There is little evidence to suggest the way in which masons’ marks were allocated. They may have chosen their own marks or been given one when they joined a site. Later masons sometimes based their mark on the master that trained them. 20th Century masons often used their initials joined in a pattern. Marks sometimes form groups and this may indicate that they belonged to a team of masons who worked together. An example of this is a mark like a capital letter ‘W’ which can be found in that form or with extra strokes across the ends of one or more lines. The marks are mostly drawn freehand although compasses are sometimes used for marks based on circles and consist of lines that meet or cross in a pattern. The marks are made with a chisel or a punch and a point is sometimes used to drill the ends of the lines. Although it was important that marks were not easy to confuse it is clear that masons did not spend a long time cutting elaborate marks made up of a large number of lines. Most marks consist of between four to six lines and marks of more than seven or eight are rare.

date inscriptions

Many of the locks that I have passed through have stone plaques at their entrances showing the date that the lock was completed. Two of the most notable examples that I saw were displayed on Grand Union Leicester Line flight between Loughborough and Leicester and on The Leeds Liverpool canal as it passes through Wigan. The latter depicts the date as Roman numerals. The inscriptions ranged from very detailed, precise carvings on selected stones to more prosaic and simple legends.

This plaque commemorating John Tasker can be seen in lock 6 on the Ashton canal just outside of Manchester: I wonder who he was?

Are you tired of the office jobs and boring life? If the inland waterways have always been your passion, consider opening up a boating business. Sadly, things aren't as simple as seen in movies. There are numerous challenges you’ll face along the way, but that shouldn’t discourage you from pursuing your dreams!

Be the captain of your career, start your boating business and make it successful with these 5 tips. That's how you'll be able to spend every day on the water and get paid for it! So, if you want to make office employees envious of you, here's how to start a boating business.

Business plan and finances

No matter how experienced you are in business, having a plan you’ll follow throughout your journey is essential. Take regular planning on another level. Outline some of the main objectives which will help you achieve the wanted success. This business plan differs from regular plans as it includes expenses you need to cover.

Even though each business comes with investments, boating business requires a list of expenses, such as maintenance, boat payment, insurance, gas, and equipment. According to that, you need to calculate how much you need to charge to make a profit. However, be careful as you can't predict how many customers you'll have!

Legal issues and licenses

Just like any other organization, you need to get your boating business registered. However, what makes the boating business different is the sole type of business you're starting. You'll need to obtain numerous licences and take care of any legal issues before you head with your passengers to the open waters. So, what kinds of licences do you need?

Firstly, you need to be a licenced captain to sail a boat. Also, your vessel needs to be registered for commercial use. Be careful about the water jurisdictions you plan on travelling to. Depending on the type of boating activities you opt for, you’ll need various licenses as well. For instance, you’ll need a fishing license in case you want to take your customers fishing in the open waters.

Target market and customers

The previous two steps aren't enough if you plan on running a boating business. Customers don't just appear out of nowhere, you need to attract them and spark their interest in your services. So, is there a better way to do so than by researching the target market and your customers?

This part may seem boring, too entrepreneurial, or unnecessary, however, if you want to succeed, you'll need to know your target market and audience extremely well. What moves them? What makes them stop and say wow? Your business needs to induce all kinds of feelings to gain profit. So, promote your business, research the market, your competition, and your customers to create a marketing strategy that will make your business a true success!

Suitable employees and organization

One of the main differences between a successful business and a miserable failure is the quality crew. Finding employees who have the same passion for boats, inland waterways, and wind as you do is quite rare. Therefore, once you find the perfect crew for your boat, treat them well as they are a hidden treasure berried deep beneath the sea.

Even though you may have experienced crew, they still need to keep your businesses organized. So, assign them clear tasks and provide them with distinct guidelines to follow. You can use various apps and platforms that will keep them informed and in touch. Find out more here about such tools to help your business succeed.

Location and docking

Location can be crucial when it comes to boating business success. Who would want to go far away to a boat ride, when there’s a perfectly fine boat right here? When it comes to docking, don’t try to be original. Pick a place where tourists flock. That’s the best way to become profitable and keep your business running!

Think about the finances here as well. Most docks will offer a discount for long-term leasing contacts. So, instead of renting month by month, choose a long-term plan. Also, don't change your location too often. Once tourists and customers get used to your location, finding you in another dock may become a burden!

Wrapping up

As a boat lover, opening up your business is a dream come true. Even though you'll face certain challenges along the way, you'll easily overcome them by following these steps and tips. Now you can merrily enjoy your boat while sailing into the sunset!

When the characters in a novel become just a bit too real you have a choice. Read on or put the book down and don’t go near it again. If you are the person writing that novel, the choice becomes a little more blurred. You could stop writing but you know that the characters won’t go away. They seem to want their story to be told so you tell it. I have detailed this journey in another article, but there is yet more fallout from the writing process.

For starters, Mayfly is based on a boat, called Bee 1, that I once had the pleasure of owning until lack of cash and my location forced me to sell it. With it being a pleasant memory it was an obvious choice of craft for the emergent Jim and Amanda. It was small, far too small to live aboard, and wholly impractical to carry any sort of cargo.

There was the plot, and my memories of the craft were enough to describe the situation. The few photos I had of it were enough to create covers and, for the one book it was supposed to be, that was all OK. The second book “Here we GO!” has another view of Bee 1 that I never photographed. Instead I took measurements of the few grainy front and rear views I had and created the side view that is the cover of that work.

I never like thinking that I can’t do something though so, every now and then, I had a look online and in model shops for a model of a clinker hull that I could build. Same issue though was any that were either pre made or in kit form were of the traditionally planked variety and also extremely fiddly to build. Finally though, I came across a supplier that had a glass fibre model dinghy hull listed. Closer inspection revealed that the planking was just about right for Mayfly! This was almost too good to be true so an order was sent off and a week or so later a creamy white casting arrived. Only thing needed was to turn it into a copy of Mayfly. Simple enough.

For those that don’t know, Mayfly was described as being finished in varnished wood and powered by a 3.9 horsepower black American built outboard motor. My original thought was to cover the hull with sticky back plastic but I more or less ditched that in favour of veneer (sapele) which I was able to get online. The motor was more difficult as you can’t buy models of the specific outboard described in Mayfly anywhere. Add to that that I had decided that the model be fully functional and things started to spiral into the ever more complex.

The veneer, when it arrived was beautiful but really tiresome to coat the hull with. Smoothing it into place got me a good collection of hardwood splinters in my fingers and glue practically everywhere it shouldn’t be. The result was nice though so I continued to push ahead with the model as I wrote my 4^th book which I jokingly described as someone having a dream about suicide then going on to buy a Renault 4! This one also didn’t need an image of Mayfly for the cover so I still had time on my side!

The model of Mayfly gradually took shape and with the addition of 3d printed portholes (courtesy of my son Peter) things were looking better. All I now had to do was complete (or rather start) the build of the outboard. In all it took me longer to build this than it took to build the boat but, when finished, it contained all the electronics, gearing and other gubbins it needed with nothing requiring to be hidden aboard. Even better, the thing actually worked! That success spurred the addition of further detail to complete Mayfly but…

Where were Jim and Amanda! Further trawling across the internet found me a pair of articulated figures that could fit the part, except they were both too small by about half an inch or so. It took another two months to dismantle the figures and extend their limbs, necks and body trunks until they were about right. All I now needed was make them more realistic! Cue work with filler paint and fake hair to get the right look and a very kind offer of help from my wife Janice, who made them a pair of jeans apiece and topped that with two beautifully knitted miniature sweaters.

Finally Jim and Amanda looked the part and were ready for their photo call and the launching of the 18 inch version of the main character behind my writings. A diminutive and wholly impractical vessel that was never going to let such obstacles stand in her way.

The model, for me, captures the character of Mayfly of my stories, making the two hard to separate.

You may not be aware of the Waterways Chaplaincy. Our chaplains work across the inland waterways to support boaters in need, helping to resolve a wide range of issues from access to benefits and healthcare to being a listening ear and companion to the lonely and anxious. Chaplains are committed to walking one mile of their towpath each week but most walk much more than that. They are happy to chat to anyone they meet, whether it be boaters, fishermen, cyclists or other walkers, and to help in any and every way they can, if asked.

The last Sunday of February 2022 was a special day for a group of us who are part of the Waterways Chaplaincy. We travelled to Box, near Bath, to support Alice, a probationer, as she became a fully licensed and commissioned chaplain.

The Commissioning took place during the morning Holy Communion service conducted by Revd. Claire Southgate in the ancient parish church of St. Thomas a Becket. To mark the commissioning, Alice was given a windlass so she can assist boaters at any lock gates. This was presented to her by Revd. Pat Willis, the senior waterways chaplain for the Kennet and Avon canal, who had it cunningly concealed. When she whisked it out at the appropriate moment, reminiscent of a Tommy Cooper trick, it produced delighted laughter from the congregation.

The preceding talk was given by Rev. Sarah Hayes, who is lead waterways chaplain for the south of England and whose area extends from just below Birmingham to the south coast. She explained what the chaplaincy is and does. A gentleman member of the congregation, now retired, was so impressed with what he heard that he enquired about becoming a chaplain himself.

Alice is dedicated to her new ministry but Box is nowhere near a canal and, as she is without a car, it takes her more than half an hour by bus to reach her patch. In her enthusiasm, she takes all this in her stride.

Following the service, Alice’s group enjoyed an excellent lunch at The Quarrymans Arms, which advertises itself as a traditional country inn with a history stretching back over 250 years. It is sited on Box Hill, with such a superb view in the glorious sunshine that I was prompted to comment, “It is like being in a picture book”.

Revd. Pat went straight from Box to meet a gentleman on a bench on the canal bank at Hungerford, Berkshire, to assist him with filling in some complicated forms.

Any inland waterways user can contact the Chaplaincy through their website.

Hierarchy:

If you see anyone in trouble in the water then follow this procedure, but do NOT put yourself at risk and become a casualty yourself!

• As a general rule CALL the emergency services by phoning 999 or 112 or, if you’re at sea, call the Coastguard on VHF Channel 16 (or by making a Mayday call from your VHF DSC emergency button). HOWEVER, if there is an imminent threat to someone’s life that requires an immediate personal response, you should act accordingly whilst trying to get someone else to call the emergency services on your behalf.
  
• TALK to the casualty advising them to keep calm and FLOAT on their back with their head resting on the water and their arms extended to slow their breathing. Let them know you’re there to help and try to guide them to the safest place to deploy available rescue equipment.
• SECURE YOURSELF to avoid the risk of being dragged into the water.

• If you are afloat and can reach the casualty with a boathook or long piece of stick drag them alongside. If you cannot reach the casualty deploy the rescue equipment you have to hand (e.g. lifebuoy, throw bag, boarding ladder, rope, boathook etc.). Pull them slowly towards the point where they can be helped into your boat.
• If you’re ashore, proceed as above dragging them into the bank or at least into the shallows. The best place to land a casualty will depend on your surroundings but always be careful to avoid sharp obstructions or entanglements and avoid getting dragged into the water yourself.

• Be aware that the casualty is likely to be tired, cold and confused and unable to help themselves. They may well need medical attention especially if they have been under the water - they should not be left alone for 24 hours following immersion.

There are three main dangers from immersion in cold water:

• Cold Water Shock from inhaling water, resulting in hyperventilation leading to a stroke or cardiac arrest.
• Mid-term immersion causing their temperature to drop with a consequential loss of strength and coordination, making grasping a rope or climbing a ladder very difficult if not impossible.
• Hypothermia resulting from immersion in the water for more than about 30 minutes with consequential exhaustion, lack of coordination and unresponsiveness.

  Bear in mind that, even if you’re able to effect a rescue yourself without help from the emergency services, there is still a very strong chance that the casualty will need emergency medical assistance. Therefore, before performing a rescue, try to ensure that someone is alerting the emergency services.

Throwing a Lifebuoy, Throw-Bag or Rope

1. Choose safe sites for both throwing the equipment and recovering the casualty. Make sure the line is long enough, free from tangles, knots or loops and is coiled neatly before you throw – do not wrap the end round your wrist.
2. Before throwing get a secure footing that’s not slippery or unstable, brace yourself and, if possible, get someone to hold on to you. Avoid standing in loops of the rope.
3. Aim by pointing your arm in the direction of the casualty trying to get the rope as close to the casualty as you can. In the case of a hard and/or heavy lifebuoy AVOID hitting the casualty on the head with it!
4. Depending on the wind and tidal conditions, it might be necessary to throw the line over the top or to one side of the casualty for them to grab it. Therefore, it is important to warn them beforehand.  Shout or show them the rescue equipment so they understand what you’re about to do.
5. Once the casualty has grabbed the equipment try to make them secure it to themselves before you start dragging them to the chosen landing place.

I’m super happy to be on board the CanalsOnline Magazine and quite honestly don’t know where to start as I have so many ideas and recipes to share.  I’m also very inspired from what I read and hear from other likeminded boaters who like myself, enjoy all things food.  It’s great to be prepared and organised with what a meal plan is going to be, but we all know that it very rarely turns out that way as we are very often governed by the fact that we don’t have a shop nearby or we go to a recipe and discover we don’t have all the ingredients, or at worse we get caught up in a stoppage or a breakdown. At best of course we might just find a lovely spot and decide to stay put for a few extra days!  So, where I can I’m going to give alternative options or suggestions.

All my lists in preparation for untying the mooring ropes this year are complete, with many items ticked off as we will be leaving our mooring on the Chesterfield Canal within the next few weeks for this year’s trip. Many non-perishables are loaded up, storage and all that belongs in there all freshened up, plenty of dog food for our first mate and my best mate Rosie and of course a well-stocked bar.  Just the curtains to wash and iron, all the engine and maintenance jobs belong to my husband! It will be another few weeks before the herb roof garden is assembled. My 2022 diary is also a must as I always keep a diary when on board and we often spend an evening looking back over the last 14 years of memories and experiences.

Some of my most useful kitchen essentials are a good set of digital scales, the slimline ones available in most supermarkets are ideal as they don’t take up much space, measuring cups and spoons, my temperature probe for checking reheated food (anything above 70C is regarded as safe) and meat temperatures. I’ve also got a small blender which is great for soups, smoothies and curry sauces etc. The blender came in very useful last year when I fell and fractured my jaw and had to have a “soft diet” for many weeks, hence, I have lots of dip, smoothie and soup recipes to share.

So last week was “Real Bread Week” this week is “Pancake week” and this weekend I have discovered the new shoots of wild garlic are available. We’re also coming up towards Easter, so it’s a perfect time for so many Spring recipe ideas.  I’m also a real sourdough addict and my starter (I call mine Sally, apparently people name their starters) travels with me wherever I go.  So, I think my next article is going to be all about bread and will include sourdough, as I think I’ll run out of space for this edition.

Here’s really quick easy one for you to try:-

flatbreads

Melt 3 ½ tblsp butter with ¾ cup milk, then combine with 2 cups plain flour and ½ tsp salt, add slightly more flour or milk if the consistency feels too runny or thick.  

Knead on a lightly floured surface for a few minutes and then wrap in clingfilm and let rest at room temperature for half an hour or so. Then shape into 4 to 6 balls and roll out diagonally to achieve the oval shape. 

Heat a splash of oil in a frying pan and cook the breads for about 1 – 1 ½ minute on the first side until starts to puff and then less than a minute on the other side.

You can choose from a list of different seeds to give different layers of flavour, such as mustard, sesame, nigella, caraway, cumin etc.

Either add to the mix or brush over after with melted butter.

If you have natural yoghurt you can use any equal quantity of yoghurt to self raising flour (I use 250g of each) plus half a tsp baking powder, these quite easily can become Naan breads if you cook to the same method, they are perfect dry fried too,  and then brush over with melted butter and wild garlic or coriander.

pancakes

So, for pancakes, I’m sure most of us know a pancake recipe.  The easiest one I have used in the past is simply:

1 cup of self raising flour and a pinch of salt in a bowl, make a well in the centre and add an egg, gradually bring together with 1 cup of milk added and whisk to make a smooth batter, the consistency of double cream works great. Melt a knob of butter and pour some of the mixture in and let it find it’s level before cooking for a couple of minutes on each side.

A little pinch of cinnamon powder and a tablespoon of caster sugar would convert these into sweet pancakes.  If you don’t have cinnamon that’s fine,  just serve with a good dollop of crème fraiche, cream or yoghurt and drizzle with honey or maple or golden syrup, along with any fruit such as berries or bananas.  A splash of rum or brandy in the cream works a treat to make it special.

Another of my favourites is savoury plain pancakes wrapped around a filling of mushrooms, onions, chicken, leeks, asparagus, (all or some of these) combined with wild garlic pickings and cream cheese seasoned with salt and pepper, then topped with a cheese and sauce (or just any grated cheese) and baked.

salmon and wild garlic potato rosti cakes with a sweetcorn salsa

Back to wild garlic, there are endless uses, pesto being a favourite, which I’m going to put together on a separate article because I’m running out of the suggested 1,000 word guideline. This weekend I made Salmon and Wild Garlic Potato Rosti Cakes with a Sweetcorn Salsa.  I also made a new potato salad with wild garlic and mayonnaise and served with some salad leaves. Here’s the recipe:-

• 6- 7 oz can of salmon, drained
• ½ a red onion, chopped
• 1 - 2 eggs depending on size
• ½ tblsp wholegrain mustard
• 1½ tblsp chopped wild garlic leaves
• 2 cups or two large handfuls of grated potatoes (Maris Piper if you can get them) skin on if you prefer

Dry the excess moisture out of the grated potatoes with kitchen roll or a tea towel.

Combine the rest of the ingredients in a bowl and then add the grated potatoes

Compress portions of the mixture into a cup for shape or use your hand, pour a good glug of oil into a frying pan or skillet on the stove top and heat to prevent sticking.

Gently ease the rosti cakes into the oil and cook for a few minutes on each side.  I use a spatula and the back of a spoon to keep them compressed down in the pan and push near the pan sides to help keep the shape.

for the salsa 

Dry fry a small tin of sweetcorn the char the outer edges, meanwhile finely chop the other half of the onion, half a red pepper, 2 deseeded tomatoes and a handful of fresh coriander or wild garlic leaves. Mix together with the sweetcorn, 2 tblsp lime juice and a pinch of smoked paprika or Cajun spice and salt and pepper.

Serve the rostis with the salsa and either a generous serving of either crème fraiche, yoghurt or mayonnaise whichever you have, a wedge of lemon, and some leafy greens.

I don’t eat salmon so used cream cheese instead and served with new potato salad with more chopped wild garlic and a huge wedge of toasted sourdough!

Hopefully I’ve brought together a few ideas here using some of my 'go to' ingredients this week.  If you’d like my wild garlic recipes, the list is very long, but I would love to hear from you.
Until next time…………………..happy cooking on the cut!

Lisa