east end canal tales

The East End Canal Tales weaves the memories of over 50 local residents together with historical accounts to tell of intriguing, humorous, moving and often surprising stories of life and work on the Regent’s and Hertford Union Canals over two centuries.

A fascinating insight into the social history of the canals of East London, and the people who lived and worked beside them. The book is not about boating but the way in which local people interacted with the canal - sometimes in a less-than-commendable way, and how the canal had an impact on the lives of ordinary people in the mid 20th Century. It is an unusual book, covering an under-reported part of London's canal story.

The book is published this month by London Canal Museum as part of the 200th anniversary celebrations of the Regent’s Canal.

The East End Canal Tales is lavishly illustrated with over 130 photographs, many never published before, and three maps.

Read about canal trades of coal and manure and canal-side industries ranging from timber and metalworks to ice and chocolate. Learn about the canal’s role in what was the equivalent of the Victorian internet. Relive childhood memories of diving from ‘the pipe’ and being chased by the ‘cut runners’. Join the villains’ search for the holy grail of a gold cargo. Find out what happened in the old buildings which you can still find along the canal banks and what it was like to work on the Cut.

Lonely Planet London says: ‘Pick up a copy of the museum’s newly published The East End Canal Tales by Carolyn Clark to sail through the canal’s and its industries' fascinating history, meeting a colourful cast of characters who lived and worked on them along the way. Bon voyage!’

The East End Canal Tales is written by Carolyn Clark, author of The Shoreditch Tales and The Lower Clapton Tales.

The East End Canal Tales is on sale at the London Canal Museum, local bookshops including Brick Lane Books, Broadway Books and Pages of Hackney as well as on-line.

For further information:

Press contact: Carolyn Clark
Phone number: 07773 784 517
Email: carolynclark10@aol.com

MNA to launch WaterWatch with RNLI

Following the formation of the partnership between the Merchant Navy Association (MNA) and the RNLI last autumn to promote the RNLI's 'Respect the Water Campaign' on the UK’s inland waterways, the RNLI has recently re-branded its former Community Safety operations as “Water Safety”.

For some years the MNA Boat Club has operated a scheme to promote maritime safety under the brand name “SeaVue”, whereby Boat Club members undertake to act as watch-keepers afloat to “Spot, Plot, and Report” incidents, potential incidents and hazards whenever they go afloat and to alert the Coastguard accordingly. This is in a manner very similar to the National Coastwatch (NCI) operating from their fifty or more look-outs around the coast.

Given the involvement the MNA Boat Club now has with the RNLI in respect of promoting the 'Respect the Water' campaign on inland waterways, the Boat Club is now in the process of launching its “MNA WaterWatch” scheme whereby MNA Boat Club members will undertake the same “Spot, Plot and Report” activities in respect of the UK’s inland waterways, including rivers, canals, lakes and the Broads. Initially the WaterWatch scheme will be launched as a “pilot scheme” in their East Anglian region.

The MNA’s WaterWatch members will operate both from their own boats and/or from ashore by means of ad-hoc patrols and will of course report to the relevant waterway authority rather than to HM Coastguard unless the incident is in an area such as a major tidal river or estuary. In some cases it may also be appropriate to report incidents to the Nautical Institute’s Confidential Hazardous Incident Reporting scheme known as CHIRP.

The new MNA WaterWatch scheme will be featured on the seafarers afloat website where details of the MNA Boat Club’s various other activities are also to be found.

For further information contact

Clive Edwards on 01305 781725 or email

or Steve Walker (MNA Boat Club East Anglian regional Chairman) on 07769 725434 or email

listed canal bridge damaged by motorist

Charity urges motorists to take care when crossing historic canal bridges after damage to Grade II* Listed gem

The Canal & River Trust, the charity caring for 2,000 miles of canals and rivers in England and Wales, is calling for motorists to slow down when crossing historic canal bridges after a driver caused major damage to one of the most ornate bridges on the waterways network.

Bridge 65 on the Grand Union Canal, known as Ornamental Bridge, was hit by a driver over the weekend causing extensive damage to one of the parapets, or walls. Police arrested the driver at the scene and the Trust will, if possible, recover the costs of repair from the driver’s insurance.

Ornamental Bridge is a 200 year old gothic limestone bridge which is Grade II* Listed, putting it in the top 10% of buildings listed in England and giving it a greater level of protection than the famous Abbey Road Studios and the BT Tower in London.

The collision has demolished a 5m length of parapet and it’s possible that other sections of the bridge that have been displaced will need to be rebuilt. Much of the historic stone will be recovered and reused in the repair but some of the ornamental elements will need to be completely replaced. Due to the bridge’s listed status the repairs will be carried out carefully and sensitively, under guidance from Historic England.

The bridge carries the main road into the village of Cosgrove, just North of Milton Keynes so temporary barriers and traffic lights have been put up to ensure that it can be used safely by local people.

It’s not known why such an ornamental bridge was built in this location but the presence of the nearby Cosgrove Priory, home to the Lord of the Manor at that time, may have had something to do with it. Today the bridge is much loved by people living in Cosgrove and is often used as a backdrop for artists, photographers and even wedding parties.

Hump-back bridges, synonymous with Britain’s canal network, were built for the passage of horse-drawn carts, not for today’s speeding motorists, who cause up to £1 million of damage to the Canal & River Trust’s bridges each year. The majority of accidents are ‘hit and run’, leaving the Trust unable to recoup the cost of the damage from drivers’ insurers, and diverting vital funds away from work to conserve the nation’s waterways.

Richard Bennett, heritage and environment manager for the Canal & River Trust, said: “All historic canal bridges are special but this one is a real gem, it’s beautiful, eccentric and full of character so it’s especially heart-breaking to see it damaged like this.

“It’s also massively frustrating for the people of Cosgrove who really value the bridge and want to use the road.

“Each year we have to spend more than £1million across the country repairing bridges hit by drivers and that’s money which could be better used maintaining and looking after the region’s canals.

“If motorists just slowed down a bit and took more care and attention, then they would save themselves and us a lot of cost and aggravation and protect the nation’s important canal heritage.”

To find out more about the work of the Canal & River Trust, including how you can support through volunteering or making a donation go to CRT website.

Grade I buildings are of exceptional interest, only 2.5% of listed buildings are Grade I
Grade II* buildings are particularly important buildings of more than special interest; 5.8% of listed buildings are Grade II*
Grade II buildings are of special interest; 91.7% of all listed buildings are in this class

Article reproduced from press release by Canal & River Trust

tower works development on leeds & liverpool canal

Working with the Canal & River Trust at Tower Works

Richardson and Ask are proud to be supporting waterway and wellbeing charity Canal & River Trust, the organisation that looks after Leeds & Liverpool Canal.

Richardson and Ask are working with the Trust and its neighbouring developments, including Mustard Wharf, to improve a 200-metre stretch of the towpath, from the Canal Office to the Railway Bridge to provide a route by the water to and from Leeds train station.

Having been in need of repair for some time, the 200 year-old pathway is popular with
walkers, joggers, cyclists and anglers. This traffic-free route is a popular spot away from the hustle and bustle of the city centre. Design work is currently underway which will improve the section of towpath adjacent to the Tower Works site in the heart of Leeds and a start on site will be made as soon as the current restrictions allow.

Commenting on the works, Alan Daines, Infrastructure Services Regional Manager for Canal & River Trust said: “Leeds Southbank area is undergoing a huge transformation presently.

"Landmark developments close to our canal network, such as Tower Works, are coming to fruition all the time. With our research showing that spending time by water can help to improve our health, wellbeing and happiness we are working closely with developments to help communities to connect to their local waterway and realise the benefits of being by the water.

“Previous custodians of the Leeds & Liverpool Canal have undertaken a variety of approaches to towpath repairs over the years, leaving a disjointed and uneven surface due to the different materials used. Thanks to the support of developers like Richardson and Ask our charity is able to realise more ambitious programmes and extend existing works to provide safe pathways with improved access near to water. We have already begun work at Mustard Wharf and the new, continuous path of York stone will look superb."

Alison Carroll, development project manager for Ask Real Estate said: “Canal & River Trust is a key stakeholder and we are delighted to be working with them and our neighbours on this important work.

“When building work commences on the Tower Works site we will be partnering with the Trust and our construction contractors Sir Robert McAlpine to erect hoardings along the canal path where it borders the site which will ensure we have no impact on the canal during the build programme.

“During the construction phase the towpath will be out of bounds for safety reasons and the path improvement works will take place concurrently to the building of phase one at Tower Works, so when the development work is completed the canal path will also be ready for use.”

Tower Works

Tower Works site is located within the Holbeck Conservation Area, which features a number
of listed buildings across what was Leeds’ primary industrial area. The area is one of the only remaining places within Leeds where 19th Century industrial buildings have survived largely unaltered and uninterrupted, leaving a special character and appearance to the area.

Tower Works was founded on the site by T.R. Harding in 1864 to make steel pins for carding and combing in the textile industry. In addition to these items the company also developed a range of innovative and advanced industrial instruments, including speed indicators, counters, and gauges. The factory’s products were world class, selling all over the globe.

The original buildings, designed by Thomas Shaw, were erected in 1864-6, with the design being heavily influenced by his love for Italian architecture and art.

Within the Tower Works site, the Giotto Tower, Verona Tower are Grade II* listed, and the Engine House, Little Chimney, and 6-10 Globe Road are Grade II listed. The three towers are Holbeck’s most prominent landmarks and are an integral part of the area’s history and heritage.

The Grade II* listed Verona Tower can be recognised as the smaller ornate tower of the site. It was the first of Tower Works’ Italianate towers to be built and is based on the Lamberti Tower in Verona.

The Grade II* listed Giotto is recognised as the most ornate and largest of all the towers both in height and massing. It was designed as a ventilation tower and its structure contains filters that are able to collect metal particles produced during the pin making process. The Tower is based on the iconic Giotto Campanile, the bell tower of Florence’s Cathedral.

The Grade II listed Little Chimney is the latest of the towers and it is known as the Boiler House Chimney. It can be seen to represent typical Tuscan towers, such as the medieval towers in San Gimigniano, Tuscany.

the wrong way round #by boat

The Wrong Way Round #byboat is a journey of discovering the 2,000 miles of inland waterways. This of course led to Lesley & Rob taking Artistic licence to record their adventures, by drawings, maps and the written word.

Rob & Lesley Pearson have been travelling traders since 2014. Lesley is an Artist who has taken to creating drawings and maps of their journeys. Rob is a computer programmer.

Rob's claim to fame are his jottings about the beginnings of their journey on NB Hekla. They came into being initially as a short story about ‘The Long Way Round’ which was featured in Canal Boat Magazine. The success and feed back from this article prompted Rob to divulge more of the journey, as the magazine article alone didn’t seem to give enough of the essence of that journey.

Rob's book came to life in 2015 as ‘The Wrong Way Round’ which is available on Amazon.

Lesley is a member of the Guild of Waterway Artists and of the Association of Animal Artists. She describes herself as a travelling artist: "the journey is the artwork and the art work is the journey". For the last four years the Pearsons have been exploring the inland waterways, with Lesley making drawings & maps of things they have seen, and putting her art together with Rob's prose - so combining history and the things they encounter.

Lesley offers prints of her beautifully illustrated maps for sale, as well as prints of her waterways and countryside paintings. She also sells mugs with her paintings on and stunning cards for all occasions.

our journey

We have travelled almost all of the northern canals and river navigations in the UK. It has been a carry on from our genuine interest of ways to travel. It’s a way of seeing a country, people, and how people live and interact with each other. We try to embrace it as a way of life, which leads me on to ‘steampunk’, an alternative way to look at life and to what is important about how you embrace it.

steampunk

Our alter egos are Captain Pepsi and Miss Mavis Ming; which is why you will see us dressed in a peculiar way. Time travellers from the last century - with a tongue in cheek humour which we find amuses people we meet.

NB Hekla PopUp Art

It is what it is.. we PopUp in unexpected places, much to the surprise of our followers. We enjoy festivals, markets and of course we open up in places we visit - be it a town, city or just out on the towpath. There is no rhyme or reason to it - it’s what takes our fancy.

This year has been a bit strange as we were deciding to head South for the summer. However, as with most people, Corvid19 has put a halt to any plans we might have had. We just watch the tide and see where it will take us. We are currently on the Chesterfield Canal in Nottinghamshire, waiting for the news of the all clear. Then we will be off South, hopefully.

Sue Meades & Colin Shearer – Cheese Aboard inc Mugs Afloat

We have travelled the Leeds & Liverpool canal, the Shropshire Union, The Staffs & Worcs, The River Severn, The Trent & Mersey, the River Soar, the Grand Union, the Ashby Canal, the Coventry canal & some of the Oxford Canal during the time we have been traders.

We started off selling personalised mugs & mugs printed with our own bespoke designs along with up cycled jewellery. Gradually we added some wooden goods as Colin started to learn how to do Pyrography.

It soon transpired that Colin's love of Celtic designs was going to be a good seller for us at festivals & markets.

This developed into the range of beautiful chopping boards that we currently sell alongside our mugs. We have made many personalised mugs for customers at events & also boaters especially other traders who seem to want mugs with their own logo on.

After only a few months of trading we joined the RCTA (Roving Canal Traders Association) as they seemed to be a helpful organisation, little did I know that 3 years later I would be a committee member & responsible for organising floating market events for other traders in the Association! Who are currently organising approximately 16 events for their members over the 2020 season.

We love trading at festivals & floating markets, the atmosphere is wonderful & the camaraderie of the trading community is amazing. This has been a fabulous journey as I have met many very talented traders, attended & organised lots of events.

For the past 3 winters we have worked as self employed operators for www.calendarclub.co.uk to boost our income when it is too cold & wet to trade from the boat, they welcome traders as operators & have units all over the country if you need extra winter income.

We were trying to think of a way of streamlining our stock & the items we sell at the end of last season when we heard that the Cheese Boat that covered the Shropshire area had retired from canal trading.

With a lot of deliberation, we decided this was a perfect addition to our existing wares.

Coffee mugs, wine racks, cheese/pizza boards what a perfect combination to add actual cheese to! Hence the birth of Cheese Aboard our new trading name. For the near future we will be Cheese Aboard inc. Mugs Afloat

We have sourced a fabulous chiller, found a supplier that suits our trading ideas, achieved our 5 star food rating & made the long overdue rain canopy so we are set for the 2020 trading season to start.

You can find us on Facebook where you will find our trading schedule for the season.

caledonia glass – illia price

I've lived aboard my beloved narrowboat since August 2014. Previously I was buying, renovating and selling on houses in order to own my own outright. I also worked on major renovation projects for other people, mostly as part of a team. I'd lived in Scotland (various parts) for 30 years before moving to the Midlands in 2012. In my time I've also been a Signmaker, a plasterer and a groom (horses) as well as doing several more menial jobs to earn a crust.

My main source of income is my industrial engraving business which I started in 1986 with a small bank loan and a second hand manual engraving machine. I specialise in producing botanical garden labels and am a well known supplier in horticultural circles. My labels are used in many major UK horticultural institutions. I also send them overseas, from Jersey to Japan. These days I have modern computer driven engraving tables and associated equipment, all housed in a cosy garden office.

I got the idea to live on a boat when I saw one for sale whilst walking along the towpath around Alvechurch.

After much research I discovered the rules and regulations would allow me to live aboard as a continuous cruiser.

While I was finishing my last house I read everything I could find about narrowboating method and etiquette.

When I was ready to buy I searched online.

My boat was the only one I actually went to see, being the right size, with cruiser stern, within budget and in need of refitting which I wanted to do to my taste. And I liked the look of her.

The boat was at Aldermaston and I needed to get her back to Alvechurch ASAP to get on with the ever mounting engraving orders.

I'd only briefly steered a narrowboat before so I booked a one to one helmsman's course for the first day of my single handed journey.

It gave me the confidence to tackle the 130 miles of river and canals and as many locks without any major mistakes. It took me 12 days, with two lost to breakdowns.

It was one of those life changing experiences and I loved most minutes of it!

Since then I've refitted the interior. Put in new windows etc. Had a new engine and back decks fitted last winter. This winter it's overplating after which Caledonia will probably outlive me. She was built in 1974, a 48' Fernie (very similar to a Harborough Marine but with a steel top)

I cruise many miles and commute to work during the milder months. Over the winter I cruise, take a mooring in the Midlands, or have the boat out of the water for Winter Works.

I've always been keen on crafts and love glass in all its forms.

I decided to have a go at decorating with lead and glass paint a few years ago for Christmas presents for the family and got hooked!

Soon my boat was full of it so I applied for a trading licence which was granted. To my surprise others liked and bought it. It's now become my spare time passion, seeking out interesting items to decorate and planning what design to use. Most of my designs are inspired by nature.

Since I became a canal trader I've been welcomed by other floating traders and made some fantastic friends. I feel it's important not to copy something another boater does and I'm confident I have a unique product.

I sell as much as I can make in my spare time, attending some of the wonderful canal festivals and floating markets during the spring and summer months and at land based craft fairs in the run up to Christmas.

I also like to go to a Christmas floating market if I can. The atmosphere is generally great.

I don't sell online or post glass out as I just don't have the time (or will) to administer it.

I like to cruise in a different direction each year if possible, though the Midwest is a firm favourite so far (Shroppie, Llangollen, Trent &Mersey, Macclesfield, Peak Forest, River Weaver and the delightful Bugsworth Basin).

I'd like to get much further afield eventually...

Illia Price, trading as Caledonia Glass, has been a member of Roving Canal Traders since she began her canal business. She creates beautiful works of art using lead and glass paint, and it's a great testament to her skill as a boat designer (and her boat handling skills!) that she can carry so much glass aboard a narrowboat without breaking any of it!

Follow Caledonia Glass on Facebook to find out where she is trading. Illia will only sell from the towpath or land based craft fairs; she is unable to accept online orders or post items out.

the vine inn, rugeley

The Vine Inn, Rugeley is a real ale drinker's delight with its own micro brewery on site producing a core of their beers along side seasonal guests and the ever present bass.

Situated across from Elmore Park just of the town centre its frequented by many locals to the area as well as people travelling in to sample the ales and a wide range of spirits that are also infused and made on site. Just a short walk from the canal next to the picturesque St Augustine's Church moorings or a little further along by the local Tesco, many boaters find refuge in The Vine whilst using the launderette just to the rear of the pub. With a welcoming atmosphere and approachable staff, the pub has a real community feel and is dog friendly to boot.

From the front the Pub is a sprawling building with the brewery situated to the left and a small court yard at the front with two imposing grapevines and old English ivy present in keeping with name. Once you come into the pub the first room you come to is the main bar, a spacious room with a traditional bar and scrub top tables. Locals are stood at the bar laughing and joking with the bar staff. Other groups of various ages are scattered amongst the other tables and the open fire roars setting a warm friendly atmosphere.

Behind the bar there are some 12 large kilner taped jars labelled with such delights as Christmas pudding gin, cherry rum and raspberry vodka. A glance at the hand pulls shows 4 of The Vine’s own beers all lined up in uniform on the hand pulls are a vanilla porter, grapefruit IPA and a ruby mild with their guest ale of single hoped summit, but the knowledgeable staff are quick to inform that the pecan porter provides the aromas coming from the brewery.

To the left of this room is a smart little restaurant room where the chef is adding the finishing touches to the room by placing a mirror on the wall ready to open up his new venture in December. To the rear is a large pool room over looking a lovely courtyard style beer garden complete with a large covered area.

A member of bar staff affably offers a tour around their small brewery which is a 2.5 barrel stainless steel brew kit with all sorts of smells emanating through the steam. Through the steam is a store room full of barrels and hundreds of boxes of bottled beers as well as gins, the head brewer Chris states it is all ready to go out to the local Christmas markets in the neighbouring towns.

Landlord Oliver Westwood and his team (most of which have been there a number of years which is always a good sign) have been at The Vine since 2005. Under his tenure the micro brewery has been added and a great deal of improvements have been made he says. “The Vine Inn is a labour of love for me and the staff. It was always my father's local and he even had a stint at running it as a tenant when it was a punch tavern pub. When it came up on the market as a freehold we just had to jump at the opportunity to rescue her. Since then we have replaced roofs, installed a new garden, taken out miles of Artex, re wired every room and generally worked on years of neglect at the hands of various pub co’s and breweries. We still have a long way to go but have a great vision of what the pub can be to secure it for generations to come”.

This is evidenced in the work to the kitchen, which is now producing bar snacks and sharing platters and other delights into the restaurant room and bars. This whilst the function room is also being upgraded to host live music and entertainment after a long hiatus. Oli enthusiastically tells us he already has a commitment from the local blues club to use the space on a monthly bases for a rock and blues night. He’s hoping to attract more local musicians to host residences here in 2020 to turn the 16th century function room into a lively little venue.

This is not to say The Vine isn’t worth a visit in its current state which is that of a traditional active community pub. The future seems bright for this pub and we can’t wait for our next visit to see what’s new.

Oli and Sian welcome you to the Vine Inn & Brewery in Rugeley. The pub isn't quite by the canalside, but certainly worth the short walk.

You could hardly get a better review than this : 'They have a few brand names on tap and in bottles. But the highlights are the guest ales that they brew themselves. These are always very tasty beers. And now they do a range of fruit infused spirits too. Add in the friendly staff, and you'd be mad to drink elsewhere'. When we are up on the Trent and Mersey, we shall certainly be looking in!

Tel: 01889 574443; Visit, follow and like on Facebook

piesse of piddle

Editor's Note: We are sad to say that the Piesse of Piddle has now been permanently closed. The building will be up for sale, and may well re-open as a public house. But it will never be the same as it was under Graeme's management. Graeme, and the Piesse of Piddle will be missed by customers and villagers. And I'm sure everyone wishes Graeme all the best in his new venture in Dartmouth. We have left this article up as a memento!

The Piesse of Piddle, hotel, bar and restaurant, is managed by Graeme Piesse, and it is he who is the heart and soul of the place.

Graeme is a connoseur of fine wines, a lover of fine cars and cricket, and a very fine singer and guitarist (especially when it comes to Donovan and Leonard Cohen).

The bar area is unique and interesting, with statues and enormous plants, and giant beer barrels supporting the bar itself.

The walls display original paintings - mainly of musicians, all adding to the bohemian feel of the place. The atmosphere is relaxed, the locals very friendly and Graeme always has a small but very good selection of real ales on offer. There are guitars dotted about and with a piano in the hall, and many musicians amongst the regular customers, there is often the opportunity for a jamming session.

There is another small room off the bar, and this leads to a much bigger room which serves as a function room.

There is always plenty going on. There is a very well attended quiz night on the last Sunday of the month, a folk night on the 4th Monday of each month, and an open mic night on the last Wednesday of each month.

Live music acts are usually booked for the weekends, and Graeme has a knack of selecting varied acts of the highest quality.

Add to this the occasional live band practice and regular jamming sessions, and you can be pretty certain that you will find something to entertain you.

The hotel offers rooms with unrivalled views of the river, and the establishment has on occasion been the venue for weddings.

The outdoor space is wonderful, with a large top terrace, then a couple of smaller terraces with wild gardens leading down to the river. A brand new pontoon offers spacious moorings - perhaps in one of the loveliest spots in the country.

The Piesse of Piddle is, and will hopefully remain, a delightfully quirky, unique establishment and a wonderful place to spend a few hours or to stay for a few days - ask for the room with the four poster bed! Dogs are welcomed, as are children. And if you are musically inclined, take a guitar, a penny whistle, a mouth organ - or even a saxophone with you - we're sure it will go down well!

Graeme offers everyone a very friendly welcome to his hotel and pub. He is always ready to chat or to entertain. At the moment the pub is open from 4.30 every day except Sundays when it opens at 12.00. Food is available 12pm to 6pm on Sunday, and from 5pm Tuesday to Saturday. Sunday roasts are particularly recommended, though all the food is excellent. Rooms are available for short or long term rental, and there is a large private dining room which can be made available for special occasions - anything from Christenings to Wakes.

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east end canal tales

the story of the east end canal