tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-62207896928240179352024-03-05T23:21:09.242-08:00old waterway booksMusings,reviews and articles on old canal and waterway related books and ephemera in my collection.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03039626461526876637noreply@blogger.comBlogger82125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6220789692824017935.post-85227140993835503612017-02-05T08:29:00.000-08:002017-02-05T04:47:06.511-08:00The Canoeist & The Royal Canoe Club.<br />
<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-edglBeqGfjI/WHz0uYsY-JI/AAAAAAAACi4/c7CGQWpO7O4/s1600-h/the-canoeist-1874-0013.jpg"><img alt="the canoeist 1874 001" border="0" height="484" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-QdEzDt-gYHk/WHz0vGBWHgI/AAAAAAAACi8/I4XAmAJNOJQ/the-canoeist-1874-001_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="the canoeist 1874 001" width="303" /></a><br />
<strong><span style="font-size: small;">I wrote about one of the early accounts of canal cruising for pleasure in a previous post (Canal and River) and have subsequently unearthed this copy of the Royal Canoe Club’s journal for 1874 which gives a list of cruises accomplished by members.</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="font-size: small;">The Club was formed in 1866 and quickly became popular amongst young middle class males with a sporting proclivity. </span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="font-size: small;">The journal priced at 1 shilling (non members) and 6d for members is a reasonably substantial illustrated paper back which in this copy even has a fold out plan of canoe construction. </span></strong><br />
<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-apinBXaIjh4/WHz0wSFm88I/AAAAAAAACjA/XoYLM2xNIJY/s1600-h/the-canoeist.-illus.-001-26.jpg"><img alt="the canoeist. illus. 001 (2)" border="0" height="286" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-uiiq2Iy3oa4/WHz0xLSzEBI/AAAAAAAACjE/suvbCZTaFB8/the-canoeist.-illus.-001-2_thumb3.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="the canoeist. illus. 001 (2)" width="404" /></a><br />
<strong><span style="font-size: small;">The greatest interest for those researching early pleasure boating history will however be found in the lists of cruises performed by members at this early date. At this time it would seem that members chose to cruise if possible the most picturesque rivers and lakes using only a canal as a through route from one river to the next. In this context the Ellesmere canal is mentioned several times. There is one mention of a voyage from the Thames – River Wey – Wey & Arun Canal to Littlehampton in 1873 which seems to have been published in the <em>Field</em> magazine and which may have been undertaken as a result of reading Dashwood’s book of 1868 <em>‘The Thames to the Solent by Canal & Sea’.<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-qwlYczwtGj4/WHz0x53OM9I/AAAAAAAACjI/KYBPM8Ockc4/s1600-h/canoeist-0016.jpg"><img alt="canoeist 001" border="0" height="572" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-P6aKsC0gizc/WHz0yukEf9I/AAAAAAAACjM/sqibiVXO0qg/canoeist-001_thumb3.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 43px 0px 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="canoeist 001" width="354" /></a></em></span></strong><br />
<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-inivU0IcpGU/WHz0zvPAcBI/AAAAAAAACjQ/SAMk-my57qw/s1600-h/canoeist2-0024.jpg"><img alt="canoeist2 002" border="0" height="580" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Rh0vaxChyVQ/WHz00bdTqhI/AAAAAAAACjU/APb-3wgWK8w/canoeist2-002_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="canoeist2 002" width="604" /></a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03039626461526876637noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6220789692824017935.post-67359465664413679402017-01-23T09:24:00.000-08:002017-07-23T04:01:37.942-07:00Amos Reade revealed.<br />
<strong><span style="font-size: small;">In a recent post I mentioned the fact that many of the early canal pleasure voyagers published their accounts anonymously.<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-lsM6AloYHtQ/WIY8EKOjECI/AAAAAAAACjo/dquizmIfB90/s1600-h/the-waterway-to-london-18691075.jpg"><img alt="the waterway to london (1869)107" border="0" height="412" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-LzACQTJ3lVE/WIY8E9PzjdI/AAAAAAAACjs/9-PiDo7pyEc/the-waterway-to-london-1869107_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 51px 0px 0px 92px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="the waterway to london (1869)107" width="254" /></a></span></strong><br />
<strong>Anonymously authored books or the use of nom de plume’s were of course not a new thing. Indeed Charles Dickens,Mark Twain,The Bronte sisters, George Orwell and in the present day – J K Rowling have all hidden their true identity by using pen names .</strong><br />
<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-uhPa60bGSOI/WIY8Fv0i61I/AAAAAAAACjw/rEXPNWJPe3M/s1600-h/Bumps-title-page-0014.jpg"><img alt="'Bumps' title page 001" border="0" height="452" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Pb5mjfKMHLU/WIY8GIzSbbI/AAAAAAAACj0/rRe7tAABYbE/Bumps-title-page-001_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 0px 0px 74px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="'Bumps' title page 001" width="274" /></a><br />
<strong><em>The first British canal voyage to be authored anonymously in 1861.</em></strong><br />
<strong>The reasons for using a nom de plume were and are many and varied but in the middle of the 19th century where female authors were concerned, its use concealed the fact that they were women, allowing them to adopt and express attitudes and deal with subjects which at that time were considered unfeminine.<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-OBW4OCE7YZU/WIY8GyV9H8I/AAAAAAAACj4/rYGPBaoySCA/s1600-h/Two-Girls-on-A-Barge-0015.jpg"><img alt="Two Girls on A Barge 001" border="0" height="302" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-GQN4MfbnerY/WIY8Hp9p_MI/AAAAAAAACj8/XpsWXgc2ssc/Two-Girls-on-A-Barge-001_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 2px 0px 31px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="Two Girls on A Barge 001" width="194" /></a><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-54Tqs8HL3DE/WIY8IeTM7YI/AAAAAAAACkA/wdSXyKTV08Y/s1600-h/two-girls-on-a-barge1053.jpg"><img alt="two girls on a barge105" border="0" height="302" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-iEPOrV-Pg1M/WIY8JKGisBI/AAAAAAAACkE/xQcZAGR6CTQ/two-girls-on-a-barge105_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 29px 0px 33px 85px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="two girls on a barge105" width="204" /></a></strong><br />
<strong><em>V Cecil Cotes the author of this 1891 book was subsequently shown to be a woman.</em></strong><br />
<strong>Recent research by Canal book lovers and historians has revealed</strong> <strong>the true authors of some of these books. Thus the real author of <em>‘A Trip through the Caledonian Canal .1861 by ‘Bumps’ </em>was a Mr Stockman who was a personal assistant to George Robert Stevenson of the famous engineering family and on whose boat the journey was accomplished.</strong><br />
<strong>In a masterly piece of detective work Canal author Hugh McKnight revealed the fact that V Cecil Cotes <em>‘Two Girls on A Barge’ </em>was in fact the female Canadian author Sara Jeannette Duncan. Hugh’s article can be found in the</strong> <strong>8th July 2010 issue of ‘Canal Boat’ magazine.</strong><br />
<strong>Elsewhere the anonymous author of <em>‘The Waterway to London’ 1869 </em>has been revealed as Alfred Taylor Schofield and the illustrator of the book as his brother.</strong><br />
<strong>Emma Leslie the author of<em> ‘Tom The Boater –A tale of English canal life’ 1882 </em>an early moral tale was actually Emma Boultwood a fact that I was unaware of until correspondence with a Canadian descendant of her family also revealed interesting facts about the authors private life which alas but not unsurprisingly didn’t quite match the high moral tone of her books. </strong><br />
<strong>Finally ,and to get back to the title of this blog, In the course of some research of my own I have discovered the true identity of Amos Reade the author of <em>‘Life in the Cut’ 1888 –</em>the first full length canal novel.<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-nIZuY8h_Drc/WIY8J2K9_HI/AAAAAAAACkI/GAl12x4EnD0/s1600-h/LIFE-IN-THE-cut2.jpg"><img alt="LIFE IN THE cut" border="0" height="484" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-R3Dd_Qb06Hg/WIY8KmyFS6I/AAAAAAAACkM/BQbLA4bu5Ls/LIFE-IN-THE-cut_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="LIFE IN THE cut" width="267" /></a>Yellowback edition 1889.<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/--5wYeqkVyYo/WIY8LZDhgjI/AAAAAAAACkQ/znFHWrvrF0k/s1600-h/life-in-the-cut-0012.jpg"><img alt="life in the cut 001" border="0" height="484" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-D1l5vnu7peg/WIY8L0a053I/AAAAAAAACkU/GysgqZ8oV3U/life-in-the-cut-001_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 30px 0px 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="life in the cut 001" width="316" /></a>First Edition 1888</strong><br />
<strong>Famous in the canal book collectors world as the first canal based novel and as almost uniquely being issued as a ‘Yellowback’ cheap edition destined for the Railway book stalls – <em>Life in the Cut’ </em>I have revealed elsewhere did in fact have a first edition issued a year prior to the yellowback. Further research has revealed the fact that Amos Reade was actually Ann Margaret Rowan.</strong><br />
<strong>Her father was an archdeacon and they hailed from Tralee in Eire where she was born in 1833. She was, it seems, typical of many of the middle class women of the time in being interested in ‘good works’ and in her particular case in relieving the destitution of the poor of Tralee. She was also thoroughly modern in her espousal of Women's suffrage. She was very well known as a contributor to magazines and newspapers - usually on historical subjects and she also wrote a couple of other novels. A staunch Conservative she was a member of the Primrose League Suffrage Association and it was on a Unionist demonstration in Dublin in 1913 that she died.</strong><br />
<strong>So another lady author who by publishing her books as a man was able to join the growing band of female Victorian authors who were able to position themselves as reformers in public without risking their feminine respectability. </strong><br />
<strong>As far as I can ascertain she lived all her life in Ireland and so it would be interesting to know why <em>‘Life in the Cut’ </em>appears to be set on an English canal.</strong>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03039626461526876637noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6220789692824017935.post-90500559001172968842017-01-15T10:12:00.001-08:002017-01-23T08:18:35.704-08:00Another Wartime Lady.<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Vr29KJZ1xik/WHu62OsQcoI/AAAAAAAACiA/3dN9tikQFRI/s1600-h/large_0000003.jpg"><img alt="Christian Vlasto, a Canal-boat Woman" border="0" height="369" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGPbBW4sGHdbIZPWTbisVr9H8DBMTpx35bqIyzKRQZuiRFYT_xY4KQV8g0UonWI8J04FX2Uchb1aJHJ3keREAabvuiEZX5L7E5gsPgslO0gBsfxL2DiP1SO-LNBLdpySNVsuYcnMrYeZT1/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 48px 0px 3px 55px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="Christian Vlasto, a Canal-boat Woman" width="304" /></a><br />
<strong><span style="font-size: small;">Artist Bernard Hailstone was commissioned by the War Office Advisory Committee to paint many Wartime military & civilian scenes. He is especially well known for his portraits of individuals selected to represent their particular branch of the armed forces or of civilian workers engaged in the war effort. </span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="font-size: small;">Later in the war he worked for the Department of War Transport and it was in 1944 that Christian Vlasto was selected to represent the ‘Idle Women’ engaged in working the boats for the Grand Union Canal Carrying Co and whose portrait (now in the Imperial War Museum) he painted’. Christian Vlasto was herself a painter who had interrupted her art school training to join the war effort.</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="font-size: small;">I must admit that I had not heard of this particular lady and rather suspect that she may have been one of the later recruits. It seems that she was certainly working the boats <i>Hyperion </i>and <i>Capella </i>for Samuel Barlow on a coal run on the southern Oxford just before the declaration of peace in 1945. Brief details and some photographs of her boat life may be found at <a href="http://christopherlong.co.uk/per/vlasto.gucc.html">christopherlong.co.uk/per/vlasto.gucc.html</a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/"></a></span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="font-size: small;">When many of the wartime women such as the Land Girls, women forestry workers and workers on the canals were finally recognized and given due credit in 2008 a ceremony took place at Stoke Bruerne to dedicate a plaque commemorating the boatwomen's contribution. Attending this ceremony were four of the surviving women including Sonia Rolt, Emma Smith and Olga Kevelos.</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="font-size: small;">Sonia and Olga have since sadly passed away and it was on the death of Olga that her relatives found in the family house many souvenirs from her years as a champion motorcyclist in the 1950’s together with a few items from her wartime canal years.<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-hirErs4d_fE/WHu63EqQbFI/AAAAAAAACiI/mYXkEVcVDd8/s1600-h/CV%252520%252520selfie%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img alt="CV selfie" border="0" height="1071" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ls65zXuqtPo/WHu63zKuMxI/AAAAAAAACiM/0BQWMzlXIdk/CV%252520%252520selfie_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; margin: 40px 0px 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="CV selfie" width="604" /></a></span></strong><br />
<strong>It seems that Olga & Christian had been school friends and were surprised when they met again on the boats and with a shared Greek ancestry had a lot in common.</strong><br />
<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-CArXBNOo_bc/WHu64pmC7NI/AAAAAAAACiQ/DDSmqUOlPIk/s1600-h/CV%252520newspaper%252520article%25255B7%25255D.jpg"><img alt="CV newspaper article" border="0" height="484" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-qWv3rZcbS4I/WHu65F5U-jI/AAAAAAAACiU/hRfpVJ2Tees/CV%252520newspaper%252520article_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="CV newspaper article" width="185" /></a><br />
<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-J_nlW2GTC3c/WHu65v7HrYI/AAAAAAAACiY/pPuA5tC_HIk/s1600-h/Christian%252520Vlasto%252520Picture%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img alt="Christian Vlasto Picture" border="0" height="364" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-wrXgiNDbKhc/WHu66QL2EqI/AAAAAAAACic/6lj5srYjVEY/Christian%252520Vlasto%252520Picture_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="Christian Vlasto Picture" width="644" /></a><br />
<em><strong>Painting by Christian Vlasto.</strong></em><br />
<br />
<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Of-5emBFAL4/WHu66-y6W7I/AAAAAAAACig/uSPWHbXj9Ho/s1600-h/CV%252520letter%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img alt="CV letter" border="0" height="364" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-94wHImofiSk/WHu67ks-QNI/AAAAAAAACik/MENZ17pdHJ4/CV%252520letter_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="CV letter" width="644" /></a><br />
<strong>A letter from Christian to Olga at the end of the war showed that she hoped to recommence her art training. It is known that she later married an author and went to live in Pakistan.</strong><br />
<strong>Both Olga’s wartime cloth Grand Union Canal Co’s badge and Christian's painting of the boats were later sold at auction. </strong><br />
<strong>Mike Constable wrote an interesting article on the women artists amongst the 'Idle Women' in the Autumn 2012 copy of Narrow Boat.</strong><br />
<strong><br /></strong>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03039626461526876637noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6220789692824017935.post-18874716116158636312016-12-13T04:17:00.000-08:002017-01-17T07:03:49.259-08:00A Rare early Voyage.<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Rf-8ye9Vkfg/WEWlbFuV4vI/AAAAAAAACd4/ok3x65nhm3g/s1600-h/canoe%252520photo%252520001%25255B10%25255D.jpg"><img alt="canoe photo 001" border="0" height="308" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-35Bywui_qII/WEWlbjdz0OI/AAAAAAAACd8/Xuxm496tewg/canoe%252520photo%252520001_thumb%25255B4%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 50px 0px 30px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="canoe photo 001" width="404" /></a><br />
<strong><span style="font-size: small;">The early voyagers for pleasure on our waterways seem to have been an invariably shy and retiring bunch of individuals whose descriptions of their travels were more often than not written anonymously. Of the five earliest books describing canal voyages for pleasure in the UK no less than three were written under a non de plume and I have often wondered why. Respectability – was one of the keystones of the Victorian middle classes and so to deviate into anything as obscure as canoeing on canals and generally messing about in boats portrayed a possible character flaw not to be advertised. My theory anyway. <a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-OzxAvBg69LU/WEWlcvn5B9I/AAAAAAAACeA/ZS_Grx952PU/s1600-h/canoe%252520photo2%252520001%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img alt="canoe photo2 001" border="0" height="201" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Jp0UXnBXqOc/WEWldJFD4OI/AAAAAAAACeE/jchnGPOc_Oc/canoe%252520photo2%252520001_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 43px 0px 21px 93px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="canoe photo2 001" width="304" /></a></span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="font-size: small;">The very earliest</span></strong> <strong><span style="font-size: small;">of these books - <em>‘A Trip Through the Caledonian Canal’’</em> seems to have taken place in 1861 and was published the same year by the anonymous author - ‘<em>Bumps’. </em>A few years later and after the formation of the Royal Canoe Club by the indefatigable John MacGregor whose exploits on canoeing Continental waterways (He seems not to have bothered with UK waterways other than the Thames) excited the middle class public of the time leading to Royalty ,Charles Dickens & Robert Louis Stevenson amongst others taking up the new sport of ‘Paddling’; –another book was published, again anonymously, – ‘<em>The Waterway to</em> <em>London as explored in the ‘Wanderer & Ranger with sail,paddle & oar in a voyage on the Mersey , Perry, Severn & Thames and several canals’</em> –1869. (This book is the subject of an excellent article by Richard Fairhurst in the current edition of <i>Waterways World</i> ).</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="font-size: small;">Both the two books so far mentioned are illustrated and we are indebted to Canal historians and book collectors whose researches, have in the last few years ascertained the true identities of both authors.</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="font-size: small;">I wish I could say the same for the third of these early anonymously authored books. <em>‘Canal and River – A canoe cruise from Leicestershire to Greenhithe’ -1873. </em>The author who hides his identity under the nom de plume of ‘<em>Red Rover’</em> has still, 150 years, later to be identified. Indeed in my presentation copy to a friend the author still refers to himself as ‘Red Rover’</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-aU-benrY1u8/WEWld6cPsKI/AAAAAAAACeI/yyig8czzw5Y/s1600-h/red%252520rover%252527s%252520signature%252520001%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img alt="red rover's signature 001" border="0" height="280" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-cfY9wPqOjIg/WEWleXBpreI/AAAAAAAACeM/QMBCcqTnunk/red%252520rover%252527s%252520signature%252520001_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 0px 26px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="red rover's signature 001" width="454" /></a>Any Canal book collector who has tried to find one of these books will know how elusive they can be. This is of course due not only to the 150 years + age of the books but also because some of them were published privately in very limited numbers for family and friends and went only through the one (First) edition and were never reprinted.</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="font-size: small;">All is not lost however for most of these books can be seen in many of the Universities libraries and facsimile copies of some of them have been issued by the British Library under its Historical Prints label. Most keen collectors use Copac which is a general site which shows all the British University libraries and The British library and here you can search for any book and find which institution has a copy.</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="font-size: small;"> <a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-1G_stptU_NU/WEWlfPr82eI/AAAAAAAACeQ/3RCs48m9YiI/s1600-h/canoe%252520photo6%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img alt="canoe photo6" border="0" height="193" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-G3mmznSODzw/WEWlfpX5S4I/AAAAAAAACeU/O2ZlpKugyXE/canoe%252520photo6_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 11px 0px 36px 89px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="canoe photo6" width="404" /></a>However returning to <em>Red Rover - </em>I think it must be just about the rarest UK canal book you could ever try to find. Again, searching in Copac – none of the Universities seem to have a copy and amazingly even the British Library doesn’t list it . It is, interestingly, printed by a provincial publisher in Bedford and that may partly explain its scarcity. In over 40 years of collecting I have never seen a copy for sale and it was indeed my lucky day when I obtained a copy at auction and this copy had previously been in the collection of Charles Hadfield.</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="font-size: small;">THE BOOK. ………………………………………………… </span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-CuLjVqI30oY/WEWeYDjiR2I/AAAAAAAACdk/r9XXPoYnapk/s1600-h/CANALRIVER-18736.jpg"><img alt="CANAL&RIVER 1873" border="0" height="484" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh46YHJo0vc_BSFahJ1t9AKgyiE_rciilyN4S1yOJVFQAbQuvffgj80Uo5zzOb2qmTpZL4avUAJnEzOGADrtdIHC5olqqu2Q6HlN_-gSSX3bWS3OBKIjCEMZfzZZxyua_5VqywSYZwIggC4/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="CANAL&RIVER 1873" width="331" /></a> </span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="font-size: small;"></span></strong> <strong>Thursday the 22nd August 1872 saw Red Rover at Bedford station attempting to fit his canoe into the guards van of a train bound for Market Harborough a few mile up the line. As it was too long for the van it was, amazingly, strapped to the roof instead. On arrival at the canal basin the author objects to the 5 shilling toll demanded, whereupon an alternative fee of four pence per ton for a minimum of 6tons is agreed upon and so at the end of chapter 1 we see our author paddling his rather heavy (on paper) canoe towards Foxton 6 miles away. </strong><br />
<strong><span style="font-size: small;">He seems to have</span> found the arm to Foxton very overgrown and seemingly seldom used and indeed he remarks that he only passed three boats between Foxton & Buckby. <a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-01kbOpMtlM4/WE_kfZYAALI/AAAAAAAACfM/7PVrPWdaNNE/s1600-h/canoe%252520photo4%252520001%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img alt="canoe photo4 001" border="0" height="321" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-LZcijZwzaMA/WE_kgKAARCI/AAAAAAAACfQ/5895UgXmkAI/canoe%252520photo4%252520001_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="canoe photo4 001" width="504" /></a></strong><br />
<strong>A method of propulsion much favoured by early canoeists was the sail or sometimes two sails and our man, finding the wind right, uses this method for 8miles or so to Crick tunnel where he has to wait for a horse boat to exit.</strong><br />
<strong>One of the things that I like about this book are the authors interactions with the boat community and digressions and descriptions of village life en route. After a description of being towed behind 3 boats in Braunston tunnel by the steam tug, at Braunston he searches for somewhere to stay and gives a good description of the village shop & butcher who provides probably the worst pork he has ever tasted. He hears an early Trade Union song in a nearby pub. On the Oxford Summit he is stared at uncomprehendingly by gleaners in the canalside fields and remarks on the comments made by the women and the silence of the men.</strong><br />
<strong>At Banbury he transfers to the Cherwell but finds it very overgrown until at Twyford a rain soaked author is dried out & fed by the miller who assists him with a ‘flush’. The struggle through an overgrown Cherwell finally prompts him to return to the navigation at Kings Sutton where he overtakes a horse drawn pair. One of these the ‘Mary Ann’ offers to dry him out & give him shelter and a bed for the night. There then follows one of the best descriptions of the boaters and their life that I have from this time whose authors sometimes view the Canal workers as if from another planet. He remarks on the cleanliness of the boat with its unbleached calico sheets and straw paillasse. The painted decoration and polished brasswork is admired especially since the captain is a single 35 year old male. Red Rover states that the other boat was captained by a 35 year old man,his wife and small child.</strong><br />
<strong>They cast off from an overnight mooring at 2am and the author joins in the steering and lock work etc before re-joining the Cherwell at Enslow on his way to Oxford,the Thames and London .</strong><br />
<strong>A small unillustrated book and only 90 pages long but invaluable for its description of an early voyage on a canal and especially for the authors reactions to the Canal Boat people he came across whom he found to be universally helpful and to lead clean industrious but hard lives. He makes a point of these last traits because in some ‘educated’ quarters at that time - canal boat life was portrayed as squalid, drunken and immoral.</strong><br />
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<b>N.B - Checking the Canal Boat Inspectors records from Lower Heyford on the Oxford Canal </b><br />
<b>- the first record for a boat named the </b><i><b>'Mary Ann' </b> </i><b>occurs in 1893 which is sometime after the events narrated in the book. This boat was inspected on 27th May 1893. The Reg No was 17a and the boat was first registered at Banbury on the 24th Feb 1879 in accordance with the new Canal Boat Act of 1877 .The owner & captain is given as William Humphris Jun of Thrupp. </b><br />
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<b>On the same day the <i>'Caroline' </i>was inspected.This boat Reg No 18a was registered at Banbury on the same day as the '<i>Mary Ann' </i>in 1879 and also belonged to</b><b> William Humphris.</b><br />
<b>What is interesting is that in succeeding years these two boats were often inspected when passing through Lower Heyford together. It is this fact that makes me wonder if these two boats towed by the one horse are the boats mentioned in the book.</b><br />
<b>Its only a conjecture of course. Mary Ann is a common name and Humphris is a family name that occurs many times in the records and has innumerable connections with Thrupp, Eynsham & Oxford. Its good to record that the family probably prospered as they seem to have purchased another boat </b><b>the <i>'Nettle' </i>which was first registered at Oxford in 1886.</b><br />
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<b>It seems too that the single male captain had during the years since meeting Red Rover in 1872, married and produced the usual large family, since the records show that since that time Harriet 3, Rose 1, John 5 had arrived. The married couple on the other boat had Annie 15 and Clara 14.</b><br />
<strong><em><span style="font-size: small;"></span></em></strong>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03039626461526876637noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6220789692824017935.post-53181245207384683582016-12-08T12:09:00.000-08:002016-12-08T12:12:01.879-08:00The Pyreolophore.<br />
<strong><span style="font-size: small;">No I hadn’t heard of it either</span>. </strong> <strong><span style="font-size: small;">The worlds first internal combustion engine and the first internal combustion engine used to power a boat.</span></strong><br />
<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-W1GfaI4C3nY/WEg17d5S1HI/AAAAAAAACek/rY31sZvqu7U/s1600-h/450px-Pyreolophore%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img alt="450px-Pyreolophore" border="0" height="311" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-maKPMN0cF9A/WEg18LiqpHI/AAAAAAAACeo/lTUDecT3I3M/450px-Pyreolophore_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="450px-Pyreolophore" width="454" /></a><br />
<strong><span style="font-size: small;">Nicephore and Claude Niepce came from a wealthy landowning family with estates near Chalon sur Saone. They had pursued various inventions before in 1807 successfully testing their</span> <span style="font-size: small;">combustion engine.</span></strong><br />
<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-UOrgNSyXkjc/WEg18t8P-0I/AAAAAAAACes/HXbK9wyaYj0/s1600-h/pyreolophore-niepce-nicephore-02%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img alt="Le Pyréolophore" border="0" height="423" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-QEK8kUoHHjo/WEg19ea34QI/AAAAAAAACew/mBjudpkwnns/pyreolophore-niepce-nicephore-02_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="Le Pyréolophore" width="644" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><strong>Installed in a boat the engine successfully powered the craft upstream and against the current on the River Saone at Chalon.</strong></span><br />
<strong><span style="font-size: small;">Amazingly the fuel used was lycopodium dust (from a species of club moss) . Despite the success, this fuel unsurprisingly was totally impractical and so further experiments were made with various oils and coal dust.</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="font-size: small;">Hoping to promote the invention Claude arrived in London in 1813 and over several years managed to deplete the family fortunes before dying insane in 1828.</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="font-size: small;">Younger brother Nicephore was also successful in producing the worlds first </span></strong> <span style="font-size: small;"><strong>permanent photographic image in 1827. He died in 1833 and as a result of the squandering of the family fortunes by his brother was buried in a grave financed by the local municipality.</strong></span><br />
<strong><span style="font-size: small;">If your travelling or boating in the area – there is a Niepce museum at Saint Loup de Varennes in Chalon.</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="font-size: small;"></span></strong>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03039626461526876637noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6220789692824017935.post-88008932589222369812016-11-26T09:17:00.001-08:002016-11-26T09:17:51.123-08:00Flash Lock.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik6MD4YrICotyEwZnjsTqmjONRkziKxz9rrqZEl7rqtjniSx2G4AiD9b13PcaOBJaqmraUKRxYQe61Lzj77tU-o1t4m3mKiAJtsRflj3j5Jf-TTJ2q2DzQiL6cTNazy0zzARzF4i_oWpF8/s1600/Weir+with+movable+bridge010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="488" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik6MD4YrICotyEwZnjsTqmjONRkziKxz9rrqZEl7rqtjniSx2G4AiD9b13PcaOBJaqmraUKRxYQe61Lzj77tU-o1t4m3mKiAJtsRflj3j5Jf-TTJ2q2DzQiL6cTNazy0zzARzF4i_oWpF8/s640/Weir+with+movable+bridge010.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03039626461526876637noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6220789692824017935.post-5510523433557908212016-11-21T08:23:00.001-08:002016-11-21T08:30:24.943-08:00Earliest Boat Decoration. A New Find ?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkr2ZgI178cZNTVcCWTpyiSBF8syatIEv1YNrqvT8A-nz986_G44xzhJ6X5yZKWSJCaF-ATcRHcYQaWmkKK0T-kGgXSpJOEaJMrJFP1X64_BDwLCvH2JLDGSW1bKnxZ3s5Cm-DARMqrb2P/s1600/flowers+afloat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkr2ZgI178cZNTVcCWTpyiSBF8syatIEv1YNrqvT8A-nz986_G44xzhJ6X5yZKWSJCaF-ATcRHcYQaWmkKK0T-kGgXSpJOEaJMrJFP1X64_BDwLCvH2JLDGSW1bKnxZ3s5Cm-DARMqrb2P/s1600/flowers+afloat.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>The origins of English narrow boat decoration may never be fully ascertained but Tony Lewery's researches reach back through time to the earliest known descriptions both verbal and pictorial of this uniquely English folk art. </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>His book is quite the best of its kind being both scholarly and very readable and is heartily recommended.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>It now seems reasonably certain that the decoration appeared quite early on and certainly before 1858 when we have the first verbal description in Charles Dicken's magazine '<i>Household Words'. </i>If only the article had been accompanied by illustrations !!. </b></span>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Tony Lewery offers this illustration found in a book published in 1875- '<i>Life on the Upper Thames' </i>as being the first known illustration of narrow boat decoration.</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>This book had been previously published in serial form throughout 1873 in '<i>The Art Journal' </i>with a rather different illustration which gives slightly more information.</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>The author H R Robertson was primarily an artist who had spent a year on the upper Thames recording the trades and occupations of riverside workers.</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>With chapters on waterside structures such as flash locks,ballasting, eel grigs,, osier cutting and peeling and dozens more :- the book is a mine of information on long vanished riverside life.</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>A NEW FIND.</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b><i>Original watercolour & gouache signed by the artist appeared at auction Nov 2016. </i></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b><i>The etching as published in the Art Journal 1873.</i></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Appearing at auction recently the colour sketch above appears to be the original watercolour and gouache painting for the illustration in the book.Signed by the artist it will be a valuable piece of original source material which advances our knowledge a little since this now appears to be possibly the earliest known colour illustration of the canal folk art we know today.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Comparing the coloured original with the black & white copy it would seem that by the time the etching came to be published a boat chimney and Buckby can had been added to the original watercolour work. I have no idea why this should be so but it is interesting to find that the Buckby can was at this early date, in existence, in exactly the same form as we know it today.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Postscript :- Again in Lewerys <i>'Flowers Afloat' </i>an even earlier (1832) illustration on the side of a boat on the Herefordshire & Gloucestershire canal boat appears to show some signs of early decoration of flowers and rudimentary diamond patterning which could be an early stage in the development of the ' rose & castle' decoration.</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Other illustrations may yet come to light & somewhere there may be an amateurs watercolour (signed & dated preferably)of a canal scene complete with boat & decorated cabin side painted at an earlier date.</b></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03039626461526876637noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6220789692824017935.post-75226399712366609912016-11-09T08:28:00.000-08:002016-11-09T08:28:17.767-08:00The Cut in Colour (1936).<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>IS THIS THE FIRST PUBLISHED COLOUR PHOTOGRAPH OF AN ENGLISH CANAL?</b><br />
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<b><i>'THE CANALS OF ENGLAND' </i>by S P B Mais is a 20 page article I came across recentl<i>y</i> in the October 1936 issue of '<i>The Geographical Magazine'</i> which was the British answer (founded in 1936) to the '<i>National Geographic' </i>produced in the U S A.</b><br />
<b>S P B Mais as author & broadcaster was a household name in the 1930/40s and wrote over 200 books which usually campaigned for the British countryside & its traditions.. A couple of years prior to 1936 and having been refused permission to travel on the Grand Union C, Mais instead spent 3 days travelling from Whitchurch to Langollen. Having previously visited the boat school at Brentford, Mais seems to have had some interest in the boaters lives and traditions and the article basically is a brief history of the cut.</b><br />
<br />
<b>However the greatest interest for contemporary eyes are the accompanying photographs. There are 15 or so black & white images mostly of the boaters on the southern G U but also of the Oxford, Trent & Mersey & Northern waterways. Although unattributed I have a feeling that some if not all of these were taken by Cyril Arapoff whose work is well known and in such collections as the Waterways Archive.</b><br />
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<b>The 4 full page colour photographs appear at the end of the article and are attributed to D Spencer.</b><br />
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<b>Mr Spencer from what I can ascertain , was a professional photographer who had just (1936) produced a book entitled '<i>Photography Today' </i>. Interestingly the frontispiece for this book was a coloured photograph taken using the Vivex process which was the method used for the colour photographs in Mais article.</b><br />
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<b>Vivex was an early colour process used by the first professional colour printing service in business from 1928 until the outbreak of war in 1939 and accounted for 90% of UK colour print photography. It was fairly complicated using 3 negatives, one for each primary colour, with the results being printed on top of one another by hand to obtain the final print.</b><br />
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<b> SO ARE THESE 4 PHOTOGRAPHS THE FIRST COLOUR SHOTS OF BRITISH </b><br />
<b>CANALS?</b><br />
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<b>Personally I can't think of anything earlier and indeed it wasn't until the 1950's that colour photographs began to illustrate canal books & periodicals.</b><br />
<b>Someone out there may know a lot more than I do on this subject , so if you do know of anything earlier please leave a comment.</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b><u>An early advocate of canals for pleasure.</u></b><br />
<b><u><br /></u></b>
<b>The author ends his piece with the following - '<i>Even if you are not commercially interested in the revival of canal transport, sociologically you certainly will be if you have read Mr A P Herbert's vivid & entertaining novel of barge life; The Water Gipsies, and aesthetically you cannot fail to be if you are a reader of the canoeing books of Mr William Bliss. While if you are in search of a novel holiday buy a copy of Stanfords map of England & Wales showing canals & rivers navigable for canoes & light craft .. to set your heart dancing with eager anticipation, and if I may give a word of advice, plump for the two tit -bits, Wooton Rivers to Devizes on The Kennet & Avon and Newtown to Welshpool on the Shropshire Union.</i></b><br />
<b><i><br /></i></b>
<b>I include this quote not only as an early example of a plea for the pleasure use of canals but I love his rare acknowledgement of William Bliss (a personal hero of mine). If you have not read his book <i>'The Heart of England by Waterway'</i> 1933 -you should and not only for his foresight where canals were concerned but for his wonderful prose, romantic lyricsm and knowledge of canal voyaging over the previous 50 years; for what true canal lover is not a romantic at heart.</b><br />
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<b> Dont just take my word for it - Ray Parkin at -<a href="http://nbalbert.blogspot.co.uk/">nbalbert.blogspot.co.uk</a> is also a lover of William Bliss's book and has researched & blogged on this book & many others, so take a look at his old waterway book reviews too. </b><br />
<b>For full details on the man and his book type Bliss in my blog search. If you are looking for a copy try -<a href="http://bookfinder.com/">BookFinder.com</a></b>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03039626461526876637noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6220789692824017935.post-44528174330473815982016-10-23T09:24:00.000-07:002016-10-24T03:27:53.471-07:00Eily Gayford’s Badge & other things.(At auction 2016)<br />
<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-nHZHdAqA1bw/WAzkKzSu8-I/AAAAAAAACTw/1GoAlwiPhSE/s1600-h/IMG_00445.jpg"><img alt="IMG_0044" border="0" height="244" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-du_SoNpBz_k/WAzkLUXbP7I/AAAAAAAACT0/3hOBSJXKfUs/IMG_0044_thumb7.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 3px 4px 0px 149px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="IMG_0044" width="243" /></a><br />
<strong>September saw the second part of Mark Baldwin’s library auctioned in London. The first part consisting of books was auctioned last year but this years sale consisted mainly of paper ephemeral items, canal acts, prints, posters,tokens, magazines & postcards etc.</strong><br />
<strong>Some items which caught my attention were – A group of badges belonging to Eily Gayford who was an early recruit & subsequent trainer of the famous ‘Idle Women’ recruits to the boats of the Grand Union carrying fleet of WW2. The lot consisted of the famous & very rare ‘Idle Women’ grey plastic badge, two cloth GUCC badges and a brass GUCC collar badge as issued to GUCC police together with several wartime periodicals.</strong><br />
<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-xz0eu7_XhGE/WAzkL0zxOLI/AAAAAAAACT4/tP26Qv_H1jY/s1600-h/iw-badge-in-sale5.jpg"><img alt="iw badge in sale" border="0" height="171" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-QQ-prslQnd0/WAzkMXufNDI/AAAAAAAACT8/jQXxDm5uHio/iw-badge-in-sale_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="iw badge in sale" width="227" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPnGUwAoCx_-Jxo7f2_gk3R2m5pD69Z1F48eOtg3X-TtBqrsNHj2gcR0gMpmx1lk5XeajzqWDErkzYhXPG95Jpdh_RCF4QS1sHWdCASf988LMF3qEmVywp9qjCAxviHLYCoo2j0iUPebD5/s1600-h/82_2cloth-badges2.jpg"><img alt="82_2cloth badges" border="0" height="171" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-uA01GjbhkIg/WAzkNerk12I/AAAAAAAACUE/cJRNq7p7KZA/82_2cloth-badges_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="82_2cloth badges" width="227" /></a><br />
<strong>The plastic IW badge alone had to my knowledge achieved a record price of £311 at auction in 2015 with many bidders so the £380 (£456 inc buyers premium) achieved for this group of badges was probably a good buy.</strong><br />
<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Agt7jAdKfPQ/WAzkOAYOJmI/AAAAAAAACUI/WrVdWUCV73o/s1600-h/85-The-Bargee3.jpg"><img alt="85 The Bargee" border="0" height="178" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTL-dgn012pTIddVw9f5b5H-Gk6DVVNLjUvB88F0jMr0Mtar9wS0whhNbgzzq-aIH2qFzrFtWi3AR0lkb-S7msD64Mb90zo0Q8ylGI3yjbjnr0aHPkYsO-AiTOHVQjX4RGKmFx0DW4n_83/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 0px 0px 97px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="85 The Bargee" width="244" /></a><br />
<strong>A large film poster for this 1964 film (Lots of period working boat action on the G Union, if you ever get a chance to see it) made £120 + buyers premium.</strong><br />
<strong><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ojUC8DuUbiA/WAzkPO3bu6I/AAAAAAAACUQ/Y3ncvYNq8NY/s1600-h/canals--waterways-mag3.jpg"><img alt="canals & waterways mag" border="0" height="244" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-fWcZet4EMdc/WAzkPmYSWKI/AAAAAAAACUU/cf6_2wv48us/canals--waterways-mag_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="canals & waterways mag" width="188" /></a>If you thought that Waterways World was the first magazine devoted to Inland Waterways you would be wrong as predating this by over 50 years a collection of 30 issues of the monthly ‘Canal’s & Waterways’ from 1919 –1924 fetched £160 + 20% buyers premium.</strong><br />
<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-MTJ6Tj1_5KU/WAzkQS-juvI/AAAAAAAACUY/kdZH_EldMaw/s1600-h/aire%252520%252526%252520C%252520prospectus.%252520001%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img alt="aire & C prospectus. 001" border="0" height="178" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-up9ltgkv13Q/WAzkQ5py9cI/AAAAAAAACUc/-46vKaxR000/aire%252520%252526%252520C%252520prospectus.%252520001_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="aire & C prospectus. 001" width="244" /></a><strong>Commercial prospectuses for individual waterways rarely appear in the great library collections and are quite hard to find. Two different examples from the Aire & Calder Co and dating from the 1920’s fetched £80 +premium.</strong><br />
<strong>Worth a mention – The complete auction catalogue for this sale and also for part1 of Sept 2015 and prices realised can be found on Chiswick auctions website- <a href="http://www.chiswickauctions.co.uk/sale-results/">www.chiswickauctions.co.uk/sale-results/</a></strong><br />
<strong>‘ People off the bank turning to commercial boating and recording their exploits’----- This topic started with at least 3 or 4 of the Idle women recording their wartime work in book or magazine form in the years following the conflict. Further books have followed over the years from authors such as David Blagrove and Tom Foxon but two of the earliest ‘landlubbers to turn to boating in the early 1950’s were Tim Wilkinson who authored ‘<em>Hold On A Minute’ </em>and John Knill whose life as a ‘No1’ was recorded in his ‘<em>John Knill’s Navy -Five years on the cut’</em> published many years after his carrying days.</strong><br />
<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-xB3GHtx3b64/WAzkRkQtj2I/AAAAAAAACUg/7V8HvHhoG0Y/s1600-h/john%252520knills%252520navy%252520001%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img alt="john knills navy 001" border="0" height="172" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-atQFW2qg-Qg/WAzkSEArI_I/AAAAAAAACUk/YmhBrEjCTc0/john%252520knills%252520navy%252520001_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="john knills navy 001" width="244" /></a><strong> I have remarked in a previous post on the rarity of this book caused I think by the fact that it was privately published by Sir John in 1998. Probably produced with a limited print run and without the distribution facilities of commercial publishers, these facts have ensured its rare appearance in booksellers catalogues or at auction. </strong><br />
<strong>A previous auction price of £32 was I thought pretty good going for a relatively recently printed paperback as was the price of £80 being asked by a bookdealer elsewhere (It sold very quickly). However I was absolutely amazed by the final auction price of £142 on Ebay which only goes to prove the old auction maxim – that you only need two people to really want an item for it to sell well but £142!!!?</strong><br />
<strong>So if you are lucky enough to have a copy – treasure it well. For those still looking – good luck. It is a really good read with lots of period photos and anecdotes and deserves to be reprinted. </strong>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03039626461526876637noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6220789692824017935.post-22247012276491525202016-03-06T05:41:00.000-08:002016-03-06T05:45:49.335-08:00‘….a thoroughly well found outfit…’ 1938.<b><br /></b>
<span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Correspondence found in an old book</b>.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span>
<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ZSyxLdNASok/VtwzJYJFzkI/AAAAAAAACSo/ax0LvxKsTfY/s1600-h/001%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img alt="001" border="0" height="484" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-r4_mDgzsM_Q/VtwzKPPzL2I/AAAAAAAACSs/AUN_tZLeT5Q/001_thumb%25255B6%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="001" width="521" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-size: medium;"><strong>And the reply.</strong></span><br />
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<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-xOvE2A-rsc4/VtwzKp4BMCI/AAAAAAAACSw/uk7iKo0ehiY/s1600-h/K%252526A%252520001%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img alt="K&A 001" border="0" height="604" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/--pdyK16Gkwc/VtwzLacm9aI/AAAAAAAACS0/JJHvH7K16p0/K%252526A%252520001_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="K&A 001" width="472" /></a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03039626461526876637noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6220789692824017935.post-18578676750897081732016-02-16T08:17:00.001-08:002016-11-02T08:50:15.716-07:00‘Bibliography of British Canals 1623-1950’ by Mark Baldwin and some recent finds.<br />
<strong>Mark Baldwin’s bibliography has been an indispensible guide to many collectors of English waterway literature ever since its publication in 1984. It is I think the most comprehensive survey of English waterway books published from the earliest times up until the start of ‘the new canal age’ in 1950.<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-uVPLAFrw6NA/VsNKL-iAlqI/AAAAAAAACQg/fIEnaidVpws/s1600-h/Canals-A-New-Look5.jpg"><span style="font-size: small;"><img alt="Canals A New Look" border="0" height="244" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-h4c4ykunA2g/VsNKMgWBrwI/AAAAAAAACQk/v0gxAfk4Z4g/Canals-A-New-Look_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 39px 0px 0px 143px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="Canals A New Look" width="184" /></span></a></strong><br />
<h3>
<strong><span style="font-size: small;">It was contained within the book ‘<em> Canals A New Look’ </em>and as far as I know has never been published elswhere. Also and as a bonus it contains a separate <em>Bibliography of</em> <em>European Cruising 1833-1939</em> as well as a <em>‘Bibliography of Charles Hadfield’s published work’</em>. So there you have it - all the reference sources you need as well as other interesting articles in one volume. No excuses for not owning one either,as it is easily available on the secondhand market for as little as £3 or £4.</span></strong></h3>
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<strong>In my years of book collecting I have come across several books or editions of books which are not mentioned in the bibliography and I can only imagine that Mark chose not to include them for some reason or, and this is I feel more likely - was unaware of their existence</strong> <strong>at the time of his compilation.</strong></div>
<strong>So for the benefit of other collectors who may not know them either, I list them below and roughly in the categories that were used by Mark Baldwin. They are nearly all fictional works published before 1950.</strong><br />
<strong><u><span style="color: black;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #4f81bd;">Fi</span>ctional works inspired by George Smith (The so called ‘Moral Tales).</span></span></u></strong><br />
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<strong>Palmer, F. ‘<em><span style="color: blue;">Silent Highways – A story of Barge Life.</span>’ </em>London: J F Shaw, ND c1881, Frontis, 192pgs, pub cat.</strong></div>
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<strong>F C F, <em>‘<span style="color: blue;">Over There – A Story of Canal Life’</span>. </em>London: Society for promoting Christian Knowledge. ND c1889, Frontis, 94pgs, pub cat. (With an appreciation to George Smith on final page – ….<em>funds will be gratefully received by Mr George Smith, The Cabin, Crick, Rugby). </em>Later editions of this book have the authors name given – F C Fanshawe.<em> </em></strong></div>
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<strong>Mount, Adela Francis. <em>‘<span style="color: blue;">Robin Dear – A story of Canal Life’</span></em>. London: Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge. ND c 1903, Frontis, 162pgs, Illus 2pl. pub cat.</strong></div>
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<strong>Further details and some cover photos of these books at -<a href="http://canalbookcollector2.blogspot.com/"><span style="color: red;">http://canalbookcollector2.blogspot.com</span></a>. –Part3.</strong></div>
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<strong><u>Childrens Fiction.</u></strong></div>
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<strong>Philps,A D. <em>‘<span style="color: blue;">Waif and Gypsy’</span>. </em>London: Sunday School Union. ND c1893.Frontis,13pl,pub cat. (Another moral tale partly set on Bridgewater canal).</strong></div>
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<strong>Morris, Alice Talwin. ‘<span style="color: blue;"><em>Our Holiday on a Barge’</em></span><span style="color: black;"> London : Blackie. N D but c1911. 40pgs. Illus. For younger readers.</span></strong></div>
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<strong><span style="color: black;">Wilson,Theodora T. </span><span style="color: blue;"><em>‘Jim’s Children –A tale of town country & canal’ </em></span><span style="color: black;">London : Blackie. ND but c1912. 247pgs. Frontis. Illus</span></strong><strong><span style="color: black;"> (Set on the Lancaster canal).</span></strong></div>
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<strong><span style="color: black;">Harrison, F B. </span><span style="color: blue;"><em>‘Littlebourne Lock’</em></span><span style="color: black;"> London: Blackie. ND but 1892. 282 pgs,Frontis, 1 plate. pub cat. (Set on Thames).</span></strong></div>
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<strong><span style="color: black;">‘Mrs Molesworth’. </span><span style="color: blue;"><em>‘Us’</em></span><span style="color: black;"> London: Macmillan. 1885. 240 pgs, Frontis, illus by Walter Crane, Pub Cat. (Partly set on canal).</span></strong></div>
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<strong><span style="color: black;">Harborough, Mark. </span><span style="color: blue;"><em>‘Fossil the Scout’.</em></span><span style="color: black;"> Oxford University Press.1933. 255 pgs, Frontis, illus. ( The first canal adventure story of the modern period.The first to have decorated endpapers illustrating a canal map. An important book).</span></strong></div>
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<strong><span style="color: black;">Blyton, Enid. </span><span style="color: blue;"><em>‘The Saucy Jane Story’. </em></span><span style="color: black;">London: Lutterworth Press. 1947, 79 pgs, Frontis, Illus. (Canal story for younger readers). </span></strong></div>
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<strong><span style="color: black;">Thomas, Bert. </span><span style="color: blue;"><em>‘A Trip on a Barge’. </em></span><span style="color: black;">London: Pictorial Art. ND c1946, 31pgs, Illus (The first UK canal book to be illustrated in ‘Comic Art’ style. For younger readers. Authentically set on G Union canal). An important book & not in Copac.</span></strong></div>
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<strong><span style="color: black;"><u>Books with editions not noted by Mark Baldwin</u>.</span></strong></div>
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<strong></strong> <strong>Reade, Amos. <span style="color: blue;"><em>‘Life in The Cut’ . </em></span><span style="color: black;">London: Swan Sonnenschein. 1888. 343pgs, Frontis. (This must be the First edition as Baldwin gives only the 1889 edition which was a yellowback)</span></strong></div>
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<strong>Anon. <span style="color: blue;"><em>‘The Waterway to London’ </em></span><span style="color: black;">London: Simpkin. 1869. Frontis,96pgs,illus, maps. (A cheap ‘Yellowback type’ edition priced at 1 shilling, with thin card decorated illustrated cover published in the same year as the first edition noted by Baldwin)</span></strong> .</div>
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<strong><u>Adult Fiction</u>.</strong></div>
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<strong>Hartley,J. <span style="color: blue;"><em>‘Seets I Yorkshire…..or Grimes Comical Trip from Leeds to Liverpool by Canal’. </em></span><span style="color: black;">London: Nicholson. 156 pgs. Pub Cat.ND but c 1890 . (A cheap yellowback in dialect.)</span></strong></div>
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<strong><span style="color: black;">Adcock,Almey St John. </span><span style="color: blue;"><em>‘The Street Paved with Water’</em></span><span style="color: black;"> London: Hodder & Stoughton.ND but 1930. 318pgs, (Set on Grand Junction Canal).</span></strong></div>
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<strong><span style="color: black;">Smith,Emma.</span><span style="color: blue;"><em> ‘Monkey Barges’ </em></span><span style="color: black;">London: Phoenix House. ( A short story by Emma Smith of ‘Idle Women’ fame.Her first canal story after she left the boats & contained in ‘</span><span style="color: blue;"><em>Modern Reading –16’ </em></span><span style="color: black;">published in 1947.</span></strong></div>
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<strong> <u>Early childrens comic books.</u></strong></div>
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<strong>Goodwin,Dave. <span style="color: blue;"><em>‘The Boy Barge Owners – AStory of Canal Life’.<span style="color: black;"> </span></em><span style="color: black;">London:</span> </span><span style="color: black;">Amalgamated Press</span></strong> . <strong>1909.120 pgs. In ‘The Boys Friend Library’ series.</strong></div>
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<strong>Goodwin, Dave. <span style="color: blue;"><em>‘Dave The Barge Boy –A Tale of England’s Waterways’.</em></span><span style="color: black;">London: Amalgamated Press. 1910. 120 pgs. In ‘The Boy’s Friend Library’ series.</span></strong></div>
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<strong><span style="color: black;">Anon. </span><span style="color: blue;"><em>‘All Aboard A Barge’.</em></span><span style="color: black;"> London: John Leng. 1932.39 pgs, Illus. (For young readers and published in </span><span style="color: blue;"><em>‘Fairyland Tales No 553 .’</em></span></strong></div>
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<strong><span style="color: blue;"><em><br /></em></span></strong></div>
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<b>Details & photos of most of these books can be found in <a href="http://canalbookcollector2.blogspot.com/"><span style="color: red;">canalbookcollector2.blogspot.com</span></a> or in my main blog. If you are looking for any of these or any other books try - <a href="http://bookfinder.com/">BookFinder.com</a></b></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03039626461526876637noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6220789692824017935.post-29146387213522617572016-01-29T13:23:00.000-08:002016-01-29T13:23:04.001-08:00<h2>
<b>Mr 'Self Sufficiency'</b></h2>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQxxC7cWYgrhHF4pw2WW8NUNQlLfs8ZZr9GtKakF3w3bf9-1ft8YedqWGZU64ErS1ai543D8xIJqCR_1_or669JB-FdtnyEN7I3m_p8nC8t3KMgEx9PRWTcw3rUFscWQVPWASuo6giv8te/s1600/self+sufficiency.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQxxC7cWYgrhHF4pw2WW8NUNQlLfs8ZZr9GtKakF3w3bf9-1ft8YedqWGZU64ErS1ai543D8xIJqCR_1_or669JB-FdtnyEN7I3m_p8nC8t3KMgEx9PRWTcw3rUFscWQVPWASuo6giv8te/s320/self+sufficiency.jpg" width="243" /></a></div>
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<b>Those of you who were young in the 1970's and perhaps consciously feeling your way towards an alternative lifestyle may remember John Seymour the self sufficiency guru who was as an author most prolific at this time. </b></div>
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<b>Wikipedia lists his roles as - Writer, environmentalist, agrarian, smallholder and activist and a rebel against - Consumerism,industrialisation, genetically modified organisms, cities, cars; an advocate for self reliance, personal responsibility, self sufficiency, conviviality ( singing, dancing, food & drink), gardening, caring for the earth & the soil.</b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMStobubQBPcaO9rqcPyuDtYppPUOVYPJ0egbe3wJPwQW7dDW64lUIuMIr_TSbIjZAyPmcvA7UH5yDVjbraTfS8gAvU1sl-lsCJ_P-Ir3NSbVd4zwYdHoo_xSoicRZSxSfAmovCHxMai7I/s1600/Sailing+through+england+001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMStobubQBPcaO9rqcPyuDtYppPUOVYPJ0egbe3wJPwQW7dDW64lUIuMIr_TSbIjZAyPmcvA7UH5yDVjbraTfS8gAvU1sl-lsCJ_P-Ir3NSbVd4zwYdHoo_xSoicRZSxSfAmovCHxMai7I/s320/Sailing+through+england+001.jpg" width="207" /></a></div>
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<b>After an active and adventurous youth and war service he worked on a Thames Barge for a time before marrying and buying a Dutch Hoogaerse barge on which he lived and travelled before publishing his first waterway book <i>'Sailing through England' </i>in 1956.</b></div>
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<b>Seymour & his wife Sally sailed their 34 ton barge round the coast and into the Great Ouse and the Nene before travelling to the Humber from where they voyaged over all the wide beam waterways of the Northeast including a traverse of the Leeds & Liverpool canal.</b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo7qTtX2OQMbT_5rCoH0Z9EhxFjW_MgC_BBAnf0SV96yXAVZqtqoLwfy_xDXgMQX-E9FlUStqYDlfsHW7HWsj7WlfNfYuMX3sgF4uPlGDNsuANZ3lqZ3HPK6PQfeXuZysv8WFTO8yUgpbP/s1600/VOyage+into+England+001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo7qTtX2OQMbT_5rCoH0Z9EhxFjW_MgC_BBAnf0SV96yXAVZqtqoLwfy_xDXgMQX-E9FlUStqYDlfsHW7HWsj7WlfNfYuMX3sgF4uPlGDNsuANZ3lqZ3HPK6PQfeXuZysv8WFTO8yUgpbP/s320/VOyage+into+England+001.jpg" width="198" /></a></div>
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<b>For the next few years Seymour was involved in buying and establishing a smallholding in Pembrokeshire before in 1966 publishing <i>'Voyage into England' </i> - a record of a 4 month voyage</b></div>
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<b>around the Narrow canals of a still just working system.</b><br />
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<b>We are fortunate that John Seymour's natural love of people & places combined with an </b><br />
<b> inquisitive nature has left for today's reader a treasure trove of anecdotes and interviews with the working population of a now vanished waterways world. Both books are a recommended good read. You can wallow in nostalgia with '<i>Sailing through England' </i> for less than £15 and for less than £10 <i>Voyage into England ' i</i>s available on the second hand market. Both books were recently republished by Faber & Faber.</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7WD3l9Rw6qbhWaQSEFWkAwxYBC2MPZVgBCWZF44vckJU-GOtcyxmDJL2PmQmzU7EPZPsLFSoPpdpnQnCEc9wTWoPpnJlEh9BCMfEQp2yFjrSLDehuxVAeauNyaNdu2EsrBTTcOg_kypbD/s1600/john+seymour.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7WD3l9Rw6qbhWaQSEFWkAwxYBC2MPZVgBCWZF44vckJU-GOtcyxmDJL2PmQmzU7EPZPsLFSoPpdpnQnCEc9wTWoPpnJlEh9BCMfEQp2yFjrSLDehuxVAeauNyaNdu2EsrBTTcOg_kypbD/s1600/john+seymour.jpg" /></a></div>
<b><i>John Seymour 1914 - 2004.</i></b><br />
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<b>John Seymour's self sufficiency work is still carried on by his family at their Pembrokeshire smallholding where John lies buried in an orchard of his own planting.</b><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03039626461526876637noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6220789692824017935.post-40603166211016721752016-01-20T08:06:00.000-08:002016-01-21T04:05:41.718-08:00OLGA KEVELOS.<p><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ExBON4pADbg/Vp-wmFrwJKI/AAAAAAAACIw/XNf-g5HulWE/s1600-h/olga%252520kavelos%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="olga kavelos" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 76px 0px 0px 117px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="olga kavelos" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-3UozoJWqizY/Vp-wmwP-QnI/AAAAAAAACI0/Xzk6U3kbTGc/olga%252520kavelos_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="345" height="260"><font size="6"></a></p></font> <p><strong><font size="4">Olga Kevelos was one of the handful of women workers on the Grand Union Canal during the 2nd World War. One of the so called ‘Idle Women’ from the inland waterways badge that they wore, they often showed tough, independent and adventurous traits. Olga’s particular claim to fame was that she twice won gold in the motorcycling 6 day trials in the later 1940’s - 1950’s.</font></strong></p> <p><strong><font size="4">An extraordinary lady, she is alas no longer with us but during a recent renovation of her family home in Birmingham her family found a relic from her wartime boating days - the badge shown above, Recently auctioned, it attracted many bids , selling for £80.</font></strong></p>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03039626461526876637noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6220789692824017935.post-34750310965908814042016-01-12T06:02:00.000-08:002016-01-23T05:08:50.545-08:00‘Life in the Cut’ An update.<br />
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<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-I9YWQHULUCk/VpUHU4MbjrI/AAAAAAAACG4/jlxulOK5Th8/s1600-h/Canal-Books5.jpg"><img alt="Canal Books" border="0" height="484" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-WoF4hgQYXwU/VpUHWDi3KeI/AAAAAAAACG8/xEKRuA7fYa4/Canal-Books_thumb8.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="Canal Books" width="341" /></a><br />
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<strong><span style="font-size: medium;">Every time that I used Mark Baldwins book ‘Canal Books’ to refer to some item or other I was always tempted by the sight of the book in the middle of the top shelf. Since Baldwin’s book came out in 1982, it must be from at least that time that I had been looking for a copy of that book – ‘ <em>Life in the Cut’. '</em>The description that Baldwin gives of it as being the first full length canal novel<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-VpHEQBsBgww/VpUHW8301ZI/AAAAAAAACHE/DIuejx9ntfw/s1600-h/LIFE-IN-THE-cut11.jpg"><img align="left" alt="LIFE IN THE cut" border="0" height="484" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ddLe2rm66vE/VpUHX0rDIqI/AAAAAAAACHM/8-YtPK4I_98/LIFE-IN-THE-cut_thumb3.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; float: left; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="LIFE IN THE cut" width="267" /></a> ( and an imaginative one at that )which was published in 1889 in a cheap ‘yellowback’ edition primarily for sale on railway bookstores,was very tempting and particularly so with its eye catching pictorial cover.The very fact that it was cheaply produced and printed meant of course that it had a short life and that survivors are few and far between ,which is my blog understatement of the year - I had never seen one at auction or for sale by bookdealers in 40 years of looking. </span></strong></div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: medium;">So it was with some excitement that I attended Mark’s library sale in November last where this book was to be amongst the books auctioned.Needless to say it went for far more than an old pensioners means allowed, selling for over £500 to a guy who had travelled some distance just to buy this one book. </span></strong><strong><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></strong></div>
<strong><span style="font-size: medium;">Well I guess the story would have ended there with visions of more endless years searching (well not exactly endless as age is beginning to feature here!!!) and I was beginning to think that I would have to settle for the British Library’s copy in its Historically important reprint series. When -------</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBrLEEiyRbZ6MZa3tX8lbjUZPFNZjDk_Pk5M4WjhCtL7tQeyggv6NFwXxuYpKsUcaGmRXVegNnVzVc4okb-51S2BY-Md9a99uildST0VW5ZoX2GzeqLbEgPtvPtNYRGPtTW1ypjIKd3IU2/s1600-h/life-in-the-cut-0012.jpg"><img align="left" alt="life in the cut 001" border="0" height="484" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-LBRdZJfjarA/VpUHZiclcZI/AAAAAAAACHg/rNvYVEyea_0/life-in-the-cut-001_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; float: left; margin: 0px 38px 0px 1px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="life in the cut 001" width="316" /></a></span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="font-size: medium;">A couple of months later I bought this battered and waterstained copy of the book on Ebay. </span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="font-size: medium;">I had thought that the yellowback version of 1889 was the only printing since the canal bibliography gives this as the only publication date. However it turns out that my purchase is in fact a First edition copy published the previous year in 1888. </span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="font-size: medium;">The illustration on the cover is by the artist H Johnston whose engravings were used to illustrate Guy Mark Pearse’s ‘<em>Rob Rat’ </em>and which seem to have been used as stock images to illustrate many of the canal articles of the time eg the <em>Graphic</em> canal title page of 1875.</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Sm_qtxugUqI/VpUHacVunzI/AAAAAAAACHo/5Twp6Be3koM/s1600-h/Rob-Rat.-Illustration12.jpg"><img alt="Rob Rat. Illustration1" border="0" height="356" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Lr6sF_1Cgqg/VpUHbUoTIbI/AAAAAAAACHw/bDg7RztAgO8/Rob-Rat.-Illustration1_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="Rob Rat. Illustration1" width="340" /></a><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-jKj42leaZjU/VpUHcKOC0zI/AAAAAAAACH4/a8ndCY4I7Y8/s1600-h/Rob-Rat-Illus-33.jpg"><img alt="Rob Rat Illus (3)" border="0" height="344" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-vN3Qh0xt_Bc/VpUHdLsU6DI/AAAAAAAACIA/1LoJaMnkn8Q/Rob-Rat-Illus-3_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="Rob Rat Illus (3)" width="458" /></a> </span></strong><br />
<strong><em><span style="font-size: medium;">Illustrations by H Johnson in Rob Rat.</span></em></strong><br />
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<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-9KOOnH0urto/VpUHecetbaI/AAAAAAAACII/xZCSB0bQ7Xw/s1600-h/life-in-the-cut-.title-page-1st-Ed-0.jpg"><img alt="life in the cut .title page 1st Ed 001" border="0" height="452" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-N4-h0zDW1tU/VpUHfXcfhmI/AAAAAAAACIQ/Nl6Yw9Vm4Ew/life-in-the-cut-.title-page-1st-Ed-0%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="life in the cut .title page 1st Ed 001" width="644" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"><strong>Interestingly the Frontispiece illustration of the Waterwitch in the First edition appears to be a swim ended Thames lighter.Compare this with the Narrow Boat ‘Waterwitch’ on the yellowback cover.<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/--yDxTQofqpA/VpUHgZlwZhI/AAAAAAAACIY/XumXxESQKkU/s1600-h/Life-in-the-cut.dedication.1st-Ed-00.jpg"><img alt="Life in the cut.dedication.1st Ed 001" border="0" height="419" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-_l7c4b-tcRs/VpUHhYXTHwI/AAAAAAAACIg/dD7giqXo6FA/Life-in-the-cut.dedication.1st-Ed-00%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 55px 0px 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="Life in the cut.dedication.1st Ed 001" width="447" /></a><em> </em></strong></span><br />
<strong><em><span style="font-size: medium;">Dedication to the well known canal reformer in the First Edition.</span></em></strong><br />
<strong><span style="font-size: medium;">CONCLUSION. – Well I guess if theres any conclusion its – Dont give up looking!! Even on ebay bargains are still to be found even if its just once in 40 years!!!</span></strong>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03039626461526876637noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6220789692824017935.post-73046715064815872332016-01-09T16:00:00.000-08:002016-01-09T16:00:10.475-08:00THE NAVIGATION CONSTABLE.!!<br />
<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-27dVSaU7TLE/VpEtBEcGT1I/AAAAAAAACGA/UcavJhL8c4g/s1600-h/truncheon4.jpg"><img align="left" alt="truncheon" border="0" height="63" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-o-pVRet6kZU/VpEtCRu4meI/AAAAAAAACGI/HzCgp4PC49g/truncheon_thumb7.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; float: left; margin: 45px 23px 0px 106px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="truncheon" width="400" /></a> <br />
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<span style="font-family: Caladea; font-size: medium;"><strong>I thought that I had seen most types of British Canal ephemera at auction but the truncheon was a new one for me. It was the only one of its kind in a large collection of truncheons and tipstaffs auctioned recently. Apart from the above inscription in gilt on a blue ground it had a royal cipher and was inscribed on the reverse ‘ S & W canal Co’. (Presumably –Staffs & Worcs.) One wonders whether it was ever actually in day to day use or purely for official occasions. 17inches in length it fetched £220.</strong></span><br />
<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-BraB5t-Dz0I/VpEtDPdN0bI/AAAAAAAACGQ/XYlzAYV2wcI/s1600-h/old-postcard22.jpg"><img alt="old postcard2" border="0" height="253" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-U_D4kGgDppo/VpEtD2Rof9I/AAAAAAAACGU/J_oorBgEphs/old-postcard2_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 0px 0px 110px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="old postcard2" width="400" /></a><br />
<strong><span style="font-size: medium;">Old postcards continue to fetch high prices particularly when as above they are ‘Real photos’. This one of a wooden Grand Union boat with workers piling fetched £56 recently.</span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: Caladea; font-size: medium;"></span></strong>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03039626461526876637noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6220789692824017935.post-45732198196189269102015-12-09T04:05:00.003-08:002015-12-17T05:01:34.900-08:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<h2>
<u> </u><b><u>THE VICTORIAN 'YELLOWBACK'</u>.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKZdCdchDpxqRHcsgPEAvnSs0Tp9KHz3VimPMbMifxIcmNGEjqGxTJciMNx4yh_IoFn9OL3-K6B-iVhnBeynXSOnv_JpuNL3Nkk53_LUpO9fT9b5Bs-_mAMpdPnxgu3eZGl8wt45dinSHc/s1600/download+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKZdCdchDpxqRHcsgPEAvnSs0Tp9KHz3VimPMbMifxIcmNGEjqGxTJciMNx4yh_IoFn9OL3-K6B-iVhnBeynXSOnv_JpuNL3Nkk53_LUpO9fT9b5Bs-_mAMpdPnxgu3eZGl8wt45dinSHc/s1600/download+%25281%2529.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoCaECn4Kig9UjFTJ5mJNBqedMu-poB7UIzjmz4bxuGS1SgbM4yKvHd2NRRnoPb0i5ksgANzoHrTwOwCqnqA3JD-GNOZepHVu6M-62Vu-8zaykHndlDROsID2_m4LZX7Ko2RERNFZVDwRH/s1600/download.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoCaECn4Kig9UjFTJ5mJNBqedMu-poB7UIzjmz4bxuGS1SgbM4yKvHd2NRRnoPb0i5ksgANzoHrTwOwCqnqA3JD-GNOZepHVu6M-62Vu-8zaykHndlDROsID2_m4LZX7Ko2RERNFZVDwRH/s1600/download.jpg" /></a></div>
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<h4>
Once found in their millions- the 'yellowback' novel was one of the first attempts at popular cheap literature for the masses and with the advent of railway travel and the railway bookstall they could be found everywhere. They really were a follow on from the early Victorian 'Penny Dreadful' with their heyday in the 1870 - 90 period. Usually featuring a sensational and lurid coloured cover they were quite often reprints of existing novels but non fiction and educational subjects are occasionally found.</h4>
<h4>
Cheapness was of paramount importance and so the colour printed (Often with a yellow background - hence the name) and glazed strawboard cover protected the contents which were printed on cheap thin paper. This has of course meant they have worn badly over the years and to find a survivor in a reasonable and collectable state is a rarity!</h4>
<h3>
<u>
The First Canal Novel</u>. </h3>
<h4>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigJg4SFaUCkTMcWV6GS_ua9ESgBCu8Je3o9qvCvR9zwR4JZp_Q7ir5NbfxKc0YD3UAZpK-4i29IjyAgmjZekbWA6JA-Jrpx707OrwzErMj0VBJ3nnHMNz0_YfAPYMQEtIwWMwHJTXSVjxD/s1600/LIFE+IN+THE+cut.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigJg4SFaUCkTMcWV6GS_ua9ESgBCu8Je3o9qvCvR9zwR4JZp_Q7ir5NbfxKc0YD3UAZpK-4i29IjyAgmjZekbWA6JA-Jrpx707OrwzErMj0VBJ3nnHMNz0_YfAPYMQEtIwWMwHJTXSVjxD/s320/LIFE+IN+THE+cut.jpg" width="175" /><span style="color: black;">'Life in the Cut' by Amos Reade.1889.</span></a><span style="color: black;"></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;">This book can claim to be the first 'canal novel' where the cut plays the main part in a story </span></div>
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<span style="color: black;">which otherwise includes country houses and drunken boatmen. First published in 1888 this cheap yellowback edition appeared in the following year - 1889. It is, in either edition, a very rare book ,so much so, that a copy of the above yellowback which was the first to appear at auction for many years fetched £504 recently. </span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5NTmLN-R-FGmpw67MjL5cAiuiZDe0PBowkVTmlhiuUHIQmLuj6Wa9pxlo8aoWOJmY4KibZh3ze2dvlcFYrAqPyGHZjV2ZvLQvmQC_yxLsP_GkrO9QCQJsxdIn4PVj6h5KBzcZ-6QGq_w6/s1600/%2524%2528KGrHqIOKo0E32%2529oY9r%2521BO%25217tm26f%2521%257E%257E_12.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpmcCw7KA-yPHX3mKRaVlMrYsJqbp74U_u69iyVLmL2EDUEhMj7tSLr1fLkYZSE_3cKmSAi7RAHxcFI4MXSlyjPBkRTZhjrG431sOa6AkJLMWe8qSclnXWadNs3lpGBINNBYAIqDTqUs7F/s1600/All+Along+the+River.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpmcCw7KA-yPHX3mKRaVlMrYsJqbp74U_u69iyVLmL2EDUEhMj7tSLr1fLkYZSE_3cKmSAi7RAHxcFI4MXSlyjPBkRTZhjrG431sOa6AkJLMWe8qSclnXWadNs3lpGBINNBYAIqDTqUs7F/s320/All+Along+the+River.JPG" width="214" /></a></div>
'All Along the River' a typical yellowback from 1893 with a waterway theme.</span></h4>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit3n1lyYZkJrmmFaPczLN7yPcU1uEa60rXPmU6JECrzy6ArtDfo8QxRj7Lig_N7RwRV-kX0jzxizX4bkRpaR1ip9dsCYd5JKvgn9EGAWIMyO9FaOVYG4AtljZfGcQrv7mswDaaV74SDyiW/s1600/002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit3n1lyYZkJrmmFaPczLN7yPcU1uEa60rXPmU6JECrzy6ArtDfo8QxRj7Lig_N7RwRV-kX0jzxizX4bkRpaR1ip9dsCYd5JKvgn9EGAWIMyO9FaOVYG4AtljZfGcQrv7mswDaaV74SDyiW/s320/002.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: black;">With an increasing use of the Thames - pleasure boating guides began to be published in the 1850's. This cheap yellowback style guide dates from the 1880's.</span></h4>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir5Ucr1WcZOXwLgsD4UnpX9CutYLYeZjU6ADZbi5NzIUq3Sy36Ps4uGuZkl3t7KMUvtT-9HZuGoXyMwFEpVnGiK9E1GjN_HbouLaDJ4EvzitQNlVzfFZY8USq6OS_l65WlB9D9NrkiU85W/s1600/001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir5Ucr1WcZOXwLgsD4UnpX9CutYLYeZjU6ADZbi5NzIUq3Sy36Ps4uGuZkl3t7KMUvtT-9HZuGoXyMwFEpVnGiK9E1GjN_HbouLaDJ4EvzitQNlVzfFZY8USq6OS_l65WlB9D9NrkiU85W/s320/001.jpg" width="214" /></a> </div>
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<span style="color: black;"> </span><br />
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A late Victorian guide to the Broads.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYj8RSu-GuWgiL6p_WhT8BcJbzlgyA7MpB4dXCMukswj2D9_i1jDmfK_FWnYvoh_aohu-_uyOJ6Xm6JRnT0zF2DJnDrHn5G2HmbnDoIRZidiGf9O-OFjE5GFhmQavzu1Tise53xnvp5Rwq/s1600/rob+roy+001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYj8RSu-GuWgiL6p_WhT8BcJbzlgyA7MpB4dXCMukswj2D9_i1jDmfK_FWnYvoh_aohu-_uyOJ6Xm6JRnT0zF2DJnDrHn5G2HmbnDoIRZidiGf9O-OFjE5GFhmQavzu1Tise53xnvp5Rwq/s320/rob+roy+001.jpg" width="216" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: black;">John Macgregor an industrious Victorian individual started the craze for canoe touring canals,rivers and waterways in the 1860's and published this book which was to remain in print for 30 or 40 years. This cheap yellowback edition dates from 1880.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6LRakhJNCrr5PiFPqxiEr4yxHL4rbIX_sE-DFX0GmITGSJi-6mThjApNMWCL49mfmMi8eHXdMJPdqq_duZqx_eXAlvU7X0ivJBuw1_WtuAK5zaxKybPUAR4ApKaf359-eVTtt26XMepML/s1600/003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6LRakhJNCrr5PiFPqxiEr4yxHL4rbIX_sE-DFX0GmITGSJi-6mThjApNMWCL49mfmMi8eHXdMJPdqq_duZqx_eXAlvU7X0ivJBuw1_WtuAK5zaxKybPUAR4ApKaf359-eVTtt26XMepML/s320/003.jpg" width="195" /></a></div>
And Finally another rare item - Quite Unique in that it was published in Yorkshire Dialect - Hartley's novel first appeared in 1885.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03039626461526876637noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6220789692824017935.post-41708593902234398932015-11-25T09:04:00.000-08:002016-01-21T05:14:17.794-08:00<h2>
Of Buckby Cans and badges.</h2>
<b>For those tired of old books and for whom canal hardware is more their 'thing' ! A couple of recent items at auction......</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYwlrCo4ojwPXSklilQ3lVdZk2UDbw-P6aNLZp-Bh2SXg_wflKJe959Ngyk8FeOzxs0Rj0DBeLd1eel2Mqxk2l3zmBAevXz4ErnPvAJEwFHPxQArvhbawlWaUWRayGC_n6PFXKfx36OaeG/s1600/%2524_26.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYwlrCo4ojwPXSklilQ3lVdZk2UDbw-P6aNLZp-Bh2SXg_wflKJe959Ngyk8FeOzxs0Rj0DBeLd1eel2Mqxk2l3zmBAevXz4ErnPvAJEwFHPxQArvhbawlWaUWRayGC_n6PFXKfx36OaeG/s1600/%2524_26.JPG" /></a></div>
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<b> Auctioned on eBay recently an old Buckby Can with a seemingly reasonable provenance (The vendors parents bought it in 1952) - £360.</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT26dBkHWoKXXQ2syUYTbm6U4zmEw3lzb0d1EyVvsaLtrzNQ4NL4xcUWiswOPMfclJFDdhZkwRikqjCV2NeEPF1ArHzZiRTtdBwwGncrjT8bXRprKRAvVmY4PVXsWnFpYtgVLIFqa0KiQj/s1600/IMG_0044.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="317" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT26dBkHWoKXXQ2syUYTbm6U4zmEw3lzb0d1EyVvsaLtrzNQ4NL4xcUWiswOPMfclJFDdhZkwRikqjCV2NeEPF1ArHzZiRTtdBwwGncrjT8bXRprKRAvVmY4PVXsWnFpYtgVLIFqa0KiQj/s320/IMG_0044.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b> Inscribed round the top edge 'NATIONAL SERVICE' and then the letters IW sitting on the waves. This badge issued to the Women recruits on the working boats during World War 2 (The so called Idle Women) must be very rare as these recruits were not exactly too numerous. On eBay recently with at least 10 bidders it made £311.</b>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03039626461526876637noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6220789692824017935.post-73373016301225937772015-11-12T13:47:00.000-08:002015-11-12T13:47:42.447-08:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>Canal and River Books at Auction in 2015.</b></h2>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZhtACGM-6LvVWTSR4EWfTmjQtSVyVV2hUh3U1WGtuXcrAYu4uRxaRScjQcHzudFMHjw9FWQZU5_EauXKTwQrs3k-oMdg75PnM6CymfoBx8efjT0-VBzM_3PZ88FmltfX_QKVhWt61ScNc/s1600/Stride+Booksale+July+2015+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZhtACGM-6LvVWTSR4EWfTmjQtSVyVV2hUh3U1WGtuXcrAYu4uRxaRScjQcHzudFMHjw9FWQZU5_EauXKTwQrs3k-oMdg75PnM6CymfoBx8efjT0-VBzM_3PZ88FmltfX_QKVhWt61ScNc/s320/Stride+Booksale+July+2015+%25282%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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</h2>
<b><span style="color: red;">All prices quoted are the 'hammer' price to which should be added 20% buyers premium to get the final purchase price !!</span></b><br />
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<h3>
<b><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">The Bob Date Collection - Auctioned July 2015.</span></span></b></h3>
<b><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">July saw a two day auction of an immense amount of material of which canal and waterway books were just a small part. Nevertheless several hundred fine Waterway books from all periods went under the hammer as well as a good selection of rare canal maps and ephemera. Few items were auctioned individually but rather by the 'shelf full' and the shelves often contained railway and maritime material. Nevertheless bargains were to be had if one had the time to view and note what the shelves contained.</span></span></b><br />
<b><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">Some examples- Six shelves of books which contained a first edition Large Paper copy of Priestley fetched £650.</span></span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_Jx7Ir0-hl7sUnVjr0wLoB8qHL54bkUh479Nfzlz0lyKlTP45np_1Gm-wzmYIH4OBd7JzbHbw8EO5knRK6rPpMNzGc2AeakX0E5iOVmgIwnUUC4sw7u67ung3sH8IASc9u-WuOnSJUjbm/s1600/Stride+Booksale+July+2015+%25283%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_Jx7Ir0-hl7sUnVjr0wLoB8qHL54bkUh479Nfzlz0lyKlTP45np_1Gm-wzmYIH4OBd7JzbHbw8EO5knRK6rPpMNzGc2AeakX0E5iOVmgIwnUUC4sw7u67ung3sH8IASc9u-WuOnSJUjbm/s1600/Stride+Booksale+July+2015+%25283%2529.jpg" /></a></div>
<b><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span></b>
<span style="color: red;"><b><span style="color: black;">A complete 12 volume set of the 1906 Royal Commission on Canals & Waterways (Rare to find all 12 vol's) was an absolute giveaway at £85.</span></b></span><br />
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<span style="color: red;"><b><span style="color: black;">Seventy - 18th and 19thC canal acts realised £420.</span></b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs_UNEuSWTpZONO_ytsyKp27BMNakaaaYqhTkImE5Q88KQMYeh7zoMYOJWvtRt9czy_X46NVCSi-lPMuN78ULrNvUHebZ5CFPF9KufCnOFID4dScroVmJqL2q1mJlAVGYPdHr6Y5WmyLlY/s1600/Stride+Booksale.July+2015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs_UNEuSWTpZONO_ytsyKp27BMNakaaaYqhTkImE5Q88KQMYeh7zoMYOJWvtRt9czy_X46NVCSi-lPMuN78ULrNvUHebZ5CFPF9KufCnOFID4dScroVmJqL2q1mJlAVGYPdHr6Y5WmyLlY/s1600/Stride+Booksale.July+2015.jpg" /></a></div>
<b> Three shelves of 20th century publications mostly David & Charles , Batsford etc fetched £500</b><br />
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<b>A large quantity of Antiquarian mostly 19thC books on cruising European waterways including 'Our Autumn Holiday on French Rivers' & Our Wherry in Wendish lands and most of the Victorian cruising titles plus oddly 'A History of the Ribble' and 2 copies of Tew's Oakham Canal made £880.</b><br />
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<b>Three shelves of David & Charles books -£170.</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRp-xmclON7todD5yulOFwDHxP82v0cfgYeTa2okFa5I9o6PdsmXcOAOUdTqkdj8h7eD5gr52aIT-YGOKsVrThwxlGu3Uh39bz-RRDk15z2vXJ6DY5ljh6-oE1XPXjiWt29xlHEYNv6XCY/s1600/Stride+Booksale.+Kenworthy+Flyer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRp-xmclON7todD5yulOFwDHxP82v0cfgYeTa2okFa5I9o6PdsmXcOAOUdTqkdj8h7eD5gr52aIT-YGOKsVrThwxlGu3Uh39bz-RRDk15z2vXJ6DY5ljh6-oE1XPXjiWt29xlHEYNv6XCY/s320/Stride+Booksale.+Kenworthy+Flyer.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<b> </b> A <b>superb and very rare flyer in pristine condition advertising an early 19thC Manchester carriers Fly Boats realised £170.</b><br />
<b>Hassell 'Tour of The Grand Junction' 1819 with all 24 plates - £300.</b><br />
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<b>A manuscript ; 'Inspector of Canal Boats' ledger containing entries of boat,place of registration,owners name present condition as to repairs and cleanliness for the years 1909-12. £170.</b><br />
<b>An official brochure for the opening of the new Hatton Locks in 1934 together with several other canal company promotional brochures all 20th C. £200</b><br />
<b>Bradshaw Map (Southern Counties) - £460.</b><br />
<b>A very early - 'Map of the Navigable Canals & Rivers of England & Wales' by Andrews. Hand Coloured in 20 sections in original marbled covers .1788. - £460.</b><br />
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<b>All in all an unusual sale and probably of more interest to the dealer rather than the collector due to the size of the lots. </b><br />
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<h2>
<b>The Mark Baldwin Collection - Auctioned 4th November 2015.</b></h2>
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<b>One of the larges</b>t<b> collections of canal & waterway books in private hands went under the hammer on Nov 4th. There can be few canal book lovers unfamiliar with Mark Baldwin's own book 'Canal Books' which has been a kind of bible and reference work to many collectors for over 30 years now.This and his bibliography contained in 'Canals A New Look' have been an invaluable contribution to the world of canal and waterway books.</b><br />
<b>Mark Baldwin's lifetime collection was in effect 2 collections since he had bought and assimilated Charles Hadfield's (Canal Historian) collection some years ago. So it was not particularly surprising that the sale contained some rare and desirable books including one of the largest collections of signed L T C Rolt material to appear in recent years. </b><br />
<b>With such a large</b> <b>collection I can only give general impressions and results for some of the rarer and more unusual items.</b><br />
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<b>Antiquarian -18thC and early 19th C items such as Priestley, Phillips,Fulton, Chapman & Bradshaw are well known, not that scarce and tend to have recognized values which were maintained here.</b><br />
<b>e.g Priestley - Large Paper copy £1100. Other editions £200-300.</b><br />
<b> Bradshaws Maps - 4 different lots £440 - 600.</b><br />
<b> Phillips.- 6 different lots . 1st ed £650. Later editions - £100 - 170.</b><br />
<b> Fulton - £380.</b><br />
<b> Chapman - £230.</b><br />
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<b>A much rarer item - 'The History of Inland Navigations' , the first published history of England's Canals with an anonymous author fetched £1100 in a 1766 first edition. </b><br />
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The Flower of Gloster with rare 1st Ed Dust Jckt. 1911. <br />
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<b>Anything to do with British Canal History or Cruising sold well whilst European canals seemed slightly less popular and Canals Worldwide even less. </b><br />
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<b>Some unusual and rare items.- The Dust Jacket shown above on a first edition copy of Temple Thurston's famous book (not in itself at all rare) is in any condition incredibly rare and this jacket was in a complete condition. £175.</b><br />
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<b> The first ever books to describe a pleasure cruise by canal are very rare - 'The Thames to the Solent by Canal & Sea' 1868 (£150) 'The Waterway to London' 1869 (£170), Canoe Cruise down the Leam.... 1871(£100) and the exceptionally rare 'Canal & River a cruise from Leicestershire to Greenhythe' 1873 (£280). </b><br />
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<b>Books in the auction did not necessarily have to be old or rare in order to attract good prices </b><br />
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<b>A complete set of 19 vols in the David & Charles 'Inland Waterway Histories' series - £300</b><br />
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<b>14 vols of D&C 'Canals of the British Isles series - £340.</b><br />
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<b>Rolt material sold well. A 1948 copy of Narrow Boat signed L T C Rolt 'Cressy/Banbury Dec 1948 together with 'The Inland Waterways of England' 1st Edtn signed L T C Rolt Cressy /Market Harborough/ August 1950 (thus signed at the famous First Rally of Boats) together with two other Rolt books (1 signed) - £200</b><br />
<b>Another lot of 3 books presented to Charles Hadfield of which 2 signed on 'Cressy in 1949 & 1950 - £240.</b><br />
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<b> Fiction was well represented in both Adult & Childrens with lots ranging from Victorian times to the 1980's The book above is probably the first canal novel written for adults. Its a 'Yellowback' which was once to be seen in hundreds on Victorian railway bookstores. Cheaply produced and printed - outside University collections it is virtually non existant so this copy (which before Mark Baldwin, once belonged to Charles Hadfield) was keenly bid for, achieving - £420.</b><br />
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<b> Finally and just to show that thorough examination of otherwise inauspicious lots sometimes pays off. The book shown below is - for a book printed in 1930 almost as hard to find as the Victorian 'Life in The Cut' published in 1889 shown above. It is incidentally one of the most authentically 'placed' novels I can think off .Places on the cut,characters,language and a first hand knowledge of Canal lore characterize its production, unusually so for a 1930 book. It also has a complete and fine dust wrapper. In a lot together with 15 other canal novels £40 . -What a bargain.!!</b><br />
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<b> </b>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03039626461526876637noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6220789692824017935.post-70914868768950787732015-02-03T04:27:00.001-08:002015-02-03T04:27:48.226-08:00Recent Canal collectables at Auction<p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-052oDWmwHLM/VNC-SjuvmFI/AAAAAAAAB10/sJnGhkZZi54/s1600-h/LS16516_HR3.jpg"><img title="LS16516_HR" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 83px 0px 7px 75px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="LS16516_HR" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-B6D-VEBwS2g/VNC-ToZta1I/AAAAAAAAB18/OSfovuk3uaQ/LS16516_HR_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="342" height="204"></a></p> <p><font size="3">Rarer Measham (Bargeware) always achieves a good price amongst the dedicated collectors out there. This 1884 Chamber Pot with the usual inscription ‘ <em>Pick me up and use me well and what I see I will not tell’</em> inscribed around the rim and with entwined lizards inside the bowl - sold for £700. It has the owners name & <em>‘Swadlincote ‘</em>on the usual cartouche. Nice canal connection there.!!</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-RVIfU2lxVdU/VNC-UEb60EI/AAAAAAAAB2E/aERHrg_csLw/s1600-h/17-2014103017214_120x1204.jpg"><img title="17-2014103017214_120x120" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 26px 0px 8px 102px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="17-2014103017214_120x120" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-plgMudA2OwM/VNC-VK6e78I/AAAAAAAAB2M/AtX-KehDzB4/17-2014103017214_120x120_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="284" height="254"></a></p> <p><font size="3">An ordinary ‘cottage single spout’ teapot is one of the commonest Measham items to appear at auction and can be bought for a lot less than £100. The pot shown above (apologies for picture quality) however is a rare example commemorating Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee and is inscribed ‘<em> Jubilee 1887 & God Save the Queen’ - </em>this fetched £320.</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-xvEPdgAKpCg/VNC-WbsGcTI/AAAAAAAAB2U/V8-fxXPx8Ys/s1600-h/365-20141030154351_468x3828.jpg"><img title="365-20141030154351_468x382" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 23px 10px 0px 44px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="365-20141030154351_468x382" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-Nl5BpuIlC4M/VNC-X0B6r4I/AAAAAAAAB2c/oCLbtwKx8SI/365-20141030154351_468x382_thumb4.jpg?imgmax=800" width="404" height="279"></a></p> <p><font size="3">Henry Dawson (1811-78) is one of the better known artists with canals as a favourite subject for study. This early view is entitled ‘<em>Trent Bridge from the Grantham Canal’</em> . Unfortunately the Trent Bridge can hardly be seen in the background and instead, and of the greatest interest for modern viewers, the junction lock of the Grantham Canal with the Trent is shown with some detail. An estimated guide price of £200 - £300 was given for this lot . There are very keen collectors of early canal/waterway subjects around.</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-H7YdUePyFfY/VNC-Z7djbzI/AAAAAAAAB2k/PoPdaj9f9vo/s1600-h/14017_429_1-201411932742_original4.jpg"><img title="14017_429_1-201411932742_original" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 0px 144px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="14017_429_1-201411932742_original" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-yh_AA3hMX9E/VNC-apy9IDI/AAAAAAAAB2s/2gletEWQcCk/14017_429_1-201411932742_original_th.jpg?imgmax=800" width="202" height="329"></a> </p> <p><font size="3"></font> </p> <p><font size="3">This was one of the more unusual canal shares to be sold recently – It dates from 1847 and fetched £90.</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-3zyBQEtFkLY/VNC-bGAwBfI/AAAAAAAAB20/OHPycMwH1qU/s1600-h/_1039.jpg"><img title="$_103" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px 35px 0px 108px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="$_103" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-LiIf3R2vfGA/VNC-b8KS5hI/AAAAAAAAB28/eukBG4WP7rA/_103_thumb5.jpg?imgmax=800" width="271" height="204"></a></p> <p><font size="3">Another collecting area where deep pockets are required are early Canal view Post Cards. Good early cards rarely appear now and this view (sorry about my reproduction) shows a close up of canal boatwoman and horse on the Leeds & Liverpool C . Superb but plenty of interest and a final price of £96 .</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-Joj2hMaJn8A/VNC-c2mgiZI/AAAAAAAAB3E/N40mPoLSmuU/s1600-h/_103-18.jpg"><img title="$_103 (1)" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 0px 146px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="$_103 (1)" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-WkVEltFi6MQ/VNC-dig9JhI/AAAAAAAAB3M/OE63Fh2Kg90/_103-1_thumb4.jpg?imgmax=800" width="195" height="304"></a></p> <p><font size="3">On the other hand this view of two Edwardians standing in the stern</font> <font size="3">end of an unidentified butty didn’t attract much interest selling for a fiver.</font></p> <p> </p> <p><font size="3"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-noIAc29_NWE/VNC-e--yrQI/AAAAAAAAB3U/xgS9ReLS25k/s1600-h/1250-20141117151936_468x382-12.jpg"><img title="1250-20141117151936_468x382 (1)" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 0px 123px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="1250-20141117151936_468x382 (1)" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-t9Tf60g1jLQ/VNC-fvR6lEI/AAAAAAAAB3c/aWWInZWQVBw/1250-20141117151936_468x382-1_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="243"></a></font></p> <p><font size="3">Canal & waterway tokens,badges & medals appear regularly in the salerooms and the rarer items excite some interest. Such was the case with this Cove token of the early 19th C.</font></p> <p><font size="3">Augustus Cove was a London dealer in china and glass who had a lease on a canal side wharf in Paddington Basin. He seems to have fallen out with the Grand Junction Canal Co and perceived himself to have been the victim of a great injustice. The chip on Cove’s shoulder weighed so heavily that he published a booklet of 185 pages (and in at least 2 editions) <em></em>To publicize his booklet Cove also issued this token which bears the legend <em>‘ Beware of the Grand Junction Canal Comp.y some of whose fraud, oppression, perjury, forgery & robbery & Ca, are set forth in … </em>and on the tokens reverse…’ <em>Augustus Cove’s publications entitled ‘The Tocsin Sounded or The Bull taken by the Horns &c to be had of the booksellers’. </em>This rare token had a guide price of £150.</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-xy2vO00kHyk/VNC-geTpkjI/AAAAAAAAB3k/IjlRtXr2fKY/s1600-h/1279-20141117151955_468x3822.jpg"><img title="1279-20141117151955_468x382" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="1279-20141117151955_468x382" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-ksVba8_LuK4/VNC-hCJGXqI/AAAAAAAAB3s/7kDm3FGYi38/1279-20141117151955_468x382_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="242" height="244"></a><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-ixWfKlj8jlw/VNC-hxd9tSI/AAAAAAAAB30/GC5mI-TgteI/s1600-h/1279-2-2014111716842_468x3822.jpg"><img title="1279-2-2014111716842_468x382" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="1279-2-2014111716842_468x382" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6SjDeH5Rpice5-_SzO4xLFcUi39jGDVHmiZXIz3MX6eQzGVC0dZsEMvo5gLNiwgCHROX3LJ27B36V1JirEemHQn0qIfhrEH88vfZN1upVMo3zRthlPhJHw1zyI6ylpG1W1ztKxBFRknoJ/?imgmax=800" width="244" height="243"></a></p> <p> </p> <p><font size="3">In the same sale a Basingstoke Canal token of 1789 showing a navvy’s tools and a barge had a guide price of £500 - £600.</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-Cwmd-qSJ6og/VNC-jBClAnI/AAAAAAAAB4E/a2I9Xzs0yGA/s1600-h/_103-35.jpg"><img title="$_103 (3)" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 0px 91px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="$_103 (3)" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-cGYo4hLwwwA/VNC-jwwJrCI/AAAAAAAAB4M/VRyWlKkkxz4/_103-3_thumb3.jpg?imgmax=800" width="298" height="354"></a></p> <p>This leather bound copy of <em>‘Descriptions des Cataractes et du Canal Trollhatta’</em> in French was published in Sweden in 1804. A rare book containing 11 aquatints and a map of the locks at Trollhattan was a bargain at £90.</p> <p>Another recent bargain was an 1831 first edition copy of Priestley in original boards which fetched £70.</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-AiWa5KoB6Os/VNC-ljynGiI/AAAAAAAAB4U/3Wf30PbPq28/s1600-h/Explorers-Afloat-first-Ed-19404294.jpg"><img title="Explorers Afloat first Ed 1940429" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 44px 141px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="Explorers Afloat first Ed 1940429" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-6L6R82UbnKE/VNC-mhYKPKI/AAAAAAAAB4c/7hz890DhDCs/Explorers-Afloat-first-Ed-1940429_th.jpg?imgmax=800" width="222" height="304"></a></p> <p>All collectors of Children’s canal books will know of the incredible scarcity of Garry Hoggs book. A First Edition copy(1940) with only a photocopied Dust Wrapper recently sold for £125. It is an important & pivotal book which I dealt with in my first ever post in 2010 see ‘<em>Oodles of Ice Cream & Fizzy Pop’</em> . Why it should be so rare is a mystery but I suspect that it may have to do with the outbreak of war and printing restrictions although a second edition in 1952 is equally elusive. If you are lucky enough to stumble across it then you can count your lucky day!!!</p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-MJNFIKfFvhw/VNC-n4XqOfI/AAAAAAAAB4k/ZxVqwFTFH6c/s1600-h/John-Knills-Navy-19983.jpg"><img title="John Knill's Navy 1998" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 0px 63px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="John Knill's Navy 1998" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-BAbpy0OopzM/VNC-oyZcVwI/AAAAAAAAB4s/-9CxTMIUJRI/John-Knills-Navy-1998_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="372" height="254"></a></p> <p>Finally you may have seen my recent post on John Knill’s book but in case you didn’t I can report that it sold for £35 which is a tidy sum for a paperback printed only a few short years ago.Try and find one now!!!</p> <p>Last but not least some early photographs on Ebay at the present time may find some interest.</p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-N4lyxHH3mqU/VNC-q816XRI/AAAAAAAAB40/b6_xSTm8QOg/s1600-h/_57-14.jpg"><img title="$_57 (1)" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 0px 74px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="$_57 (1)" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-whywi_nUt9k/VNC-rvwnCtI/AAAAAAAAB48/dvEKMoiHs4c/_57-1_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="339" height="254"></a></p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-VcDfFJI87Bg/VNC-suG1gZI/AAAAAAAAB5E/40atyR1HS6E/s1600-h/_123.jpg"><img title="$_12" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 0px 76px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="$_12" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-20FhLOXi9Ig/VNC-trIhx9I/AAAAAAAAB5M/68KNaLu5Zyw/_12_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="343" height="254"></a></p> <p>Eleven photographs taken around the junction of the Erewash canal with the River Trent circa early 1920’s.</p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-D3HYjw_DN2s/VNC-vVSzm8I/AAAAAAAAB5U/DbEWPSqVuso/s1600-h/_57-23.jpg"><img title="$_57 (2)" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 0px 83px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="$_57 (2)" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-sqwGjM0rogc/VNC-wdugV8I/AAAAAAAAB5c/M5q_8Zbcv00/_57-2_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="325" height="254"></a></p> <p>Four photographs of the Grand Junction canal around the 3 locks (Stoke Hammond area) circa 1930’s.</p> Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03039626461526876637noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6220789692824017935.post-65584774664171709702014-12-09T04:37:00.001-08:002014-12-09T04:37:15.105-08:00SOUTHERN OXFORD CANAL?<p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-ZoG_VcVLs_s/VIbs5cgI_jI/AAAAAAAAB1I/C396mPfQ8Y4/s1600-h/Explorers%252520Afloat%252520first%252520Ed%2525201940430%25255B6%25255D.jpg"><img title="Explorers Afloat first Ed 1940430" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Explorers Afloat first Ed 1940430" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-etaS8GoiX30/VIbs7CR53II/AAAAAAAAB1Q/4KJX4PfFB34/Explorers%252520Afloat%252520first%252520Ed%2525201940430_thumb%25255B4%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="509" height="404"></a></p> <p><font size="3">I wonder if any of my readers can help in identifying the location of these early photographs. They come from a collection of views taken I think in the 1880 – 90 period in the Oxfordshire area. They are almost certainly of the Oxford Canal and show three boats in the above picture waiting to enter a lock which I think is probably Cropredy bottom lock.</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-bfHxibiupmI/VIbs8dDjVOI/AAAAAAAAB1Y/zM-rxLA0RfI/s1600-h/Explorers%252520Afloat%252520first%252520Ed%2525201940431%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="Explorers Afloat first Ed 1940431" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Explorers Afloat first Ed 1940431" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyzSepLi6Dqs8OZPfSenNpWxn_ErSIZQuhKZHuG_0eUR1ZpB0NDzyCqMmSehI860L_jbVFOwciyRWr9zKVMQmxnPdBUFe48L4pKPfFQKoU7t0erXjcabnoaoOheMmsHpvA42GpGMeTP6DI/?imgmax=800" width="509" height="404"></a></p> <p><font size="3"></font> </p> <p><font size="3">I think we can be fairly sure that both photographs were taken on the same day as the same lady onlooker appears in the scenes. I rather think that the Cropredy? view was perhaps taken first and as the boats are working uphill that the second view was taken somewhere on the Claydon flight. However the puzzle is – the lockhouse cottage - as I cannot think of a single story lock cottage anywhere on this canal. The only other building on this flight is the maintenance yard at the top of Claydon whose buildings bear no resemblance to the one shown here.</font></p> <p><font size="3">Of course my placing of the scene in the Cropredy/Claydon area is pure conjecture and it could be anywhere on the canal. As far as I can remember all the surviving lock cottages on the canal are double story and so the building in the photo could have been demolished. There was for example a cottage at Shipton Weir lock which was demolished within living memory.</font></p> <p><font size="3">The photographer & lady friend may have walked up the towpath from Cropredy following the boats to the next lock Broadmoor – was there a now long vanished single story cottage here??? Please leave a comment or conjecture if you have any ideas as I am totally puzzled.</font></p> Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03039626461526876637noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6220789692824017935.post-31685728200140725542014-12-04T03:12:00.000-08:002014-12-04T03:12:10.695-08:00Small Boat 1948-1987.<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-W1XuXqfNUpA/VIBBAlrxkcI/AAAAAAAABzg/4KQtp2R7dIE/s1600-h/Original-Eric-de-Mare-photos-1948--B%25255B1%25255D.jpg"><img alt="Original Eric de Mare photos 1948 & BTC photos c1954424" border="0" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-_paKwaAOA04/VIBBB8rNpGI/AAAAAAAABzo/846d1DvXUm4/Original-Eric-de-Mare-photos-1948--B%25255B11%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" height="304" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 55px 35px 0px 136px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="Original Eric de Mare photos 1948 & BTC photos c1954424" width="192" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Roger Pilkington is probably best known as the author of the<em> ‘Small Boat ‘ </em>series of books although as a Congregationalist Christian by conviction and as a geneticist by training he was a prolific author on these subjects too.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">In the late 1940’s having purchased his first boat <em>Commodore</em> he spent a couple of years cruising the Thames before in 1950 he managed to battle his way up the moribund Kennet & Avon canal to Newbury after which he visited the Grand Union Canal. These early voyages were published in <em>‘Thames Waters –1956 ‘ </em>which is the only book in the series without the words ‘S<em>mall Boat’</em> in the title.With a wide beam and seaworthy boat and rapidly running out of new cruising ground he turned to the waterways of the Continent which at that time were treated by visiting yachtsmen as as through routes to the Mediterranean or the Baltic rather than for their own intrinsic interest.</span><br />
<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-rSCuFLZ6yuQ/VIBBDXPQyNI/AAAAAAAABzw/JCIdLI07nr0/s1600-h/Original-Eric-de-Mare-photos-1948--B%25255B6%25255D.jpg"><img alt="Original Eric de Mare photos 1948 & BTC photos c1954422" border="0" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-PFkYquuIx90/VIBBEQLR6EI/AAAAAAAABz4/HWkfq3-no_s/Original-Eric-de-Mare-photos-1948--B%25255B9%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" height="304" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 0px 0px 151px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="Original Eric de Mare photos 1948 & BTC photos c1954422" width="190" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">The Belgian Small Boat book was published in 1957 and began a series of books rarely matched in the canal publishing world for their uniformity and scope and twenty titles were to be published over the next 30 years.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">As a member of the Pilkington glass family I don’t suppose that Dr Pilkington was ever exactly strapped for cash but at least in the early days he was working and with a young family was only able to cruise the waterways during the school holidays</span><br />
<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-qv1owA8CuL0/VIBBFph2prI/AAAAAAAAB0A/P_gVZl77rxs/s1600-h/Original-Eric-de-Mare-photos-1948--B%25255B13%25255D.jpg"><img alt="Original Eric de Mare photos 1948 & BTC photos c1954426" border="0" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-FcYj7wNOBuc/VIBBGe4O3tI/AAAAAAAAB0I/mvI_YGPhXD4/Original-Eric-de-Mare-photos-1948--B%25255B5%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" height="244" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 0px 0px 163px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="Original Eric de Mare photos 1948 & BTC photos c1954426" width="150" /></a><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"></span> <span style="font-size: small;">If I were travelling any of the waterways he describes today I would certainly like to take or to have read his comments on the waterway concerned. Navigational details, descriptions of scenery and of people met are excellent and informative. As a folklorist the author was interested in the myths ,legends and history of the places he passed through and there is always rather a lot of this.For me and a personal grouse here – its too much and I could do without it. His style too I find annoying at times being for me a little elitist and tending I find to treat all foreigners with a kind of amused forbearance but on the whole when he sticks to journey details and descriptions he is very readable.</span><br />
<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-adSIFIltWag/VIBBIDknQEI/AAAAAAAAB0Q/cqOJCzOK9dQ/s1600-h/Original-Eric-de-Mare-photos-1948--B%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img alt="Original Eric de Mare photos 1948 & BTC photos c1954421" border="0" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-rA466nnqjHg/VIBBI8Ymr8I/AAAAAAAAB0Y/pKQUm2jxx9Y/Original-Eric-de-Mare-photos-1948--B%25255B7%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" height="304" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 0px 0px 157px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="Original Eric de Mare photos 1948 & BTC photos c1954421" width="202" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">The series appeared to end in 1971 with the appearance of <em>‘Small Boat on the Upper Rhine’.</em> but then in 1987 the author brought out ‘<em>Small Boat Down the Years’ </em>which, as his usual illustrator (David Knight) had by this time died, was illustrated with photographs. </span><br />
<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-YgN6h7oFdms/VIBBKTCzVqI/AAAAAAAAB0g/jFmckdmBPXg/s1600-h/Original-Eric-de-Mare-photos-1948--B%25255B14%25255D.jpg"><img alt="Original Eric de Mare photos 1948 & BTC photos c1954420" border="0" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-otLyIIy6rlc/VIBBLM2RzQI/AAAAAAAAB0o/AOkV70hsfZE/Original-Eric-de-Mare-photos-1948--B%25255B4%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" height="304" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 16px 11px 33px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="Original Eric de Mare photos 1948 & BTC photos c1954420" width="189" /></a><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-gBbfgSebUcI/VIBBM5_0TuI/AAAAAAAAB0w/kDZoOiYxq5I/s1600-h/Original-Eric-de-Mare-photos-1948--B%25255B10%25255D.jpg"><img alt="Original Eric de Mare photos 1948 & BTC photos c1954425" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMvwpKGqZkaGle0SzHMpfDTf4s6IOjygkKrhep_5CS3IAUOyKg8LdQAv2HXsm4sd1wjVCxiVYdrc9J_1mvlqTLm2b73Wh7suyl5GRqNX2CazELR_rNIHvBSh31V5m0wUrvw1WwkYJV-NGv/?imgmax=800" height="304" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="Original Eric de Mare photos 1948 & BTC photos c1954425" width="192" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">In the late 1980’s Roger Pilkington made one last journey to South West France and described the journey in ‘<em>Small Boat in the Midi’</em> and here on the Canal Du Midi and now in his early seventies he finally decided to end his cruising days. The boat was tied up and eventually sold and he and his wife bought a house and vineyard in the area – this last period of his life is recorded in ‘<em>One Foot in France’</em> -1992. Roger Pilkington died in 2003</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">The complete series of 20 Small Boat books is – <em>Thames Waters –1956, Small Boat </em>(In,on or through)<em>—Belgium 1957, Holland- 1958, Skagerrak-1960, Alsace –1961, Sweden-1961, Bavaria-1962, Germany-1963, France-1965, Southern France-1965, Thames-1966, Meuse-1966, Luxembourg-1967, Moselle-1968, Northern Germany-1969, Elsinore-1969, Lower Rhine-1970, Upper Rhine-1971, Down the Years-1987, Midi 1989.</em></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">All these are easily found quite reasonably and in first editions with dust jackets if that’s your thing!! </span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03039626461526876637noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6220789692824017935.post-16364064584356955682014-10-28T05:28:00.001-07:002014-10-28T05:28:44.709-07:00SONIA ROLT.<p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-rzMw-OB6aFo/VE-L83nGzVI/AAAAAAAABxo/7_dBlTsHIHo/s1600-h/Original%252520Eric%252520de%252520Mare%252520photos%2525201948%252520%252526%252520BTC%252520photos%252520c1954413%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="Original Eric de Mare photos 1948 & BTC photos c1954413" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 65px 0px 11px 74px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Original Eric de Mare photos 1948 & BTC photos c1954413" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-sawjHHIaDEE/VE-L-WWgudI/AAAAAAAABxw/N7LIFGEcoMg/Original%252520Eric%252520de%252520Mare%252520photos%2525201948%252520%252526%252520BTC%252520photos%252520c1954413_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="331" height="354"></a></p> <p>Sonia Rolt one of the last surviving members of the group of wartime young women recruits to the Grand Union Canal Carrying Co’s fleet has passed on at the ripe old age of 95.</p> <p>She will be remembered not only as the wife of Tom Rolt the author of the landmark book ‘<em>Narrow Boat’ </em>but as a pioneering campaigner for working boaters conditions and for the English canal system in her own right.</p> <p>As the author of ‘<em>A Canal People’</em> published in 1997 she has left us with what are generally agreed to be some of the best photographs ever taken of the working boat community. From her time on the boats just after the war she remembered Robert Longden’s quiet presence on the canal side always with his Leica camera in hand. The boat people became familiar with his appearances on the cut side in the late 1940’s & early 1950’s and the results were some delightfully informal pictures of a normally shy and unassuming community.</p> <p>Twenty Five years later Sonia Rolt went in search of Longden who had by that time died and discovered that his camera and photographs had been destroyed on his death. Fortunately however a box in a garden shed was discovered containing glass plate negatives. From these Sonia published the book ;<em>A Canal People’'</em> If you have not read it then beg ,borrow or buy a copy – you wont be sorry. </p> Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03039626461526876637noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6220789692824017935.post-47643335352388520412014-09-25T09:46:00.001-07:002014-09-25T09:46:18.403-07:00Eric de Mare at auction.<p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWfVw7ANhhgVwwPmMb0K1EK2pxVaRFjEcgD7puJGYqGQn8CppkHXu8YKyJ_lbDts6vmq2J0x3HoekWaf1rkvS6D8ZDCj03MdiFwZ3IH6UkI0t0MJhUM5QqPSlYtdIt9Stdldkqi81j_5Ve/s1600-h/Architectural-Review.-Canals-Issue.E%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img title="Architectural Review. Canals Issue.Eric De Mare 1949" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 68px 0px 9px 151px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="Architectural Review. Canals Issue.Eric De Mare 1949" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-9aIBsxiEOEU/VCRGkiTKRQI/AAAAAAAABus/dyChLEzfgPw/Architectural-Review.-Canals-Issue.E%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="174" height="244"></a></p> <p>Front cover of the Special Canals number of<em> ‘The Architectural Review’</em> 1949.</p> <p> </p> <p>Eric de Mare was one of a small group of artists, designers & photographers who after the 2nd World war started to record the architecture, indigenous art, and the way of life on the English canal system.</p> <p>In 1948 having purchased an ex army pontoon he set out on a 600 mile journey through the waterways of the midlands and the South East. The resulting photographs were published in a special issue of the ‘Architectural Review in 1949 to be followed a year later in book form as ‘<em>The Canals of England’.</em></p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-MHVrl5vYEPY/VCRGnzdqMwI/AAAAAAAABu0/ULKkqQnAbmo/s1600-h/Original%252520Eric%252520de%252520Mare%252520photo%2525201948.397%25255B9%25255D.jpg"><img title="Original Eric de Mare photo 1948.397" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px 1px 0px 101px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Original Eric de Mare photo 1948.397" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-FnBtck6c_uk/VCRGozLLlEI/AAAAAAAABu8/D7R0ZB82W6k/Original%252520Eric%252520de%252520Mare%252520photo%2525201948.397_thumb%25255B5%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="354" height="275"></a></p> <p>De Mare’s pontoon on the Welsh Canal.</p> <p>It is generally agreed that De Mare’s black & white photographs were some of the finest ever taken, showing in particular an appreciation of the form, pattern & design to be found in the architecture and functional engineering artefacts of a canal. Viewed 60 years later they are a nostalgic and beautiful record of a way of life now sadly long gone but still just existing in 1948. <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-CEJtdguj3KM/VCRGqYJR1DI/AAAAAAAABvE/R6iWCRb0kts/s1600-h/Original%252520Eric%252520de%252520Mare%252520photo%2525201948.396%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img title="Original Eric de Mare photo 1948.396" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 50px 0px 0px 72px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Original Eric de Mare photo 1948.396" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-RzsY8D1IZqw/VCRGrZdX8MI/AAAAAAAABvM/srI4UlwcwK4/Original%252520Eric%252520de%252520Mare%252520photo%2525201948.396_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="354" height="350"></a></p> <p> </p> <p>So it was with great interest that five of his original photographs taken on his 1948 journey came up for auction earlier this summer. The photos all have the authentic studio stamp on the reverse together with hand written remarks and notes regarding reproduction and sizes for use in his forthcoming book.</p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-KeGajRxg2YQ/VCRGtJpWgcI/AAAAAAAABvU/nCQ4gtoaKuA/s1600-h/Original%252520Eric%252520de%252520Mare%252520photo%2525201948%252520394%25255B6%25255D.jpg"><img title="Original Eric de Mare photo 1948 394" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 43px 72px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Original Eric de Mare photo 1948 394" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-tZfwiK4TOAo/VCRGuLo7yBI/AAAAAAAABvc/roRsU9Dto-g/Original%252520Eric%252520de%252520Mare%252520photo%2525201948%252520394_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="354" height="360"></a></p> <p>T & S Element boat at Bratch on The Staff’s & Worcs canal with coal for Stourport Electric station.</p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-xVJ0SG5kHQo/VCRGwNUsHtI/AAAAAAAABvk/O5221LNNIYo/s1600-h/Original%252520Eric%252520de%252520Mare%252520photo%2525201948%252520.395%25255B9%25255D.jpg"><img title="Original Eric de Mare photo 1948 .395" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Original Eric de Mare photo 1948 .395" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-UEXW9VvFMuQ/VCRGxAG8HSI/AAAAAAAABvs/a0ySQAaUaME/Original%252520Eric%252520de%252520Mare%252520photo%2525201948%252520.395_thumb%25255B5%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="354" height="369"></a></p> <p>Shrewley tunnel.</p> <p>Of the greatest interest - the collection includes one photograph that does not appear to have been used in the book. A superb study of a pair of Joshers descending Hatton.</p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-TbyIyiIQ2Xs/VCRGyqd1pNI/AAAAAAAABv0/8Pt4TW2JCuw/s1600-h/Original%252520Eric%252520de%252520Mare%252520photo%2525201948%252520%252526%252520%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img title="Original Eric de Mare photo 1948 & " style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 23px 0px 21px 70px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Original Eric de Mare photo 1948 & " src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-ah7yjMO3BvY/VCRGzt9urkI/AAAAAAAABv8/UKb1r1HCVWc/Original%252520Eric%252520de%252520Mare%252520photo%2525201948%252520%252526%252520_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="354" height="362"></a></p> <p>Incidentally ‘<em>The Canals of England’</em> has been through many editions over the years and is still in print today I think and well worth a look if you have never seen it.</p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-L3iqJNgXRbc/VCRG0oBoKiI/AAAAAAAABwE/xyULBzIjMNk/s1600-h/Canals%252520of%252520England%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="Canals of England" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 0px 119px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Canals of England" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-Mki-yBEfYmg/VCRG15v0eQI/AAAAAAAABwM/V9M_P99_7NA/Canals%252520of%252520England_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="254" height="337"></a></p> <p>First Edition 1950.</p> Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03039626461526876637noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6220789692824017935.post-14955984438596886402014-04-27T07:00:00.001-07:002014-04-27T07:04:08.130-07:00R A James & The Ulster Canal… ‘If Only….’<p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-H50hbEasnw8/U10NVJx7GbI/AAAAAAAABrw/342iamt7s8Y/s1600-h/idle%252520wom391%25255B6%25255D.jpg"><img title="idle wom391" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 69px 5px 0px 1px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="idle wom391" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-iJ57V61TL7E/U10NWusFnnI/AAAAAAAABr4/luuknJVnmSU/idle%252520wom391_thumb%25255B4%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="504" height="433"></a></p> <p> </p> <p>Well we all like a good photograph of Narrow Boats and preferably a detailed study of loaded working boats taken in ‘the good old days’. The photo above I think fits the bill admirably and shows Fellow's Morton Boats tied up at Brentford. Obviously posed for the camera the study was used to illustrate a <em>‘Graphic’ </em>magazine article on ‘Our Neglected Waterways’ published at the time of the Royal Commission’s report on our Canal transport system.</p> <p>So having wetted your appetites and suitably wallowed in nostalgia I have to disappoint you and say that the only thing that this photograph has in common with the rest of this blog’s contents is its date of publication – 1910. There is always the distinct possibility of course that you are fed up with the endless lines of moored boats,of queuing for locks and the sometimes theme park atmosphere that characterises our waterways today and you may long for a quieter time and a less frenetic age. If so read on… this blog could be for you.</p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-QUQ0aJG0Zao/U10NYICOSjI/AAAAAAAABsA/BANsgc7sbAo/s1600-h/idle%252520wom386%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="idle wom386" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 24px 0px 0px 124px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="idle wom386" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-ETWiX5QbzRU/U10NZGWxPhI/AAAAAAAABsI/Tg3knM3J59s/idle%252520wom386_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="254" height="345"></a></p> <p><em>‘An Englishman in Ireland’</em> by R A Scot James. First Ed. 1910.</p> <p>Totally forgotten today Scott James was at the turn of the Twentieth century a very well known journalist, author and literary critic. In the 1930’s he took over the editorship of the influential literary magazine ‘<em>The London Mercury’</em> from J C Squire who is today similarly forgotten but who’s name I mention only for the fact that he was the author of another early British canal cruising classic <em>‘Water Music’</em> published in 1939 – a book of reminiscences of a journey up the Oxford Canal & others. His companion on this journey was the indefatigable canal cruiser William Bliss whose own book <em>;The Heart of England by Waterway’</em> was published in 1933.</p> <p>I mention these names from the past as they all had one thing in common in that they all accomplished their voyages by canoe. Their voyages followed in a long tradition, starting in Victorian times , of middle class , university educated Victorian & Edwardian gentlemen’s explorations of this countries waterway system resulting in published accounts.</p> <p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV8VyDUcgwynCxsao6ebMrOjSOt_2dWyNurKjwVp3_pr09C-Up1IY9gs7fNqcmzcZ3D7IPgNN812A3H40r_XdtvwytO7jNgh2p4ex_9F_kEbU93ku4XYg5AOLVNMU9vcTUdiNIsO3efsur/s1600-h/idle%252520wom389%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="idle wom389" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 24px 0px 0px 60px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="idle wom389" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-HfPF101wBtE/U10NcVP_JhI/AAAAAAAABsY/MnC0d4g4O-Q/idle%252520wom389_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="354" height="304"></a></p> <p> </p> <p>R A Scott James was different from the rest in that he chose to voyage over Irish waterways. Ireland has few accounts of canal voyages – the most notable earlier accounts are I suppose L T C Rolt's ‘<em> Green & Silver’ </em>P’bd in 1949 and Hugh Malet’s ‘<em>Voyage in a Bowler Hat’</em> p’bd in 1960. Apart from these one has to go back to the early 1830’s when accounts of voyages on Irish packet boats survive.</p> <p>So Scott James voyage is as far as I know unique both in its timing and certainly in its choice of waterways.</p> <p>The author chose to travel across Ireland from east to west via the Lagan navigation, Lough Neagh, the Ulster canal and Lough Allen to the Shannon & Limerick. This interconnected route was at the time of the authors trip the third cross country route after the Grand & Royal canal route’s. Setting out from Belfast the author & companion canoed up the Lagan canal which was at that time commercially very busy and he records interesting conversations with the working boat population. For contemporary readers probably one of the most interesting bits of the book is his account of the voyage through the Ulster canal with its 26 locks which at that time was virtually defunct (he passed only 1 boat in 3 days) and the canal was finally abandoned in 1926.</p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-m8xuygMUudQ/U10Nebif57I/AAAAAAAABsg/FMQCBver79k/s1600-h/idle%252520wom388%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img title="idle wom388" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 20px 0px 0px 61px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="idle wom388" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/--Tf1Kuy4fTo/U10NfSgAXcI/AAAAAAAABso/hbrMxCoZEbc/idle%252520wom388_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="354" height="297"></a></p> <p> </p> <p>On entering the Ulster Canal they immediately found it to be narrow & weedy and eventually after a few days impassable . The next stage was accomplished by loading the boat onto a carriers cart for transport to a railway station. Again for contemporary readers the next stage provides fascinating reading as the boat was loaded onto the last of Eire’s (by this time) narrow gauge railways for onward transport to Lough Neagh, the Shannon & eventually Limerick.</p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-TFxjusAaZkg/U10NgkRbRLI/AAAAAAAABsw/5EqApEKfajY/s1600-h/idle%252520wom390%25255B7%25255D.jpg"><img title="idle wom390" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 26px 0px 0px 61px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="idle wom390" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-BnssPVyIIOU/U10NhtytweI/AAAAAAAABs4/pQdR_KOhU94/idle%252520wom390_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="354" height="313"></a></p> <p><em>‘BUT IF ONLY’…..</em> Long cherished in my collection., Scott James’s book stands out as a very readable account of a voyage that could not be made today.and unlike so many Victorian/Edwardian canal books <u>does not</u> suffer from flowery verbose digressions from the subject. It voyages over long defunct waterways and joy of joys even includes travel on a long abandoned narrow gauge railway. Most canal enthusiasts seem to include these in their oeuvre so what more could you want? But if only the author had taken more pictures of the canals, structures, boats & people what a book it would have been. It was of course the convention at that time for publishers to insist on more general landscape & literary illustrations rather than the more prosaic (but to latter day eyes infinitely more interesting workaday photos).</p> <p>Note…. Both the Lagan and Ulster Canal’s are today subject to joint cross border restoration projects and part of the Cavan & Leitrim light Railway has been reopened. </p> Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03039626461526876637noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6220789692824017935.post-48410770679134314892014-02-11T07:39:00.001-08:002014-02-11T07:49:12.294-08:00The First Boat Rally (Market Harborough 1950) & ‘Adventure by Canal’ by George Tansey–1950.<p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-UFGheCSJTok/UvpEFWkn43I/AAAAAAAABqU/NToyTZW75vo/s1600-h/idle%252520wom370%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img title="idle wom370" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 77px 0px 10px 117px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="idle wom370" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-lDcFVBJHp2E/UvpEGzmtVWI/AAAAAAAABqY/t55sDHtgGq4/idle%252520wom370_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="254" height="391"></a></p> <p>I had known about George Tansey’s book for many years but had never actually seen a copy until recently. Its rarity can I think be explained by its ephemeral nature, it being a thin copy printed on poor quality austerity paper & with easily damaged paper covers.</p> <p>Privately printed from articles previously printed in the <em>‘Daily Dispatch’</em> it describes a journey on the first hire boat to be converted from an ex working Narrow Boat after the war at one of the first hire companys bases at Stone in Staffs. The boat was the’<em>Angela’ </em>and was named after Tom Rolt’s wife who in fact wrote the introduction to the book. Rendel Wyatt the boatyard owner had started his hire fleet in 1948 which was I think the first ever hire fleet on an English Canal. Wyatt an early member of the newly formed Inland Waterways Association became friendly with Tom Rolt one of the founders and indeed it was to his yard that Tom Rolt took <em>‘Cressy’</em> on its last voyage. It was a bad time for Rolt as he had fallen out with the organization that he had helped to form – the IWA, in addition his marriage was breaking up and on top of that his beloved boat on which he had lived for 10 years was rotting away beneath him. So it was a sombre and disillusioned man who steered <em>Cressy </em>to Stone in 1951 where she was to be broken up.</p> <p><font size="3"><u><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-bM2T_EUUv4Y/UvpEJcDwUMI/AAAAAAAABqk/XGLvPvNwEi0/s1600-h/idle%252520wom374%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img title="idle wom374" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 0px 88px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="idle wom374" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-QDrhz7ovonw/UvpEKmOXdrI/AAAAAAAABqs/pm0fhT5cwNo/idle%252520wom374_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="304" height="225"></a></u></font></p> <p><font size="3"><em>Photo illustration from ‘Adventure by Canal’</em></font></p> <p>The book has 26 pages and is illustrated with fascinating shots of the voyage around the Trent & Mersey & Shropshire Union Canals with photos of working boats encountered etc.</p> <p>The fascinating thing about the copy that I bought was that it seems to have been acquired at the First National Rally of Boats organized by the IWA in 1950. The book has an owners signature which was signed at the rally and presumably bought there.</p> <p>Tom Rolt had been disagreeing over the aims of the organization with Robert Aickman the other co founder of the IWA for some time and things had come to a head in 1950 with the organization of this first national rally. Aickman an aesthete wanted the rally to be ‘A festival of Arts & Boats’ and to this end was organizing the presentation of a couple of plays to be performed. Rolt strongly disagreed with this and relations between the two men disintegrated to the extent that Rolt was requested not to attend with his boat.</p> <p>On opening the book which I hadn’t known was signed at the Rally I was surprised to find a couple of enclosures!!</p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-Ef8K7WkxP28/UvpEL5coUQI/AAAAAAAABqw/T8VVKJYcgI8/s1600-h/idle%252520wom372%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="idle wom372" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 0px 98px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="idle wom372" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-MhPFHHtcCkQ/UvpEM5D0EOI/AAAAAAAABq8/rh7PrF8A5pA/idle%252520wom372_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="304" height="487"></a></p> <p><em>Handbill for plays produced at the 1950 Rally of Boats.</em></p> <p>An amazing survival and an advertisement for the plays that had caused all the trouble!! The cartouche heading the playbill is by Barbara Jones of ‘<em>Roses & Castles</em> in the Architectural Review<em> & The Unsophisticated Arts’</em> fame. I think I would have recognized her work but a pencilled note on the back of the bill confirms this.</p> <p><u>But this was not all</u>.</p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-sXrrCX0Al7E/UvpEPSEKvmI/AAAAAAAABrE/amtty4gzNJs/s1600-h/idle%252520wom371%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="idle wom371" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="idle wom371" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-6gFr5NMm0tg/UvpEQtIujPI/AAAAAAAABrM/sWLCVEtuO60/idle%252520wom371_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="404" height="302"></a></p> <p><em>A set of unused stamps issued for the rally.</em></p> <p>A set of 4 stamps complete with perforations and gummed back but unused and with a decorative border were obviously issued at the Rally<em>.<u> But what for?? I have no idea</u></em>. I have never seen or heard of this item before so if anyone knows anything at all about it PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT.</p> <p>They are by the way obviously not postage stamps intended for Royal Mail use</p> <p>So there we have it –A Rare little book with some interesting & historical enclosures which in themselves must be quite rare and which have done well to have survived this long in such perfect condition.</p> <p>If you look for and find a copy of George Tansy’s rare publication snap it up as you may not see it again and I hope you may have the same luck with ‘E<em>phemeral enclosures’.</em></p> Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03039626461526876637noreply@blogger.com1