Historic Working Narrow Boats Today 1

A Pictorial Record of more than 460 boats in over 590 colour photographs

Many of the canals constructed in the 40 years either side of 1800 had locks just over 7 feet wide. Now known as "narrow" canals (as other canals had wider locks), they were worked by "narrow boats", typically 70' long by 7' wide. No-one can know how many working narrow boats were built over the 200 years until the last in about 1962, but we do know that close to 1000 still exist.

This book is an unique pictorial record of half of these historic working narrow boats as they are today, or were within the last few years. Some are in pristine restored condition, a small number are still working, many have been converted for holidays or to live on, but others perhaps need a little tender loving care.

Almost all the superb photographs were taken by David Williams, who was brought up by the Shropshire Union Canal in Cheshire, over a five year period in many travels around the country. Each photograph is accompanied by brief notes on the boat by Peter Silvester, who has been canalboating for nearly fifty years, after skiffing, punting and rowing on the Thames.