communities...?!

[Ana]

Hi everyone!

 

I come from an anthropology background and am very interested in meeting communities living on canal boats.

 

I was wondering if anyone is part of one or knows of communities around the UK...

they can be alternative communities in the sense of being self-sustainable that are environmentally friendly,

and also for example artistic communities that have for example theatre, circus or dance improvisation on boats etc (you catch my drift)....

 

I live in London but I'd also like to get to know people in other parts of the country. Maybe you can't help me directly, but you might know someone that can, I would appreciate that.

 

I am looking forward to hearing from you.

 

Thanks,

Ana

[Dominic M]

Hi everyone!

 

I come from an anthropology background and am very interested in meeting communities living on canal boats.

 

I was wondering if anyone is part of one or knows of communities around the UK...

they can be alternative communities in the sense of being self-sustainable that are environmentally friendly,

and also for example artistic communities that have for example theatre, circus or dance improvisation on boats etc (you catch my drift)....

 

I live in London but I'd also like to get to know people in other parts of the country. Maybe you can't help me directly, but you might know someone that can, I would appreciate that.

 

I am looking forward to hearing from you.

 

Thanks,

Ana

There certainly are canal boat communities, Ana. They are, in my experience, like any other small village community. Everyone knows every one else's business unless you keep your mouth firmly shut and there is also a lot of support for each other. And just like villages they go to the local pub, swap wives, husbands, boyfriends and girlfriends, fall out, kiss and make up, complain about dog turds, hate the next canal community down the cut, and never indulge in dance improvisation unless they have a total lack of regard for their crockery, given the dimensional constraints of a narrowboat.

 

And at least 5% of them will be continuous cruisers.

[Roger Gunkel]

Hi Ana and welcome to the forum.

 

This is purely a personal opinion, but I think your perception of people who live on boats, may perhaps be a little naieve, or based on a Rosie & Jim view of things. I think that generally you won't find a boating community that live like Hobbits, or live in a utopian self sustaining backwater somewhere. Neither are boat dwellers part of some sort of Romany or Gypsy group with boating ancestors and traditions.

 

You have probably already found the largest boating community on your computer here! It consists of people just like yourself, anthropologists, scientists, musicians, nurses, office workers, unemployed etc. There may be individuals who earn their living from art or theatre, but I think that would the exception. The one common point is that we live on boats because either we don't want, or can't afford to live in houses. Some live on their boats in marinas, some on canal banks and some continuously cruise. Most that are in normal employment commute to work, probably just as you do.

 

You say that you live in London, so if I told you that I lived on a boat and wanted to find out if the streets of London were really paved with gold and did everybody wear bowler hats, you would probably be mildly amused. I fear you may get a similar response here, but wish you luck in your quest for the lost tribe.

 

Roger

Edited January 9, 2009 by Roger Gunkel

[chris w]

Ana

 

If you're intelligent, blonde and beautiful I'm willing to be in your study (or any room in your house for that matter)

[Lady Muck]

The one that springs to mind straight away is the squatted moorings in Hackney on the Lee. They've been featured on some website or other because they are interested in sustainable living. Sorry can't provide more info - posting from my phone.

[Bob the welder]

Ana

 

If you're intelligent, blonde and beautiful I'm willing to be in your study (or any room in your house for that matter)

you wish .

[AMModels]

reminds me of a joke

 

 

Two anthropologists fly to the south sea islands to study the natives. They go to two adjacent islands and set to work. A few months later one of them takes a canoe over to the other island to see how his colleague is doing. When he gets there, he finds the other anthropologist standing among a group of natives.

"Greetings! How is it going?" says the visiting anthropologist.

 

"Wonderful!" says the other, "I have discovered an important fact about the local language! Watch!"

 

He points at a palm tree and says, "what is that?"

The natives, in unison, say "Umbalo-gong!"

He then points at a rock and says, "and that?"

The natives again intone "Umbalo-gong!"

 

"You see!", says the beaming anthropologist, "They use the SAME word for 'rock' and for 'palm tree'!"

"That is truly amazing!" says the astonished visiting anthropologist, "On the other island, the same word means 'index finger'!"

 

and Ana Im not saying all anthropologists are as stupid as that, that would be stereotyping.

 

[estwdjhn]

I suppose it all depends what you mean. Because of the way moorings tend to be obtained, normally ones neighbours are not of your choosing. However, there is a certain friendliness within most mooring areas, much more so than is commonly found on land. As for peoples employment I don't know of any performing artists, but I do know factory workers, boat engineers, airline pilots, the retired, window cleaners, the unemployed, driving instructors etc who own boats - its just like the different types of people who own houses.

[Mac of Cygnet]

Hi everyone!

 

I come from an anthropology background and am very interested in meeting communities living on canal boats.

 

I was wondering if anyone is part of one or knows of communities around the UK...

they can be alternative communities in the sense of being self-sustainable that are environmentally friendly,

and also for example artistic communities that have for example theatre, circus or dance improvisation on boats etc (you catch my drift)....

 

I live in London but I'd also like to get to know people in other parts of the country. Maybe you can't help me directly, but you might know someone that can, I would appreciate that.

 

I am looking forward to hearing from you.

 

Thanks,

Ana

 

Well, there's the so-called Callis Community on the Rochdale (near Callis Lock, west of Hebden Bridge.) Can't introduce you, because I don't really know any of them, although I've passed the time of day. An attempt at self-sufficiency has been made with the 'Callis Community Gardens' and various other structures by the canal. There may be various other 'communities' like this around, but I wouldn't be surprised if any overtures were met with some suspicion, especially since BW started their purge on non-licenced boats. (I'm not commenting on the situation with the Callis boats here, as I haven't been past for about a year.) Also, people tend to come and go a bit more than they used to, as some of these groups are not on 'official' moorings, and again BW is becoming less tolerant of this sort of thing.

 

Mac

[Sir Nibble]

This is not to put too fine a point on it, laughable. So I'll laugh at it. Ha ha ha ha ha!

 

I too come from "an anthropology background" being as I am Human, not the same as an anthropologist tho' is it? No credible scientist would go fairy hunting like this.

 

and also for example artistic communities that have for example theatre, circus or dance improvisation on boats etc (you catch my drift)....

 

They would probably be lynched!

 

Sorry if my customary good humour is absent this morning, all I really wanted to post was; For Gods sake grow up! but I thought that might be a bit OTT.

[grahoom]

try this site.

 

http://www.liloontheweb.org.uk/

[Chris Pink]

Well that set the Daily Mail cages howling.

 

Gordon Bennet, there are some puerile poeple on this forum.

 

I expect, as with the recent 'have you seen' thread that the real action is happening by PM.

 

And replies like that of Sir Nibble and chris w show that in addition to the true community spirit you will find on the canal are also to be found some of life's misanthropes and throwbacks.

 

Much like anywhere else really.

[David Schweizer]

Ana

 

If you're intelligent, blonde and beautiful I'm willing to be in your study (or any room in your house for that matter)

 

 

you wish .

Dont tell his wfe. She may take the MG back !!!

Edited January 9, 2009 by David Schweizer

[Chickadee]

What about near Bristol/Bath? When i've walked the tow paths somewhere near there it really feels like a community so much so that I felt like I was walking throught the boats back garden. I also wouldn't be surprised if some of the people there do earn there living through some kind of performance art. Enough of it goes on in Bath/bristol and some of the people live in lorrys, buses etc so why not boats.

[WJM]

There two or three clusters of itinerant boats on the reach above Teddington Lock. Some of them are big enough to constitute a multi-generational community.

[blackrose]

Hi everyone!

 

I come from an anthropology background and am very interested in meeting communities living on canal boats.

 

I was wondering if anyone is part of one or knows of communities around the UK...

they can be alternative communities in the sense of being self-sustainable that are environmentally friendly,

and also for example artistic communities that have for example theatre, circus or dance improvisation on boats etc (you catch my drift)....

I live in London but I'd also like to get to know people in other parts of the country. Maybe you can't help me directly, but you might know someone that can, I would appreciate that.

 

I am looking forward to hearing from you.

 

Thanks,

Ana

 

Ana, for someone who says they come from a social sciences background, you do seem to have an odd agenda regarding people on boats. Most of us are just ordinary people, not hippies or circus freaks!

Edited January 9, 2009 by blackrose

[Phil Speight]

Ana, for someone who says they come from a social sciences background, you do seem to have an odd agenda regarding people on boats. Most of us are just ordinary people, not hippies or circus freaks!

Absolutely ! We are , in the main, ordinary everyday working people. What did you imagine you would find ?

[WJM]

"theatre, circus or dance improvisation on boats"

 

There is the Puppet Barge currently wintering in Richmond and of course the Mikron Traveling Theatre Company

[chris w]

And replies like that of Sir Nibble and chris w show that in addition to the true community spirit you will find on the canal are also to be found some of life's misanthropes and throwbacks.

..................and self-righteous prats

[Valonia]

for example theatre, circus or dance improvisation on boats etc (you catch my drift)....

 

My hubby's morris dancing is quite scary.

 

I wouldn't like to study it too closely though.

 

x V.

[MartinClark]

The one common point is that we live on boats because either we don't want, or can't afford to live in houses.

Hey - we don't all live on boats!

[Roger Gunkel]

Hey - we don't all live on boats!

 

I realise that Martin, but as she was specifically looking for communities, I thought that would apply to those of us who do live onboard.

 

Roger

[Chris Pink]

..................and self-righteous prats

 

Your wife approved your earlier post then, Chris?

[Dominic M]

I think you’ll find boat communities pretty much a cross section of society as you would on land.

 

Thinking about the people who live on boats around here we have a male lap dancer, an Arthurian Legend Tarot card reader, a woman who believes she is the reincarnation of Joseph of Arimathea, a holistic dentist who can hum the whole La Bohéme backwards – in fact the only oddball left field character is a boat electrician.

[Roger Gunkel]

Looking seriously at the request for a moment, you could look at almost any group of people who live in a community of any sort, whether it is caravans, boats houses or tents and you will quite likely find musicians, artists, actors etc. You may also find small clusters of dropouts or 'alternative lifestylers' with little income, who may live in squats, boats, camper vans or anywhere they can lay their heads. There are often people in these groups who can supplement their incomes from impromtu street theatre or busking etc. It is a lifestyle that some people, usually young and idealistic see as free spirited and alternative.

 

It has absolutely nothing at all to do with living in a boating community, heritage, history and least of all anthropology--In my opinion!!

 

Roger