The amateur boatwoman

[jeannette smith harrison]

Hello

The amateur boatwoman by Eily Gayford.

Can anyone please help me? In my search for photos or other info covering the time the

girls spent with Cissy & Albert Sibley.Cissy (Ellen Harrison) was my Brothers Godmother

& Grandads Sister.I have photos from my childhood & teen era when they retired from boating &

moved to West Drayton but would love some from their boating days. When Aunt Cissy became frail & moved to a warden controlled place a lot

of photos ect went missing.

[Derek R.]

Chapters 4 & 5 involve the Sibley's; 'The Grand Union' & 'Iced Up'. There are no photo's of the Sibley's in my copy, but if it's text you want it's two chapters long! Amazon have copies, but shout if there's something more specific you're after - though I suspect you already have a copy! Ian Tyler remembers the Sibleys. I seem to recall it was a Sibley who told Ian they rocked the ice boat so hard, the portholes were down to water level! Might have been SICKLE, not certain. I vaguely remember Tom Sibley being at Cowley lock, but that was around 1982.

 

Derek

[alan_fincher]

I am assured that this photo I tool of Sickle in 1973 shows Alf Best steering, but Tom Sibley riding with him.

 

[jeannette smith harrison]

Many thanks for your reply Derek.Yes i have the book.lots of books & photos appear ref

the women once they had their own boats, but very little about the very beginning when the first

few did their training. I have tried over the years to find photos ect but with very little luck.

Thank you for the photo Alen may i please add it to my family tree for my own private use & to show my family ?

Albert Sibley died in 1971 & aunt cissy died in 1997.when they Married both used the address of the Sibley home in Horton road next to the canal on the yewsley side of West Drayton. when they left the cut they set up home only a few roads away.(a short walk along the cut to Cowley lock)If i stood on the rockery @ the bottom of my Grandads garden i could look over the high fence & call them.

Two doors away from them lived Benny Nixon who married Violet Harrison.So you see the boat people lived in their

own community on the cut & always seemed to live grouped together on the bank.

Albert & cissy both came from large familys

but hade no children of their own, so i have no one on their line to ask.

Jeannette

[ChimneyChain]

Hi Jeannette

 

I went to school in Yiewsley with a Nicola sibley she will now be aged around 38 she also had an older brother now about 40 are these related to you in any way. Where abouts did you have relations living in Horton rd as I was brought up in providence rd?

 

Best regards

Darren

[jeannette smith harrison]

Hi Jeannette

 

I went to school in Yiewsley with a Nicola sibley she will now be aged around 38 she also had an older brother now about 40 are these related to you in any way. Where abouts did you have relations living in Horton rd as I was brought up in providence rd?

 

Best regards

Darren

[jeannette smith harrison]

Hi Jeannette

 

I went to school in Yiewsley with a Nicola sibley she will now be aged around 38 she also had an older brother now about 40 are these related to you in any way. Where abouts did you have relations living in Horton rd as I was brought up in providence rd?

 

Best regards

Darren

Hello Darren

I still have a relative living in Horton rd.Albert & cissy Sibley gave residence add as 38 Horton Lane on Marriage cert in 1939.Alberts parents lived @ victoria cottages in 1898 & still there in 1911.the cottages where in the area near the pub @ the end of Colham Lane.1979 my Grandparents moved to Castle Ave the bit where the green is, Cissy & Albert about the same time moved to Yew Ave & a few years lated Benny & Violet Nixon moved into Yew Ave.Do you remember the Silver stores shop @ the end of Fairfield road? I can remember my Nan going there for her groceries & still wearing her best boatwomans wrap around apron.she wore these all the time right upto the day she died,so it was only right that she was laid to rest in one.The Sibleys are a huge family living in West Drayton,Yewsley & Hillingdon

I only know a few.

Jeannette

[ChimneyChain]

Hi Jeanette

 

Yes I do remember silver stores I was only in there the other day and the owners still worked there just like they did when I was young. And your right the old boat families did stick together around the Yiewsley area like the Owens , dyers , blands , benn , woods , garner?

 

Darren

[jeannette smith harrison]

Hello Darren

Iv often wondered why a lot of boat people settled in Yewsley.West Drayton area & the only answer

i can think of is the work connected to the canals such as the marina & yards behind the Packet boat,

Horton Lane had several companys connected to the canal & behind St Matthews church is a trading estate

that had canal connections.St Matthews also has records of Baptisms & Wedding of boat people.Apart from my Nan

all her family settled in Daventry & Linslade.

Most of Grandads siblings settled in Coventry, Braunston & Long Buckby

Jeannette