Mystery Cards
After the wonderful exposition on Roger Butler's mystery card in the April issue, Roger's second card has drawn a blank. No-one seems to know where this photograph could have been taken. If any-one has second thoughts about it do, please, send them in to the editor. No card is ever produced as a one-of. There must be other copies of this card about and some-one, presumably, must know where the place pictured is.
Ken Parris was luckier with his query about the boat The Duck of Gloucester. Alan Robinson looked at our picture and thought to himselt, "I have a different picture of that boat, somewhere." He found it in Mike Clarke's book, A History and Guide to the Leeds and Liverpool Canal, where the boat is used as an illustration to a section about the Foulridge Tunnel and is shown emerging from the tunnel. The name can be seen clearly on the prow and the boat has a boatman and two boys - obviously not boaters, by their clothers, standing on the forepeak.
Alan has sent a photocopy of this picture and this is reproducted below.
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The Duke
of Gloucester emerging from the tunnel. This boat was converted
for use at a boy's club in Wigan in the 1930's, the duke allowing his
name to be used. He was apparently not so enthusiastic when the boat
became derelict just before the war.
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However, a photocopy of a photocopy does not give a good reproduction, but it does prove Alan's retentive memory where the Leeds and Liverpool Canal is concerned. The boat became derelict in the late 1930's, and, quite possibly, does not now exist.
Thank you, Alan, for your help. Now have a go at the two mysteries below.
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A NEW MEMBER'S MYSTERY CARD New member Alex Chatwin, has sent in the card shown above. No publisher's name, or any printing on the back. The girl at the tiller is wearing a 1950's dress and cardigan. Alex confirms that the butty, Florence, of the Mersey, Weaver Canal Carriers, was in use in the 1950's. It is possible that the bridge shown here has been rebuilt since then, but where, and on which canal, is it? Can anyone help with this? |
ANOTHER MYSTERY CARD Kerstin Fletcher sent in the card shown above. Again, there is nothing on the back that could place the picture, but the card has been through the post and was sent from Clacton-on-Sea to Framingham on the 15th June 1925. This is a colour card and shows a very typical canal view. Does anyone know where this card could have originated?
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