked regarding the condition of the Northampton Arm: 1. There is on-going concern about the depth of water along the Northampton Arm. The Branch receives constant complaints from boaters struggling to negotiate the channel trying to get to and from the Nene.

2. What are the plans for dredging and reed removal on the Northampton Arm, especially now there are plans for a major boat gathering on the river at Northampton in August, 2015.

The answers received were: 1. Based upon the current agreed dredging profile trigger, using data collected in 2008, whilst a small number of 50 metre cross sections fail each km length of the Northampton Arm, it does meet the dredging standards based upon a 90% compliance. The canal cross sections are re-measured every seven years i.e. in 2015 at which time the compliance to standard will be reviewed.

The Trust do receive comments regarding dredging issues on the Northampton Arm from time to time.

2. As per question 1, there are no plans for dredging the Northampton Arm at this time. The cutting of reeds is part of the annual programme and this will continue as funding allows, until a dredging scheme can be justified based upon the agreed compliance standard.

In the short question session of the meeting, the subject was raised again with what I can only describe as a “warm words� reply from CRT. As you can see from the above, these are not exactly the answers we wanted to hear. What the Branch would like to do now is to gather any information of problems when negotiating the Arm. We would just require the date, boat name, problem encountered and the location. If you would pass these details to either Bernard Morton, Chairman, at bernard.morton@waterways.org.uk or 01604 858294, mobile 07785 37578 or Geoff Wood at geoff.wood@waterways.org.uk or 01604 453932, mobile 07968 491118, we can then compile a database.

It will only be by gathering hard evidence demonstrating there is a serious problem and presenting it to CRT that we will have any realistic chance of getting anything done.

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Braunston Revisited

Part 1

Tim Coghlan meets Ian L Wright who reveals, through his fascinaƟng collecƟon of photographs taken en route to the first IWA NaƟonal Rally in 1950, a Braunston in the dying days of canal carrying From Canals & Rivers, December 2006 Chance encounters are the stuff of life. Whilst working on my Rose Whitlock series for Canals & Rivers, I found I needed another photograph of Frank Nurser - the famous Braunston based canal painter and manager of Barlows Yard in the 1930s 40s. Sonia Rolt had already given me permission to use the one that appears in her wonderful book A Canal People, and I knew of another that appears in Tony Lewry’s book on canal painting – Flowers Afloat. The copyright was held by one Ian Wright – someone I did not know - and I rang Lewry to ask how I might get permission to use it. He was somewhat unsure – ‘I wrote that book over ten years ago and have not been in touch with him since. He was the one who canoed to the first IWA Rally at Market Harborough in 1950 and stopped at Braunston and took some incredible photographs of the place. You would love to see them if they still exist. So much gets lost so easily. He must be eighty or more, but I still have the address and telephone number…’

Time did not permit writing, so I just immediately dialled. It rang, so that was a positive start. Then it rang on and on and just as I was about to give up, it was answered by a well-spoken man with a kindly voice. ‘Hello,’ I said, ‘are you Mr Ian Wright?’

I was in luck. We had a long and fascinating conversation about that trip. And yes he still had all the photographs, and yes I could use the one in Lewry’s book – my intention was to scan it in the short time available – and yes he would very much like to come and see me in the summer and bring what he had to show me that might be of interest. Might be of interest? I had just won the canal historical lottery!

Capturing the moment In early June, Wright made his visit. Waiting with me for his arrival was Martin Heath of BBC Radio Northampton – who is also something of a canal enthusiast and wanted to capture the moment of Wright’s revisit to Braunston. The three of us toured the yard and visited the docks and buildings that he knew from before, Heath recording his comments for his listeners as we went along. By chance Dave Bishop was repainting a narrow boat in our small dock — the very building in which Wright had photographed Frank Nurser. Bishop had been taught by Ron Hough, who in turn had been taught by Nurser. Fifty-six years on and some things had not changed.

Then Wright and I went to our meeting room to look at those items ‘that might be of interest’ – the ‘incredible photographs’ – it transpired he had been taught aerial photography in the Fleet Air Arm in the last years of the war - and by good fortune his

31 diary of the canoe-trip which he managed to relocate that very morning in his shed. Over the next few hours I was to learn something about this extraordinary but modest man, whose monument will be the Mon & Brec Canal which he did so much to save.

Watery background Above: Crewman Owen Prosser with the Cheswardine in front Wright has what he calls of the small dry dock: The boat building shed beyond is looking ‘a watery background to dis nctly forlorn (Ian L. Wright) my existence’ which went back several gener- Below: Ian Wright revisits the same spot: The small dry dock ations. His father was and approach are almost unchanged but the boat building shed born into a shipping fam- and FMC stables have long gone (Tim Coghlan) ily in South Shields on Tyneside, who owned a small fleet of collier brigs — two-masted vessels, squared rigged on both fore and main mast, which carried 300-400 tons of sea coal’ from Newcastle to Scandinavia and returned with cargo of timber. Wright has in his possession two old paintings, one of Earnest Wright — named after an illustrious ancestor — sailing out of the Tyne and the other a nineteenth century painting of Ann of Newcastle off Elsinor Castle in Denmark, the setting of Shakespeare’s Hamlet. The Ann was built at Thorne in 1802 and served as a supply vessel in the Crimean War, where she was bombarded by the Russians and came close to sinking. Wright’s father became a naval draughtsman and took work at Penarth Docks in South Wales, which were booming with the export of high quality Welsh steam coal to a world still very much steam-driven. His father married the daughter of a Wiltshire family who had likewise moved to work in the docks. They lived in Barry where Wright was born in 1926, by which time his father had become the South Wales Manager for the marine department of what became part of Mobil Oil. The duties included doing business with sea captains selling lubricating oils and such like, and Wright ‘as a nipper’ would sometimes accompany his father on visits to the South Wales ports going aboard various ships, which got him interested in them and the sea.

32 Canal interest His canal interest started when the family moved to Cardiff in 1943 and he began cycling along the towpath of the Glamorganshire Canal in his wartime school days.

The canal had seen better days and was in its last throws – carrying had ceased the year before with the end of the horse-drawn barges carrying flour from Cardiff Docks to the bakeries at Pontypridd – and now there were only a few canal maintenance boats still moving. Wright recalls, ‘All six of the Glamorganshire Canal Company horse boats were tied up at the Gabalfa dock yards and I wondered if they would still be there after the war.’ It was not to be and later that year the canal was formally abandoned when it was bought by the Cardiff Corporation, who after the war turned the canal company land into housing estates and finally submerged the canal itself beneath the new A470 trunk road between Cardiff and Merthyr Tydfil.

The move to Cardiff took Wright to a new high school, where the chemistry master ran a photographic club. ‘I got interested in photography and I learnt how to develop and print and work in a dark room, so I was well-equipped in one sense although I only had a Brownie box camera. But I took some memorable pictures of the maintenance boats on the canal.’ Some of these were to find their way into a remarkable book on the Welsh canals that Wright was to produce many years later.

Early in 1944, four months before his eighteenth birthday, Wright volunteered for active service – the early volunteering being done to avoid the possibility of becoming a Bevan Boy and being sent down the coal mines. He was assigned to the Royal Naval Fleet Air Arm, which picked up on his photographic interest and sent him on a course to qualify as a naval photographer, and then posted him to the torpedo school on the Moray Firth in the north of Scotland. Here he practised aerial photography from one of the last surviving Swordfish – a torpedo-carrying biplane affectionately known as the ‘stringbag’ because it was cloth-covered and had a speed of only 90 knots. But the plane had caused daring-do devastation to the Italian Fleet at Taranto and was critical in the sinking of the Bismarck partly because the German antiaircraft gunners had assumed a run-in speed 150 knots, and had adjusted their sights accordingly, thus under-shooting the planes.

Demobbed After 18 months in the forces, Wright was demobbed in 1946. He went to Cardiff College of Art and did a five year course, including painting (which he specialised) and architecture and finally a teaching course. He recalled, ‘I was drawn to the canals and I never thought for one moment that after the war there would be anyone interested in them like I was. Then Tom Rolt’s Narrow Boat (1944) opened doors to a hidden world. To see active canals in England was an eye-opener for me after living with so much dereliction on the South Wales waterways. Then I heard about Tom Rolt and Robert Aickman founding of the Inland Waterways Association in 1946, and the following year I joined and have been a member ever since.’

The long summer holidays at art college gave him time to explore further afield. In 1948 he bought his first canoe, a prewar its frame could be collapsed and flattened, the hull being lined in rubberized canvas. ‘It did fold, but as the hull had been around rather a long time, I didn’t do it up very often because this affected the leaks.’ He

33 named his c a n o e Cheswardine after the canal-village on the Shropshire Union which Tom Rolt so eulogized about in his Narrow Boat. ‘I had great fun in the boat and Se ng off from Cardiff: Wright’s 17 Folbot Cheswardine on the roof of a had some friend’s Ford Prefect with ‘lots and lots of gear inside.’ Wright followed by friends at art train to Birmingham when he met his crew (Ian L Wright) college who used to come out with me, as it was a heavy boat to carry around all the disused locks in South Wales. They were all disused when I first started – the Brecon and Abergavenny Canal and all. We went down the Tenant Canal, the Neath Canal, the Swansea Canal and explored all of those, and the Monmouth and Breconshire Canal which was of course in rather better state.’ He recorded his travels in photographs and drawings, some of which were included in his graduation thesis entitled Canals of Britain.

In 1949 Wright visited London for the IWA’s annual dinner – a rather grand affair in the Temple Restaurant in the Strand, where the main speakers were Robert Aickman and Peter Scott. Earlier that day he and some other attendees went on a narrow boat trip along the Regent’s Canal on the paired Cairo and Warwick steered by George Smith and his wife Sonia – who was later to become Sonia Rolt. A year later Wright was to meet them again at Braunston.

Receiving Endeavour electronically To help keep the production costs of Endeavour within acceptable and affordable limits, your Branch Committee again requests that you consider receiving the newsletter electronically, thus saving on the most costly aspect—namely, postage charges. Some of you, of course, have already signed up to accept the electronic version, which means that you see the illustrations in colour, but the numbers are still a low percentage of our total Branch membership.

We realise there will always be many of you who will prefer to remain with the printed version, but those who wish to switch, then please email Geoff Wood at geoff.wood@waterways.org.uk and he will do the necessary.

Editor

34 A WALK ON THE WILD SIDE A series of walks is being organised by Stoke Bruerne Canal Partnership as part of the Heritage Lottery Funded Interpretation Project. The walks will be led by recently trained volunteers in conjunction with project consultants and Towcester Wildlife Trust and will be themed to appeal to different audiences and interest groups. The first one, a Wild Walk on 29th May for families, will concentrate on the Nature Reserve and will involve a number of hands-on activities. See the Diary page for details of all the planned walks during the summer months.

The walks are free but numbers are strictly limited, so book your place by telephoning 01604 862229 now.

Wild Walk at Stoke Bruerne Thursday 29th May. Two walks aimed at families starting at 11am and 2pm from front of Canal Museum. Walks to Nature Reserve and back with activities. Duration 1½ hours approx. (Numbers limited to 15 people max for each walk).

Heritage Walks for Grandparents & Grandchildren at Stoke Bruerne Thursday 7th August starting at 2pm from front of Canal Museum.

Wildlife Safari at Stoke Bruerne Thursday 28th Aug at 2pm from front of Canal Museum led in partnership with Wildlife Trust volunteers.

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SUPPLIES We are a family run, customer friendly business based adjacent to Bridge 32 at Nether Heyford. Our service point is clear of moored boats making your stop quick and easy. We offer the following services:

 DIESEL – always competively priced  PUMP OUT – no meter clock here  BLUE TOILET FLUID  ODORLOS – organic waste tank treatment

 CALOR GAS – all sizes of bottled gas including Camping Gaz.

 SOLID FUELS – all types of smokeless fuel or coal. Plus firelighters, sticks and logs.  CHARNWOOD STOVES – all sizes of multi-fuel stoves with or without boilers  MORRIS OILS – popular grades of engine oil plus water resistant grease  FUEL SET FUEL CONDITIONER

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DINE IN STYLE IN WOODWARD’S CANALSIDE RESTAURANT 01604 862428 www.boatinn.co.uk

RECYCLING REMINDER The Branch recycles ink jet cartridges and mobile phones to raise cash to help local projects.

Please bring them along to Branch meetings or ring 01604 767212 to arrange collection.

Please no Epson ink tanks.

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Buckingham Canal Society Our annual festival at Cosgrove this year takes place over the weekend of the 19th-20th July returning to the original time, a week before the very popular Linslade festival. This year it should be an even better event than in previous years as we have booked Cosgrove Village Hall and will be running a craft festival in the village hall as well as the usual events by Cosgrove Lock.

Our cake stall volunteers will have the extra space needed to provide teas and coffee and cakes in a very pleasant environment. As well as increasing the number of stalls we can accommodate at the festival, we have the village hall booked from 9am on Saturday until 17.00 on Sunday, so in case of really bad weather we could move most of the festival inside the hall, including the evening entertainment on Saturday night, but let’s hope this won’t be necessary and we have the brilliant weather we had last year! If you know of anyone who might be interested in booking a space at the village hall or helping at the event please email events@buckinghamcanal.org.uk.

On the restoration front, our volunteers have been working at our Hyde Lane Nature Reserve site assisted by pupils from Furze Down school who are taking part in the Duke of Edinburgh scheme. Over the Christmas period the children made Christmas wreaths at the school; these were then sold and the money donated to a charity. This year they choose the BCS as their charity and I received a cheque for ÂŁ100 which will be put to very good use by the Society. At the Nature Reserve site our volunteers have been clearing the drainage ditch between the canal and the adjoining landowner land and improving the area around the lock. Those of you who have visited the site will have seen the lock gates donated by CRT from the Northampton Arm. When these gates were being installed, a pair of the original gates were found in the lock chamber; these gates were removed and over the past few weeks volunteers have been turning them into seats and at our last work party these were installed next to the lock and painted black and white.

Our work parties have now moved back to Cosgrove where the plans are to continue working towards getting this section of the canal in water by building more bunds and rewatering it in stages. One bund has already been completed and work will continue to build further bunds and if everything goes to plan we may have the first section in water by the middle of May. A lot of work has already been carried out to improve the towpath and walkers have already noted the improvements.

One of our aims this year is to increase the number of team building days carried out by visiting companies and so far we have had one very successful event with a company called Delico. Four more are planned for the future with a variety of companies which include Santander and PricewaterhouseCoopers plus two events with the Home Retail group which consists of Homebase and Argos.

The work parties continue throughout the year on alternate Thursdays and on the second Sunday of each month and volunteers now have the opportunity of working with Blue, the excavator donated by the IWA. Athina Beckett, Buckingham Canal Society

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For further details, either visit or ring O1604 859726 / 07761 833049 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.

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ADVERTISING 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.

CLASSIFIEDS

COMMERCIAL RATES (suggested donations) 1/4 Page (box) £12.00 1/2 Page (box) £25.00 Full Page £40.00 Discount of 10% for 4 issues 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

BRANCH SOCIAL MEETINGS Regular Branch Social Meetings are held on the second Tuesday of each month from September to May inclusive at

THE WALNUT TREE INN, BLISWORTH, at 8pm

All members and non-members welcome.

Food and drink available

NEXT MEETING: TUESDAY, 9TH SEPTEMBER Speaker to be announced The next edition of Endeavour will be published August 2014

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WHO’S WHO IN NORTHAMPTON BRANCH 2014/2015 Branch Chairman Bernard Morton 07785 375787 E-mail: bernard.morton @waterways.org.uk

Branch Secretary Sandie Morton E-mail: sandie.morton @waterways.org.uk

Treasurer Alex Madisons E-mail: alex.madisons @waterways.org.uk

Newsletter & Joint Website Editor Tony Clarke 07939 977859 E-mail: tony.clarke @waterways.org.uk

Branch Meetings Graham Treagus E-mail: graham.treagus @waterways.org.uk

Boat Gathering Chairman Michael Butler E-mail: michael.butler @waterways.org.uk

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

Committee Member David Higgins E-mail: david.higgins @waterways.org.uk

Publicity Officer & Joint Website Editor

Committee Member

Lynda Payton

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

E-mail:lynda.payton @waterways.org.uk

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

John Pomfret

Committee Member Steve Miles E-mail: steve.miles @waterways.org.uk

Boat Gathering Non-Committee posts Sales: Catriona Butler 01604 473756 Endeavour Assistant Editor/ Advertising & Distribution, Archivist Roger Hasdell 01604 767212

Sub-Committee members Michael Butler (Chairman), Catriona Butler, Linda Clarke, Tony Clarke, Roger Hasdell, Alex Madisons, Steve Miles, Bernard Morton, Sandie Morton, Sam Samuells and Eric Young.