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Hi everyone I’m trying to locate a barge owned by my Irish grandfather who brought up lots of children (one of them my dad of course!) whilst carting goods along the local canal network. He left Oxford Uni to marry a Lancashire Lass called Winifred and I am trying to find the roots! He never returned to his native shores but his barge was named after him, William, I believe (Cos his name was William) He called himself a ‘carter’ (once found on a marriage certificate, now lost) and moved goods between Stoke-on -Trent and Liverpool, as well as some trips along the Leeds/Liverpool canal. And the only evidence I have is the name of the boat “William” and Boatmaker, Joseph Rayner, Runcorn! (From a picture hung on my wall). I only have one photo of my father. All this was purveyed to me at my fathers funeral, where I met all my uncles from Runcorn, Frodsham and Northwich! It’s the only link I have to my ancestry from Ireland! if anyone can suggest how I can ‘dig’ for info on the boat, (It has a feint number, a name and a maker) it would help a lot. If I can attach a photo, I will. I believe it is a barge if anyone can enlighten me!? I only need one good single lead to start delving. I feel I have a long interesting journey of discovery ahead of me and am enthralled by the whole subject of life on the canals, especially as it relates to my profession! Thanks for reading! Kind regards Sent from my iPad Laurence O’Neill FCILT, MBA(Dist.), BSc (Hons), FACA Fellow & Institute Champion, Chartered Institute of Logistics & Transportation Visiting Lecturer, Keele University CONFIDENTIAL: This email and any files transmitted with it are confidential and intended solely for the use of the individual or entity to whom they are addressed. If you have received this email in error, or are not the intended recipient, please delete it from your system. Disclosing, copying, distributing or taking any action in reliance on the contents of this information is strictly prohibited. Thank you.

First post in any type of online forum in my life, so please correct me gently in the event I go about this the wrong way! My partner Catherine and I are a couple of horticulturists from the eastern US. I spent time at the RHS garden Wisley, in Surrey, in the early 1990's. We're looking for an affordable narrowboat holiday in the UK, and had the idea to offer up our Appalachian mountains wilderness cabin in trade. However, in doing my homework on this site and others, I've learned of the several potential pitfalls for a private boat owner in the UK, who is not in proper compliance for hire, loaning out their boat in this way. Seems some of that is up for debate if no money changes hands, but just the same... l fully appreciate the concerns of the many boat owners on here who might tangle with a private boat being operated by someone without the owner aboard. So, having said all of that, we're not at all opposed to having the owners on board while cruising for a holiday of a couple of weeks, and of course we'll pitch in with all of the duties! Seems a fantastic way to learn the finer points of canal boating, and make international friends! In return, either before or after our UK holiday, we'd like to host the boat owner and family as our guests at our mountain cabin. In truth, while things are far less complicated compliance-wise on our end, we really need to spend at least a day or two getting visitors to our cabin acquainted with its functional quirks, and oriented to the forest. We want to be excellent guides and hosts, so that our guests can make the most of their wilderness holiday amid 190,000 acres of protected state forest--after we depart and let them have the cabin to themselves! We would love to discuss this opportunity further with anyone interested. Just like you, we want to have a great time, without exposing ourselves to undue risks in the process. Catherine and I have prepared a document fully and honestly describing our rustic, secluded cabin and it's amenities and limitations, as well as all of the opportunities for recreation in the surrounding forest. It also outlines our intent to allow you to have this holiday for little more than the cost of your food, as we intend to provide ground transportation and generally facilitate your family's needs as your hosts. And since a picture is worth a thousand words, we've also created a Google video and photo gallery where you'll meet us and see exactly what Raven Rocks cabin and the Moshannon State Forest have to offer. The Hilton, it is not, but with a little effort, you can have a hot bath or shower, and the forest is sublime. Please reply in the forum, or email interloc001 at gmail dot com for further information. (Apparently, if I type it out that way, the spambots won't pick up and abuse my email address!) Thanks for reading! -Glenn and Catherine