Ouse News Page 9 Branch member, Ivan Cane, became an Honorary Life Member of the IWA in 2021 - 60 years a member! I asked him some questions about his sixty years of membership: Q. How did you first become interested in Canals? A. As a teen I spent too much time in Colchester Public Library, and loved collecting Esso Maps (at 6d each) . I read this fictional book about a group of children undertaking a mystery bike ride across England, and I followed the clues and story on the Esso maps. At one point they go onto a narrowboat and through a canal tunnel. Exploring the canal’s dotted lines on the map, I found that it went to London, Birmingham and beyond. I decided to find out more about canals, and in the well stocked library section there was this book, Introducing Canals by Charles Hadfield. I read it from cover to cover - fascinated. I moved onto Rolt’s Inland Waterways of England, De Mares Canals of England and of course Rolt’s Narrow Boat. I was hooked. I even asked for Introducing Canals to be my Form prize in 1959! I also persuaded my parents to hire a Deans Pleasure Boat from Christleton near Chester at the time. We managed to boat to Trevor Basin and Nantwich, including the Pontcysyllte aqueduct - and exploring the disused Frankton Lock flight. Q. What inspired you to join the IWA? A. Using the Notes and Guides at the back of Hadfield’s book, I sent off for various hire boat brochures, and also juggled whether to join the Inland Waterways Preservation Society or the IWA, opting for the latter in early 1960. Soon I was the secretary of the River Stour Action Committee and a committee member of the 1961 Aylesbury Rally of Boats. In those days there was plenty of opportunity for the lay member to join in with activities.
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