Harry Tapley
Harry talks about his memories of the canal

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We had the Brewster’s timber yard in Arthurs Bridge Road and opposite to that we had what we used to call ‘The Logs’. Well it was logs, it was just that. We used to go round there and play hide-and-seek, all the kids did. That was a favourite play spot. We used to go and play on the barges. The barges used to bring the timber down to Brewster’s. Nearly opposite the car park up Brewery Road there used to be Belton’s boathouse and you used to be able to go and hire a boat for so much an hour, a rowing boat or a canoe and sometimes a punt depending on what you wanted. No motorised vehicles, all manual oars. When you earnt a few coppers it was a favourite Sunday afternoon. Just an hour on the rowing boat - it was a treat really.

On one particular Sunday, the only time I had a suit as a school boy, my gran had just got it for me and the first Sunday I wore it. I used to have to go to Sunday School. So I am going to Sunday school alledgedly. So, I'm going down the road to meet the people that I used to go to Sunday school with and they're saying, ‘Oh we're not going to Sunday School today, we're going up to play on the barges.’ So I said, ‘Well, that's me as well then!’ So we went up to play on the barges and what did I do? I fell in the canal! In the new suit - the first time I'd worn it and the only suit I'd ever had and I fell in the canal. They pulled me out by the side of the bank. The barges were moored close to the bank and actually I suppose the depth of the canal wasn't that deep. I suppose I could have walked, but it was deep enough, I could have drowned.