Photos of Coventry Canal in 1958

[John Brightley]

The following photos were taken by my mother in August 1958, and show a group of guides from Nuneaton on a boat trip to Atherstone and back.

My mother was one of the leaders of the guide group.

 

The first photo is at Taverners Bridge, Atherstone. The second shows the boat passing Hartshill Maintenance Yard. I think the third photo is taken from the same point looking in the opposite direction.

[The Bearwood Boster]

Bloomin heck-that's the year I was born !

[archie57]

Bloomin heck-that's the year I was born !

Didn't realise you were that young!

[john6767]

Bloomin heck-that's the year I was born !

Me too!

 

Those pictures look like your average day boat today, you can tell it's a day boat by the number of people on the roof.

[rupertbear]

Is there not another pic showing the boat continuing past the bridge leaving 30 Guides in the water?

[The Bearwood Boster]

Didn't realise you were that young!

At least my hair isn't grey/white like yours !

[John Brightley]

Pete (Harrison) are you out there ? Have you any history of the EMERALD by any chance ? Thanks.

Quite an early conversion really - there weren't many around in 1958.

[pete harrison]

Pete (Harrison) are you out there ? Have you any history of the EMERALD by any chance ? Thanks.

Quite an early conversion really - there weren't many around in 1958.

It is my belief that EMERALD was formally named LONG MOLL, and this is supported by several similarities between the boat in the photograph above and the boat in the photograph on page 42 of the booklet BARLOWS. LONG MOLL had attended the 1950 Market Harborough rally having recently being converted to a pleasure boat by S.E. Barlow, Glascote. This conversion was most likely based upon HILDA, an early wooden motor that I can trace back to 20 April 1917 and possibly to 27 September 1916.

 

My records suggest that LONG MOLL may have been sold to Warwickshire C.C.Co. Ltd., Bedworth in 1955, and although circumstantial the name EMERALD would fit nicely with this concern as they also operated a DIAMOND (exADMIRAL) and SAPPHIRE (exURE) in 1955.

 

I hope this answers your question sufficiently

Edited January 6, 2016 by pete harrison