Janet Rigby

I have just been looking at the letters sent to me by John all those years ago. I am also looking for all the images I used for my earlier books, I did find one of your uncle in his younger days and a cutting of boats being pulled by a steamer at Bolton le Sands. I also used information from taped recordings that I got from the Lancashire Film Archive. I take it that your uncle is no longer with us, so if you would like the photo I have found of him and transcripts from his letters, I would be pleased to send them to you. Anything else I find I will let you know. Not sure how this messaging works. My email address is rigbyjanet5@gmail.com I could e-mail you the photo of John. I remember he was such a character, and his tapes gave me such valuable information. Just been looking at the photo you sent me with Dan Ashcroft at the tiller.

I have just been looking at the letters sent to me by John all those years ago. I am also looking for all the images I used for my earlier books, I did find one of your uncle in his younger days and a cutting of boats being pulled by a steamer at Bolton le Sands. I also used information from taped recordings that I got from the Lancashire Film Archive. I take it that your uncle is no longer with us, so if you would like the photo I have found of him and transcripts from his letters, I would be pleased to send them to you. Anything else I find I will let you know.

I am new to this group. My husband is descended from the Lancaster Canal Ashcroft family of boatmen who were one of the main carriers on this canal carrying limestone from Kendal and Coal from Wigan tipped on to canal boats at Preston to go north, thus the name Black and White Canal. Some years ago I wrote two books about life on this canal from interviews with people connected to this waterway and information gleaned from recorded info from the Lancashire Film Archive. All these people have now gone and I was most fortunate to get digital copies of family photographs, most of which had never been published before. I was also indebted to the Lancaster Canal Trust which is still fighting to regain the northern reaches towards Kendal, which were lost when the M6 was constructed. I am intending writing a revised version, using info and photos that I couldn't publish before for lack of space and wonder if there is anyone who had ancestors working this canal and have any photos or stories of their life. The canal closed to commercial traffic in 1947 but is widely used for pleasure cruising, having been connected to the main canal network for the first time in 2000. We used to have a narrow boat called Benjamin No 48 after my husband's family barge, starting off on the Leeds Liverpool and then moving to the Lancaster. We also cruised the canal network, going as far as London. Again any information would be appreciated.