Canal Boatmen and Women

[john 1]

Thanks Kerry
               That's a quick reply brilliant what a good start
                                                                                      john

[kerry1212]

hi john no problem if you want me to look at anything else let me know

kerry

[john 1]

I'm looking for any one who may have any old photos of bedworth hill on the coventry cut a lot of boat family's lived opposite the old arm all the houses and pubs have gone now wife's dad name was George priddy he lived there when he came off the boats other boat familys lived there also woods was one wenlock and wrays the arm was for loading coal from newdigate pit bedworth hill is at the end of coalpit fields bedworth
  john

[t20racerman]

Hi all

I'm new to this forum, but got here via a Google search. I'm a direct ancestor of Samuel Barlow - the founder of the Samuel Barlow Coal Co who had quite a big fleet of boats, based in the Midlands.  My Grandma Hannah Barlow was born on a barge on the grand Union Canal and her family were all bargees. Her father John Barlow was a huge man, known as 'Big Jack', although I haven't yet pinned down his details. I have photos though. She talked to me for hours about her life on the boats, and it has always fascinated me. The family was based in Fazeley, Staffs, and my Gran settled in Wilnecote near Tamworth

I'd love any info on the Barlow family, and any pictures too. We have a few old photos of barges and canals from the early 1900s, but can't identify anyone on the barge pictures...

Hope you can help!

[john 1]

hello racerman
  mine and my wife's family's worked boats oxford cut and grand union will ask around for you can you put some photos on to have a look we all live at bedworth or you can try this magazine
           www.narrowboatmagazine.com    they do help and look for things to publish   
                    john1

[kerry1212]

hi racerman, if you can give us the details that you know i will have a look for you, i have put a link for my website below too

kerry

www.canalboatmenandwomen.co.uk

[jubee]

Hi, I've followed this excellent message board since joining Rootschat last year and I wonder if anyone can help please 

I know how difficult it is to keep track of boating families on the canals and I have tried posting this on another forum but without success so far but hopefully the "canal specialists" can help.

I'm trying to trace my 3x grt. grandfather Samuel Wise b.1812-1819. He married an Esther Collyer in 1840 in Simpson Buckinghamshire but I can only find him on two censuses.

1851 HO107 2048 Fol.81 pg1 in Kings Norton Worcs
1881 RG11 1560 Fol.85 pg 19 in Norton, Northants on boat "Swindle"

On the same page in 1881 is their daughter Margaret and her husband Joseph Hodgins on the boat "Dennis". These are my 2x grt. grandparents.

Can anyone find Samuel Wise on the other censuses? I realize that enumerators often didn't include those on boats so apologies in advance if I send anyone on a wild goose chase searching for something that isn't there .

jubee



(Census information is Crown Copyright from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk)

[t20racerman]

Hi again

Thanks for the replies. Here is the only photo I have here at the moment, that has both a barge and people on it.

http://www.t20suzuki.com/cz/barge.jpg

The writing on the barge is hard to decipher, but the bottom word is definitely 'Nuneaton', the top word(s) being 'Johnson' or 'John?Ensor'. These have no link to any of my family tree, but were perhaps friends of the family? Most of the other photos and postcards are of canals or locks with no boats or people on them!

I'm trying to get any info I can on the Barlow Family. My Grandma Hannah Barlow was born on 31st March 1904 on board a Canal Boat near Watford, but the family were from Fazeley/Glascote near Tamworth, Staffs. Her father John Barlow is listed as the Captain and owner, and he lived at 19 John Street, Glascote, Tamworth. He was a huge man (height-wise) and was called 'Big Jack' by everyone. I believe that he was the son, grandson, or nephew of Samuel Barlow founder of the Samuel Barlow Coal Co in 1867. Sam Barlow had a son who worked for him called John Barlow, but I can't find any more details than that.

There is quite a lot about the company on the internet, such as this:

http://models.bipolar4all.co.uk/samuel_barlow_coal_carrying_co.htm

but none giving much more detail.

Any help or pointers welcomed.

Thanks
Adrian

[ANB14]

Hi All

Just wondering if anyone else has been to the Boat Museum at Ellesmere Port?

We only had a quick look at the weekend, but will be going again soon.  We were very interested to see the 4 restored cottages which were no's 9, 10, 11 & 12 Potters Row.  What caught our attention, however, was the board outside the cottages which said that 6 members of the "HARRISON" family lived at no 8, until it was demolished in 1960.

We are going to see if we can find out the names of these 6 people, to see if they are connected to Eliza Jane Fradley nee Harrison, whose son was living in the next street, on the day he got married, presumably with his parents.

Thanks for reading
A & B