Keeping Heritage Afloat

[Josher]

An initiative ...

 

Boat-building traineeships offered at National Waterways Museum, Ellesmere Port.

 

Jan 19 2011 Pioneer

 

BOAT-BUILDING will be revived by a £126,000 project at the National Waterways Museum in Ellesmere Port. The museum has launched Keeping History Afloat – Traditional Boat-Building Skills for the Future, funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund’s Skills for the Future programme, to develop traditional boat-building and conservation skills.

 

Keeping History Afloat is managed by the museum, working closely with the National Historic Ships Heritage Boatyard Steering Group. Based in the Heritage Boatyard at the museum, the project will deliver three work-based 18-month training placements.

 

Peter Collins, collections manager at the museum, said: “There are currently no accredited courses which cover the practical conservation of historic vessels and we are extremely pleased to be able to develop this unique training opportunity, offering an 18-month programme that will develop the skills which are critical to the survival of our maritime heritage.”

 

The project is seeking applications for the 18-month traineeships. The full-time traineeships will start on March 7 and finish in August 2012 and trainees will be paid up to £12,000 a year plus expenses. Candidates need experience of woodworking and metalwork to NVQ Level 2 standard or equivalent. Applicants should be aged over 16 and must be passionate about leaning the craft of boat restoration and conservation.

 

Keeping History Afloat will offer the following qualifications to each trainee: NVQ Level 3 in Heritage Skills (Construction), EDI Level 3 Diploma in Cultural Heritage (QCF Conservation), plus a City & Guilds Level 3 Certificate in Boat Building, Maintenance and Support. Trainees will also develop specialist knowledge in the conservation of historic vessels.

 

For further information and application pack, contact Peter Collins, National Waterways Museum collections manager, by emailing peter.collins@thewaterwaystrust.org.uk. The deadline for applications is Friday, January 28, and interviews will take place on February 7.

[alan_fincher]

Seems kind of strange that a museum that seems incapable of keeping afloat most of the boats it has in its custody should be offering this!

[Strads]

Alan,

 

Maybe that the teaching of the required skills will be done with a view to putting the accomplished skills to work on the relics to improve/restore the "historic" boats there!

[Proper Job]

More likely that they'll train them up and then not have the ongoing funds to offer them employment.

 

The museums boats will continue to rot and the trainees will be off to seek their fortunes elsewhere

[Timleech]

Seems kind of strange that a museum that seems incapable of keeping afloat most of the boats it has in its custody should be offering this!

 

Seems to me to be a perfectly valid part of the new determination that's being shown by both the Museum and the Museum Society to do something about their biodegradable collection.

 

Tim

[Derek R.]

This country desperately needs to remove people from benefits and get them doing something constructive. We can all attempt to find income, but so often the income goes abroad through taxation and in obtaining material wealth - Made in China. If the Museum has grants that enable them to offer such a course (and I have no idea if they are gov. funded), then they are building something that may allow future generations to use skills applicable just about anywhere, whether it's at the Museum or elsewhere. Good luck to them, and I hope they have a full class.

[carlt]

More likely that they'll train them up and then not have the ongoing funds to offer them employment.

 

The museums boats will continue to rot and the trainees will be off to seek their fortunes elsewhere

Possibly, but the biggest expense, in maintaining a (wooden) working boat is the person who knows how to do it.

 

If this scheme teaches that knowledge then there will be more people willing to rescue at-risk boats and rebuild them.

 

At the same time work is being carried out on the museum's fleet.

 

Schemes like this are being run, successfully, all around the coast and it is great to see it happening inland.

 

People being taught traditional skills, boats being rebuilt and the museum finally prioritising its most important artefacts.

 

It seems to cover all my main criticisms so I am certainly not going to knock it.

[alan_fincher]

Seems kind of strange that a museum that seems incapable of keeping afloat most of the boats it has in its custody should be offering this!

On thinking about subsequent posts made, I am happy to withdraw my initial remark as an unnecessarily cheap jibe.

 

Having visited Ellesmere Port recently, I can't pretend not to have grave concerns about the boat collection, but I do agree with those who say people need to be taught the skills somehow.

 

...... And it's not just all wooden boats that in fully sunk condition there, of course....

[carlt]

Seems kind of strange that a museum that seems incapable of keeping afloat most of the boats it has in its custody should be offering this!

The problem is, Alan, most of the people who have the skills, to carry out maintenance on wooden working narrow boats, are my age, or older and the thought of going into dry dock and hauling about planks of oak 30+ feet long and 2 inches thick no longer holds any appeal, whatsoever.

 

Teaching youngsters the work is they only way the boats will survive.

[Speedwheel]

Possibly, but the biggest expense, in maintaining a (wooden) working boat is the person who knows how to do it.

 

If this scheme teaches that knowledge then there will be more people willing to rescue at-risk boats and rebuild them.

 

At the same time work is being carried out on the museum's fleet.

 

Schemes like this are being run, successfully, all around the coast and it is great to see it happening inland.

 

People being taught traditional skills, boats being rebuilt and the museum finally prioritising its most important artefacts.

 

It seems to cover all my main criticisms so I am certainly not going to knock it.

 

Can only agree. While I have been quick to criticise the museum in the past, this certainly has the makings of a step in the right direction. Teaching skills and improving the state of the boats for what is probably less cost than to send them to an already established expert.

 

And of course lets not forget that the skill themselves are as much a part of our heritage (I hate that word - even more abused than 'Josher')as the boats. (Edit to add: skills I would certainly love to possess!)

 

Out of interest, does anyone know who the teacher/expert is?

Edited January 20, 2011 by Speedwheel

[Paul H]

 

Out of interest, does anyone know who the teacher/expert is?

The Heritage Boatyard Leader is Dave Linney who used to work at Warwickshire Fly Boats but they may be getting other people in as well.

 

Paul

[Speedwheel]

The Heritage Boatyard Leader is Dave Linney who used to work at Warwickshire Fly Boats but they may be getting other people in as well.

 

Paul

 

Thanks Paul.

 

Is the idea to eventually try and make this a commercially viable enterprise where private owners can bring their boats for work?

[Pluto]

Thanks Paul.

 

Is the idea to eventually try and make this a commercially viable enterprise where private owners can bring their boats for work?

That is certainly one long term aim, but in the shorter term they are very aware that their own boats need work as money and time becomes available.

 

The L&LCS is in discussion with them over the possibility of the yard undertaking the conservation work required on the former BW heritage boat Kennet, which the canal society now look after. Kennet will be at Saltaire from 15-18 April for World Heritage Day - this year's theme is water, and then will then be at the Skipton Waterway Festival over the Mayday bank holiday weekend, returning to Saltaire for their Arts event 28-30 May. The next Kennet event could be a heritage weekend at Burscough in June/July, with Kennet going on dock for a survey and minor hull repairs later in the summer.

[sociable_hermit]

Shame no-one thought to mention it a couple of years ago, when I might have been able to wangle the necessary NVQs in order to start now. If someone can guarantee it'll still be running in 2 - 5 years then I might still consider that. Big gamble, but hey ho.

[the grinch]

The problem is, Alan, most of the people who have the skills, to carry out maintenance on wooden working narrow boats, are my age, or older and the thought of going into dry dock and hauling about planks of oak 30+ feet long and 2 inches thick no longer holds any appeal, whatsoever.

 

Teaching youngsters the work is they only way the boats will survive.

 

 

you are so right, there is a lack of skills in the youth of today, partly because schools are more interested in exam result than actually being able to do anything useful and partly because parents give them computers and games etc leaving them to entertain themselves (usually with violent games)

 

as for 30' of 2" oak 20' is heavy enough, i know having hand unloaded the gate timbers for baldwin's Knob lock this lunchtime!!

[Josher]

Crumbs! ...

 

Sweet donation for the National Waterways Museum

 

16th Feb 2011 Waterscape

 

 

The National Waterways Museum on the Shropshire Union Canal has received a very tasty £10,000 donation towards the restoration of the narrowboat Mendip from confectionary company Cadbury. The canal narrowboat Mendip, which spent much of its working life carrying chocolate crumb between the Cadbury factories at Knighton and Bournville, is currently being restored at the Museum’s Heritage Boatyard.

 

The ex-working boat now has had new wooden bottoms fitted and repairs made to the steel hull. Soon she will be craned back into the water, where the refurbished diesel engine will be refitted and painting and other work will be completed.

 

The Heritage Boatyard is a project working with range of partners and funders. Its aim is to preserve traditional boat building skills relating to inland waterways craft and pass on these skills to a new generation.

 

In September, once the work is finished, the boat will make the trip through the canal network back to the Bournville headquarters of the chocolate maker mirroring the trips the boat made by Charlie Atkins ‘Chocolate Charlie,’ the canal personality who was known to all the children who lived near the canal.

 

Museum general manager John Inch said: “Mendip is an important part of our collection and we’re delighted that Cadbury are supporting its restoration with this generous grant. Mendip, Chocolate Charlie and his cargo of chocolate crumb was a real fixture of the canal scene in the Midlands in the 1950s and we’re excited to be able to re-create the journey in September.”

[weaverbarge]

Has anything been heard anything recently of the boatyard at t'port? Rumours abound that things there are not as they should be?

[roger blunt]

Hi all

 

I had the misfortune to spend some time at the museum recently, and yes you are right, things are not well. I could not believe that this so called Museum is the same place I spent endless happy hours wandering round with my children many years ago. I was shocked and quite distraught at the condition of those vessels that feature in many of the family snap shots I took in the past, what on earth has happened? Quite foolishly, I thought that I would be Introducing my grandchildren to the boats that had so influenced me in my younger days, I looked forward to telling of Charlie Atkins, and how I had met him one day, and to showing them aboard Mendip. Sad to say Mendip was locked up, and we could not go on board. But however we were informed that we could go aboard Ferret which is exactly the same, well it clearly is not the same, and apparently is the only narrowboat that you now board at the museum.

 

Ferret is an absolute disgrace, the cabin was black with mould, it smelt damp and unloved, water was lapping at the floor boards, the dollys were falling out, the ropework was green with mould and hanging down, I could go on and on. The remainder of the day did not fair much better, I was looking forward to exploring the downstairs area of the Island Wharehouse, when last at the museum, this area was out of bounds as it was a working area. There were moments of joy, which were very soon brought back down to earth by annoyed grandchildren that could not force the broken interactives to work no matter how hard they tried. Very poor if any interpretation, incorrect information given in that which was there, etc etc. There is so much more I could say but i am sure you have all got my point! Oh and let's not mention the so called cafe.

 

What the hell has happened to this gem of a place, what has gone wrong, who is to blame? I must apologise for my first post being so negative, but this is my heritage and my children's heritage and it being allowed to rot away while the staff sit in plush offices with their shiny new computers. And as for the Heritage Boatyard, I am fully aware of the problems there, and I am sure that soon the truth will out, but it is not my place to comment as I was told in confidence.

 

Roger Blunt

[Derek R.]

January 2011:

 

"BOAT-BUILDING will be revived by a £126,000 project at the National Waterways Museum in Ellesmere Port. The museum has launched Keeping History Afloat – Traditional Boat-Building Skills for the Future, funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund’s Skills for the Future programme, to develop traditional boat-building and conservation skills."

 

February 2011:

 

"Museum general manager John Inch said: “Mendip is an important part of our collection and we’re delighted that Cadbury are supporting its restoration with this generous grant. Mendip, Chocolate Charlie and his cargo of chocolate crumb was a real fixture of the canal scene in the Midlands in the 1950s and we’re excited to be able to re-create the journey in September.”

 

Are we talking lack of money - or lack of management? Or both?