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The story of Henry’s Tow Path Bench at Whilton Locks
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Tue Jul 12, 2016 at 11:31am

The story of Henry’s Tow Path Bench at Whilton Locks

Henry Grantham was the last lock keeper at the Whilton and Buckby Flight of locks, near Whilton Marina on the Grand Union Canal. Henry often won the ‘best kept locks ’ award and was a well known character locally and on the canal network. His family had worked on working canal boats, carrying cargo around the midlands and Henry grew up working alongside his parents on their boats.  

When Henry's father also called Henry (1st) and his wife retired in 1941 they sold their working boats to Samuel Barlow Coal Co of Braunston, This meant that Henry had to seek work with his erstwhile rivals The Grand Union Co, and when the canal network was nationalised in 1948, Henry worked for the newly formed British Waterways Transport, finally becoming lock keeper on the Whilton and Buckby flight for many years until he retired in 1941. 

 

On Henry Grantham’s death in 1989 locals decided there must be a memorial to him and his proud traditions. A towpath bench was decided upon. It was discovered that the Wooden Canal Craft Trust were restoring the very boat upon which Henry had lived and worked on as a young man called “Forget Me Not”  and they had some redundant timber that was too far gone to be re-used in the rebuild, but sound enough for a garden bench. Hence some of the old English Elm wood from the Grantham family working boats, on which Henry has lived and worked on during his life, was used to build the bench. The bench was positioned overlooking the bottom Lock near the entrance to Whilton Marina. 

In 2005 the ancient Elm eventually decayed and the bench was refurbished using English White Oak.

In the summer of 2016  the bench was again in sorry state, so Whilton Marina, with the help of their carpenter Pete, once again restored the bench to its former glory. 

The Story of The Grantham Family Working Boats; Forget Me Not and Sarah Jane

In the early 1900’s  the Grand Union Canal would have been  very busy with working narrowboats, carrying coal, cargo and manufactured goods from London and the midlands, by horse drawn canal boats.  Some companies had very large fleets of boats , but others were family owned and run by Independent Boatman, these were known as “Number Ones”  Henry Grantham (1st) was one such “Number One” and in 1927 ordered a new boat from Lees and Atkins on the Coventry Canal.  As motorised boats were very few and far between during these days, Henry’s new boat was horse drawn and he named it “Forget Me Not” The Grantham family worked hard and in 1929 were able to have an engine installed by Nursers Yard at Braunston. With her increased versatility she did well, and in 1931 returned to Nursers to be modified with a proper motor boat stern. 

In 1933 the Granthams took delivery of a new butty from Lees & Atkins, which they named“Sarah Jane” which was probably the name of their very first boat. The two boats did well during the thirties, with regular contracts to carry coal to Dickinson’s paper mills in North London. However by the late thirties work tailed off.  The powerful Grand Union Canal Carrying Co had built up a vast, well organised fleet, which meant they were undercutting the “Number Ones” who often returned from London with empty boats. Slowly the “Number Ones” gave up the struggle and sold out to the larger companies. Henry Grantham (1st) held out until 1941, when he and his wife finally retired and they sold the boats to Samuel Barlow Coal Co. Barlows already had a boat named “Forget Me Not” so the butty’s name was split between the pair of boats with the motor becoming “Sarah” and the butty “Jane” Both boats were engaged in the coal trade throughout the war. 

Working boats pass by at Whilton Locks

In the mid 40’s “Sarah” appeared in the film “Painted Boats” an evocative story of a horse and boatman that was forced to submit to his boat being motorised.

By the late 50’s due to motorway completion, trade on the canals was in serious trouble and “Sarah” was thirty years old which was the normal life for a working boat in those days. In 1960 she was retired from carrying and was converted for residential use. Her new owner taking her to the Kennet and Avon Canal, and living aboard for many years.

Forget Me Not

Around 1971 her owner died and no one seems to know what became of “Forget Me Not” or her butty “Sarah Jane” Eventually she turned up at David Jones Boatyard at Chester in 1976 for disposal. A hire fleet owner had done some repairs on her, but she was in a sorry state. The owner was unable to restore them, so gave the boat to a group of people who wanted to save at least a few old wooden canal craft. She lay for some ten years virtually derelict, until her protectors had finished re-building another wooden boat and were able to set up the “Wooden Canal Craft Trust” with their main aim being her restoration.

13 Comments

Judy Gleeson | Sat Dec 15, 2018 at 10:51am
I just loved the story of the canal boat family, what a colourful era they lived in.Thanks for sharing 😍
Whilton Marina | Mon Dec 17, 2018 at 11:31am
Hello Judy, we are pleased that you enjoyed reading our blog about Henry Grantham's towpath bench and a little history about his family and the working boats of the past.
TeresaClark | Wed Jun 19, 2019 at 12:22pm
My great grandfather Edmund John Overton was lock keeper at Whilton in the 1910-30's. He died in 1935. I loved reading this article. I wish I had some photographs of him at Whilton.
whilton Marina | Mon Jun 24, 2019 at 11:44am
Hello Teresa, thanks for telling us about your great grandfather being the lock keeper at Whilton Locks in the early 1900's that's interesting. If you ever find any photographs of him do let us have a copy.
Jackie randle (née Grantham) | Tue Sep 24, 2019 at 2:09pm
My grandfather was Henry Grantham of the Coventry canals, my father was one of his 12 children who worked three boats and used to “walk” through the tunnels. I believe my grandmother was named Sarah Jane, but as she had dementia I have no history of their time together. I have no photos as we emigrated to Australia in 1972 and left family treasures behind so I would love anything related to them. My last memories of my grandad was living very close to the little heath bridge next door to the corner shop.
Whilton Marina | Tue Oct 1, 2019 at 1:14pm
Hello Jackie, Thank you for telling us that your Grandfather was Henry Grantham, that's very interesting. I wonder whether that was why the Granthams named their butty Sarah Jane! Henry Grantham was as you know Lock Keeper at Whilton Locks. The current owners of Whilton Marina Nigel and Richard Steele remember him keeping the locks when they were children.
Steve Grantham | Mon May 11, 2020 at 4:19pm
Hi Jackie one of my daughters and I have been working on our family tree for a few years now and came across this Henry Grantham as he shares the same name as my grand-father so my great-great grandfather William Grantham(1815-1891) would also have been Henry's great grandfather so we are 2nd cousins 1x removed(i think).We visited Whilton locks a couple of years ago to find his bench and look around. I have a lot of relations linked to the canal in that area Long Buckby and Braunstone on both my fathers and mothers sides,So we are distant cousins.
Whilton Marina | Sat May 16, 2020 at 2:03pm
Hello Steve, thank you for sharing the fact that you are a distant relative of Henry Grantham with us. It must be interesting for you to be able to read about him.
Elvis | Sun May 31, 2020 at 3:45pm
Hi Steve I live right near his bench. Me and my wife Katie have been down to it today to give it some love. It’s looking ok.
Whilton Marina | Mon Jun 1, 2020 at 10:22am
Hello Elvis, Thank you for looking after 'Henry's' Bench, We did a lot of repairs a few years ago to the bench, but must admit we haven't had much spare time recently! You've reminded us to look at it occasionally to see if there's more we can do to keep it from decay, as its a nice feature of the Buckby Locks.
Charlaine Grantham | Sat Feb 18, 2023 at 11:33pm
This is also my family my grandad William also known as bill and Nan Dorothy known as Dolly and my dad Brian was brought up on boats with them wow my dad passed sadly in may 2022
Whilton Marina | Thu Mar 9, 2023 at 11:07am
Hi Charlaine, So sorry for your loss, we are glad you liked the blog. Many ThanksWhilton Marina
Rosemary Kilvington | Sun Mar 26, 2023 at 6:52pm
My Auntie Gert lived in one of the cottages just down from the bridge . Her name was Gertrude Stratful. She lived next to Mr and Mrs Clarke who had a shop and used to supply goods to the boats. I lived in Coventry but used to go on holiday to my Aunties in the school holidays. This was in the forties and early fifties. I remember Harry Grantham who lived in the cottage.It was interesting to read of that era.

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