History search/sanity check.

[DannyBSandbach]

Good morning one and all and happy new year! 
 

I apologise in advance is this is just another newbie post from an off the bank clown but I’m trying to find any info on my family that people may know. I’ve done a lot of tracing via ancestry so mostly have the names, albeit some may be slightly wrong, I’ve used census records etc and corroborated as much as I can. 
 

My great grandmother was Elizabeth Green, her Dad was Joe, his dad was Joe. I’ve seen the video on Yesterdays witness 1969 and listened to the LP, fascinating and a welcome retreat from the 2026 world of instant everything. 
 

Anyway, I’d love any help with general info, further than what I’d find on the sources I’ve visited so far maybe, but the things I’d love most is a steer to the right direction of any pictures and to know if anybody has such wisdom that they know any of the boats are still in existence today. Joe ‘married’ Sarah Boswell, though I’m not sure if that was an official marriage as I’ve not managed to find a certificate anywhere. I’ve found birth certificates showing them as parents etc. the things I’ve found so far are Sarah ran Python, Joe ran Panther. There is an image found on ancestry titled ‘Joe Green on Panther’ and try as I may I cannot find a source anywhere to confirm its accuracy. I know from a 1901 census Joe was on boat Gertrude and his daughter Emma (14) was on boat England, they were moored next to a Price family (William and Alfred Isaac). I have found both Panther and Python on Facebook and know they’re still active so hoping to go and see them soon, whilst a general interest has rapidly sprung up id be even more excited should I be able to confirm the boats I think are my ancestors one time home/workplace are the same boats. 
 

I’m also confused at the image from the article covering the 1923 strike, a chap called Thomas green is alleged to be on Rose Agnes, I have sort of found him on ancestry but cannot confirm a link. I am at this stage quite sure he simply shared the same job, area and surname but no relation. The Thomas greens I do have allegedly died before the image was taken and would have been c7 years old when the image was snapped. 
 

I’m Danny, 36 years old and live in Sandbach, Cheshire. Thank you all for any assistance 😊

[Ray T]

 

@DannyBSandbach

 

This site may help?

A Waterways heritage.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/379770275469928

 

Also here: http://www.spellweaver-online.co.uk/

 

The lady in your first picture is Sarah Boswell.

 

Panther is still extant, owned by The Coventry Canal Society.

Whilst Python works on The Chesterfield Canal.

 

There is a lady canal historian occasionally looks at this forum. 
I am reluctant to give her name without her consent.

 

With regard to boaters names, many of the narrow boat people had little or no academic schooling so reading and writing was a difficult skill for them. Also they pronounced town and place names as the locals would. The recorders of official documents wrote down what they heard. I used to visit a narrow boat captain who came from 6 generations of Oxford boat people, we found 5 different ways of spelling his surname although it was all the same family. Often the boat people had  large families so care is needed when tracing boat ancestors, cousins often had the same family forenames with quite similar birth dates. Official documents i.e. Birth marriage and death certificates are a must here. I would advise you to be careful with others family trees as often the compiler of these jump to conclusions. It is essential the source of the records is recorded. Boat health records are another source.

Edited January 6 by Ray T

[DannyBSandbach]

Thanks very much Ray.

 

My fault, I should have clarified I knew that was Sarah, she was linked to Joe through marriage but not been able to find anything concrete there.

 

I am in that community group, find it fascinating. I will have a look at that suggestion too I have heard Sue Wilkes mentioned before. Many thanks 🙂 

[Ray T]

Another article on tracing canal ancestors.

Edited January 8 by Ray T

[agg221]

9 hours ago, DannyBSandbach said:

Anyway, I’d love any help with general info, further than what I’d find on the sources I’ve visited so far maybe, but the things I’d love most is a steer to the right direction of any pictures and to know if anybody has such wisdom that they know any of the boats are still in existence today. Joe ‘married’ Sarah Boswell, though I’m not sure if that was an official marriage as I’ve not managed to find a certificate anywhere. I’ve found birth certificates showing them as parents etc.

 

What year approximately do you think the marriage would be if there was one?

 

Alec

[DannyBSandbach]

2 minutes ago, agg221 said:

 

What year approximately do you think the marriage would be if there was one?

 

Alec

Hi Alec 

 

I honestly don’t know. I have them together as Sarah Ann Green in 1939 from my reckoning based on the census 

 

Many thanks 😊 

[agg221]

In that case, if you haven't already eliminated you might want to look at the marriage in the second quarter of 1922 in Wolverhampton between Joseph Green and Sarah Boswell, volume 6b, page 1283.

 

URLhttps://www.freebmd.org.uk/cgi/information.pl?cite=XQwKQzXdCaKiJR4ExhcVVg&scan=1

 

Just to reiterate the note of caution around user-generated information on sites such as Ancestry. People often see what they want to see and add links because names and dates look like they might fit. That doesn't mean everything is wrong, just be careful on anything that isn't a primary source. It's also worth noting that DNA analysis can be used to cross-reference quite effectively if there is someone else who is linked.

 

Alec

Edited January 6 by agg221

[DannyBSandbach]

4 minutes ago, agg221 said:

In that case, if you haven't already eliminated you might want to look at the marriage in the second quarter of 1922 in Wolverhampton between Joseph Green and Sarah Boswell, volume 6b, page 1283.

 

Alec

Hi Alec

 

Sorry, you’re absolutely correct. I’ve been blinded looking for certificates rather than those index type records, it’s been sat in my ‘sources’ for weeks 🤦🏻‍♂️ at least I have reaffirmed the clown status. Anyway, if anybody does stumble across this and happens to know the chap on the boat was indeed Joe that would be wonderful. Seeing Python and Panther still going is wonderful, I’ve found other boats but difficult to pin, Gertrude, England, flint, California. I’ll keep hunting, thanks again 😊

[Ray T]

England was, until he passed away, owned by George Wain.

It was originally an iron composite horse boat named Germany!

It was renamed England in 1914.
It is still very much in use, now in FMC livery.

 

Danny, the historic boat shows at Braunston, Alvecote plus others are very much worth a visit. The majority of historic boat owners are only too willing to chat about their boat's history.

 

Edited January 7 by Ray T

[alan_fincher]

Approximately what date do you have for these people being on Panther and Python, please?

I don't think the current Panther and Python existed before then, so for a match as the same boats your dates would need to be before then, I think.

[Ray T]

@DannyBSandbach

 

You have a pm.

[DannyBSandbach]

Thanks Ray 😊

[Ray T]

@DannyBSandbach

 

There is someone you may know of on this video 🙂

 

Watch it the whole way through.

 

 

Edited January 18 by Ray T