Willow Wren and Willow Wren Kearns

[Richard T]

Has anyone got a copy of the Willow Wren and Willow Wren Kearns (later Middlewich Narrowboats) hire brochures from the mid 1970s that they could either scan for me or I could borrow and scan? Our first boating holiday was from Middlewich in October 1972 on Larch. This was a 50ft 8berth boat. We went to Llangollen and back with 7 on board. It was fun.

If anyone hears of one of the boats from either fleet coming on the market please let me know. I think that this age of hire boats are being lost. Many of the boats were wooden tops on Hancock and Lane hulls.Typically like this

 

or this

[AMModels]

They were very handsome boats.

[Bee]

Wouldn't have guessed Hancock and Lane but they look 'right', no bells and whistles, no gimmicks. Many have tried to get it right, many have failed (many still do)

[Ace 01]

I started my interest in boating on hire boats from Willow Wren Kearns in Middlewich and Willow Wren in Rugby in the 70's. One of the organisers has a website listing these trips with some photos. https://theboattripyears.wordpress.com/

 

Might be of interest to some on here.

 

Cheers

 

David

[pete harrison]

Has anyone got a copy of the Willow Wren and Willow Wren Kearns (later Middlewich Narrowboats) hire brochures from the mid 1970s that they could either scan for me or I could borrow and scan? Our first boating holiday was from Middlewich in October 1972 on Larch. This was a 50ft 8berth boat. We went to Llangollen and back with 7 on board. It was fun.

If anyone hears of one of the boats from either fleet coming on the market please let me know. I think that this age of hire boats are being lost. Many of the boats were wooden tops on Hancock and Lane hulls.

I have a Willow Wren / Willow Wren Kearns hire boat brochure that dates to about 1978, and I already have it scanned - it includes LARCH and OAK. If this is what you are after PM me your e-mail and I will forward a copy. This brochure came to me when I took over a motor / butty pair of Willow Wren built boats in 1979

[Richard T]

I started my interest in boating on hire boats from Willow Wren Kearns in Middlewich and Willow Wren in Rugby in the 70's. One of the organisers has a website listing these trips with some photos. https://theboattripyears.wordpress.com/

 

Might be of interest to some on here.

 

Cheers

 

David

Many thanks for this link. The photos bring back memories for us.

[billh]

I'm fairly sure there is one of these knocking about at Castlefield/Rochdale Canal in Manchester in private ownership. Looks a bit sad now and I can't remember its name, might it be Willow?

Bill

[Ray T]

I'm fairly sure there is one of these knocking about at Castlefield/Rochdale Canal in Manchester in private ownership. Looks a bit sad now and I can't remember its name, might it be Willow?

Bill

 

Would that be this Willow?

 

 

 

We had her on hire in 2008.

[Farey]

Our first trip was in March 1974, on Greylag from Willow Wren in Rugby. I believe the hull was an old working boat, with a cabin built on top. The next year we went from Middlewich on Sycamore - there's some photos here: https://goo.gl/photos/CDuY11wZb4zkHBmQ6

 

Sadly I don't have any old brochures.

[AndrewIC]

Oak (wooden topped) was sold off a good few years ago, and ended up on Henhull moorings with a new top and looking very sorry for itself. I don't know what happened to it.

[oak2]

Hi, I am the owner of Oak (70ft) previously owned by Middlewich Boats. We bought it 10 years ago, and 3 children later, we have not really got round to doing what we intended to with it (i.e refurbishing it to a high standard). We have though had some nice breaks away, though mainly have just chased our tail on trying to get it into a decent state. When we bought it the wooden top was rotten, and we have replaced that with new wood with a butyl rubber roof, though we have yet to paint it. It was good to see the original paint colours mentioned on this forum as we want to keep it true. The engine needed an overhaul too, which we have done. Inside needs lots of TLC. We have toyed with the idea of selling it a few times.

 

[Jess--]

Our first trip was in March 1974, on Greylag from Willow Wren in Rugby. I believe the hull was an old working boat, with a cabin built on top. The next year we went from Middlewich on Sycamore - there's some photos here: https://goo.gl/photos/CDuY11wZb4zkHBmQ6

 

Sadly I don't have any old brochures.

Greylag certainly had a solid looking bow, the picture below is summer of 74 or 75 in coventry basin

 

the 2nd boat I am pretty sure is guillemot (and no I don't know if that window survived)

[Redshank]

On 08/08/2016 at 20:58, Richard T said:

Has anyone got a copy of the Willow Wren and Willow Wren Kearns (later Middlewich Narrowboats) hire brochures from the mid 1970s that they could either scan for me or I could borrow and scan? Our first boating holiday was from Middlewich in October 1972 on Larch. This was a 50ft 8berth boat. We went to Llangollen and back with 7 on board. It was fun.

If anyone hears of one of the boats from either fleet coming on the market please let me know. I think that this age of hire boats are being lost. Many of the boats were wooden tops on Hancock and Lane hulls.Typically like this

 

or this

We've got Redshank 1976 from Willow Wren Hire Cruisers Rugby. She's a wooden top. Did you find any others?

[Richard T]

There is one of the 50ft boats on the Trent at Beeston - I think its Lapwing. We have seen Sycamore on our travels in the last couple of years. There must be others still around.