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Tonic required. Send in your photos of what is nice on the waterways now.


DandV

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Once common in France, now no longer. All I can recall of this particular sighting was that it had becpme sufficiently unusual for a photo to be taken. It was probably on the Canal du Midi.

 

Long, long ago using a canal for clothes washing was common. Easy access was provided at many a village, as here, and sizeable groups would attend, scrubbing hard and chatting, Then the washing machine became affordable, and it stopped. Cue an L T C Rolt-ian moment to deplore the passing of another traditional pursuit.

PICT0558.jpg

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7 hours ago, Richard T said:

 

 

7 hours ago, Richard T said:

On this day 2010 - Braunston boat rally

 

2038079242_Braunston2010006.jpg.fa955cbf4e15fcd9de9f3daf99138165.jpg

 

Sarah and Jim on Chertsey - this was taken shortly after the boat had been bought by Sarah

 

 

We were moored round near the A45 bridge

Edited by ditchcrawler
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On 24/06/2020 at 07:50, Dorlan said:

'Ned’s Cottage,' named after Ned Taylor who lived here for most of his life...

nedscottage2.jpg

Ned in May 1992 minus his bowler hat which has been "borrowed" for the photo.

We were privileged to be shown around his cottage by him.

He was born in the cottage and the cot he first slept in was still in place then.

 

  

2020-06-27_104707.jpg

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13 hours ago, John Liley said:

 

Once common in France, now no longer. All I can recall of this particular sighting was that it had becpme sufficiently unusual for a photo to be taken. It was probably on the Canal du Midi.

 

Long, long ago using a canal for clothes washing was common. Easy access was provided at many a village, as here, and sizeable groups would attend, scrubbing hard and chatting, Then the washing machine became affordable, and it stopped. Cue an L T C Rolt-ian moment to deplore the passing of another traditional pursuit.

PICT0558.jpg

Two bateau-lavoir are preserved at Laval, on the Mayenne, seen here in 2004.

2004 Bateau-lavoir at Laval.jpg

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We've spotted quite a few (usually stone-built) lavoirs beside the French waterways but I don't think we've ever seen one in use. We have occasionally been tempted to take a bit of washing into one and have a scrub, but we haven't got round to it yet.

 

It was certainly still in full swing when I went to France for the first time with my parents, in the early 1960s. When I got back to school in September my class had to write compositions about our holidays, and I can remember my teacher (and my Dad) howling with laughter at my solemn assertion "In Brittany it is a common sight to see women washing in the river".

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Stourport as it was, around 1950. A local councillor went on to say "The Waterways Executive has already offered the basins to us if we want them. It would provide a wonderful opportunity to provide car parks and recreation grounds." Local boatbuilder Holt Abbott led the campaign to save the place (though there were fillings-in, principally the basin nearest the camera, to which craft once brought coal to feed the power station).

Stourort.jpeg

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1 hour ago, John Liley said:

Stourort.jpegStourport as it was, around 1950. A local councillor went on to say "The Waterways Executive has already offered the basins to us if we want them. It would provide a wonderful opportunity to provide car parks and recreation grounds." Local boatbuilder Holt Abbott led the campaign to save the place (though there were fillings-in, principally the basin nearest the camera, to which craft once brought coal to feed the power station).

 

 

 

[PS - my emphasis]

 

 

 

 

 

 

On 14/06/2020 at 14:18, Richard T said:

On [14 June] 2018 StourportIMG_7389.JPG.d83a401a5195bd25222946e8c8ebdc78.JPG

 

The unused basin. It was re-excavated when the housing was built and for some reason has never been used!!

 

 

 

 

 

2017 view of the blocked entrance to the re-excavated basin. Canalworld threadL2687_20170925_0172s.jpg.a4940bc923c2c560287e51039bb93c9e.jpg

 

Edited by PeterScott
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