Can anyone identify...

[jake_crew]

At last,

 

Here is an appalling copy of a decent enough slide. Picture taken around 1972. I guess the scanner can't really handle it that well, but you get the idea.

 

A similar prow to Tremella I'd say - obviously the HM / AW corporate style.

 

I remember riding on the roof during craning out - I had to keep the slings apart. Also I jumped off a high lock wall onto the front deck and nearly went thro ! Hardboard wasin't what it used to be, even then. The tip-cat on the back was made by Jack James of Stoke Bruerne, tyres by Dunlop of Brum.

 

I don't suppose she's around anymore........

 

[moggyjo]

Could it be forget me not as shes based near their isnt she?

 

In their early married life, Jack and Rose lived and worked on Kent and the butty boat Forget-Me-Not, delivering coal from collieries in Warwickshire to the canal wharf at Juxon Street in Jericho, Oxford,

 

 

Also a friend of mine Lizzie used to own Aster in the mid 80' I think the last place she had Aster was at Sandbach. Her previous boat Whispering Grass, got itself in the Waterways magazines, when she sold it to a guy who got it low loaded onto the Norfolk Broads. Later date wanted to get it back onto the system but due to cost of low loading he decided to take it along the coast line. She got trashed. The article said that there were piano keys strewn all over the beach. (Lizzie had a piano put in when she had the boat stretched in the early 80')

 

Wendy

[carlt]

Does anyone know if it was Jack Skinner's "Forget-me-not" that went on to become the hotel boat?

[Timleech]

Does anyone know if it was Jack Skinner's "Forget-me-not" that went on to become the hotel boat?

 

I don't think so, despite the Oxford canal connection (both Mabel and Forget-me-Not were converted by Tooleys into hotel boats in the 1950s). I do remember Peter Froud saying that the F-m-N in a well known old postcard was a different boat from his hotel boat.

 

My understanding always was that the hotel boat butty was built by Sephtons (Seftons?) at or near Suttons. I know nothing about that builder, though. When I first knew her she had a fairly bluff ugly fore-end, not helped by some replanking which had been done in very short pieces (by a 'real' shipwright!).

I rebuilt the fore-end in the 1970s in a similar style to that of her motor boat Mabel (Lees & Atkins).

 

Tim

[carlt]

I rebuilt the fore-end in the 1970s in a similar style to that of her motor boat Mabel (Lees & Atkins).

 

Tim

This is one of the reasons there is so much mystery surrounding her, not helped by FNM being such a popular boat name.

 

She was obviously far less photogenic, before her new snout went on.

[Timleech]

This is one of the reasons there is so much mystery surrounding her, not helped by FNM being such a popular boat name.

 

She was obviously far less photogenic, before her new snout went on.

 

 

I didn't know there was ever any mystery

 

 

 

 

Tim

[carlt]

I didn't know there was ever any mystery

 

 

 

 

Tim

I meant her working history mystery. Her current owner has no idea about her, prior to the Tooley conversion.

[moggyjo]

I meant her working history mystery. Her current owner has no idea about her, prior to the Tooley conversion.

 

If I have time tomorrow, I will go and ask Rose what she knows, I seem to remember her saying she didn't like the boat, something about it being difficult getting on and off.

[Timleech]

I meant her working history mystery. Her current owner has no idea about her, prior to the Tooley conversion.

 

 

I just came across this from a bit of idle googling, from the 1881 census, Boatmen & allied trades:-

 

"....at 3 Canal Bank.Polesworth,Warwick

Frederick SEPHTON/U/34/BOat Builder (Hawkesbury,Warwick) lodger with Mary

Wheatley.W..."

 

Has anyone here heard of Sephtons as boatbuilders?

 

ISTR being told that Forget me Not (the hotel boat version) was quite old maybe even turn of the century though I'm not supremely confident on that.

I suppose it's possible that her current name was adopted when converted, though it's perhaps not the first name you might choose to go with Mabel (which certainly is the original name)

 

Tim

[alan_fincher]

Has anyone here heard of Sephtons as boatbuilders?

Yes,

 

They built Joe Skinner's boat, Friendship, according to an interview with Joe and Rose Skinner in 1972, (at which point they said it was 45 years old).

 

I've seen both Sefton and Sephton, but I think the latter is correct.

[Paul H]

I just came across this from a bit of idle googling, from the 1881 census, Boatmen & allied trades:-

 

"....at 3 Canal Bank.Polesworth,Warwick

Frederick SEPHTON/U/34/BOat Builder (Hawkesbury,Warwick) lodger with Mary

Wheatley.W..."

 

Has anyone here heard of Sephtons as boatbuilders?

 

ISTR being told that Forget me Not (the hotel boat version) was quite old maybe even turn of the century though I'm not supremely confident on that.

I suppose it's possible that her current name was adopted when converted, though it's perhaps not the first name you might choose to go with Mabel (which certainly is the original name)

 

Tim

Sephtons were at Sutton Stop and built Friendship.

 

In his book "Precious Cargo" Robin Smithett says that "Forget me Not" was acquired by Michael Rogers in 1950 originally for carrying "as Joe Skinner had finished using it as a change boat" and paired with Mabel. They were subsequently both converted to hotel boats. I am sure in Waterways World there was an article about Joe Skinner's Friendship and Elizabeth.

 

Barlow's Forget me not (the postcard one) was acquired by Barlows from the number one Joseph Grantham in 1941.

 

Love the picture of the bow being carned off!

 

Paul H

[alan_fincher]

1901 England Census shows.....

 

At Hawkesbury, Sowe, Warwickshire.

 

Tom Sephton, Aged 48, Married, Head of Household, Boat Builder (Own Account) born Foleshill, Warwickshire

 

His son Arthur (20) Single is also a boat builder.

 

Another son (Tom again) who is with the family in the 1891 census, and also a boat builder, is lodging elsewhere by 1901.

 

I'm guessing these are they....

 

(Spelling is consistently Sephton, although a Skinner interview referes to Sefton).

 

Alan

[alan_fincher]

I'd never really thought of going after the famous canal names in the censuses.

 

Just had a look at 1901 census for Braunston.

 

At one address the household includes Charles W Nurser (27) boat builder, and his brother Frank Nurser (15), boat painter.

 

Living at the next address is the family of Harry S Nurser, 32, master boat builder (employer).

 

A few more doors on, the family of William J Nurser, 37, master boat builder (employer).

 

I always like the combined occupations often given in censuses. At the Champion Inn, Braunston is George Davis, Inn Keeper & Boat Builder. That sounds like a good mix to me!

[JohnO]

Sephton's boatyard was directly opposite the junction at Sutton's. I believe they had a yard originally at Tusses Bridge I think where "Tusses" [Richard's] house is now, but he thinks it may have been on the towpath side? I flicked through "the last of the number one's" a couple of days ago, great picture of a boat being worked on at Sephton's yard, it states boats came from far and wide for work such was their prowess. I have also read somewhere that their boats were much liked because they could carry more tonnage. "the last of the number one's" also shows Joe and Rose with Friendship with I think a lino top on the slide and various carpets and taups covering the cabin sides, many of the photo's are in colour and it comes with a audio cd interview with Joe and Rose.

[Timleech]

Sephtons were at Sutton Stop and built Friendship.

 

In his book "Precious Cargo" Robin Smithett says that "Forget me Not" was acquired by Michael Rogers in 1950 originally for carrying "as Joe Skinner had finished using it as a change boat" and paired with Mabel.

Paul H

 

That figures, somewhere from the darker recesses of my memory last night came the story that she had been a change boat.

Did Joe Skinner actually keep a spare boat, or did she belong to, for instance, a boatyard? Or maybe he bought her as a short term thing while his boat was being docked?

 

Tim

[Paul H]

That figures, somewhere from the darker recesses of my memory last night came the story that she had been a change boat.

Did Joe Skinner actually keep a spare boat, or did she belong to, for instance, a boatyard? Or maybe he bought her as a short term thing while his boat was being docked?

 

Tim

Dug out my copy of The Last Number Ones today - I've never actually read it before. It states that Friendship was docked by Tooleys in 1958 and received 13 new planks at a cost of £360 (about £6000 at today's prices). The Tooleys worked famously slowly so Joe would have needed a change boat for anything up to a year. Therefore it seems likely that the "hotel" Forget me Not was owned by Tooleys. I'll do some more delving.

 

Paul H

[AMModels]

In their early married life, Jack and Rose lived and worked on Kent and the butty boat Forget-Me-Not, delivering coal from collieries in Warwickshire to the canal wharf at Juxon Street in Jericho, Oxford,

 

 

Also a friend of mine Lizzie used to own Aster in the mid 80' I think the last place she had Aster was at Sandbach. Her previous boat Whispering Grass, got itself in the Waterways magazines, when she sold it to a guy who got it low loaded onto the Norfolk Broads. Later date wanted to get it back onto the system but due to cost of low loading he decided to take it along the coast line. She got trashed. The article said that there were piano keys strewn all over the beach. (Lizzie had a piano put in when she had the boat stretched in the early 80')

 

Wendy

Did she marry/have a relationship with a guy called Keir at some point Jo? It was he who sent me that pic a while ago.

[AMModels]

 

Anyone know this one?

Edited May 29, 2008 by AMModels

[Chertsey]

It was between Weedon and Gayton Jct on August 6th last year. I've got a couple of lousy photos of the front end, I'll upload them later if it'll help.

 

Here it is link

 

Sorry, still haven't mastered the art of embedding

Edited May 29, 2008 by WarriorWoman

[Paul H]

It was between Weedon and Gayton Jct on August 6th last year. I've got a couple of lousy photos of the front end, I'll upload them later if it'll help.

 

Here it is link

 

Sorry, still haven't mastered the art of embedding

 

Big Ricky Taplow? Carlt will know for sure.

 

Paul H

Edited May 29, 2008 by Paul H

[carlt]

Yes it's Taplow. They've done a good job of hiding the fact that there is no front end.

 

She failed to sell on ebay, recently, for £1000 starting bid. Pity because, apart from her bows, she's a good, strong boat.

 

When I docked her she had 3.5" bottoms.

[AMModels]

Thankee all kindly.

[Timleech]

A new one for you.

 

 

 

 

Just a game, as I know the answer.

 

Tim

[Chris Pink]

A new one for you.

 

At a guess, a shortened large Northwich (by the curve of the top bend) with a quaintly eccentric conversion.

[Paul H]

At a guess, a shortened large Northwich (by the curve of the top bend) with a quaintly eccentric conversion.

 

At first I thought it might be Friends of Raymond's accurate rebuild of Nutfield. (my first smilie!)

 

Actually I think I know but I'l give someone else a chance - particularly Andy who should read his site!

 

Presuming this adaption has survived since BW maintenance why was it constructed to such a low profile? Was it to fit through a particular tunnel or was it a stealth boat to hunt down unlicenced boats?

 

Paul H