Derek R.

Hmm, I see Amazon are out. Tried Uxbridge? Library request might turn a copy up, at least for reading. Ooh! - Stoke Bruerne museum shop? Braunston yes. Ian and Tina are steering, I'm tagging along. Tried for it last year but beaten by Sunstroke (small hat/big head), hire boaters, and lack of on-board 'stuff'. Cheers - Derek

Never took to 'Troubled Waters', Too much personality clash for me. 'Kit' Gayford's 'Amateur Boatwoman' is good. 'The Bargee' - despite the crass technical errors - I love it! Likewise with 'Painted Boats', we'd be poorer without them. It's probable that "The Two" written of, though strictly speaking part of the Maffas flight, were being called such as they were - and still are by many - 'Peter's Two', after which follow the seven (Southbound). Similarly, Soulbury Three is a comparatively modern term, they were always 'Stoke Hammond Three', and what is nowadays called Stoke Hammond lock was known as 'Talbot's'. The village of Stoke Hammond is also a little larger than Soulbury and a bit nearer the cut, which may have had something to do with it. If the village was nearer, it seems possible that the 'Three' would be associated with fetching a few supplies from the 'nearest' place. Bit of a calculated guess though. Don't know why Fenny went to 'Fenney'. It was pronounced 'Finny', and if asking how is that spelt, there may have been some who would take a shot at it without knowing the correct way. Someone may have known there was an 'e' in it, but sounding like 'Finny', put one in after the 'n'. Though she only had to look at a map. But then if the map was old enough . . . To a boatman, did it matter how it got spelt? There's lots now that don't carry their once 'common' names; Talbot's, Walker's, Chain, Five paddle, Corkett's two, Pool's, Neal's, Nags Head Three - that's Seabrook. Only just found this forum, interesting crack. Bit slow on the NBOC Yahoo group. Don't take me too seriously in word, though in appearance I may look a threatening old misery - can't help the way I look, quite happy for a leg-pull, but not too hard on the left one - NHS shrapnel. Might meet some of you next weekend. Only been around the cut since '80, so I'm no boatman.

Will this do? http://s80.photobucket.com/albums/j161/Deg...MayPICT0118.flv

I cannot remember the location or the year exactly, but clearly Christmas, and possibly Cowley. Barnham and Angel with domestic coal during John and Sue Yates ownership. Josh might have been a baby then, or on the way. Maybe something to do with the 'night-hood' on the tiller. Early eighties. Derek