The Hones of Oxford

[Tiggers]

I have just had the most surreal conversation with my partner. We have been together nearly a year now, and I have tried for this whole time to get him to have even a glimmer of interests in boats and the canal, and have failed miserably. I pretty much have to drag him aboard Dudley, and he has no interest in my work (more of a fast cars man).

 

Last night, he dropped the bomb shell that he is descended from working boatmen. Why he had not told me this before, I do not know (although he CLAIMS to have mentioned it before, Im pretty sure I would've remembered!). After a discussion with his father, it turns out that the Hones were originally from Oxfordshire (now living in Warminster, Wiltshire, which is where my partner was living when I first met him.) Now Hone is an unusual name, and after some brief digging, I have discovered that there is a family with the name of Hone from Banbury mentioned in Rolt's book Narrowboat, and are said to have run White City, Clygate and Rose and Betty.

 

I was wondering if anyone knew any more of the Hone family, as although my partner has no interest at all, I am hoping this may be the inspiration needed!

[kitman]

Don't really know much. I did talk to a Hone whilst I was working at Tooley's, Banbury. He was something to do with renting pallets or something, I think they have a yard where they store the pallets near Banbury.

[pete harrison]

I have just had the most surreal conversation with my partner. We have been together nearly a year now, and I have tried for this whole time to get him to have even a glimmer of interests in boats and the canal, and have failed miserably. I pretty much have to drag him aboard Dudley, and he has no interest in my work (more of a fast cars man).

 

Last night, he dropped the bomb shell that he is descended from working boatmen. Why he had not told me this before, I do not know (although he CLAIMS to have mentioned it before, Im pretty sure I would've remembered!). After a discussion with his father, it turns out that the Hones were originally from Oxfordshire (now living in Warminster, Wiltshire, which is where my partner was living when I first met him.) Now Hone is an unusual name, and after some brief digging, I have discovered that there is a family with the name of Hone from Banbury mentioned in Rolt's book Narrowboat, and are said to have run White City, Clygate and Rose and Betty.

 

I was wondering if anyone knew any more of the Hone family, as although my partner has no interest at all, I am hoping this may be the inspiration needed!

 

The Hone family were a well known boating family based at Banbury. They were what 'enthusiasts' call "Number One's", or better still owner boatmen i.e. they owned their own boats and had their own carrying contracts or contracted to other firms.

 

I have the Hones, Banbury as owning the following narrow boats, all of which were horse boats:-

 

MARY (1900)

WHITE CITY (1911)

CYLGATE (1930)

ROSE & BETTY (@ 1932 - health registration date no known to me)

GOLDEN MILLER (1934 - renamed LUCKNOW 1935)

GOLDEN MILLER (@ 1938 - health registration date no known to me)

DUKE OF YORK (1944)

 

Alfred Hone sold his last two narrow boats (CYLGATE and DUKE OF YORK) to Samuel Barlow Coal Company Ltd. on 31 July 1946, although he remained the 'master' of CYLGATE for while.

[alan_fincher]

Mrs Rose Skinner, wife of the well known boatman Jack Skinner who died in 2008, was born Rose Hone.

 

Link to Jack Skinner's obituary on this forum

 

I don't recall hearing anything to suggest that Rose Hone/Skinner is not still with us, but I could be wrong.

[Tiggers]

Thanks so much for your information guys, it has really knocked me for six! My partner (Andy) had never even BEEN on a boat before he met me, and knew nothing of the canals, but I think this has actually inspired a little interest in him (hoorah!). I am hoping that his father can fill me in some more. Time to get out The Bargee me thinks

[Bones]

Mrs Rose Skinner, wife of the well known boatman Jack Skinner who died in 2008, was born Rose Hone.

 

Link to Jack Skinner's obituary on this forum

 

I don't recall hearing anything to suggest that Rose Hone/Skinner is not still with us, but I could be wrong.

 

 

Rose is very much alive!!

 

There is a grave yard in Southam Road cemetery in Banbury to the Hone family. There is a picture of it on my blog here http://mortimerbones.blogspot.com/2011/04/dead-centre-of-banbury.html scroll down to the photograph

[history girl]

Weren't the Hones mentioned in L T C Rolt's book "Narrowboat". They were based in Banbury Oxfordshire and I feel sure there were photographs of the family and 2 of their boats.

[pete harrison]

Weren't the Hones mentioned in L T C Rolt's book "Narrowboat". They were based in Banbury Oxfordshire and I feel sure there were photographs of the family and 2 of their boats.

 

Yes, as mentioned in the first post of this thread (last sentence of paragraph two).

[kitman]

I think there is a picture of Rose Hone standing outside Tooley's when she was a little girl in the book Ramblin Rose

[Robin2]

I know this is but I keep looking at the title of this post and wishing it was a spelling mistake