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Yesterday's Witness BBC 2 1969


Flyboy

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  • 1 month later...

I think this was  a radio programe based on the LP record of the canal history that had the same contributors with some music songs by IIRC David Blagrove + canal sounds, Bolinder engine & paddle gear opening/closing I have a copy of the record but at this moment I am not sure which of several boxes it might be in to look up the credits I think it was released mid 60's?.

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Perhaps 'Narrow Boats' first issued on BBC Records in 1969 and later reissued by transport specialists Argo Transacord, better known for chuffer-train recordings.

Trivia note: the Bolinder belonged to narrowboat 'William'.

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  • 7 months later...
On 04/02/2017 at 17:56, Flyboy said:

Does anyone have any knowledge of this programme, The 'Narrowboat Men' transmitted on BBC 2 April 14th. 1969? Lots of interesting boatman names were in it.

http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/afeb4f65186e43318bfa1f354d194576

Said programme was part of a BBC One t.v. series. It was only ever aired twice. The audio clips were taped and mght be in the publc domain. Details here:

http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/search/0/20?adv=0&q=yesterdays+witness+canal#search

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2337731/?ref_=nm_flmg_slf_1

Edited by ChrisJBrady
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Narrow Boats: Voices, Sound & Songs Of The Canals

https://www.discogs.com/Various-David-Blagrove-Desmond-Briscoe-Narrow-Boats-Voices-Sound-Songs-Of-The-Canals/release/8809358

Tracklist

A1 A Hard Working Boatman  
A2 The Working Boatman's Way  
A3 Poor Old Horse  
A4 The Bolinder Song  
A5 Maggie May  
A6 Our Waterways  
A7 Keep Your Hands Off  
A8 Willow Wren Bride  
A9 Keep Your Hands Off  
B1 The Working Boatman's Way  
B2 Hawkesbury Junction  
B3 Hawkesbury Junction  
B4 Hawkesbury Junction  
B5 Two Lovely Black Eyes  
B6 Blisworth Tunnel  
B7 Cock Of The North  
B8 Step Dance  
B9 Keep Your Hands Off  
B10 Keep Your Hands Off  
B11 Blisworth Tunnel  
B12 Keep Your Hands Off  
B13 Our Waterways  
B14 Our Waterways  

Notes

Recordings from the BBC Archives
 
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Seeing this post again brought back memories

" Chocolate" Charlie Atkins worked with him for Anderton CCC in the 1960's

 Joe Green  boatman don't know his number of wives but he was reputed to have 21 children

Jack James  at the time I was boating lived in cottages by Stoke B top lock excellent fender maker

Sam Lomas At the time I knew him he held court at the  office at A utherley JCN

Lionel Morton  At the time I knew him involved with Willow WrenCCC

Jack? Roberts  only met him once he was horse boating on the "Shroppie"with a hostel type holiday boat

Joe & Rose Skinner #1 with Friendship  always mule drawn towed him to a couple of rallies when Bert Dunkley was unavailable

I treasure the fact i was able to know them in the flesh the gentle "prods" by Charlie A on how to do things was priceless to me

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2 hours ago, X Alan W said:

Seeing this post again brought back memories

I treasure the fact i was able to know them in the flesh the gentle "prods" by Charlie A on how to do things was priceless to me

I worked on Lapwing in 1972, the last year that Charlie worked regularly as steerer, which is where I learnt much about boat handling, though George Radford had helped previously, and a number of L&LC boatmen subsequently.

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Sorry about the inaccurate bio. details for some of the informants. Perhaps these links are better:

BBC TV Series (1969–1977)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2337731/?ref_=nm_flmg_slf_1

This has bios. of the main cast members.

Then there are these links ...

* Leslie Morton:

"Leslie Morton was born in Birkenhead in 1896. When aged 13, he served as an apprentice on a square rigger, the Beeswing, in which capacity he had sailed six times round Cape Horn . By the time of the First World War he had moved to modern ocean liners, and was an able seaman on the Lusitania on that critical day of May 7, 1915, when it was sunk by torpedo off Ireland." (more in the following link):

Towpath Talk - June 2015  
Published on Jun 2, 2015  

https://issuu.com/mortons-digital/docs/towjun15-issuu/67

This document is not downloadable, to read it use the zoom feature.
 
* Sam Lomas:

http://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-legend-of-the-canals-sam-lomas-the-toll-clerk-at-autherley-junction-33991816.html
 
http://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-legend-of-the-canals-sam-lomas-the-toll-clerk-at-autherley-junction-34041433.html
 
* Portrait of Rosie and Joe Skinner:

https://artuk.org/discover/artworks/rose-and-joe-skinner-the-last-of-the-midlands-narrow-boat-folk-55246
 
* 'Chocolate Charlie' (Charlie Atkins):

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-15006888

====
 

Edited by ChrisJBrady
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  • 1 year later...
On 19/10/2017 at 09:09, X Alan W said:

Joe Green  boatman don't know his number of wives but he was reputed to have 21 children

Joe Green did indeed have 21 children (7 by his first wife, Sarah Worbey, and 14 by his second, Sarah Boswell).  I am one of his MANY great-grand-children!

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  • 2 months later...

Hi Greatorex, I’m another one of those great grandchildren. My parents are looking into family history, They have photos and first hand memories. They’re looking for a (better) copy of the bbc film as well. There was a ropey old vhs copy floating around some years ago. (I think my Nan was one of the first batch).

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If you Google search "The Narrow Boat Men" it appears that there might have been a DVD issued some years ago. Also it appears that this was ripped and pirated onto obscure torrent sites. Its not on Youtube. And the DVD is not on Amazon or eBay. My suggestion is to email the various specialist online shops dealing in canals. Chris B.

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Leslie Morton wrote an autobiography called the Long Wake. In it he describes life on windjammers and the steam ships of the 20,s. He ran away to sea at 13 years old. He was on the Lusitania when it was sunk and he got a medal from King George 5th for his part in the survival of passengers. The book finishes before his time with BRitish waterways but I believe he was writing another book when he died

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On 26/10/2019 at 21:39, Embl33 said:

Hi Greatorex, I’m another one of those great grandchildren. My parents are looking into family history, They have photos and first hand memories. They’re looking for a (better) copy of the bbc film as well. There was a ropey old vhs copy floating around some years ago. (I think my Nan was one of the first batch).

There are some old films of canals and narrow boats on YouTube.

 

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=canals

 

Also there are a host of old films for free viewing at the BFI ...

 

https://player.bfi.org.uk/search/free?q=canals

 

CJB

Edited by ChrisJBrady
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  • 8 months later...
  • 11 months later...
On 21/06/2021 at 15:59, Tim Lewis said:

Having recently come across a reference to this programme I would be interested to know if anyone has found an on-line copy

 

 

Narrow Boat Men.jpg

FAO Tim Lewis. Would you mind if I included this image in my 'Songs of the Inland Waterways' website which has songs about Charlie Atkins and Leslie Morton and details of the 'Narrow Boats' long playing record mentioned in this thread. I am currently trying to enhance the site with background information about the old boaters featured in the songs and some of the canal-based song writers, e.g David Blagrove and Buz Collins.

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