Duchess

There are a lack of pictures on here and I can see it’s an old post, so I’m interested in this one. Roller handle, there are others around. This is the first one I’ve seen 😎

Hi its never too late, thank you I hadn’t seen tis one ever it must have been taken between the locks somewhere near the top of the arm I’ll have a walk down there to see if I can work out where. yes I’ll see if I can source a copy, do you know which motor that is?

Hi I thought i'd responded to this earlier but apparently not. We Certainly don't intend to exclude anyone, 90 years is a good old age so anyone ore any boats of any age are welcome! It would be nice to see a great mix of boats. Drop us an email to batchworthboatrally@gmail.com We can add you to the priority bookings list when bookings open in the new year.

Yes that’s CALDY

Calling all GUCCCo, FMC, Severn & Canal boats.particularly those built in 1935 as next year the Batchworth Boat Rally would like to see them all gathering at Batchworth in Rickmansworth to celebrate their 90 years. We are holding the second Batchworth Boat Rally GUC South at Lock 81 - 82 as this year was a huge success. The rally will take place on 17/18th May, two weeks after the cavalcade at Little Venice. If you wish to attend by boat (Of any age) Please put the date in your calendar for next year and drop us an email then we will make sure to include you on the mailing list when bookings open in January. batchworthboatrally@gmail.com Ive posted this event on the events page so you will always be able to find it 🙂

Thank you for your pictures it’s always nice to see different angles - views of her. The video was taken on the Sunday after the parade when we decided to have our own little jolly when it was quiet 😀 OTLEY and CYGNUS were actually working as a pair and were together for a few years in the early 2000’s until around 2010 when they were split up. I have quite a few old pics of CYGNUS also with different motors, some old pics and some modern ones. I do have some more of the Stratford rally as well. Somewhere.

If I may add some interest to this topic, I’m sorry but it won’t really identify the builder of the op’s boat though but it should add to the story. My boat was fabricated in 1973 for Rugby Boats at Hillmorton. Colecraft was mentioned on some of my paperwork so I did some research and phone calling. Colecraft told me that they did not form their business until 1974 so mine could not have been built by them. They also told me that they marked all of their hulls, usually around the weed hatch area, this would also determine the fact. So I went to Rugby boats at Hillmorton (this was in 2910/11) they were no longer there but the chandlery and hire company was and so too were some of the original staff, I spoke to Ian who told me that Boughton Fabrications in Rugby fabricated the hull of mine in the AEI building and it was a special order. This has since been confirmed by the fabricator himself Dave Salisbury. Interestingly enough two other people have told me that at that time one of the Cole brothers worked at Boughton Fabrication, could this have been the start of the Colecraft similarities? sorry this won’t really help but it will clarify some dates of who did what and where. Colecraft may have already given you the answers.

Thank you so much.

Thank you that’d be great i took my pictures and I have a video somewhere in November 2009 at Hillmorton.

Hi no it was this one, Daisy Ashford, at Lapworth. Not quite above Oxford but Lichfield was at Oxford after 1985 On thinking about it that would be very late 90’s i have only just found out who was on LICHFIELD from 1986 to about 2004 then I saw LICHFIELD myself in 2009 at Hillmorton. 2010 she was taken out of the water and broken up 😭

Hi Piers i have sent you a private message, I hope you find it.

Well I never Thank you, I will hang on to that link I have searched but didn’t really know how to get Old maps. Cassiobury is interesting too. That’s just what I wanted, the row of cottages.

I’m beginning to think that Grove Wharf and Lady Capels Wharf had two different functions. there now stands a Grove Wharf House with Lady Capels right next door. these are both to the north of the footpath from the road to the canal on the south of the footpath there are some cottages but not as old as 1940’s they are part of what is Affinity Water. Could that be the site of Grove wharf originally?

Do you have any pictures or the date of the article?