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Research |
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Research |
Information needed : Resources : Waterways Journal |
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The Boat Museum Society is involved with considerable research and recording activities through its members.
We strongly support members in all research related to inland waterways, the boats and associated techniques and welcome items for publication in our regular newsletter, Re:Port and also in Waterways Journal, published annually by the Society. Queries from researchers : can you help?I am writing on behalf of the Bolton Steam Museum and Grain Mill Museum. David Arnfield (Grain Mill curator) has recently got a steam engine, I believe from some museum, in a rather poor condition. Some research was done by ISSES and the results came back that it was from a boat called the Bengal (photo below) that used to sail on the River Weaver. We have been told that its a very rare engine and probably the only one left of its type. I was wondering if you had any information, photos of the boat etc. or knew someone who could help in this matter as we are refurbishing the engine and hope to one day have it running in steam in the museum and would like to have some history on display with it. (Mark Griffiths - museum contact details via link above)
I am hoping you may be able to help me. My uncle, Ernest Taylor, was the lock keeper at Weston Marsh Lock from 1958 – 1972. I have written a story about the summer holidays I spent there with him in the 1960s. Anne Loader has retired and is no longer publishing books of local interest. I wondered if you could put me in contact with anyone who might be interested. I have photographs from that time to illustrate the story. I am also trying to confirm that The Polythene motor vessel appeared in a TV series in the 60s about a young couple, who travelled along the Weaver in a narrow boat. The Anderton Lift also featured in the series. (Valerie Fleet - contact via )The Future Planning of the Boat CollectionThe Curatorial Department is now tackling all the necessary preparatory work to determine the future of the boat collection and Celia Webber has been appointed the Boat Project Development Officer. BMT Curatorial Committee’s review of the boat collectionOf the boats, artefacts and archives in the National Waterways Collection, a substantial proportion are in the ownership of the Boat Museum Trust (BMT). The Trust was formed some thirty years ago, and the trustees include nominees from the Boat Museum Society, Ellesmere Port & Neston Borough Council and Cheshire County Council. BMT managed the collections and operated the Boat Museum for many years until The Waterways Trust took over those responsibilities in 1999. The BMT trustees are delighted that real progress is now being made towards the goal of achieving funding for the long-term preservation of the collection, and particularly the boats. In order to facilitate TWT’s project planning work BMT has established a Curatorial Committee to work closely with Sophie Fowler, Delia Garratt and Celia Webber. The trustee members of the Committee are Alan Jones (Chair), Tony Burnip, Ken Catford, Tony Lewery, Di Skilbeck and Mike Turpin, and they are augmented by three co-opted members of national standing, who kindly bring their knowledge and expertise to assist in the Committee’s work; they are Professor John Hume, Mike Stammers, and John Yates. This Committee met frequently during the summer and autumn of 2007, and also benefited by advisers who attended certain meetings, including Martyn Heighton (Director of National Historic Ships), Nathan Lee (Deputy Chief Executive, Museums Libraries and Archives North West), and George Hogg (Co-ordinator, National Small Boats Register). These careful deliberations brought a great deal of clarity and understanding to the prioritisation of the boat collection, with a view to determining those vessels which will form the strategic bid for Heritage Lottery funding. Seven categories have been defined, as set out below:-
The proposed allocation of boats to these categories has almost been completed, and subject to ratification by the respective owners of the vessels (TWT, BMT or BW) this will form the structure of the future National Waterways Collection. The proposals will be submitted to the full BMT Board of Trustees at the next opportunity, after which the schedules will be disseminated more widely.
Your help is neededAs part of the initial stage of her work, Celia is documenting the known details and history of all the craft in the Collection. There are still considerable gaps in our knowledge of many of the craft. The help of interested BMS members would be much appreciated adding as much information in a systematic way as we can over the next few months.You might have interest in one boat or type of boat and would like to research this, or be prepared to collate the information that is known. Celia has a list of what is required. Although the most pressing is the information on the boats, it also includes the Carrying Companies, Boatbuilding yards and other relevant information. If you are interested in helping, please look at the Draft boat Interpretation website and contact Celia directly from there.
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Information needed : Resources : Waterways Journal
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ResourcesThere may be something on our links page that could be of use A complete set of Re:Port, the society newsletter, is held in the archives at Ellesmere Port - an index is available via the publications page Try Waterways Thesaurus if you want to know about waterways words and their meaning Look at Boat Museum collections for information on some of the Boat Museum's artefacts The David Owen Waterways Archive – contains a collection of documents, books and periodicals relating to inland waterways worldwide, including extensive collections relating to the Weaver Navigation Trust, Middlewich Wharf and the Charles Hadfield World Canals Research; the I.W.A. John Heap Library; Shropshire Union Railways & Canal Co. minutes; oral history recordings; and photographic collections. (The Boat Museum, Boat Museum Dockyard Road, Ellesmere Port, South Wirral, Merseyside. L65 4EF; Telephone + 44 151 355 5017) The British Waterways Archive - a library strong in plans, drawings and technical records, with a photographic collection. (National Waterways Museum, Llanthony Warehouse, Gloucester Docks, Gloucester. GL1 2EH; Telephone +44 1452 318041) National Maritime Museum has a rich resource of inland waterways archives Many other museums have valuable archive information A2A Access to Archives Local Record Offices Cheshire Record Office; Gloucestershire Record Office; Greater Manchester Records Office; Highland Council Archive; Lancashire Record Office; The Record Office for Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland; Liverpool Record Office and Local History Service; Salford and Trafford canal archive; National Archives of Scotland; Sheffield Archives; Shropshire Records and Research Centre; Warwickshire County Record Office; West Yorkshire Archive Service, Wakefield Headquarters. Public Record Office Principal records of the British Transport Commission and Docks & Inland Waterways Executive (class AN). PRO Canal Guide: Canals:Administrative and other Records Canal Boat Acts of Parliament - a starting point Family history sources are numerous - try the London Canal Museum site for a start For inland waterways maps from 17th century to present day - Cartographics- Historic Maps and Plans of Inland Navigation
Waterways JournalPublished annually by Boat Museum Society and a useful source of research material Information needed : Resources : Waterways Journal
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