No 230 September 2020 ERW T AY A S W M Y U S T E E U CI M S O SPECIAL FINAL EDITION THE WATERWAYS MUSEUM SOCIETY President: Di Skilbeck MBE Vice Presidents: Tony Hales CBE, Alan Jones, Tony Lewery DIRECTORS Chairman Barbara Kay Vice Chairmen Jeff Fairweather, Will Manning Interim Treasurer Chris Kay Secretary Chris Kay Other directors Di Skilbeck MBE, Nigel Carpenter, Dave Ditchfield, Barry Green, Lynn Potts, Bob Thomas, Cath Turpin, Mike Turpin MEMBERSHIP SECRETARIES Dave Ditchfield & Ailsa Rutherford OTHER CONTACTS RE:PORT Editor Ailsa Rutherford 01352 756164 14 Tai Maes, Mold [email protected] Website Steve Sunley EMAIL CONTACT Please send all communication via the Chairman: [email protected] Those not on email can contact: Waterways Museum Society, c/o National Waterways Museum, Ellesmere Port CH65 4FW Telephone 0151 355 5017 The Waterways Museum Society is a company limited by guarantee, registered in England no. 1028599. Registered Charity Number 501593 Visit our website www.waterwaysmuseumsociety.org.uk All views expressed in RE:PORT are those of the contributors concerned and should not be taken as being the policy of The Waterways Museum Society, The National Waterways Museum or The Canal and River Trust. Cover: Ellesmere Port site in 1971 Number 230 September 2020 Chairman’s Report 29th September 2020 marks the 50th anniversary of our founding members having their first meeting to discuss setting up a museum which would showcase historic boats and ensure that the history of the waterways was not lost for future generations. Fifty years on, the country has an accredited National Waterways Museum at Ellesmere Port with collections and archive facilities. Over the years the society has developed and supported the museum and produced many written works, talks, exhibitions, outreach to spread the waterways story. None of this would have happened without the support of the society’s members over the last half century and every single member has contributed their part to this, no matter how large or small that contribution. Inevitably after 50 years, some of those members are no longer with us but the impact they had is a lasting legacy. For those of us who are still here, this is a time to celebrate the achievements of the society and this celebratory edition highlights some of the best memories and milestones of the society. With the closure of the society comes some sadness but as individual museum volunteers we can still carry on those initial aims of promoting an appreciation of the rich waterways history, whether that is through our work at the museum, spreading the story to a wider audience or engaging our local communities. Friendships made will continue. The society will leave the museum and its waterways history story in the safekeeping of the Canal & River Trust for future generations to enjoy. On behalf of the Society, I would like to thank each one of our members, past and present, for their contributions which has led to such a successful ending. As a nation, we are not good at praising ourselves but on this occasion, I think we should – so well done to us all. I hope you enjoy reading this special edition and I wish you all the very best for the future. Barbara Kay 3 Number 230 RE:PORT In the beginning… The following is an extract from the late Dr David Owen’s History of the Formation of the Museum at Ellesmere Port 1970–74. David Owen was one of the five founders of the North Western Museum of Inland Navigation which was renamed The Boat Museum Society, and more recently the Waterways Museum Society. At the time of the first meeting on 29 Sept 1970, he was Director of Manchester Mu- seum and was elected Chairman of what became NWMIN – a position he held for nearly 12 years. He was Vice Chairman of the Council of Trustees of the Boat Museum Trust when it was formed in 1981 and, also, the first Chairman of the Board of Management. He was created the Society’s first President in 1982. He died suddenly on 9 April 1987, just a day before the opening of Nos. 9, 11 and 12 Porters Row cottages. Dr David Owen David was inspirational in the establishment of the Museum. As Tony Lewery said in his obituary for David, “We all knew that we needed a figurehead person, a canal enthusi- ast with some clout, someone respected in the museum world, and the academic world, someone with contacts. There was only one obvious choice…“ David was far more than a figurehead. He worked hard behind the scenes and was pivotal in negotiations with the local council and other official bodies. 4 RE:PORT Number 230 It was in the mid-summer of 1970 that discussions started on the need to do something quickly to save the significant boats that were fast disappearing from the inland navigation scene. Duchess-Countess, the last of the fast packet boats, which had lain on the bank of the Shroppie, had been broken up in the early 1960s. The Earl of Ellesmere’s state barge, which had once carried Queen Victoria from Patricroft to Worsley, had suffered the same fate. Daresbury, the last of the Weaver sailing flats, was sunk in the Sutton Weaver boat graveyard in 1957. Harry Arnold suggested a meeting on 29th September 1970 at the Ring-o-Bells, Daresbury to discuss what should be done. Edward Paget-Tomlinson called the meeting and provided an agenda and a document for discussion and agreed to act as secretary. The meeting was also attended by Tony Lewery and Peter Froud. David Owen was voted Chairman, though he asked to hold this office for one meeting only – he was to hold it for ten years! (Harry Arnold was unable to attend because of ill-health.) The discussion document was well thought out. The need was accepted and the theme was stated as first to secure working boats in their correct guise and second to illustrate the history of navigations in the north west. Four sites were considered – Ironbridge, Dudley, Ellesmere Port and Preston Brook. The first two could only cope with narrow beam craft and were dismissed and Ellesmere Port was said to be ‘excellent in theory but because of its great size, financially impractical’. It was also ‘a dead end from the pleasure boating point of view’. Preston Brook was recommended as having all the advantages – two gauges of canal, proximity to the motorway, an amenity to Runcorn New Town, on a pleasure cruiser route, still used by working boats and having an arm ideal for boat display and ancillary sheds. The sequence of work was then discussed – the need to acquire a site and the boats that needed saving, the raising of money and the establishment of voluntary working parties. These proposals were accepted, and it was resolved to seek a meeting as soon as possible with Runcorn Development Corporation or, failing this, with Cheshire County Council. An approach was to be made to Mr Alfred Hayman of the Bridge- water Canal who was later to prove a valuable friend and to Sir Frank Price of British Waterways to ask if there were any suitable narrow boats which might be acquired. It is interesting when studying the original document to see how closely we have followed its recommendations and where we have differed. We have become national rather than regional and our home is now the ‘financially impractical’ Ellesmere Port.” 5 Number 230 RE:PORT Timeline 1970–2020 North Western Museum of Inland Navigation – The Boat Museum Society – The Waterways Museum Society It is difficult to put together a timeline for the Society without including developments at the Museum, as the organisations have been so closely intertwined. Until 1981, and the establishment of the Boat Museum Trust, the Boat Museum as it was known then, was run by the North Western Museum of Inland Navigation (NWMIN), the entirely voluntary organisation which founded and opened it in 1976. The Boat Museum Trust (BMT), with NWMIN representation, took over the management of the Museum in 1980. The details of the history of the society are recorded in the NWMIN Newsletter, renamed RE:PORT. A full set of these is in the Waterways Archive. 29 Sep 1970 A meeting was held in the Ring-o-Bells, Daresbury to discuss the for- mation of a Museum of Inland Navigation. Gifford, ice boat Marbury, Mossdale, a starvationer, Scorpio were suggested as boats that could be loaned/acquired. Present were Peter Froud, Tony Lewery, Dr David Owen and Edward Paget-Tomlinson. 8 Oct 1971 First public meeting in the Roscoe Building of Manchester University. 26 Oct 1971 Incorporation of NWMIN Ltd, a company limited by guarantee and not having a share capital. 6 Feb 1972 First working parties – work on Mossdale at Northwich, Scorpio at Bur- scough. 1971 – 1974 Discussions on a site for the Museum. Runcorn/Preston Brook/Anderton were considered. Ellesmere Port was rejected as being “excellent in theo- ry but because of its great size, financially impractical”. 1974 Worcester acquired though a bequest. Summer 1974 Worcester and Gifford attended the IWA rally in Nottingham. 6 RE:PORT Number 230 Lower Basin after the demolition of Telford's Warehouse early 1970s Summer 1974 Ellesmere Port was finally chosen as the site for the museum, with strong support and backing from Councillors and Officers of the local authority, Ellesmere Port and Neston Borough Council (EP&NBC). Sep 1974 Leeds & Liverpool short boat George was bought for £60, funded by sale of newspaper collected by Di Ascott.