Shocking News Concerning Well Known Coal Boater

[Keeping Up]

 

Edit now removed

Edited March 25, 2014 by Keeping Up

[magnetman]

Archimedes and Ara have a good history I don't think this **** being related to them is going to have an adverse effect but if it did someone might get a bargain.

[MtB]

Putting aside for one moment what this dreadful person has done. He deserves more than he got.

 

My mind goes to the two boats that potentially are open to vandalism and a longer term demise. I can't see many people taking on the business with this back story, nor wanting to fund this person by purchasing his assets.

 

What is likely to happen to them?

 

Martyn

 

But who owns the boats though?

 

BenC tells us in post number 7 they are owned by someone else, not James Bill.

 

 

MtB

[Guest]

Putting aside for one moment what this dreadful person has done. He deserves more than he got.

My mind goes to the two boats that potentially are open to vandalism and a longer term demise. I can't see many people taking on the business with this back story, nor wanting to fund this person by purchasing his assets.

What is likely to happen to them?

Martyn

There is reference in a post above to him not actually owning the boats, but I have no idea as to how factually correct that is.

[magnetman]

Think its the coal yard itself who own the boat

WG Hill Twyford afaik

[Gazboatman]

And last active on here in only Oct. last year according to his profile.http://www.canalworld.net/forums/index.php?showuser=9841

From his profile...

 

"Interests

Old historic boat . And running my boats that's full time not got much time do much else"

 

You've got plenty of time to do 'much else' now you sick ****!

[Nightwatch]

But who owns the boats though?

 

BenC tells us in post number 7 they are owned by someone else, not James Bill.

 

 

MtB

Missed that Mike. Oops! I even quoted post 7!!!

 

Edited to offer more evidence that I'm a first class nugget.

Edited March 25, 2014 by Nightwatch

[churchward]

It goes to show you never know what sick people walk (or float) among us. We're a friendly, trusting bunch, us boaters. That's one of the appeals of life on the water. And it's a fine line between keeping safe and maintaining that friendliness and trust. There are predators in all walks of life. Including on this forum.

 

My thoughts are with the poor girl he did this to and her family.

Quite right BSP the victims of this appalling crime deserve our thoughts and well wishes.

 

It does show though that boaters are not one thing or another they are just people and sadly there are a few (thankfully very few) who do this sort of thing boaters or not. It is a shock though when it happens in ones own world of experience.

Edited March 25, 2014 by churchward

[jenlyn]

There is a story going around that a relative who brought him up, recently helped him purchase the boats. There is some fact behind it, but again, it's towpath telegraph.

They have been stripped of items and we're a few weeks ago in a bit of a sad state.

[magnetman]

His name isn't on candle bridge llp so I get the impression they own the boats he was a contractor operating them.

[furnessvale]

I'm lost for words.

 

Northampton Chronicle & Echo News Article

 

James Bill operated the Archimedes & Ara coal boats in the London area, as well as being involved in much other boating in the Capital and around the country.

 

He is actually a member on here.

 

 

I too am shocked at this news. I was in an even deeper state of shock in the seconds between reading the headline and opening the first post.

 

George ex nb Alton retired

[magnetman]

I thought he'd died too on first reading it

[junior]

There is a story going around that a relative who brought him up, recently helped him purchase the boats. There is some fact behind it, but again, it's towpath telegraph.

They have been stripped of items and we're a few weeks ago in a bit of a sad state.

When I went for a drink with him around new year he was telling me that a rich relative of his had passed away and that is how he bought the business and boats, I had no reason to doubt him. When I mentioned that to someone else they told me it was rubbish and that he didn't own the boats. This would fit in with being told that Tom (who I understand worked the pair before James?) was taking on the buisness, and I did see him out on the boats in January. Since then I've seen the boats moored up together in a few different places around London looking very sorry for themselves.

 

As I said previously, I've had 2 unconnected people tell me the pair are up for sale at £50k (only second hand info) but people wouldn't touch them now as they were associated with James.

[magnetman]

He's not jimmy savile

[furnessvale]

I thought he'd died too on first reading it

To be honest I was thinking of other boats and what could have happened to an owner.

 

Now I am up to speed the thoughts you express above would not have disturbed me, if you get my drift.

 

George ex nb Alton retired

[Ronniesonic]

 

He's not jimmy savile

Magnetman- I am confused? What do you mean?

[IanM]

 

 

Magnetman- I am confused? What do you mean?

 

I think he was responding to Junior's post which mentioned no-one would touch the boats as they were associated with James.

[magnetman]

Jimmy savile's car lost a lot of value after his activities were made public.

 

I don't think this applies to Archimedes & Ara

 

Imo

[alan_fincher]

I personally have no idea what the status of the boats is, but I do sincerely hope they don't become any kind of target for theft, vandalism (or worse).

What the hell would that solve or prove, (whoever owns them)?

I think he is already in a situation where he could never be associated with the canals and trade on the canals ever again, and probably not his river work either.

 

(As an aside I don't think Archimedes and Ara were actually in attendance at last year's Braunston Historic Boat gathering, where this all took place, although our pictures clearly show that James Bill was).

[Joelsanders]

Jimmy savile's car lost a lot of value after his activities were made public.

I don't think this applies to Archimedes & Ara

Imo

Respectfully, I disagree. The association between the boats and this story will make it much harder to sell them. For that reason, if they do sell, it is likely to be for under their market value. Edited March 25, 2014 by Joelsanders

[magnetman]

Interesting. They are a very nice working pair but I suppose a name change and repaint would be sacrilege for old GUCCCo boats

 

I agree about the business goodwill that would have an effect on value as a going concern

[MtB]

The fact that the boats have already been ransacked (allegedly) of many of their fixtures and fittings means they will have lost significant value.

 

MtB

[Joelsanders]

I did not know James well on a personal level - although I'd bought coal etc from him many times over the years. I last saw him shortly before his arrest. I remember he was talking, with some excitement, about going on the Thames again, something he had not done for a while. I suspect he knew it would be his last opportunity to do it.

 

Some boaters around london - and I noticed this too - commented that he sometimes didn't like stopping to carry out services. Towards the end, he'd sometimes only stop if he was he was pre booked . Consequently, some boaters - myself included -started to take more of their business elsewhere.

 

I wonder now how much of his not wanting to stop was tied in with knowing that his days were numbered. To me, in the last 2 months that he was around , he seemed more interested in enjoying his boating than taking care of business.

Edited March 25, 2014 by Joelsanders

[Loafer]

Is this a dig?

A dig? Me? Perish the thought!

 

I'm in agreement with everyone. March in the guilty bastard and string him up.

[WJM]

I once employed a gardner who had murdered his girlfriend. It happened about thirty years previously and he had served twenty plus years in prison. He was open about it, he said that he was young and utterly foolish but that he was a reformed man. A good gardner, but later I head that he died in a gardening accident.