Missing collections?

[Joseph]

Evenin' all

 

On another thread, about the Waterways Journal, there were speculations about the collections of (very sadly) deceased waterways enthusiasts. I hope that noone minds if I isolate this question rather than try to follow it up on a thread that has suffered from mighty thread drift!

 

Mention was made of Harry Arnold and Laurence Hogg's collections, and it looks like most of thee have survived. Can I ask whether anyone knows whether the following collections have survived, and if so, whereabouts?

 

1. Laurence Hogg's videos - those produced for salke and any rushes? 

2. David Bolton's tapes (on cassette, I think), which backed many interesting interviews in Waterways World and elsewhere? 

3. Mike Taylor's tapes, which were used in many of his published work. And any still photographs.

4. Records kept by Alan Elyard Brown. 

5. Records, if any were kept, by David Hutchings.

6. Any other records that I haven't listed here for lack of inspiration!

 

I imagine that the response will be "no idea" to most of these, but if anyone has a clue, even as to whether a collection has definitely been destroyed, it would be interesting to know. 

 

My motives are, simply, that as one who does examine records in archives, I am aware of how helpful these can be to historical research, and I do speculate about records that I haven't seen but which might turn up. There are so many anecdotes about skips, bonfires and paper recycling, and I wonder if relatives or friends of the above might have collections and not realise their great (non-financial) worth. 

 

I would be very interested if anyone has any information. 

 

All the best 

 

Joseph 

 

 

[Ian Mac]

One archive which I have yet to visit is the Mikron Theatre Archive. They interviewed lots and lots of canal people in the seventies and some of the interviews were recorded. As a theatre company they have no money to make this stuff public, however it is accessible, upon request, I believe, as the achieve is kept by Huddersfield University.

--

Cheers IAn MAc

Currently scanning slide number 8391 of the John Greenway collection, I estimate about a third so far are canal related. Another 10% are transport related and about 200 interesting signs or shop fronts. Scanning is the easy bit, calalouging them will be the "FUN" bit.

[Tim Lewis]

2 hours ago, Joseph said:

Evenin' all

 

On another thread, about the Waterways Journal, there were speculations about the collections of (very sadly) deceased waterways enthusiasts. I hope that noone minds if I isolate this question rather than try to follow it up on a thread that has suffered from mighty thread drift!

 

Mention was made of Harry Arnold and Laurence Hogg's collections, and it looks like most of thee have survived. Can I ask whether anyone knows whether the following collections have survived, and if so, whereabouts?

 

1. Laurence Hogg's videos - those produced for salke and any rushes? 

2. David Bolton's tapes (on cassette, I think), which backed many interesting interviews in Waterways World and elsewhere? 

3. Mike Taylor's tapes, which were used in many of his published work. And any still photographs.

4. Records kept by Alan Elyard Brown. 

5. Records, if any were kept, by David Hutchings.

6. Any other records that I haven't listed here for lack of inspiration!

 

I imagine that the response will be "no idea" to most of these, but if anyone has a clue, even as to whether a collection has definitely been destroyed, it would be interesting to know. 

 

My motives are, simply, that as one who does examine records in archives, I am aware of how helpful these can be to historical research, and I do speculate about records that I haven't seen but which might turn up. There are so many anecdotes about skips, bonfires and paper recycling, and I wonder if relatives or friends of the above might have collections and not realise their great (non-financial) worth. 

 

I would be very interested if anyone has any information. 

 

All the best 

 

Joseph 

 

 

 

Here at the London Canal Museum we have the Alan Faulkner archive section relating to the Grand Junction/Union Canal.

 

We also have a few other archives including the one from Oliver Turner which contains a large amount of London related material

[Chris Lowe]

There is a fair bit in the RCHS online media archive, but you have to be a member to view it.

[Chris M Jones]

Alan Elyard Brown’s records were deposited at the C&RT Archives at Ellesmere Port. I’m not sure it was the complete archive though.

 

Although Lawrence Hogg’s photo collection has survived I’d like to know where the rest of his archive is. In particular his gauging register transcripts. These were written by his father into a series of ruled account books with bright red covers. If anyone knows where these are please let me know! 

 

I’m glad that Alan Faulkner’s archive (or part of at least) survives at the London Canal Museum. Tim, do you have any details or index of the collection?

[John Brightley]

10 hours ago, buccaneer66 said:

There is a fair bit in the RCHS online media archive, but you have to be a member to view it.

Actually anyone can view all the items currently uploaded - they are available at this link: 

https://www.rchsimagearchive.org.uk/

 

The archive includes the photo collections of a number of eminent deceased waterway historians, and critically (I quote from the webpage here) "The hard-copy images are stored, after being digitised, in archive-quality boxes at a secure facility designed for historical artefacts, and this Online Media Archive presents just a small, but growing, selection of the over 40,000 images we hold."

A number of RCHS members including myself and other contributors to this forum are currently involved with digitising the images and ensuring they are titled correctly. Clearly it will take a long time to get all images on-line, but there are already a lot of interesting photos available to view -including for example some rare photos of the Shropshire tub boat canals which have been uploaded recently. There is also the facility to comment on images if you think that they have been titled incorrectly. So I would encourage all of you to have a browse of the archive !

[Cheshire cat]

Brilliant! Thankyou for your efforts. More interesting stuff for rainy days

[Chris Lowe]

In the 70's and early 80's I was the oficial photographer for the Wey & Arun canal trust because I was always onsite with a camera 35mm and cine, when I've had a chance to scan them all I'll post the best here but will send all of them to the RCHS as I'm a member there as well.

[Ray T]

Not missing but there is the IWM collection available on line.

Search Imperial War Museums (iwm.org.uk)

Search "Grand Union Canal."

 

Ruth Collins / Will King collection available on line:

Ruth Collins - Made in Oldbury

 

Not sure where to find it nowadays but there is the Time Life collection of David Schermann of Audrey Evelyn and Ann.

 

There is also Jim Payler's Albums

Payler's Albums (blisworth.org.uk)

 

There is / was a member, Andy? here who had lots of photo's of historic boats not sure if the site still exists?

 

Media Archive for Central England:

Homepage | MACE Archive

 

 

 

Edited December 22, 2022 by Ray T

[cuthound]

15 hours ago, buccaneer66 said:

In the 70's and early 80's I was the oficial photographer for the Wey & Arun canal trust because I was always onsite with a camera 35mm and cine, when I've had a chance to scan them all I'll post the best here but will send all of them to the RCHS as I'm a member there as well.

 

You probably know/knew Peter Beresford and Peter Foulgar then.

 

They were co-owners on our first share boat back in the early 90's.

[Heartland]

Well both @ buccaneer and @ joseph are RCHS members and @joseph has given several talks to History events

 

Regarding the Laurence Hogg family transcripts have they been deposited somewhere?

 

[Tim Lewis]

On 22/12/2022 at 16:09, Chris M Jones said:

Alan Elyard Brown’s records were deposited at the C&RT Archives at Ellesmere Port. I’m not sure it was the complete archive though.

 

Although Lawrence Hogg’s photo collection has survived I’d like to know where the rest of his archive is. In particular his gauging register transcripts. These were written by his father into a series of ruled account books with bright red covers. If anyone knows where these are please let me know! 

 

I’m glad that Alan Faulkner’s archive (or part of at least) survives at the London Canal Museum. Tim, do you have any details or index of the collection?

 

The Alan Faulkner stuff has still to be indexed.

[sueb]

Did David Blagrove leave any records?

[Joseph]

Evenin all

 

Very many thanks for the replies. I think we've drifted a bit off-thread, but it has been interesting to discover sources I did not know about.

 

Back to the main purpose of the thread - which is missing collections. It ends like Alan Faulkner's and Laurence Hogg's records may have only partly survived. With regard to Laurence Hogg, have his videos survived? I know some were released commercially, but there must be more material. 

 

Sueb, David Blagrove must go on the "not known" list. As, I think, must go the records of most carriers...! I think I have seen some Birmingham & Midland papers somewhere, but I wonder if those of Fellows Morton Clayton were destroyed after 1948 - their book collections went to the IWA, I think. Willow Wren? Barlow companies?  

 

And apropos the IWA - John Gagg? David Owen (NMWIN, not the politician) - archive was named after him but i'm not sure about his own records. Or Peter Froud?

 

Any other candidates - or information?

  

All the best

 

Joseph

[Chris M Jones]

The surviving records of Fellows Morton & Clayton are at Birmingham Archives (MS 454) as are the records of the Birmingham & Midland company (MS 856)

[Heartland]

As is a copy of George Ryder Birds Diary and a host of BCN records in the Archives at Birmingham 

[Ray T]

Did Ron Hough (painter) have a photograph and or an artefact collection?

If so what happened to them?

[John Brightley]

Just posting to record that there are a very large number of canal documents at the Warwickshire County Record Office, and they cover many of the Midlands waterways. Catalogue/ search facility here:  https://archivesunlocked.warwickshire.gov.uk/

[Heartland]

Yes

The Warwick RO is a useful source of canal records such as the Oxford Canal

As regards canal acts deposited plans can be often found in the local records offices, including waterways not built or routes that were altered

 

[Ray T]

5 hours ago, Heartland said:

Yes

The Warwick RO is a useful source of canal records such as the Oxford Canal

As regards canal acts deposited plans can be often found in the local records offices, including waterways not built or routes that were altered

 

Part of an Oxford Canal plan held at the Coventry Reference Library, Herbert Art Gallery.

[John Brightley]

20 hours ago, Ray T said:

Part of an Oxford Canal plan held at the Coventry Reference Library, Herbert Art Gallery.

Showing the original proposal (not built) to take the Oxford Canal to Gosford Green in Coventry, as discussed here: https://www.canalworld.net/forums/index.php?/topic/42557-oxford-canal/

If we look at the contours on Ordnance Survey maps, we can see the reason straight away why plans for the route to Gosford Green via Binley were dropped by the Oxford company. It would have required serious engineering works. The route shown in the plan would have needed several locks at Brinklow to drop down from the 90 metre contour to the 80 metre. Although it could then follow the 80 metre level all the way from there to Gosford Green it would have had to cross the valley of the River Sowe by an aqueduct and embankments.

Edited February 23, 2023 by John Brightley
Additional information.

[Francis Herne]

The BCN Society archive has several thousand photographs; also gauging records, historic maps and other paperwork.

 

I don't know the details of exactly what's in it but there's a contact form on the website. Almost certainly worth asking if you're looking for something related to the BCN. https://bcnsociety.com/contact-us/

[Heartland]

Joseph being interested in the late Charles Hadfield, how are his records accessible now. Some of his pictures are with the Hugh Compton Collection of the RCHS as "ECRH" entries. With others are there negatives that can be improved on for existence?

 

 

[Pluto]

There are some items at Ellesmere Port, but Hadfields main archive is at the LSE. There is a pdf below.

Hadfield LSE holdings.pdf