Brass Canal Plaques

[Ray T]

Song about "Tommy Notes" here:

 

http://www.waterwaysongs.co.uk/tommy.htm

[Athy]

Edited to add:

"A Horse On The Cut" by Donald Smith is also very good, more than just about horses, or 'animals as some boat people called them.

I thought that "(h)animals" referred to donkeys and/ or mules? Was it used for horses too?

Edited March 22, 2013 by Athy

[bizzard]

Around Christmas time you can buy foil wrapped chocolate money in string bags.

[Derek R.]

I thought that "(h)animals" referred to donkeys and/ or mules? Was it used for horses too?

 

I think not, horses were horses, Donkeys and Mules were oft referred to as 'animals. The best remembered by some might be the Skinner's 'Dolly'. A Mule or Donkey I don't know, but she died from pneumonia I believe, after 'taking a look' (falling in the cut).

 

I was being a bit too 'general' there!

Edited March 22, 2013 by Derek R.

[Mac of Cygnet]

Around Christmas time you can buy foil wrapped chocolate money in string bags.

 

Are they valuable then? I've just eaten about a pounds worth of 2p and 5p ones, stolen from Son No2

[Laurence Hogg]

Many thanks all for your replies. I do realise that most (if not all) of the brass plaques that I have seen for sale are modern reproductions now sold as novelty souvenirs but I still don't understand what the purpose of the original old ones was & where they would have been seen on display along the canals. I am assuming that the original old ones naming a place such as Dudley for example showing a particular year in the 1800s was fixed onto a structure of some sort, perhaps at a lock or on a bridge in that particular area indicating to passing boatmen of whatever the plaques were representing. I wondered if they showed the last year of a major inspection of the locks or bridges so that the old boatmen would know that things were safe to travel along that stretch of the canal in those by-gone days or something like that. Perhaps I might be totally wrong though? Am I just romantically thinking that they actually did used to serve a purpose when they didn't really exist at all back in those times though & are just a modern invention which was just a clever sales ploy for canal enthusiasts to buy nowadays?

Aprilshowers, I am responsible for an awful large amount of the brass plaques you see. We started making plaques in large numbers around 1979, the original range was of varied designs but then the "Milestone" shaped plaque appeared. The series grew like topsy and at full stretch was just short of 200 designs. We then introduced circular paperweights, then seals of canal companies and finally a diamond "bridge plate" type. As Boatmans cabin we also produced thousands of rally plaques. After I resigned my directorship of Boatmans Cabin Ltd in 1996 I introduced a new range of high detail canal seals in brass (some still available), all our work was very high detail and cast to a high standard. We did not produce the rough oval plaques which are not high detail, these were a cheap competitor to our ranges.

 

There are to my knowledge no pre existing or "old" brass plaques from the canals transport era. there were brass notices and makers plates (ie Haynes engines for FMC) but no souvineers.

Most of the patterns and indeed the artwork for these plaques still exist but sadly the skill of hand moulding odd sides and cutting runners to allow small casting runs is now history. Of the ten foundries I used for this type of work none now exist, a sad reflection on the local industry now lost.

Edited March 22, 2013 by Laurence Hogg

[ditchcrawler]

Having recently discovered that I have ancestors who were canal boat folk & some who were lock keepers too I am just beginning to take an interest in canals & have seen a number of brass canal plaques for sale. They are obviously much loved by many & seem to be collectable items.

As a complete novice I am wondering what the original purpose of the plaques was & where they would have been sited.

If anyone can tell me about the history behind these brass canal plaques I would be most grateful please.

Thank you.

 

Lots on e bay

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Macclesfield-Canal-1831-Bridge-Plaques-Jumbo-Fridge-Magnet-Gift-Present-/121079453322?pt=UK_Collectables_Kitchenalia_RL&hash=item1c30e5d68a

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VINTAGE-5-BRASS-CANAL-BOAT-PLAQUES-NARROW-BOAT-RIVER-/321085814938?pt=UK_Collectables_Nautical&hash=item4ac234b89a

 

and this

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BRASS-CANAL-COMPANY-SEAL-COVENTRY-CANAL-NAVIGATION-/6605474943?pt=UK_Collectables_Nautical&hash=item189b78c7f

[Laurence Hogg]

Lots on e bay

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Macclesfield-Canal-1831-Bridge-Plaques-Jumbo-Fridge-Magnet-Gift-Present-/121079453322?pt=UK_Collectables_Kitchenalia_RL&hash=item1c30e5d68a

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VINTAGE-5-BRASS-CANAL-BOAT-PLAQUES-NARROW-BOAT-RIVER-/321085814938?pt=UK_Collectables_Nautical&hash=item4ac234b89a

 

and this

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BRASS-CANAL-COMPANY-SEAL-COVENTRY-CANAL-NAVIGATION-/6605474943?pt=UK_Collectables_Nautical&hash=item189b78c7f

 

The first one is by a company in Liverpool using wax cut patterns, the second is a mix of BCC and the Liverpool firm, but the third is from my final and still available range of seals.

[Aprilshowers]

Once again, thank you all for helping me out with your wonderful replies. They say that you learn something new every day & thanks to you all I certainly am just now!

[tony collins]

We had a plaque board inside our cabin, ostensibly to display the plaques of canals and festivals we had visited. But primarily it was to cover up the shotgun pellets that were embedded in our cabin wall when some erk shot our windows out.