A documentary made in the early part of 1970 following the Whitlocks

[Roxy]

Dont usually come in here so forgive me if this has been posted before, but whilst off work due to having the dreaded flu Ive been going through youtube and found this:

 

 

http://www.youtube.com/user/mykaskin

 

I wonder if these boats are still out there somewhere...I found it quite heartwarming tbh

[carlt]

It has been posted before (mykaskin is a forum member) but it's always worth a bump.

 

I lived on Lucy for many years and it is now undergoing a complete rebuild by its present owner Pete Boyce who has now acquired a half share in Renfrew, too.

 

Details are here....Clicky

[Roxy]

It has been posted before (mykaskin is a forum member) but it's always worth a bump.

 

I lived on Lucy for many years and it is now undergoing a complete rebuild by its present owner Pete Boyce who has now acquired a half share in Renfrew, too.

 

Details are here....Clicky

Aww thanks for that Carlt, cant believe you lived on Lucy, bought a tear to my eye as they worked so bloody hard in those days, not saying they dont now but its when he mentioned ''Im up at 4:30 in the morning and dont stop till 22:30 at night'' And then I was laughing when his wife said about her husband waiting under the bridge for them after the storm then she looked again and he was in the cut with his bike bless.

[David Schweizer]

I cannot make a claim as impressive as Carl's, but I can remember the Whiltocks working Renfrew and Lucy through Uxbridge every week in the 1960's. I also remember them on their previous motor Ian which is up for sale at the moment through WFBCo. It is sixth in the list.

 

http://www.wfbco.co.uk/narrowboats_for_sale.html

Edited December 1, 2011 by David Schweizer

[alan_fincher]

Another bright note, for those not familiar with the family, is that whilst Bill and Rose Whitlock passed on quite a few years ago now, Laura Carter, who was usually the steerer for the motor, (IIRC she is in all sequences in this short film), is still to be seen about in the Braunston area, and has often recently been spotted aboard Renfrew at the annual Historic Boat event held there.

 

Similarly the Whitlock's daughter, Joan, although not featured in that film, I think, has made appearances as Renfrew's guest steerer at the show.

 

IIRC, both appeared in "Narrow Boat Afloat" shows featuring "Dover". Laura has a wonderful accent, that I guess can't be completely pinpointed to any geographical area, but which you might choose to call "working boater".

 

I wasn't sure when they were not on camera, if I always knew whether it was Rose or Laura talking in that wonderful film. I wonder if David knows ?

[Roxy]

Sorry to ask what might seem dumb questions but why did the boats always go in pairs? And why did one tow the other? Not just these boats but any working ones...

[jelunga]

Because only the towing boat had an engine The towed boat called a butty is unpowered

[Guest]

Sorry to ask what might seem dumb questions but why did the boats always go in pairs? And why did one tow the other? Not just these boats but any working ones...

 

They are maximising their load carrying capacity and they didn't need an engine in both so one just pulled the other...and of course they could share wide locks where they travelled.

Edited December 1, 2011 by MJG

[David Schweizer]

Another bright note, for those not familiar with the family, is that whilst Bill and Rose Whitlock passed on quite a few years ago now, Laura Carter, who was usually the steerer for the motor, (IIRC she is in all sequences in this short film), is still to be seen about in the Braunston area, and has often recently been spotted aboard Renfrew at the annual Historic Boat event held there.

 

Similarly the Whitlock's daughter, Joan, although not featured in that film, I think, has made appearances as Renfrew's guest steerer at the show.

 

IIRC, both appeared in "Narrow Boat Afloat" shows featuring "Dover". Laura has a wonderful accent, that I guess can't be completely pinpointed to any geographical area, but which you might choose to call "working boater".

 

I wasn't sure when they were not on camera, if I always knew whether it was Rose or Laura talking in that wonderful film. I wonder if David knows ?

I am pretty confident that only Bill and Rose are featured in that film. I am sure that Jeanette Smith Harrison will know for certain.

[Roxy]

Ahhhhh I see,

 

Thankyou

Rachel

[David Schweizer]

Another bright note, for those not familiar with the family, is that whilst Bill and Rose Whitlock passed on quite a few years ago now, Laura Carter, who was usually the steerer for the motor, (IIRC she is in all sequences in this short film), is still to be seen about in the Braunston area, and has often recently been spotted aboard Renfrew at the annual Historic Boat event held there.

 

Similarly the Whitlock's daughter, Joan, although not featured in that film, I think, has made appearances as Renfrew's guest steerer at the show.

 

IIRC, both appeared in "Narrow Boat Afloat" shows featuring "Dover". Laura has a wonderful accent, that I guess can't be completely pinpointed to any geographical area, but which you might choose to call "working boater".

 

I wasn't sure when they were not on camera, if I always knew whether it was Rose or Laura talking in that wonderful film. I wonder if David knows ?

 

 

If I remember correctly Joan stood in for Laura at the Show this year, as Laura was not her usual self, her brother having only died a couple of days before the show.

Edited December 1, 2011 by David Schweizer

[Roxy]

Its a real shame that Lucy got like that in the end, that is going to be some restoration but so glad she is being restored. Makes ya wander why people just abandon them leaving such beautiful boats to decay in the canal

[Tam & Di]

Its a real shame that Lucy got like that in the end, that is going to be some restoration but so glad she is being restored. Makes ya wander why people just abandon them leaving such beautiful boats to decay in the canal

 

Money?

[Roxy]

Money?

Wouldnt BW come along though and see it was an unlicensed boat and take it away to the graveyard eventually?

I dont know these things as to why Im asking

Thanks

Rachel

[Proper Job]

Money?

That pretty well sums it up.

 

Most punters consider any wooden boat as virtually worthless, expensive to maintain and requiring specialist skills to carryout any repairs.

 

Not quite so in salty circles, but definately in canal land.

 

How long has Ian been for sale now? and how much has the price dropped?

 

 

Q... Carlt

Edited December 1, 2011 by Proper Job

[Guest]

Its a real shame that Lucy got like that in the end, that is going to be some restoration but so glad she is being restored. Makes ya wander why people just abandon them leaving such beautiful boats to decay in the canal

 

Unfortunately it comes down to economics - in the absence of any real role for them they were often abandoned and those old wooden and steel boats that survive and continue to do so are down to enthusiasts like Carl/Chertsey et al...

Edited December 1, 2011 by MJG

[carlt]

Makes ya wander why people just abandon them leaving such beautiful boats to decay in the canal

Lucy wasn't abandoned.

 

When my son was diagnosed as autistic I knew I couldn't restore both Lucy and Usk so had to let one go.

 

Common sense dictated that we kept the motor and tried to find someone to take on the butty, especially as Lucy needed a complete rebuild and Usk was in very good order.

 

I looked after her and kept her afloat until someone stole the solar panels that kept the bilge pump batteries charged.

 

After that I kept BW onside, despite some vicious opposition from some quarters, until finally passing her on to Pete, who had the time and resources to, hopefully, achieve what I was unable to.

 

It took me nearly 4 years but I managed to keep her together until Pete took over

 

Unfortunately it comes down to economics

Nothing to do with economics in my case, just family commitments and time.

[Guest]

Wouldnt BW come along though and see it was an unlicensed boat and take it away to the graveyard eventually?

I dont know these things as to why Im asking

Thanks

Rachel

 

I am not sure BW have an entirely sympathetic attitude to such boats if abandoned - my guess at best they would lift it and just dispose of it (ie burn/scrap it and weigh it in if it's metal one).

 

Apologies to BW if I'm being unfair...

 

Nothing to do with economics in my case, just family commitments and time.

 

Sorry Carl no offence intended - mine was a generic response not one specific to your circumstances which I am not aware of....

[carlt]

Wouldnt BW come along though and see it was an unlicensed boat and take it away to the graveyard eventually?

Exactly what happened to Usk, after vandals destroyed it by arson.

[Derek R.]

I seem to recall Mr Fincher commenting that Laura did not seem herself at Braunston this year for the aforementioned reason of her Brother's passing. The film shows not Laura, but Rose and Bill, and the Ginger haired young man has I believe contributed here at times. (I might be wrong on that.)

 

Nice shot of Rose in Lucy's hatches somewhere on someone's album.

 

Sheila Stewart's 'Ramlin Rose' was I believe triggered by Joan's introduction of her Mother to the author, and much of the 'Boatwoman's tale' was from memories taken from real life. It was of course a compendium of many events, and not all experienced by just one family. A good read though.

[Roxy]

Sorry Carl no offence intended from my earlier post either. And those bloody vandals again! Dont get me started on them.

I was on my boat last weekend and was speaking to another boater, I had to apoligise to him after I hounded him with 1000 questions on various boating things.

Look forward to seeing Lucy being restored though, oh and I didnt realise she was wooden see I learn something new everyday....

Rachel

[David Schweizer]

I seem to recall Mr Fincher commenting that Laura did not seem herself at Braunston this year for the aforementioned reason of her Brother's passing. The film shows not Laura, but Rose and Bill, and the Ginger haired young man has I believe contributed here at times. (I might be wrong on that.)

 

Nice shot of Rose in Lucy's hatches somewhere on someone's album.

 

Sheila Stewart's 'Ramlin Rose' was I believe triggered by Joan's introduction of her Mother to the author, and much of the 'Boatwoman's tale' was from memories taken from real life. It was of course a compendium of many events, and not all experienced by just one family. A good read though.

Laura is featured quite a lot in the film, steering Renfrew, Raking the coal, and mopping the rear counter of Renfrew, amonsgst other scenes.

 

The "ginger haired young man" is Mick Whitlock. The ginger hair is hardly a surprise, both Miock and Joan had it, inherited from Rose, although if I remember correctly, her red hair was darker.

[Chertsey]

 

How long has Ian been for sale now? and how much has the price dropped?

 

A long long time... Yes the price has dropped... When we went and looked (purely out of curiosity you understand), which must have been in early 2009, I think the asking price was in the region of 45k. Even the current price though is a long way from being realistic given the amount it needs spending on it. When we were at WFBCo collecting Bakewell, Rex Wain arrived to take Ian away to Brinklow for repairs, just, I suspect, to keep it afloat for another winter.

[bobby2011]

Laura is featured quite a lot in the film, steering Renfrew, Raking the coal, and mopping the rear counter of Renfrew, amonsgst other scenes.

 

The "ginger haired young man" is Mick Whitlock. The ginger hair is hardly a surprise, both Miock and Joan had it, inherited from Rose, although if I remember correctly, her red hair was darker.

 

mick was the only one in the immediate family to have red hair, it is thought that the sister of his grandmother had red hair

[David Schweizer]

mick was the only one in the immediate family to have red hair, it is thought that the sister of his grandmother had red hair

I may be wrong about the colour of Rose's hair, but Joan's hair certainly had a distinct Auburn tinge when she was a teenager. Somewhere I have a couple of photos of her steering Lucy which I am sure show the colour of her hair quite clearly. When I get a moment I will hunt them out and post a scan.

Edited to add:- I have just thought that I may be responding to a family member, so I apologise if my posts on this subject are an intrusion.

Edited December 2, 2011 by David Schweizer