boats&goats

Last week the water can from nb *Hampstead* was in use again. After being used to collect donations, then sitting on Keith's coffin for a few minutes full of spring flowers it went with Tania & I to visit the Stafford Chemo Unit. We presented a cheque for £600 in memory of Keith Ball. Much of this was raised at the "Wake" we organised at "The Hartley Arms" on Feb 27th, a canalside pub in Wheaton Aston not far from Keith's boatyard at Stretton. The three nurses in the pic (Sarah, Bev & Lorraine) looked after Keith for over 5 years & he thought the world of them. Grateful thanks to all who made this magnificent donation possible. We will be visiting the unit again in July after it has moved to a new location in the hospital with more space. I hope to see Keith's presentation cheque on the wall somewhere. Cheers, Christine.

Last week the water can from nb *Hampstead* was in use again. After being used to collect donations, then sitting on Keith's coffin for a few minutes full of spring flowers it went with Tania & I to visit the Stafford Chemo Unit. We presented a cheque for £600 in memory of Keith Ball. Much of this was raised at the "Wake" we organised at "The Hartley Arms" on Feb 27th, a canalside pub in Wheaton Aston not far from Keith's boatyard at Stretton. The three nurses in the pic (Sarah, Bev & Lorraine) looked after Keith for over 5 years & he thought the world of them. Grateful thanks to all who made this magnificent donation possible. We will be visiting the unit again in July after it has moved to a new location in the hospital with more space. I hope to see Keith's presentation cheque on the wall somewhere. Cheers, Christine Ball.

Thanks to you all. Today I have paid into the bank all the cash, cheques & PayPal donations collected in Keith's memory. £600 in total which is a magnificent effort. I am hoping to take a cheque to the Stafford Chemo Unit later this week. C.x

Dear Roger. Yes I pop in to CWF when I can though am still working out how it all works! Please don't worry. I am fine. Mainly due to having so much support from our three boys & their girls. Also I have had a long time to get my head round the inevitable outcome. I do think however that had Keith not picked up a nasty infection that was doing the rounds he would have continued his battle but it was not meant to be. Yes I would certainly love to keep in touch with you & many thanks for your mobile. C.x

To all who have contributed to this thread thank you so much. Keith & I met when we were both 15. Our families lived in Hathersage in the Hope Valley, Derbyshire. After leaving school Keith spent five years at Sheffield College of Art. Boat building, especially the restoration of old classic narrowboats was the perfect way for him to express his artistic ability some years later. He had a real "eye" for detail & lines and couldn't stand any imperfections. We discovered the canals in the early 1970's while working for Sheffield local authority as social workers. Keith ran an art therapy unit & I started keeping goats helped by children who were classed as emotionally disturbed. Most were wonderful kids but from disturbed or dysfunctional families. We took them on several canal holidays which they loved. And we discovered that we loved it too. Our first narrowboat purchased in 1981 was a 1912 70' Stewarts & Lloyds called "Gerald". Keith built a separate fore-cabin so that I could house two Golden Guernsey goats. We soon became known around the system as the "goat boat". People may have forgotten our names but they didn't forget the goats! We spent 8 wonderful years afloat by which time Keith had acquired other boats too. The butty Malvern was one of the first. I recall us filling that with a load of lucerne hay for the goats! Over the years many others followed. Some are still waiting patiently for restoration. But sadly the boss is now gone. He fought a long battle against multiple myeloma for over 5 years. He had two stem cell transplants (using his own cells) and the latest drugs. He was one of 40 patients in the country on a research project. He was due for a donor transplant in 2014 but his myeloma flared up just prior to being admitted to QE and it never took place. He picked up an infection in late January and his immune system just couldn't cope. His liver and kidneys let him down but he wasn't in pain and the end was peaceful. His last wish was for us or organise a wake with the first round on him. With much help from our three sons & their girls that is what we did. The Hartley Arms at Wheaton Aston was full to bursting, It was a joyous celebration of his life & a very memorable afternoon. Our close friend Iain McTavish gave a wonderful speech which had us all laughing. Keith would have been delighted I know. The water can from nb "Hampstead" (beautifully painted by Mavis Blunn) was available for any donations to the Stafford Chemo Unit. I am delighted to say to any of you that were present or contributed that I will shortly be writing a cheque for £600. A magnificent effort. Keith was well known for his stories. He really should have written a book but I'm sure they will not be forgotten. Anyway the boss is gone but his boatyard carries on. We'll be doing our best to offer services as usual at Stretton Wharf on the Shroppie but we have big boots to fill. Love to all, Christine. x

Dear Roger. It has been a bit of a struggle to access this forum but with help from site manager Daniel I have finally made it. My dear friend Clair Butler mentioned your tribute to Keith so I really wanted to read it & be able to respond. I remember the night we met you clearly. I think we were somewhere near Kidsgrove heading north. We came round a corner in the dark & you were standing on the bank on our left shouting to us. We tied up and the rest as they say is history. "Floating farmyard" made me laugh. Yes there were 2 Golden Guernsey goats in the fore-cabin, 2 English Setters + 1 Cornish Rex cat in the cabin but sadly I never had any chickens though would have liked some! I never realised what an impact that evening had on you but am so glad it was good. Keith always held you in high regard & enjoyed his meetings with you so much. I'd forgotten you had "Bream" for a while. Keith found it (minus the stern end) on an industrial site and restored it back to original full length. I helped design the interior and was sad we didn't keep it. I think at that time with two young sons we were about to move into a house. And "Sultan" now thought to be "Baroness" (& called "Briton" during WW2) is still waiting it's turn. And I also recall him coming back from seeing that ex-Admiralty tug (in Lancs?) enthusing about the possibilities. The motor sailer "Apollonia" a beautiful steel De Waal Kotter is still in our boatyard. I so wanted to get that boat to Paxos our favourite Greek island. I envisaged us spending a few months of the year sailing around the Adriatic & Aegean but that was not meant to be. Cancer is such a cruel disease as so many know. Keith fought multiple myeloma hard for over 5 years having two stem cell transplants along the way. He was working right to the end and hated the periods when he wasn't well enough to go to the boatyard. Having spent 5 years at Sheffield Art College, building boats, especially restoring old ones was like giant sculpture in metal. He had a great "eye" for detail and lines and couldn't stand anything less than perfection. A hard act to follow but we will be doing our best to keep his boatyard running. Thank you so much for your post Roger & please keep in touch. Much love from Christine. x

Aah shucks

Thanks Phil. I don't usually have time to get onto the boat lists (too busy with my goat lists!) and didn't realise I hadn't posted any info to this one until this morning. Plover will be fine. Both ends, cabin/engine are undamaged. Work is already underway on her hull where two of her vertical butt seams gave way. She will be returned to her owners good as new. Contrary to newspaper reports she did not end up in a tree! No trees anywhere near where Keith cranes the boats. Remarkable how a reporter turned up within minutes. Many thanks to those who have posted messages of support. Times like this you find out who your friends are. Cheers, Christine. quote name='Phil Speight' date='May 30 2008, 03:39 PM' post='237459'] Yes he is - and always has been . This is an unfortunate accident that could have severe implications - so I think we should all wait and see rather than leap to conclusions now. The boat will certainly not have "broken it`s back" and with luck may not be badly damaged. In a day or two it will be said to have fallen from a bleedin` helicopter if we`re not careful . Cheers Phil

Have you any idea of the costs involved in getting an old boat into the condition that Battersea for example is in? And if you want to live on board, which many enthusiasts do, then I see nothing wrong with having a good quality fitout. Battersea is superb, and IMHO you get what you pay for. What makes me sick is all the modern crap with cheap tack fitouts that are seriously overpriced.