As judy has now confirmed provenance, Ithought I would add my 'twopennorth'. Its from quite early on I would think. Probably early 70's from the time when we first went to work for UCC at Braunston in 1970. In the very early days she sold stuff from a tinsmiths handcart on the towpath and was always looking for unusual things to paint.Later as Dave Moore says we started Canal Ware Supplies in the old warehouse at Chester Basin (grateful thanks to Jim Marshall) before returning to Bottom Lock Braunston in 1978.Thanks to Chris Barneys help we set up shop in the old Willow Wren stores (now Wharf House Chandlery) and traded in Judy's painted stuff and all sorts of canal antiques,brassware,measham,prints and books etc for collectors. Some grey hairs may remember us from that time.In 1981 after some energetic dredging by BW the canal bank collapsed taking a corner of the shop with it. End of Canalware Supplies! Happy times though the 70's I think. We never had much money but we earned a living through our own boat and working a pair for UCC,bringing up a family & latterly running what I think was probably one of the first canal side shops selling authentic collectables. As I've been a canal book collector for over 40 years I will probably now be boring the socks of those who may stumble across my intended old book stories and canal reminescences on my intended blog.
Mick.
