Arm News Newsletter of the Wendover Arm Trust

Issue 2012/3 Price £1 where sold Autumn 2012 Free to members A Huge Thank you to the Waterways Recovery Group for their hard work on Whitehouses during their annual camp in July

Still a great deal of work to be done but what a start!

A truly worthwhile project that will pro- vide so much of interest to everyone

Page 2 In This Issue The pictures opposite show mem- minute runs and I recon the whole bers of the Waterway Recovery length will take about an hour—so Group (WRG) hard at work on still on track. I had my gait ana- the Whitehouses site repairing the lysed at the local running shop wall in readiness for the coping “Up and Running” in stones to be replaced and prepar- and found that I had a serious ing the settling tank for use. The over pronation problem. For those AGM looms and this edition car- who are not familiar with running ries the official notification to speak it is about the way your foot members as well as directions turns as you complete a stride and a map to get you to the new and if left unsupported can cause venue which is not all that easy to many injuries to tendons, knees find. Walk an Arm’s Length is and hips. I am now using the cor- close now so last minute entries rect type of shoe and enjoying my and fund raising are a must, if you training so much more with the can’t join the walk you can still benefit of staying injury free. contribute—see page 6. There is The long awaited announcement an article on the RYA Helmsman that British Waterways (BW) no certificate and one on the canal longer exists and the new Canal boat family as it was. and Rivers Trust (CRT) has In recent issues I promised to re- taken over is now official and the port back on my progress to fit- Wendover Arm Trust has been ness from retirement. Well it’s not notified by post. been easy but I am now up to 40

Restoration News It’s been hard going on the resto- before the August camp. ration recently with all the heavy rain. There’s been more pumping Once again a big thank you to than working! The hardy souls WRG for their efforts at White- who have been turning out have houses, it’s shaping up to be a managed to continue lining work- fascinating project. Look out for ing towards the mooring bay in an article by Prof Timothy Peters Stage 2 but we would all have on the people who lived at White- liked to be further on that we are houses coming soon.

General enquiries number is 07547181857 Page 3 Membership News

As of July 21 st , the Trust has 674 signed up for email. To register members spread across 447 for email or if your email address households. We welcome the fol- has changed, please contact lowing new members: Katherine. Mr E Blackmore Northampton Mr I Gosling Wendover Club 100 Results Mr & Mrs I Petticrew Tring The summer draw was made on Miss E Carter & family T o l l e s - July 18 th , there were 137 sub- bury, Essex scribers in the draw.

Gift Aid The winners were: The total Gift Aid claimable so far is £914.20 which is for all pay- 1st Mrs Beryl Martin, Newbury ments / donations from April 6 th to £164.40 July 21 st 2nd Mr David Ager, High Wy- Standing Order combe £68.50 To pay your membership or club 100 subs by standing order di- 3rd Mrs Pam Blackaller, Kings rectly from your bank to ours, Langley £27.40 contact Katherine for more de- tails, member- [email protected] Each lucky number is £15 per or 01442 246523. year, which covers 4 prize draws.

To join club 100 contact Kathe- Email 290 membership households are rine.

Help us to Save Money on Postage Many thanks to all of you who re- If you opt for this format you will sponded to the plea in the last not only save the Trust money on edition to get your Wendover Arm both postage and printing you will News by email instead of by post get your copy more quickly and it despite the typo in the email ad- will be in full colour. Remember dress. every penny saved is a penny go- ing towards restoration of the The address is... Arm. [email protected]

Page 4 Water Vole Sighting

When Jo and I started boating feeding by the side of the top lock many years ago it was quite com- of the Watford Flight on the mon to see Water Voles along the Leicester Branch of the Grand canal, either on the bank or swim- Union Canal. It remained, quite ming across the cut. However, as happily munching on the clover, the years went by the sight of one whist the lockkeeper and I took its of these delightful creatures going picture so that the sighting could about their busy little lives be- be reported to British Waterways, come more and more a thing of or Canal and River Trust as it is the past. In fact it has been so now. A very detailed survey is be- long since we last saw one that I ing carried out to determine the can’t even remember where or numbers and distribution of Water how long ago it was. There are Voles remaining and we are all many reasons for this but by far asked to report any such sight- the main culprit is the invasion of ings. If by chance you are lucky the Mink on our waterways which enough to see a Water Vole on has reduced the numbers of Wa- your travels, can I ask therefore ter Voles to a critical level, in fact that you help protect these lovely you are far more likely to see a little animals by reporting it, giving Mink than ever see a Water Vole. details of when and where it was You can imagine our delight seen to the C&RT. when, during our cruise in June of Good luck this year, we came across this little lad (or maybe lass) happily Ray Orth

General enquiries number is 07547181857 Page 5 So you can't join the walk?

We are not all fortunate enough to The funny website address shown have the mobility, time, enthusi- against the walker's name below asm or stamina to join a crowd of takes you direct to that person's others and pace out nearly seven 'page' so you can see their rea- miles in support of charity (even if son for walking, and make a con- that charity is the Wendover Arm tribution if you wish. Trust!). The RAF is providing a team who How can we still show our support will be the 'last man walking' to for the most important event in collect any stragglers and check the Trust's calendar? the route is clear, etc. They have Many of the people (and at least the Team Name 'Tail End Heroes' one dog!) taking part in the walk and they also have their own on Sept 2nd are actively looking sponsorship page (5). for sponsorship for their efforts. There are those who can't do the Some have been collecting spon- walk because they are giving their sorship for weeks, and have al- time on the day and beforehand ready collected hundreds of to help with running the event; pounds. Others have just started, you can still sponsor them. and will be looking for those im- Graeme Lockhart is running the portant first donations. tripboats (6), Ray Orth will be do- Each of the fundraisers has their ing restoration work together with own 'page' on BT MYDonate, the many other volunteers at Drayton charity sponsorship website we Beauchamp (7), and last but by are using to collect and organise no means least Katherine Deaney donations. Amongst others we (chief organiser of the walk) (8). have Jenny Brice who is going to Of course, if you don't have ready walk the Arm twice in both direc- access to a computer (lucky you!) tions! (1), Johanna who is walking you can just as easily make a do- in a traditional boatwoman's cos- nation by steam-driven postal ser- tume (2), and Daisy the dog who vice, sending your donation to is taking her owner John for the 'Walk', c/o 467 Bideford Green, stroll (3). We also have Jon who Linslade, LU7 2TZ, not forgetting isn't actually walking, but intends to state which walker you are to run the route - let's hope he sponsoring, and give your name starts before everyone else! (4). and address if you want the Trust Not sure about promoting the run- to benefit from Gift Aid on your ning, as we state in the terms and sponsorship. Cheques should be conditions that it is a walk not run- made payable to 'Wendover Arm ning or cycling. Trust'.

Page 6 Of course, thank you if you have Finally, let's not forget the old already sponsored one of our fashioned method of getting spon- walkers. sorship promises on a sheet of Have you thought maybe you paper. You can download the could collect your own sponsor- sheet using this address (9), or I ship for the Trust? If you want me can send you one in the post. to set up a page on your behalf, Whatever you do, with the effort do let me know that's already gone into organis- ([email protected]), ing the walk, it promises to be a or go to www.BTMyDonate.co.uk to great day! start your own page.

Personal sponsorship web pages on BT MyDonate:

(1) Jenny Brice http://goo.gl/OwUwD (2) Johanna Wheal http://goo.gl/D6Cf6 (3) Daisy Rowe http://goo.gl/5ENhK (4) Jon Kelly http://goo.gl/gBgCb (5) RAF Tail End Heroes http://goo.gl/QmIEj (6) Graeme Lockhart http://goo.gl/ (7) Ray Orth http://goo.gl/rzWDf (8) Katherine Deaney http://goo.gl/MxAIE

Sponsorship collection sheet: (9) Sponsorship Sheet http://goo.gl/WwkXV

Copy any of these addresses in to your computer (take care of capital let- ters!) to go directly to that person's page. There will be other walkers raising sponsorship - look for them on www.BT MyDonate.com

Daisy Rowe http://goo.gl/5ENhK

General enquiries number is 07547181857 Page 7 NOTICE OF ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

Notice is hereby given that the twenty third Annual General Meeting of the Wendover Arm Trust will be held at the Dunstable and District Boat Club, Cooks Wharf, Wellington Place, . LU7 9AD on Wednesday 23rd. October 2012 commencing at 7.30 pm.

AGENDA

1. Apologies for Absence. 2. Minutes of the 22nd Annual General Meeting held on 26th Oc- tober 2011. 3. Chairman’s Report. 4. Individual Trustees’ Reports. 5. Honorary Treasurer’s Report. 6. To receive and, if thought fit, approve the report of the Com- mittee. (Council of Management). 7. To receive and, if thought fit, to approve the Income and Ex- penditure Account and Balance Sheet of the Trust for the Year ended on 5th April 2012, and the Report of the Inde- pendent Examiner thereon. 8 To agree the new membership subscription rates 9. To re-appoint Mr Robin David Goodridge BA ACA as the In- dependent Examiner. 10. To elect Members to the Council. (See Note 1 below). By Order of the Council Registered Office:

66, Bryants Acre,

Wendover John. M. Rowe. Bucks. Secretary HP22 6LA

1st July 2012

Page 8 Note 1. Under Article 39, nominations for election to the Council may be received by the Secretary up to seven clear days before the date of the meeting. Nominations must be in writing and signed by the proposer and by the person nominated, confirming their willingness to be elected. Only members qualified to vote at the meeting may make nominations or stand for election.

A list of Council Members standing for re-election and other members standing for election will be given at the meeting.

Note 2 . Any person being a member of the Trust is entitled to appoint a proxy to attend and vote on his behalf at the Annual General Meeting. Such a proxy need not be a member of the Trust. A letter nominating the proxy, signed by the member, must be received by the Secretary before the start of the meeting.

Item 8 Proposed Changes to Membership Classes and Subscription

The Trust Council will be announcing changes to the membership classes and subscriptions at the 2012 AGM. These are subject to approval by Trust members who will be asked to vote to approve or reject this motion. Membership Classes At present there are single, family and corporate memberships available. The proposals are:

Introducing a new Lifetime membership class for a one off payment. Block membership for 5 years at 20% discount, i.e. 5 years for the price of 4 years. Small increases in the membership subscriptions, which were last in- creased 7 years ago in 2005. If approved, changes will take effect on November 1 st 2012.

Single Family Life Life Corporate (annual) (annual) (Single) (Family) Current £8 £12 N/A N/A £20 Subscription Proposed £10 £15 £150 £250 £25 subscription

General enquiries number is 07547181857 Page 9 WAT AGM at DDBC (that’s Dunstable and District Boat Club).

Location: Cooks Wharf, Wellington Place, Pitstone, LU7 9AD Phone: 01296 668937

Directions: There’s a map in colour on page 15

From Canal Bridge: Go up the hill on B489. Just before the bridge over the mainline railway, turn left onto Wellington Place (signposted and ). The entrance to DDBC is through the metal gates almost ½ mile on the left.

From : Take B489 through Ivinghoe High Street and continue on Marsworth Road. At the roundabout, turn right onto Cheddington Road. Continue under the railway bridge (narrow!) and turn left onto Wellington Place. After 50 yards, the entrance to DDBC is through the metal gates on the right.

From Cheddington: Continue South through Cheddington and cross the GU Canal at the hump-back bridge. After 75 yards, the entrance to DDBC is through the metal gates on the right .

The RYA Helmsman Certificate I had a bit of time off in March so nothing of them so it was a bit of decided to do the Inland Water- a gamble but as they were RYA ways Helmsman's Course. Al- registered what could go wrong? though I thought my boat handling On the appointed day I arrived at skills were OK I thought you can the marina and found the boat I always learn something new so I was looking for Wildcat is a 70 gave it a go. The closest RYA foot cruiser stern narrowboat that training I could find was on the has been fitted out to sleep a Oxford Canal run by an outfit large number of youngsters as it called Wildcat Enterprises. I knew is used for adventure outings for

Page 10 organisations such as the girl the winding hole. With the 70 guides. My instructor for the day footer it was important not to get was Dave who sat me down with too close to the bank and yet not a cup of coffee and explained too far so that I could get the what the day would be all about. bows into the far bank at the right We started off with a bit of theory spot without the stern hitting the and safety stuff before leaving the close bank. It wasn’t perfect but marina. Dave took us out onto the we turned the boat round OK. canal and then handed the boat Now the stern was facing a bridge over to me. After a short time he that I had to reverse under to en- decided that I can steer OK and sure that I could control the boat told me so. A useful tip he gave whilst going backwards. me was that this 70 footer pivots The return trip was more practice at the point where the eye bolt for and learning the techniques for the centre rope is attached to the locking up in a full size boat. The roof, so if you keep this in the Oxford is very twisty at the point centre of the canal you can’t go where we were and I did manage too far wrong. to go too wide on one turn but it Pretty soon we came to a lift was no big drama and I was able bridge that was up. The abut- to recover pretty easily. ments look seriously narrow from Back at the marina Dave man- a distance; it was going to be a bit aged to show me how bad I am at like landing a light aircraft. Just to knots. I have since got hold of a boost my confidence Dave told couple of bits of coloured rope me that only 1 in 10 get through it and the RYA knot book and im- without scraping. Luckily there proved somewhat. was no side wind to speak of and So now I have the certificate and I I was through without a touch. must say that I did learn quite a The next job was a flight of locks. bit from the day and do not regret Dave ensured that I could bring doing it one little bit. Judging by the boat in to the bank for moor- the number of chunks of concrete ing in a steady controlled manner that have been taken out of the and then taught me how to “stern walls of the winding hole at phase off” so that you can get the boat 1 of our restoration there are a off the bank when there is a number of other skippers out breeze and you don’t have a bow there who could do with a bit of thruster. Locking down was fine, training. we covered hovering as we went down the flight. Jon Kelly Not far from the locks we came to

General enquiries number is 07547181857 Page 11 The Canal Boat Family Many people nowadays are tradition of nautical terminol- fascinated by the life of the ca- ogy on the canals and the big- nal families in the days when gest insult one could offer to a cargoes were carried by nar- boatman was to call him row boat all over the water- 'sailor'. Even their tradition- al ways system, especially in the songs mirror this disdain of the midlands. sea. However, there is no real proof either for or against Since the 1950's there have these theories. The majority of been very few narrow boats the boatmen were probably operating in this way and there village farm labourers who be- are no canal families of the old came unemployed due to the type left . Some boats are now changes in traditional English worked by devotees, for in- farming in the late 18th and stance on the Grand Union early 19th centuries. Many of Canal . these villagers went to work in We begin our story in the early the expanding factories of the eighteenth century. north and Midlands, but some of them took to boatwork. The families of the boatmen Al though the work was hard, lived ashore while the men worked on boats making daily the pay was good (com par ed or weekly runs. Most of these with factory workers ) and the' boats were owned by Carrying boatmen were be tt er off than Companies, using double both the factory and the agri- crews and relays of horses to cultural workers. Boatmen's provide a fast carrying service families often lived on the out- of which they were justifiably skirts of the towns and to proud. some extent had the benefit of the consumer goods made Various theories have been in th e towns plus the healthier put forward as to the origins of life of the country . the canal boatmen. It has been It was the ri sing competition of suggested that they were gyp- the railways which brought sies or navvies, or ex-sailors. about the be ginning of the end These theories are open to of prosperity for the narrow- questioning. Gypsy families boatmen and their families. would not have lived settled The Carrying Companies. cut lives in cottages while their their men's wages in order to menfolk did day or weekly fight - back. The usual custom work, and the navvies' charac- of these companies had been ters were often such as would to appoint a boat captain and have found regular boatwork th en leave hi m to engage an- dull. The sailors usually came other man a from seaside villages or towns nd a boy as crew . and would have returned Some capta ins ha d brought there; in addition there is no the ir boats and often a sec on d an d h ad set up as sm all carr i-

Page 12 ers. These w ere know n as came insanitary and accidents 'Numb er O nes' a nd they were more common. Many children the hardest hit. Th ey could not were d rowned each year, comp ete against the faster many more died of contagious service of the railways. To diseases as typho id, cholera save wages in the 1840's and smallpox. Altho ugh Com- whole families left th eir cot- pany boats were supposed to tages and moved into the tiny be ins pected , it was i mpo ssi- cabins that had never been ble to e nfo rce t he regulations, meant as permanent living and i n ord er to get the maxi- quarters; boatmen's wives be- mum w ork out of the b oatmen , came the 'second man ' and the Compani es tended to turn their own small children took a b li nd eye to the conditi ons of the place of 'the boy'. Because overcrowding which led to ill- these families had known temper and frustration, only some measure of prosperity dispelled by drink with its sub- the women t ook th eir treas- sequent ill -treatment of ured possessions with them to women and children. With th e boats. Into these littl e cab- speed a necessity , the boat- ins they pack ed th e p la te s, men had no chance of Sun- lustr e wa re, pat chwork quil ts ,' days rest, no time for church, bra ss , fair ings and the cage for education, even for cleanli- bird s that had deco rated the ir ness or properly cooked food . cottages. From about this Everything had to be done 'on time, too, th e n arro w boats, the move' . There was no time which had formerly carried the even for courtship and mar- plain, although bright, colours riage in the normal way . Mar- of the various companies , riages were often arranged by were decorated with the flow- mutual acquaintance s a nd ers and castles which have contracted for conv eni ence, a come to be thought of as tradi- young man taking on a boat tional . on hi s ow n, ask ing a fr ien d to Wi thin thirty years th e once fi nd him a w oma n to t rave l prosperous boatmen and their wit h. Thei r ' wedd ing ceremo- families had become some of nies' were arra nged by the the poorest and most n e- boaters themselves without glected people in the country. the help or blessing of the Beca use they were constantly church. Nobody cared. on the move much of the leg- islation d esigned to improve In 1877, largely as a result of conditions of work and provide the work of Geo rge Smith, the education for children could Canal Boats Act was passed. not be applied . Many of the It was a start in the betterment women could not cope with life of the boatmen's lives, but it in the tiny cabins especially did not satisfy Geor ge Smith with fou r, five or even more because it was too permissive small chi ldren. Conditions be- and could not be enforced.

General enquiries number is 07547181857 Page 13 The children continued to live As the Carrying Companies on the boats and remained came into existence they rec- uneducated. He went on cam- ognised their responsibilities in paigning and an amendment this field and made what ar- to the Act was passed in rangements they could with 1881 . In 1884 a second Canal the Education Authorities and Boats Act was passed, ap- eventually succeeded in estab- pointing an inspector under lishing , certain special schools the Local Government Board. for boat children. These It also required local authori- schools were generally well ties to make annual repor ts to conducted and, although stan- this Board concerning actions dards of education were low, they ha d taken over supervis- they fulfilled a much felt want. ing canal life and to see that One example of a special boat children attended school was a disused canal schools. boat drawn up on land and re- Slowly, very slowly, the boat- fitted as a class-room. people's lives improved; As teaching became more though many children re- enlightened the drawback of mained unlettered, general the special school became conditions and hours of work more apparent, and efforts were easier. 'As conditions of were made to enable boat chil- health improved so the dren to attend the ordinary boater's pride returned; the schools. The most common decorated boats and clothes way in which this was carried took on a new meaning to out was for a school vehicle to their owners. The 'traditional' call at places where narrow way of life, the best of the ca- craft tied up and pick the chil- nal songs and dances, the dren up. While this had an air brightest costumes date from of normality about it, the prob- the 1890's onward, and it is lem of regular attendance re- these clothes and domestic mained, because no boat was utensils which are preserved tied .up very long since the as the tradition of the cut. boatmen 's income depended in part on the cargoes he carried. This method of running canal This led to the Birmingham narrow boats while pictur- Education Authority establish- esque and apparently idyllic , ing a hostel at Edgbaston posed, in a world where the where boa t children could standards of living were im- lodge while the family boat was proving, a serious social prob- away, thus enabling them to lem, because the families be- attend regularly at the local came nomads and did not fit school . into any established commu- nity. Perhaps the worst fea- Partially taken from . T he ture, however, was the denial Clothes of the Cut' by Avril of educational opportunity to Lansdell, published by the the children. British Waterways Board,

Page 14 How to get to the AGM at the DDBC

General enquiries number is 07547181857 Page 15

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