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Brian Holden , Secretary of the Rochdale Canal Society


Ian Mac

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Heard earlier today on the Grape Vine that Brian Holden , Secretary of the Rochdale Canal Society has died. A sad loss, without the determination of this one person the Rochdale canal would probably not yet have been restored.
He was in fine fettle a few weeks ago as he drove over from Rochdale to visit my Father in Rawtenstall.

  • Greenie 1
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Sorry to hear that.  We met Brian several times, the first being when we hired a Shire Cruisers boat at Hebden Bridge before the Rochdale was connected up at either end.  Any boat movement on the Rochdale was unusual in those days, and attracted his attention, so he came to see us at Todmorden and made us very welcome.

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Sad loss indeed, being local to Littleborough and mooring at Warland Gate I met him several times over the years. Always helpful and as others have said, the Rochdale wouldn't have been opened without him. 

Edited by Jim Riley
Typo.
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This is sad news, I've only just found out.

I first met Brian in 1972 on the Ashton Canal restoration project. I was one of the volunteer working party organisers, Brian was a teacher at Smithills School in Bolton. He regularly brought a team of sixth formers to work on lock chamber clearances at week-ends, his was a very worthwhile contribution to the effort and resulted in the canal being re-opened for boats in 1974. Up until then, there had been little thought about  restoring the Rochdale  main line from Dale St to Sowerby Bridge. However, as  Brian's work parties became redundant on the newly opened canal, his thoughts turned to the Rochdale and his quiet determination saw through restoration  over many years of  the Rochdale Canal by  the 21st century. The  Rochdale Canal can now be his memorial, Rest In Peace, Brian.

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Brian and my dad were both colleagues at Smithills grammar school and also good friends. I remember him as a lovely man who always drove old rovers. During the 70s and early 80s every  Easter my dad, Brian and another colleague would hire three 70ft boats and take a group of 6th form students on a weeks boating holiday, something unthinkable these days. 

Rest in peace Brian. 

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