Glossary- canal and river terms, and regional variations

[FadeToScarlet]

It strikes me that a lot of terms and words for things and actions differ around the country, and so I thought it would be interesting to collect some variations. I've got a few, I'm sure there's plenty of others.

 

Paddle (generic modern term) - AKA Slackers (Cambridgeshire area, perhaps others?), Penstocks (Middle level, not sure if historic), sluices (Thames), lashers (Gloucester and Sharpness)

 

Cabin shaft (Generic term?) - AKA short shaft (general), hook shaft (Severn and W&, gate shutter (Severn & W&,

 

Long shaft (generic) - Quant (broads), hitcher (Thames sailing barges) Severn shaft (but can these really be compared, as they had forked ends? Similar shafts used IIRC on lighters)

 

Snatcher and snubber (GU c. 1945>, elsewhere also?) - AKA Farling (Severn)

 

Hobbler - informal general canal term for someone who worked locks for money. Used for casual canal employees on the Gloucester and Sharpness, who opened swing bridges, broke down coal, bunkered ships, etc.

 

Steerer (GU and general?) - AKA driver (if motorboat, BCN)

 

Narrow boat - AKA monkey boat (?Thames?, Severn and West Country), long boat (Severn and West Country), barge (BCN)

[Leo No2]

Windlass aka 'shining handle' certainly in the 1940s on Severn, and up towards Ellesmere Port according to a report written by my Aunt.

 

By-washes known as Tumble Bays on the Wey

[jelunga]

It strikes me that a lot of terms and words for things and actions differ around the country, and so I thought it would be interesting to collect some variations. I've got a few, I'm sure there's plenty of others.

 

Paddle (generic modern term) - AKA Slackers (Cambridgeshire area, perhaps others?), Penstocks (Middle level, not sure if historic), sluices (Thames), lashers (Gloucester and Sharpness)

 

Cabin shaft (Generic term?) - AKA short shaft (general), hook shaft (Severn and W&, gate shutter (Severn & W&,

 

Long shaft (generic) - Quant (broads), hitcher (Thames sailing barges) Severn shaft (but can these really be compared, as they had forked ends? Similar shafts used IIRC on lighters)

 

Snatcher and snubber (GU c. 1945>, elsewhere also?) - AKA Farling (Severn)

 

Hobbler - informal general canal term for someone who worked locks for money. Used for casual canal employees on the Gloucester and Sharpness, who opened swing bridges, broke down coal, bunkered ships, etc.

 

Steerer (GU and general?) - AKA driver (if motorboat, BCN)

 

Narrow boat - AKA monkey boat (?Thames?, Severn and West Country), long boat (Severn and West Country), barge (BCN)

Sluices are also used on the Trent locks

[Laurence Hogg]

A few more,

Hobbler also known as "Huffler","Pig tail" - short shaft with twisted end nicked from shunting location on railway, good for getting prop clear, cutter, tall pipe, tunnel pipe all referring to exhaust pipes, "Hampton" and "Wharf" boats referring to over wide 473ft level BCN day boats, "Company" reference to BW or BCN employee, (Present day CRTer) "Holding in", "Holding out" going nearer or from the towpath, "Stemming" - pushing a full length boat,"Cut side Sally's" - prostitutes on the BCN main line,

[magpie patrick]

Paddle (generic modern term) - AKA Slackers (Cambridgeshire area, perhaps others?), Penstocks (Middle level, not sure if historic), sluices (Thames), lashers (Gloucester and Sharpness)

 

Taking that one alone I can think of clews, cloughs, clows, sluices, types, slackers, penstocks, valves (probably a modern engineering term rather than historic use) racks (Grand Canal of Ireland so perhaps doesn't count). Must admit I haven't heard of lashers

[Heartland]

This is certainly a complex subject, as there are waterways terms and canal terms. Well here in Brum we call it the cut! So there is the colloquial and the general use of a word which comes into the dialect of the boatmen, watermen etc etc

 

Ray Shill

[Steilsteven]

Weirs on the River Kennet are known as Hatches.

 

Keith

[carlt]

Taking a boat through a lock is "penning" in Yorkshire.

[nine9feet]

A lock chamber is known as a "pen" on fenland waters (River Gt. Ouse et al).

[Scholar Gypsy]

There are also staithes (rather than wharves) in Norfolk (e.g. Well Creek, the River Wissey, which I have visited this week).