A horse, a boat and you

Sitting behind the desk having a cuppa this morning a familiar face walked through the door. Trevor now sells Waterways publications to suppliers like ourselves around the canal system, but I knew him long before he was into travelling the country selling his wares. He has had companies transporting and selling coal, hiring out dayboats, operating and trip boat and a canal contract company. It's always a pleasure to have a chat. He likes coming to Norbury as there is always something to have a look at. Today it was our newly acquired tug, which he took great interest in and assures me is fitted with the wrong size propeller - we will see if he is right when we get it in the canal!

Anyway, one of the reasons for his visit was to drop off a number of copies of a book that I had ordered. This delightful paperback was written by Alice Lapworth, another person that I have known for many years. Here's a bit about her book "A horse, a boat and you" which is dedicated to her Mum and Dad - George and Anne Wain.

Alice Lapworth is one of those who remain of a breed of people who are rapidly vanishing from among us - a group to whom this country owes a debt greater than many realise. She was born in 1944, to a family of boat people, in the back cabin of a horse boat in Tunstall. Alice grew up on the canals; she married a boatman and bore her own daughter on the boats. With the end of carrying some forty years ago, no only her job but her entire way of life is gone forever. This is her story told in her own words.

If anyone would like a copy, we have now got them in stock.

The sun has been out for the majority of the day here, although we have had a couple of down pours which has allowed Simon to get on with the plating work that he is in the middle of. Jake has been doing some jobs on the hire boats that are in whilst Fred has been on Fred duties. Ange and Lorraine have been looking after the shop and tearoom.



Lets hope it's sunny tomorrow :-)

Regards,

David