Water Cans

[Max Sinclair]

During one of the informative little chats I used to have with Les Allen in Oldbury he mentioned that if a properly designed water can fell off the roof, even if it was fairly full, it would float upside down.there would be sufficient trapped air to give it bouyancy.

A few weeks later we were in 'Vesta' passing through Wasthill ( Kings Norton) tunnel when the children ,who were in the bows', called out " Theres a Water Can". they had spotted the diagonal colours around the base just under the surface of the water. I stopped and recovered quite an old nicely painted Can. We enquired of any boats and Lock Keepers but could not trace the owner.

A 1963 memory.

[Max Sinclair]

During one of the informative little chats I used to have with Les Allen in Oldbury he mentioned that if a properly designed water can fell off the roof, even if it was fairly full, it would float upside down.there would be sufficient trapped air to give it bouyancy.

A few weeks later we were in 'Vesta' passing through Wasthill ( Kings Norton) tunnel when the children ,who were in the bows', called out " Theres a Water Can". they had spotted the diagonal colours around the base just under the surface of the water. I stopped and recovered quite an old nicely painted Can. We enquired of any boats and Lock Keepers but could not trace the owner.

A 1963 memory.

 

I have put a photo on My Gallery site. Any of you experts like to suggest where it was painted?

[Derek R.]

I have put a photo on My Gallery site. Any of you experts like to suggest where it was painted?

 

Nice pics in the album. No expert, but the can has a Tooley style about it, but there's a simplicity that suggests owner boater rather than a regular painter. Could be totally wrong though.

[dave moore]

Hi Max

I've just mamaged to access your gallery pix of the Wasthill Watercan and agree that it's certainly Braunston work. It has similarities to a cabin stool owned by Phil Speight. H e bought it from Roger Wickson ( we are all Waterways Craft Guild Committee members ) and Roger asserted that the stool was painted by Colin Clarke, Dennis Clarke's brother. Your can could well be by the same hand...

Cheers

Dave Moore

Edited August 31, 2008 by dave moore

[Max Sinclair]

Hi Max

I've just mamaged to access your gallery pix of the Wasthill Watercan and agree that it's certainly Braunston work. It has similarities to a cabin stool owned by Phil Speight. H e bought it from Roger Wickson ( we are all Waterways Craft Guild Committee members ) and Roger asserted that the stool was painted by Colin Clarke, Dennis Clarke's brother. Your can could well be by the same hand...

Cheers

Dave Moore

 

Thank you very much. Nice to attribute an artist. This could have been lost from a Willow Wren timber boat.