Jump to content

Team “The Workers” Virtual BCN Challenge 2020 Cruise Log


Featured Posts

I’m off to visit the home of George and Elizabeth Neal on Ocker Hill Road. This was probably their home from sometime in 1850s to the late 1860s and was likely rented since George was a boatman. Like his brother James who we’ve already heard about he came to the boats in adult life.

 

He married Elizabeth Drakeford, the sister of Henry Drakeford of the Leam we saw yesterday. That was in Banbury in 1848 and within 10 years they were making a living on the BCN. By 1871 census they were based in Middlewich but in 1881 were on a boat at Polesworth.

 

The house is of interest because it was the birthplace of David Neal in 1857, possibly the only one of their children not born on a boat. He was also the only boy amongst seven siblings. Working the canals around the BCN as a boat boy from a young age he later became an owner boatman with his pair of horseboats Sunflower and Water Lily registered on the BCN, Grand Junction Canal, Oxford Canal and the Pool of London. I’m told the latter was quite rare for such boats.

 

He married Rebecca Thompson, herself the daughter of a boatman and who had been raised on boats, but who after marriage flat refused to bring up her children on a boat as she had been. They rented a house close to Sutton Stop in the 1890s and remained there.

 

At face value Rebecca Thompson was from the Leicestershire/Northamptonshire area but was actually the daughter of Isaac Thompson of West Bromwich, himself the son of Isaac Thompson of Smethwick, boatmen both. It’s even possible she was the great great grandchild of an Isaac Thompson recorded as steerer of boats on the Birmingham Canal in the 1795 Warwickshire boat registrations.

 

I’d like to think so, it would make me an eighth generation BCN boater and a first generation virtual one.

 

What chance our ancestors will be cruising the BCN in the 23rd century, and will it be real or virtual?

  • Greenie 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

After visiting Ocker Hill Road I walk up Gospel Oak Road to where it meets the line of the Bradley Locks branch. I’m back in the present so I can walk the lower part of the line as it now is and then retrace it in the past when it was operational.

 

I’ve joined just above the second lock and looking up the hill I see a sight redolent of the Black Country.
 

A34B626C-1C10-44B1-AEB7-446D9249E434.jpeg

Photo from Bradley Canal Trust

 

 

It’s the lower two locks that are the only ones with visible remains. 

 

8D889E7B-5274-4786-9919-476E61215B05.jpeg

Photo from Wikipedia (cos it’s a lot more useful than it’s credited for)

 

Below the former locks the channel still holds water so I follow the path along the northern bank and on reaching Moorcroft Junction cross the main line of the Walsall Canal to gain the towpath on the far side. The boat has beaten me here and the crew are waiting impatiently. They wait for me to reboard before we move back in time.

 

 

We ascend the locks at a highly uniform pace and at the top stop to take a view down the flight. At face value there’s a number of places this photo might have been taken.

 

09538006-64EA-4CEE-A242-7AF2DDE6EBAB.jpeg

Photo from Bradley Canal Trust (other sources are available)
 

As we depart the branch an argument breaks out as to whether we did eight locks or nine locks. We settle on nine. I’ve no idea where anyone got the idea there were only eight from.

 

The layout of canals is very complicated here and even looking at the score sheet we’re still not entirely sure which bits we need to use to get home. Anyway, we know it’s a right turn at the top and we’ve got to rejoin the old line of the Wednesbury loop before looking for the site of a junction on the right side bank before we get to Bradley Lane bridge.

 

The Bradley Marr branch was an early casualty but having found the signs of the location of the junction we realise we’ve been a bit lacking in our research so have to take to scanning back through the years with the Automat Sehnsucht. First the tow path opens up to reveal the exact line of the junction, a bridge springs up and an overgrown channel appears, next the land ahead literally rises up and a canal appears. Off we go. The reason for coming here is locks. The locks are a staircase. We’ve checked our scoresheet and we don’t expect any more but did we dial up a time unknown even to Capt Ahab? It seems not, unless he’s nicked one from Bradley Locks branch.

 

So we check that we have enough time spare in our schedule should the organisers wish to award us two more points for the additional lock and continue through it, then to the end of the branch and turn round and come back up again.

 

We’re weary now so when we get back to the main line it’s good to see we’ve only got to pass through Bradley Lane bridge and we’re there. Phew!

 

It’s a lovely spot to finish.

 

9DC836A1-2537-423F-8134-35ABD6EEC4BF.jpeg
Photo from Bradley Canal Trust

Edited by Captain Pegg
  • Greenie 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I realise no one will have followed my story even if they had wanted to. In summary the folk we met along the way and the provenance:

 

Monday

 

We met Stephen Littlemore, his wife Sarah Ann and their three daughters on horseboat Scotia at Huddlesford on 28th March 1911. The details of the boat and it’s occupants are taken from the 1911 census that was taken two days later when the boat was moored at its home location of Middlewich. Whether they ever worked through Huddlesford is unknown.

 

Tuesday

 

We met Sam Lomas and his wife Alice. The date used was that of the 1939 Register when they were at home with their children at Autherley Junction. It was later established that Mrs Lomas was the daughter of Sarah Ann Littlemore.

 

Wednesday

 

In the morning we passed Sutherland Dock, a boatyard owned by Charles and Thomas Hendley. They were from a boat building family that go back to the early days of canals at Measham and have got to Wolverhampton via Banbury and Brinklow. The Hendley’s are recorded at Heath Town in various records dating from the 1890s up to the 1939 Register.

 

In the evening we encountered William Grantham at Moxley. These details were taken directly from the 1881 census when he was recorded at Moxley with his wife Ellen who was the niece of boatman James Neal. The name of the boat was not recorded however he is believed to have been an employed boatman at this time. He later owned his own boats amongst which were Britannia, Hannah and Perseverance. He was always recorded by later censuses at a location on the Oxford Canal. It was revealed that William and Ellen were grandparents of Bill Grantham, Doris Collins and Sarah Franks who all worked on the GU/BWB fleet.

 

Thursday

 

A visit to the Hen & Chickens in 1841 found the Turton family and their lodger Henry Perry. The sixteen people referred to are listed on the 1841 census. They include Mr Perry, listed as a boatman and likely a relative of William Perry the Tipton Slasher who was known to have links to the Hen & Chickens amongst other nearby pubs and who became a canalside publican himself.

 

It is was revealed that landlord Joseph Turton’s daughter Martha married boatman Richard Bignall Neal and was the mother of Sarah Ann Littlemore and grandmother of Alice Lomas.

 

Richard Bignall Neal was the son of James Neal and therefore cousin of Ellen Grantham.

 

Friday

 

I bumped into William Neal and Clara Marlow at 3 Charlotte Street, Birmingham on 25th November 1889. The address is taken from the wedding certificate of David Marlow and Clara Neal that occurred at St Pauls, Birmingham on that date.

 

The Thomas Clayton (Oldbury) Ltd horseboat Leam, skippered by Henry Drakeford, was seen at Steward Aqueduct. Mr Drakeford was recorded with the boat Leam in both 1891 and 1901 censuses.

 

William Neal appeared again at The Ropery, Spon Lane. It was revealed that he was also the son of James Neal. William Neal is recorded at the Bromford Junction canal house in both 1891 and 1901 censuses and at Spon Lane in 1911.

 

A detail I dropped from the narrative when we omitted Spon Lane locks from our original cruise itinerary was that he is also the father of Harry Neal of windlass fame, who later lived at the same cottages. The M5 now passes directly through the site of the cottages.

 

Saturday

 

Our last visit was to Ocker Hill Road, family home in the late 1850s of George Neal and wife Elizabeth. This information is taken from Neal family records and is known to be the birthplace of their son David Neal.

 

George Neal was the brother of James Neal. Both were born in Banbury.

 

David Neal was the brother of Ellen Grantham, and also of Harriet Neal referenced in Team Urban Moorings thread earlier in the week.

 

Elizabeth Drakeford was the brother of Henry Drakeford from the boat Leam. They were the children of John Drakeford, a boatman who lived in Cropredy for his entire life.

 

David Neal married Rebecca Thompson in Banbury in 1880 and despite her being born and raised largely in the East Midlands her father and grandfather - and possibly beyond - were BCN boatman.
 

I had intended to include an encounter with the earliest Isaac Thompson but time, fatigue and lack of a good story got the better of that idea.

Edited by Captain Pegg
  • Greenie 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I am posting here because the time is now 6pm on Saturday 9th May 2020 and all virtual boating should now cease.  Please ensure you boat is tied up securely and join us in the virtual beer tent for an evening of virtual celebration. We will be announcing the scores tomorrow lunchtime

 

Anything added to the cruise log after this post will not be considered in the judging

 

All the organisers (that is myself, @Capt Ahab and @Postcode) would like to thank this team for all their hard work in managing to virtually navigate around the BCN in these challenging times. We hope the team have learned a bit about the BCN, especially the lost 60 miles and we hope their narrative about their journey this week has instilled an interest in the reader too. We also hope the team and their readers have found the experience fun and I think we have all benefited from the incredibly informative, imaginative, dramatic and sometimes just plain silly posts that the teams have produced throught this week.

 

We sincerely hope that this will lead to some of you heading off (whether by boat or on foot) to explore these amazing locations in real life as soon as the retrictions on travel allow us to do so.

 

I think it is important to remember that this virtual event is taking place because the real BCN challenge could not. The Real BCN Challenge is an important event in the calendar of The BCN Society and, as their event had to be cancelled due to Covid-19 this year they are missing out on the entry fees of a lot of participating boaters and a lot of donations that the event would usually generate.

 

It is also fair to say that without this fine forum tolerating all these teams mucking about with their virtaul cruise diaries we might well struggle to work out how this event could have been hosted. It is free to join this forum and it is free to read it as well but there are costs involved in it's existance and it doesn't hurt to remind people that, if they can afford to do so, bunging the cost of a round of drinks with your mates into the frum coffers may just help it continue to be free for everyone to enjoy

 

 

It is with that in mind that I want to say, if you have enjoyed this event, either from the perspective of a participant, or from the perspective of an onlooker perhaps you would consider making a small donation, either to The BCNS or to the forum.

 

The BCNS do not have a clickable link where you can donate but you can do so via online banking by using these details:

BCN Society
Barclays Bank
Sort Code 20-84-13
Account Number 60176419

Or you may wish to consider becoming a member of their fine organisation and help to ensure that these amazing canals with all their wealth of heritage are looked after and restored where they can be.

To find out more please visit their website here:

 

https://bcnsociety.com/

 

If you wish to donate to the forum you can do so here:

 

https://www.canalworld.net/forums/index.php?/store/category/6-make-a-donation-to-canal-world/

 

There have been an incredible (or maybe barmy?) 14 teams of boaters who have been virtually haring around the canals of birmingham this week. Each of their cruise logs has it's own unique style. If you have enjoyed reading this one then why not dip your toe into one of the others - likes to them all are shown here:

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Rob-M said:

We didn’t go that far up the Wednesbury. Just as as far as the dual carriageway where there’s a break in the canal.

 

The Gospel Oak branch is correct and who knows which way the Dumaresq branch went?

 

Follow the foot path a little further up Bradley Locks branch and follow it to the right going toward Bradley Workshops. We didn’t go round the loop. The footpath is pretty much the line of the canal from the top of Bradley Locks to Bradley Workshop.

 

The Bradley Marr branch goes pretty much straight along Mervyn Street.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Out of interest, did anyone in your team calculate the total miles and locks you covered during the challenge? If you have already mentioned it in the thread somewhere forgive me, I am asking because I am too lasy to go through 14 threads to find if the information has already been shared

Link to comment
Share on other sites

28 minutes ago, cheshire~rose said:

Out of interest, did anyone in your team calculate the total miles and locks you covered during the challenge? If you have already mentioned it in the thread somewhere forgive me, I am asking because I am too lasy to go through 14 threads to find if the information has already been shared

According to Jon's submitted log it was 126 locks and 77.5 miles.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 minutes ago, Captain Pegg said:

Do you think @cheshire~rose is making sure her potential winner hasn’t cruised more than 42 hours?

 

 

The first days quicker locking must make it slightly more difficult as it isn't just the total required it needs a daily total and then there was the speed impact if you were on that section so miles needs to incorporate location. Glad I'm not trying to add this all up and be transparent, perhaps all the logs should be published do we can mark each others work.

  • Greenie 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Here’s our log for anyone interested.

 

Day 1: Huddlesford Jn to Catshill Jn - 14 miles. 30 locks. 6.85 hours. 74 points

 

Huddlesford to Ogley Jn - 6 miles, 30 locks. 3.65 hours

Ogley Jn to Anglesey and return - 3 miles, 0 locks, 1.2 hours

Ogley Jn to Catshill Jn - 1 mile, 0 locks. 0.4 hours

Catshill to Pelsall Jn - 2.5 miles, 0 locks. 1 hour

Pelsall Jn to Watling St - 1.5 miles. 0 locks. 0.6 hours

 

 

Day 2: Catshill Jn to Aldersley Jn - 14 miles. 21 locks. 6.45 hours. 53 points

 

Watling St to Rumer Hill Jn - 2 miles, 0 locks. 0.8 hours

Rumer Hill Jn to Hednesford and return - 2 miles, 0 locks, 0.8 hours

Rumer Hill Jn to Hatherton Jn - 4 miles, 21 locks. 3.35 hours

Hatherton Jn to Aldersley Jn - 6 miles, 0 locks. 1.5 hours 

 

 

Day 3: Aldersley Jn to Toll End Jn - 10.5 miles, 31 locks. 6.78 hours. 62 points

 

Aldersley Jn to Horseley Fields Jn - 2 miles, 21 locks. 2.55 hours

Horseley Fields to Wednesfield Jn - 1 mile, 0 locks. 0.4 hours

Wednesfield Jn to Bentley Canal Jn - 3.5 miles, 10 locks. 2.23 hours

Bentley Canal Jn to Anson Branch Jn - 0.5 miles, 0 locks. 0.2 hours

Anson Branch Jn to Toll End Jn - 3.5 miles, 0 locks. 1.4 hours

 

Day 4: Toll End Jn to Hawne Basin. 13.5 miles. 17 locks. 6.82 hours.  51.75 points.

 

Toll End Jn to Watery Lane Jn - 1.5 miles, 7 locks. 1.18 hours

Watery Lane Jn to Tipton Green Jn - 0.5 miles, 3 locks. 0.45 hours

Tipton Green Jn to Tipton Jn - 0.5 miles, 0 locks. 0.2 hours

Tipton Jn to Parkhead Top Lock - 1.5 miles, 0 locks. 0.6 hours

Parkhead Top Lock to Parkhead Jn - 0.5 miles, 3 locks. 0.45 hours

Parkhead Jn to Pensnett and return - 3 miles, 0 locks. 1.2 hours

Parkhead Jn to Woodside Jn - 1 mile, 2 locks. 0.57 hours

Woodside Jn to Blackbrook Jn - 0.5 miles, 2 locks. 0.37 hours

Blackbrook Jn to Windmill End Jn - 2 miles, 0 locks. 0.8 hours

Windmill End Jn to Hawne Basin - 2.5 miles, 0 locks. 1 hour

 

 

Day 5: Hawne Basin to Pudding Green Jn 14 miles. 2 locks. 6.73 hours. 31 points

 

Hawne Basin to Selly Oak Jn - 5 miles, 0 locks. 2 hours. 20 points

Selly Oak Jn to Old Turn Jn - 3 miles, 0 locks. 2 hours. 0 points

Newhall And Gibson’s Branch - 1 mile, 2 locks. 0.73 hours. 6 points

Old Turn Jn to Sandy Turn - 0.5 miles, 0 locks. 0.2 hours. 0.5 points

Sandy Turn to Winson Green Jn - 1 mile. 0 locks. 0.4 hours 1 point

Winson Green Jn to Smethwick Jn - 1 mile. 0 locks. 0.4 hours. 1 point

Smethwick Jn to Bromford Jn - 2 miles, 0 locks, 0.8 hours. 2 points

Bromford to Pudding Green Jn - 0.5 miles, 0 locks. 0.2 hours. 0.5 points

 

 

Day 6: Pudding Green Jn To Bradley Basin. 11.5 miles. 25 locks. 6.68 hours. 61.5 points.

 

Pudding Green Jn to Ryders Green Jn - 0.5 miles, 8 locks. 0.87 hours. 9.5 points

Ryders Green Jn to Ridgeacre branch - 2 miles, 0 locks. 0.8 hours. 6 points

Ryders Green Jn to Toll End Jn - 1 mile, 0 lock. 0.4 hours. 3 points

Toll End Jn to Tame Valley Jn - 0.5 miles, 0 locks. 0.2 hours. 1.5 points

Tame Valley Jn to Gospel Oak Jn - 0.5 miles, 0 locks. 0.2 hours. 1.5 points

Gospel Oak Branch - 3 miles, 0 locks. 1.2 hours. 12 points

Dumaresq Branch - 1 mile, 4 locks. 0.73 hours. 8 points

Gospel Oak Jn to Moorcroft Jn - 0.5 miles, 0 locks. 0.2 hours. 1.5 points

Moorcroft Jn to Bradley Locks Jn - 1 mile, 9 locks. 1.15 hours. 13 points

Bradley Marr Branch - 1 mile, 4 locks. 0.73 hours. 8 points

Bradley Locks Jn to Bradley Basin - 0.5 miles, 0 locks. 0.2 hours. 2 points

 

Total - 77.5 miles. 126 locks. 40.31 hours. 333.25 points.

Edited by Captain Pegg
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.