National Geographic article on England's canals, 1974

It’s amazing to think that National Geographic - the ne plus ultra of ethnographic, geographic, scientific magazines (if that's possible) – hasn’t published an article about the UK canals since its July 1974 issue.

There were articles in the NG in 1907, 1922 and 1940 as well.  But July 1974 was the last – and that was almost 35 years ago! 

This is astonishing, considering the impact our English canals had on the development of the Industrial Revolution.  When will the next article be?

Regular GB correspondent and expatriate Brit Eric Wilson recently returned to the UK to buy a canal boat, and as a special greeting he brought me a copy of that old National Geographic article.

And what a treat it is – thanks, Eric!  So I’ve scanned it – all 36 pages - and turned it into a 5mb PDF – download here.

It’s a piece of its time, and charmingly out of date – and the magazine badly needs to commission an update.

It was written by ‘senior editorial staffer’ Bryan Hodgson, and photographed by his wife Linda Bartlett.  Bryan Hodgson is touchingly poetic in places:

We travel at foot speed.  Sometimes on the Trent & Mersey’s open reaches it seems we do not move at all, that England herself turns past us like some patient wheel rimmed with quiet villages, with hills plowed smooth as cats’ backs. 

In deep woods we moor by a quiet amphitheater of rock [I bet this was Bramble Cuttings] , dappled by fallen leaves.  In a village church we watch blithe old men ring changes on bells whose tongues have shouted centuries of England’s joy and sadness.  

I mailed National Geographic and asked what had happened to Bryan and Linda.  Apparently Bryan retired about 12 years ago, and Linda - well, she was a freelance and they last published photos from her about 1985.  NG has lost touch with them, and only has a last-known-address.

Who’ll write/photograph a new article?  I could do either, but probably not both.  I can’t do two things at once, and anyway I need a new camera.  And probably a new word processor – or at least that’s my excuse.

It’s interesting to see the number of people and boats/things mentioned, that are worth being searchable on Google.   

Below, I’ve done an index of them, in order of appearance, on the basis that if you are searching for these people, Google will help find them for you in this article.

• NB Hyperion and butty Pictor, at Stoke Bruerne top lock (pictured displaying a great expertise in opening the bottom gates with their straps).
• Helen Theakston of Swan Line Cruisers at Fradley Junction.
• Doris Collins, aboard NB Belmont at Braunston (full page pic).
• Jack James, founder of Stoke Bruerne museum, mentioning his wife Emma Bray. 
• Rose & Bill Whitlock, NB Lucy
• John James, son of Jack, formerly of NB Jason, now of Napton
• Sidney Feltham, in lockkeeper’s cottage at Cropredy 
• Alan Green of Brummagem Fly (“sandy haired young lecturer at University of Aston”) and partner Barry Stanton.
• Charlie & Marjorie Alldrick, and Mrs Betty Foakes
• Tom Hodgson & Hockley Port Trust.
• David Hutchings and the Upper Avon Navigation restoration.
• William Billington, the Wedgwood pottery.
• Irene Hoult, custodian of the Arnold Bennett home in Burslem.
• Jack Whitaker, Bird in Hand pub, Kent Green.
• George & Edith Belfield, caretakers at Little Moreton Hall.
• Bryan Pearce & David Minter, walkers.
• Mike & Carole Gregory, with children Helen and Mark, at Hindford, Llangollen Canal (Carole Gregory has some cookbooks to her name).
• G.A. Williams, passer-by on the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct.

Comments

[Steve and Claire Williams]

Andrew, thank you for taking the time to scan this and post it up. It really is a gem.

[Eeyore]

Thanks for this Andrew, it is very informative and a good historical source for newcomer like me.

[Captain Ahab]

Thanks for posting this item - splendid.

[Jerry Coleman]

My wife saw this article when it came out, and never forgot that it was something she wanted to do. In 1985 a friend mentioned that they had taken a trip on the canals, and that resulted in the first of our dozen + canal adventures. We have encouraged many friends to try the canals (so far at least ten families over the years), and I search out copies of that issue and give one to them after they take their first trips.

Jerry Coleman in Belmont, California

[Alice]

I have that very same 1974 copy of NG. American friends brought it with them when they were guests on our narrowboat in the early 80's. For some reason, nostalgia probably, we have kept it safe through our move onto a narrowboat for 5yrs and our subsequent move to a scottish island. I'm just a sentimental fool I guess :-)
Alice.