Stories and tales

[Liz Gurney]

Following on from all your amazing responses to my previous post about my PhD research, I'm going to risk a cheeky ask! Do any of you have or know people who have stories about canal workers learning to swim? I've found one story in a book about 2 boys taught to swim by their father tying a rope around their waists, throwing them off the stern and telling them to keep splashing until the caught up!
Also if any of you lived and/or worked (or know someone who did) on the canals during the 20th Century, would you be happy for me to ask you some questions directly?

Thank you again for all your help. You are all fabulous.
Liz

 

[Morturn]

Following on from all your amazing responses to my previous post about my PhD research, I'm going to risk a cheeky ask! Do any of you have or know people who have stories about canal workers learning to swim? I've found one story in a book about 2 boys taught to swim by their father tying a rope around their waists, throwing them off the stern and telling them to keep splashing until the caught up!
Also if any of you lived and/or worked (or know someone who did) on the canals during the 20th Century, would you be happy for me to ask you some questions directly?

Thank you again for all your help. You are all fabulous.
Liz

The children of canal workers would attend schools in term time. There was a hostel for canal workers children in Jaffrey Cresent, Erdington where I know some would stay, the Ward family, and attend Moor End Lane School,

This was a family of canal hauliers who worked for Willow Wren, Rugby. I only vaguely remember the one son, Dennis, but they were quite a large family.

Schools did take kids swimming in an attempt to reduce drownings, so I would imagine some did learn to swim this way.

My dad was quite a knowledgeable woodworker and worked on canal barges weekends and some evenings at Valencia Wharf, Oldbury. The Allen family were well known boat builders who ran the business. Valencia Wharf was almost identical to the wharf at the Black Country Museum with the wooden sheds and steam chest

 

[Liz Gurney]

The children of canal workers would attend schools in term time. There was a hostel for canal workers children in Jaffrey Cresent, Erdington where I know some would stay, the Ward family, and attend Moor End Lane School,

This was a family of canal hauliers who worked for Willow Wren, Rugby. I only vaguely remember the one son, Dennis, but they were quite a large family.

Schools did take kids swimming in an attempt to reduce drownings, so I would imagine some did learn to swim this way.

My dad was quite a knowledgeable woodworker and worked on canal barges weekends and some evenings at Valencia Wharf, Oldbury. The Allen family were well known boat builders who ran the business. Valencia Wharf was almost identical to the wharf at the Black Country Museum with the wooden sheds and steam chest

Wow, thank you again for this. Your knowledge is phenomenal! I must pull a list of questions together and maybe we can meet up and I can raid your vast brain!
Thank you so much.

 

[Heartland]

There were also the Boatmens Missions where instruction for Children was conducted to a limited extent as well as Religious services there.