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canal boat workers


skala

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I am researching some of my Shaw family who were canal boat owners or Masters of Vessels on the canal in Swinton/Mexborough/Rotherham area in the 1800's.On the 1861census George Shaw Master of Vessel and his wife Ann were living at Old Holland ,Kimberworth Rotherham along with many other Owners and Masters. Does anyone have any information on these workers and was this address a Boarding house for the canal boatmen?I would be interested to know what they may have been transporting and names of vessels or anything regarding their working life. By 1881 he was a boat owner as his father Joseph Shaw  had been according to the Swinton directory in 1860.Any info greatly appreciated Thanks.

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Here's an 1852 map showing how close Old Holland is to the canal,

Old Holland 1852.jpg

And an article about the state of Old Holland, from 1848,  The owner Mr Reed complained in 1858 that it had no street lights despite paying rates for them (which was rectified), and in 1864 Reed became a member of the Rotherham Board of Health.

In 1846 George's son Joseph fell into the canal and was drowned, the burial was at Moorgate Cemetery on 16th August :

Drowning 1846.png

Old Holland 1848.png

In July 1848, at Rotherham Court House:  Isaac Beavers was charged with absconding from the service of Joseph Shaw, boat owner, whom he had engaged to serve for a year.  The defendant alleged that his master had assented to his leaving. On promising to return to his employment, he was discharged.

In 1864 George was in court at Barnsley, obviously doing well in business, as he paid the 20s fine and costs:

Shaw at Wombwell 1864.png

Here's a link to information about the 1841 boat disaster at Masbro:

http://www.rotherhamweb.co.uk/h/botdis.htm

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Skala, this is of interest (as I am a canal boater). May I suggest that you consider joining the Canal World Discussion Forum web site? Not everyone on there is interested in waterways history, but there are a few real experts on there who may have more information for you.

(I am "Athy" on there too).

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Many Thanks for your replies. Sounds as if Old Holland was not a very nice place to live at that time, though hopefully it may have improved a little by the time my Shaw family were there. Sounds as if it was a hard life on the canals and as it would appear the children often came to grief! Can't imagine how they brought up a family living in those conditions. Strangely I was born in Kimberworth in Hill Top Lane my parents returning there after living in Sheffield all their lives and when they married in the war they moved to Kimberworth. As a small child I remember walking down the hillside to Tinsley as there were no houses there then. We walked by the canal over a basket bridge and to Tinsley to catch a tram to Firth Park .From those days I was always scared of canals and deep water even though I learnt to swim. Must have registered with me as a rather foreboding place. Funny how I now find I have canal boat workers in my ancestors?

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Thanks for the term "basket bridge" which I had never heard before, but which makes perfect sense - a bridge with metal latticework, I guess? I wonder if it is a term peculiar to that part of the world.

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Isaac Beavers in one of the stories was my gt.gt.uncle one of his sons my gt.uncle was a bargee  too, I remember being a little girl going down  on the barge with my father, it was so exciting to an 8 yr .

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