So what did working boats get up to in the 70;s

[XAlan W]

Not been mentioned so far, but many of today's 'unconverted' working boats spent much of the 60s and 70s as converted boats.

 

Fulbourne was fitted with a full length conversion in about 1964, and the back cabin was replaced with a cruiser-style back deck (although the original steel engine room was retained). It was used as a residential and holiday boat for the next couple of decades. After the current owners acquired the boat the back cabin was reinstated in 1987, and the conversion was removed in 1988.

 

Bath, another unconverted Big Woolwich, spent some years as the full length hire boat 'Benbow' at Tardebigge.

 

The 1960s conversions were usually simply wooden affairs built off the original iron or steelwork, and after 20 or 30 years deterioration readily lent themselves to deconversion. By contrast, more recent welded steel conversions are much less deconvertible.

 

Darley, mentioned earlier, became a dredger for Alf Matty of Coseley. The front end was cut off and left on the bank ( I tried to buy it off them in about 1980, but they wouldn't sell it), and a new punt-shaped bow and excavator arm were fitted. If you look closely at the boat today you can see where the two sections were reunited.

 

David Mack

 

Please forgive if i`m posting in the wrong place as I`m new to this forum. I purchased FMC motor LILY in 1964, Had new boatmans cabin,gunnels etc. & a 25HP SEFFLE one pot semi diesel fitted at CHARITY DOCK work carried out by Joe Gilbert & Jess Owen. In 1966/67 contracted to move Joey`s around the BCN as part of the gas pipe laying under the towpaths.Late67 had full length conversion fitted at Charity & went to work as hire feet engineer at Shropshire Union Cruises living on the boat moored up in the arm. Altered the interior in late 69 to start hotel boating for the 1970 season, Harry Machin at Mk Drayton being our booking agent. Fitted to carry 6 passengers. 1971 purchased ex GUCC butty CRATER with a view to have a pair for 72 season But in late 71 my wife was diagnosed as having cancer.Butty was towed from Bedworth to Mk Drayton &sold to Harry Machin [ I have been told that it is now hotel butty Taurus?, ] LILY went to Malcolm Braine at Pelsall for him to act as selling agent She was sold late72 to WILLOW WREN KEARNES at Middlewich. I last saw LILY in 2002 deconverted at BULBORNE, with a BOLINDER with a gearbox fitted in place of the SEFFLE, owned by Gary & Tracy? Iunderstand that the SEFFLE is now in SEVERN, owned by Jem Bates I also understand via tow path telegraph which even reaches me here in south west FRANCE, that LILY has suffered a devestating cabin fire & now looks very sad. [hope whoever owns her will be able to restore her. [Very often wish I`d never sold her, Had areal soft spot for the old girl. Ar well I can always dream it`s alot easier & cheaper] Bye the way excellent forum.

[Sarah L]

I've been trying to piece together the history of Owl in the 70s.

So far I've discovered that the boat was owned by Phil Smith from Loughborough who worked it for Foxton Boat Services until he parted company with FBS in about 1980. At this point Brian Alan took over Owl, working for FBS.

At one stage it was paired with, I think, Mercury and used as a camping boat. I also believe that Jack Monk steered Owl at this time. (I wish I'd asked him about this when I was fitting Jack's Seffle into Owl at Leicester in 1989.)

When I acquired the boat in 1989 it had “Educational Cruises” painted on the back cabin. Who were these, I wonder?

Any extra details of Owl's history in the 70s would be most appreciated.

 

Owl at FBS with Virginis and Baldock in the background.

 

 

Mary Matts at FBS, whose picture this is, reckons that the tall chap standing on Owl is Hugh Potter.

 

 

From at least 1978 to 1981 Owl and Mercury were owned by my parents (Bryan and Sue Allen) and were operated as campers. The three of us lived on them at the time. When my sister was born in 1981 they sold both. If you're still interested I can ask them about their history before then. And Jack Monk (known to me as Grandpa Jack) was certainly around with us at that time. I think that they did some camping trips together based on some of the stories my father tells.

 

Sarah Lewis (Allen)

[koukouvagia]

From at least 1978 to 1981 Owl and Mercury were owned by my parents (Bryan and Sue Allen) and were operated as campers. The three of us lived on them at the time. When my sister was born in 1981 they sold both. If you're still interested I can ask them about their history before then. And Jack Monk (known to me as Grandpa Jack) was certainly around with us at that time. I think that they did some camping trips together based on some of the stories my father tells.

 

Sarah Lewis (Allen)

 

Hi Sarah,

I'm really interested in your connection with Owl and Jack Monk, whom I got to know well when Owl was being restored in Leicester in the late eighties.

Unfortunately we can't exchange Personal Messages until you've made five posts on this forum.

Jim

[c c]

I've got a picture of Badsey up the Wendover when Jill and Dave went to look at it. I'll see if I can find it.

I posted one of Badsey in the Wendover Arm on here some time ago - I would love to see a copy of the one you have in case it is different.

[Tam & Di]

All the camping boats I saw typically had six two-deck bunks, (usually ex army), to give an occupancy of 12 per boat.

 

Outfits included....

 

Union Canal Carriers, at Braunston, (almost certainly the biggest).

Birmingham & Midland, from Brum.

Threefellows, on the Leicester/Soar

Foxton Boat Services, as err.... Foxton!

Collier Brothers at Leighton Buzzard.

 

Not sure if Tam & Di Murrell ever had camping pairs - Tam will say, I'm sure!

 

I just looked back at this old thread which came to the fore again. When Tim Wood came into partnership with us in the mid 70s he had Vanguard and Ilkeston, and we ran those as campers for a couple of years. We were always into freight really though - admittedly passengers do constitute a self-loading freight which is quite useful, but otherwise I have a preference for the inanimate type of cargo.

Edited February 10, 2013 by Tam & Di

[jeannette smith harrison]

From at least 1978 to 1981 Owl and Mercury were owned by my parents (Bryan and Sue Allen) and were operated as campers. The three of us lived on them at the time. When my sister was born in 1981 they sold both. If you're still interested I can ask them about their history before then. And Jack Monk (known to me as Grandpa Jack) was certainly around with us at that time. I think that they did some camping trips together based on some of the stories my father tells.

 

Sarah Lewis (Allen)

Sarah I am connected to The Monks through Eli nixon & his wife Lizzie Monk.

Looking @ some notes that i have scribbled down whilst chatting with a member of the Monk family. I have

Jack Monk in early to mid 60's whilst working for Ken Roseblade as skipper of Neptune (Samuel Barlow) paired with Crater (have made note next to crater as also becoming a hotel boat Jack Monk also skippered Samuel Barlows "Admiral" Last year whilst @ the Middlewich festival i was given a copy of a song about him always over loading his boats.

[Ian Mac]

Sorry to disappoint you, Mike, but I've never been on Owl!

 

Hugh Potter

Bu..er! I to would have sworn it was you,

 

Welcome Hugh

 

 

Chertsey - Owned by the Cherstey Kid (Dicky Barrent) from the late Sixtes, leant to Ian Kemp, who brought it to Marple/High Lane around 1970 and refitted it, Ian then took her away and did several coal runs off the Ashby with Andrew Boucher, using a butty as well.

Some time in the late 70's Richard had her out on the bank at Allens yard in Oldbury and he and I and others helped him hot rivet new plates into the bow end. Not sure when Tricky got rid of her, or if it was after he died.

--

Cheers Ian Mac

[madcat]

Sold after he croaked,Tricky indeed. He borrowed my stuff without asking scratched my paint and accused me of pinching his ladder.Theres other stuff as well, speak ill of the dead too right.