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Narrowboat Funeral - a plea for help.

Doodlebug

By Doodlebug
in General Boating

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Doodlebug Rising Star

Doodlebug

Posted
Posted

My Grandad sadly passed away yesterday. He was the person who got me into boating and he loved nothing more than spending time on the canals. Due to ill health he had to give up boating in his final years and wanted nothing more than to get back on the canal in some form or another. 
 

I don’t think I’m going to have much luck with this but I thought it would be a fitting send off if his coffin could travel a short distance before being taken to the crematorium. He will be cremated near Stockton Locks, near Southam, Warwickshire. 
 

Does anyone know any way I might be able to organise this? My best thought was that a working boat might be able to help us out as it would need a flat area for the coffin to go on. But I don’t know their details to be able to contact those in the area. Alternatively an enthusiast might have a boat that would be suitable. I’m not sure anyone would want to get involved but thought I’ve got to try. 
 

Apologies that I don’t know much about how this could work - I just wanted to reach out to see if anyone had any ideas. 
 

Many thanks in advance. 

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Tony Brooks Veteran II

Tony BrooksDonate to Canal World

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I think Calcutt Boat's wharf might be a suitable loading point, so phone them and discuss it. Down two locks and travel to The Boat or Kate Boats Marina at the top of the Stockton flight for off loading. I doubt either wharf could help on hire fleet turn round days, but Calcutt might let you load at their service wharf in the marina and possibly the other marina has a suitable "craning" area.

 

If we still have the boat, I would have happily had the coffin on the roof for the journey. Good luck with the arrangements.

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Stroudwater1 Rising Star

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Sad to hear about your Granddad. You could perhaps try the friends of Raymond https://friendsofraymond.org.uk/

 

or maybe Braunston marina where Raymond and Nutfield  are moored they aren’t far away and maybe able to help you or give some contacts. Raymond is an unpowered butty but Nutfield is an ex working boat. There’s a fair few boats with tug decks that could accommodate this as well as working boats. There’s several other marinas round Stockton that may provide contacts or people willing to help including Ventnor Wigrams Dunchurch as well as Calcot itself. There are several a bit further too. 
 

The funeral directors are also often helpful in doing the liaison and pointing out what may or may not work. I’m sure plenty of folk would be willing to help. 
 

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alan_fincher Veteran II

alan_fincher

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Ideally you need a boat with a significant tug deck, like our Sickle.

 

No photo description available.

 

Unfortunately although I would love to help, it is simply not possible.

I echo the suggestion to try making contact with Warwickshire Flyboat Company / Stockton Dry Dock Company, as many historic boats are located there.  They own a tug called Dorado, similar to our Sickle, but I'm not sure if it has any of the hold boarded over.

I hope you manage to sort something.

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Guest

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The co-op in their TV adverts make a big thing about providing very 'personalised' funerals so a call to them may elicit a positive response. They may have even done it previously.

 

Hope you get sorted.

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Tony Brooks Veteran II

Tony BrooksDonate to Canal World

Posted
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4 minutes ago, M_JG said:

The co-op in their TV adverts make a big thing about providing very 'personalised' funerals so a call to them may elicit a positive response. They may have even done it previously.

 

Hope you get sorted.

 

True, but at a cost. I hope a member has a suitable boat and would not hope for payment. I am sure the undertakers would charge for the extra work in transferring onto and off the boat and an extra vehicle journey though.

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Posted
Posted (edited)
1 hour ago, Tony Brooks said:

 

True, but at a cost. I hope a member has a suitable boat and would not hope for payment. I am sure the undertakers would charge for the extra work in transferring onto and off the boat and an extra vehicle journey though.

 

Indeed, I'm just giving more options to the OP in case nobody comes forward.

 

 

Edited by M_JG
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Ray T Veteran II

Ray TDonate to Canal World

Posted
Posted (edited)
1 hour ago, alan_fincher said:

Ideally you need a boat with a significant tug deck, like our Sickle.

 

No photo description available.

 

Unfortunately although I would love to help, it is simply not possible.

I echo the suggestion to try making contact with Warwickshire Flyboat Company / Stockton Dry Dock Company, as many historic boats are located there.  They own a tug called Dorado, similar to our Sickle, but I'm not sure if it has any of the hold boarded over.

I hope you manage to sort something.

 

Failing the hold boarded over there is this option.

Photo K. Doddington.

17008739652_cd4804c126_o.jpg

Edited by Ray T
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BoatinglifeupNorth Rising Star

BoatinglifeupNorth

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Posted (edited)

Instead of taking the Coffin and all the expense it could occur, as he’s getting cremated try and organise a day on a boat with his ashes as a remembrance, with friends and family. It could be later in the year so you’ll have enough time to organise. This would be easier to do than the Coffin move at short notice.

Edited by BoatinglifeupNorth
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ditchcrawler Veteran II

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Posted
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8 hours ago, BoatinglifeupNorth said:

Instead of taking the Coffin and all the expense it could occur, as he’s getting cremated try and organise a day on a boat with his ashes as a remembrance, with friends and family. It could be later in the year so you’ll have enough time to organise. This would be easier to do than the Coffin move at short notice.

Good thinking

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Jon57 Rising Star

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Posted
Posted
On 29/05/2023 at 12:52, BoatinglifeupNorth said:

Instead of taking the Coffin and all the expense it could occur, as he’s getting cremated try and organise a day on a boat with his ashes as a remembrance, with friends and family. It could be later in the year so you’ll have enough time to organise. This would be easier to do than the Coffin move at short notice.

Good idea. Could even use the ashes on the Hatton flight.(stairway to heaven)👍

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