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Friends of Troopers Hill Forum - www.friends-forum.org.uk

Messages are welcome on any subject relating to Troopers Hill Local Nature Reserve; the surrounding area of St George and Crews Hole or any of Bristol's Parks and Green Spaces.


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Dick Best

solen@connect.com.fj Fiji,  South Pacific


Mar 31, 07 - 9:55 AM
Memories of Troopers Hill

I was amazed to find this site and it brings back memories of heading for Troopers Hill with my latest
home-built kite when I was around the ages of ten to thirteen. That was 1937 to 1940. With a packet of
sandwiches and a bottle of fizz made with "crystals"
I would spend much of the day there .......... an
excellent spot for kite-flying.
As kids, we also used to explore the area beyond the
Bull at the point where the river begins it's big loop
and where there was a path leading over a rise and back to the river where a ferryman would take you across to Beese's Tea Gardens. In the land enclosed by the loop was a large house with tennis courts etc.
This became a sewage works and I see from Google that it is now housing again ! !
Dick Best
Fiji
Liz



Mar 31st, 2007 - 3:16 PM
Re: Memories of Troopers Hill

Hi Dick!

You'll be glad to know that small boys are still risking life and limb playing on the hill. Was there a playing field next to the hill in your day? Cos if there was, they're still playing football there too. It's brilliant that children still have that wild space to roam about in. Mine has benefitted a lot from being able to do just that.

I'll see if I can get you on our mailing list if you like

Liz
Dick Best

Fiji,  South Pacific


Apr 2nd, 2007 - 9:32 AM
Re: Memories of Troopers Hill

Thanks for your comments Liz. As I recall, the field was still there in my day but was just a field and not in any way organised. I used to access TH from Beaufort
Rd., across the top of Strawberry Alley (Lane ?) and
then throgh a couple of tracks with the odd cottage or so and then into what was the first housing built around 1936 and was probably what is now Malvern Rd or near. I'm pretty sure that Beaufort Rd. ended soon after Strawberry Alley but I see that it now continues through
to the main road via The Avenue. The house between the corner of the cemetery and Strawberry Alley was the residence of Fred Ashmead and his wife Amy (crony of my Mother). Fred Ashmead owned many of the motor barges that went up and down to Butlers in those days.

Some of my ancestry are in that cemetery but they didn't have any of those stone angels with hands aloft
and index fingers pointing "He went thataway".

Cheers from Fiji.
Roger

on the hill


Apr 4th, 2007 - 8:04 PM
Re: Memories of Troopers Hill

Still plenty of kite flying, here is a pic of one of my kites from just before sunset today

http://trunky.myby.co.uk/kite.jpg

Regards

Roger
Kite

BS5


Apr 4th, 2007 - 8:14 PM
Re: Re: Memories of Troopers Hill

Nice photo Rog,

Amazing what you can do with a phone nowadays

Kite
Roger

on the hill


Apr 4th, 2007 - 8:52 PM
Re: Memories of Troopers Hill

thanks for the beer btw !
Liz

BS5


Apr 4th, 2007 - 9:29 PM
Re: Memories of Troopers Hill

Brilliant kite, Roger. We could see it from our house!

Liz
Roger

on the hill, actually


Apr 4th, 2007 - 10:53 PM
Re: Memories of Troopers Hill

Maiden flight and test of tethering technique :-)

Kit, you are right a mere cellphone is now my everyday camera, I can upload images instantly via high speed interweb connection (thanks to the power of 3G) been fiddling recently, not much to report, but more of troopers hill & locale to come.

see ; http://www.flickr.com/photos/trunkybristol/

regards

Roger
Liz

BS5


Apr 6th, 2007 - 7:05 PM
Re: Memories of Troopers Hill

Dick,

The field's not all that organised even now. The kids that play there organise themselves pretty much. In the last few years the ongoing footie has included on-foot expeditions to Packers Field and Dundridge for "away games". Sadly there won't be any more games at Packers Field as the City Academy has bagsied it for a sports ground (with council connivance) and won't be open to random groups of little boys (unless they pay to rent a pitch).

Where Fred Ashmead lived, there's a block of flats now called Beaufort Heights. There's a cottage below that, maybe that's where he lived. If you go to our Events listing & scroll down to 22 June 2005 you might be interested in the bathhouse pictures.

BTW, did you know anyone by the name of Bennett who lived near there?


Liz
Stuart

BS5


Apr 7th, 2007 - 6:28 PM
Re: Memories of Troopers Hill

During the 1950s I seem to think that the field was allotments. A couple of access points were from Summerhill Rd. ie;- Via Cousins lane then behind houses through allottments coming out bottom corner of field opp Summerhill Terrace corner. Also Via the lane that has the Briftol milestone.
Dick Best

Fiji.  S. Pacific


Apr 7th, 2007 - 10:42 PM
Re: Memories of Troopers Hill

Hello Liz. Sorry, don't recall the name Bennet (except
Billy Bennet the old music-hall comedian ! ! ). I was
intrigued by the shot of the bath-house. When I was a kid in the pre-war era, we would look uphill from Crews Hole Rd. towards the cemetery and see what looks just like your photo. We concocted all sorts of ideas in our crazy young minds along the lines of secret passages under the cemetery, crypts,bodies, witchcraft etc. One Saturday afternoon we plucked up the courage to clamber up there and all we found was the archway entrance leading into a chamber with a few sacks of produce from the nearby allotments ! !
Rgds from Fiji.
Dick Best

Fiji.  S. Pacific


Apr 7th, 2007 - 11:30 PM
Re: Memories of Troopers Hill

Hello again Liz,
I've just downloaded the latest Google Earth and taken a new look at the cemetery area. I see the block of flats you mentioned and they are sitting right on the site of Fred Ashmead's house. They must have pulled it down years ago. It was quite a swish place for it's day and area. He sure wouldn't have lived in a cottage ! !
Cheers.
Rob

BS5


Apr 10th, 2007 - 10:05 PM
Re: Memories of Troopers Hill

Thanks to Dick for starting this post, it is just the type of discussion I hoped we would have here.
Just to add two bits of info:
As Stuart says the Field was indeed allotments, I think from 1914. It was purchased by the council in 1932 but I'm not sure whether that was when it became a public open space or whether it continued to be used as alotments. The public footpaths across it from the path to the milestone are shown on the 1890 OS map. The adjacent area is of course still allotments.
I have been told that the area at the top of Strawberry Lane that is now the flats and was Fred Ashmead's house (thanks Dick for that information) was a factory before the flats were built making wafers and I think cornets for ice-cream. There was apparently an orchard in the grounds, which presumably originally belonged to the house. Some of the apple trees remain and still drop their fruit on to Strawberry Lane.
Ian



Apr 12th, 2007 - 10:54 AM
Re: Memories of Troopers Hill

The Bennet's lived on the corner of Beaconsfield road adjacent to Strawberry Lane. The last remaining of that family still lives there and is a cousin of my mother.

Where the block of flats are was the site of a very large house owned by the Stafferi family who had an Ice Cream wafer factory next door and who owned a Rolls Royce (a new one every couple of years). I think the developers if you can call what's there a development also discovered a mine shaft there when building the flats.

The cottages are still in Strawberry Lane and Lamb Hill. There was one actually on the hill just behind the new house that has Goats, pot belly pigs and other animals. I used to play in the ruins of that cottage and the old garage that it had just off the lane. The derelict garden was a great source of slow worms and grass snakes.

The field wasn't a playing field in my earliest memories it was an open space but covered in broom and gorse with undulating surface and supporting quite a few rabbits who no doubt favoured the allotments to the natural growth. This was wiped out by te tipping that took place in the 60's. The last rabbit I saw on the hill would have been 15 years or so ago.
Dick Best

Fiji.  S. Pacific


Apr 17th, 2007 - 8:59 AM
Re: Memories of Troopers Hill

Greetings from Fiji.
There was no feedback on my comments (April 7th)regarding the "bath-house" mentioned in the EVENT
visit of June 22nd 2006.
I am curious to know if what I had seen and visited was in fact the same place. Rather a grand affair for a place in Crew's Hole in any era ............. was it an annexe to a large house maybe ? People didn't go in for bathing all that much in those days so I could change my schoolboy notions of secret passages, crypts etc. to an updated version and visualise Turkish Baths, Harems
and all manner of goodies. Maybe someone can put my fevered mind at rest ! !
Rob

BS5


Apr 17th, 2007 - 8:08 PM
Re: Memories of Troopers Hill

Hi Dick,

Sorry, I meant to get back to you about the Bath House but with everything else that has been going on it slipped my mind.
You are right that it is the same structure that you will have been able to see.
We are fairly sure that in was built around 1760. The latest thought is that it was probably not used as a bath but just as a water feature in a type of grotto. There was possibly water running down the back inside as a waterfall. There is no evidence of any passages running underground from it.
I have been speaking to Avon Industrial Buildings Trust, a local historian and others about the possibility of getting it restored. It was part of a large garden with retaining walls and sloping paths and we now think that rather than Reeve who was mentioned in the video being the owner/builder it was probably William King who owned a glass making works on Crews Hole Road. The works had a house and garden attached.
The Bath House is Grade 2 listed and on private land so it is not currently open to the public.
alan

bs48


May 29th, 2007 - 7:12 PM
Re: Re: Memories of Troopers Hill

what a brilliant website. my family moved into a brand new council house in Kennion rd over looking TH in 1950 when I was 4 and I left to get married when I was 30.
we virtually grew up on troopers Hill and I think I may be the joint World Champion Doubles Sledge champion (with my next door neighbour, Clive Jenkins).
We started at a point just below the Stack, as it was known,overlooking St aidans, lying prone, me on top of Clive. We went down the hill till we got onto Troopers hill road which hadn't been cleared of snow and ice, managed to turn right without stopping and kept going till we got to Crews hole road.No one else even got to the bottom of the hill let alone onto the road.

Growing up with Troopers Hill was a wonderful privilige
regards Alan
George

BS5


May 29th, 2007 - 10:00 PM
Re: Memories of Troopers Hill

Stuart recalls that the field was allotments in the 1950s. There were far mor allotments there then. As a young boy in the 50s I have many memories of our allotment on Troopers Hill. Our allotment was just behind the hedge that is still ther by the chimney.

We lived on Barton Hill some 3 miles or so away. Some times I cycled with my father via Pile Marsh and Beaufort Road and Jubille Road. Sometimes we would take the No9 bus from Lawrence Hill to Marling Road. Other times we would would walk pusing a home made cart loaded with the arisings from a neighbours pigeon loft and horse dung collected after the delivery by George's Brewery to local off licences. They were magnificent horses used as motive power. And magnificent were the runner beans grown from manure!!

Happy Days

Ian



May 30th, 2007 - 7:09 AM
Re: Memories of Troopers Hill

The playing field at the end of Malvern Road is relatively new and was formed from tipping. Before it was a playing field it was an undualting area much like the top of the hill by the stack but covered in gorse,broom and bracken (this is where the rabbits used to be). This area fell naturally down towards the river and in the area that is now woodland once contained a small spring fed pond. Again the tipping wiped this and all the natural fauna out.

The tipping was stopped eventually after an accident and due to the fact that the tipped material was making its way down towards the road. Yntill the trees grew it really was quite unsafe with wide deep cracks.
Dick

Fiji.   S. Pacific


May 30th, 2007 - 9:08 AM
Re: Memories of Troopers Hill

GEORGE ........ I would like to contact you off-forum.
If you are agreeable, please send your email to me at
< solen@connect.com.fj > Thanks.
Dick
Ian



May 30th, 2007 - 12:41 PM
Re: Memories of Troopers Hill

The playing field at the top of Malvern Road is relatively recent in terms of the hill. It was originally undulating and had gorse, broom and bracken growing in abundance. There were many footpaths through it but for small boys it was a bit of a maze if you didn't know where you were going.

This area was used for tipping and also the slope beyond it where the trees now are. This area had similar fauna and additional flowers like large daisies and poppies but some open spaces and a small spring fed pond. When tipping was stopped the site was monitored as the waste material started to move towards the road - the movement left huge cracks in the ground that made walking across it very difficult especially when the grass grew tall.
Susan

BS5


May 30th, 2007 - 7:21 PM
Re: Memories of Troopers Hill

I think Alan will retain his Sledging Champion's title. I would love to have a go at replicating his run but there is the minor matter of a fence or a kissing gate or trees in the way before I make it out onto Troopers Hill Rd and I also need a decent amount of snow - enough to scare car drivers off.

I plan to make my own "memory" this year by asking for a large piece of cardboard for my birthday and having a go at sliding down some of the easier slopes (at my own risk of course). I promise I will take my cardboard home afterwards.
Dick

Fiji.   S.  Pacific


May 30th, 2007 - 10:12 PM
Re: Memories of Troopers Hill

We used a vy large tea tray to hit the slopes to the
SW of the chimney. This was not on snow but loose
gravel and attained pretty close to "terminal"
velocity ! ! !
Roger

BS5


May 30th, 2007 - 11:57 PM
Re: Memories of Troopers Hill

A few weeks ago I watched a large organised group of young children being led down Cassey Bottom Lane (?from the scouts?) all with sheets of cardboard or similar in hand clearly with the intent of trinf to beat all your records....now if only I thought that I could get away with it..........
Liz



May 31st, 2007 - 12:19 AM
Re: Memories of Troopers Hill

My resident expert tells me it wasn't the Scouts and is extremely unlikely to be the Cubs. He does think he knows who they might be but they're not an organised group.

BTW... Susan omits to mention she's invited her evil twin to go cardboard sliding too. Evil twin is feeling a little apprehensive!
Ian



May 31st, 2007 - 7:36 AM
Re: Memories of Troopers Hill

The best time of year to slide down the slopes is when the grass is drying out just beginning to turn brown. We used to get cardboard from a company called Knapmans in Beaconsfield road. This cardboard was very thick had a smooth outer skin and a thick corrugated inner. We could slide across grass and gravel for most of the day on this before it disintegrated. The sheets of cardboard were sometimes big enough to have 5 or 6 of us on one piece but invariably by the bottom of the slope only one or two would still be on the cardboard. Happy days.
Susan

BS5


May 31st, 2007 - 11:09 PM
Re: Memories of Troopers Hill

Ian, how about joining me and Liz for a slide? I know you are up and about very early in the morning so I could make it up there before leaping on my bike to pedal to work. I have to be on the River Avon Trail by 7.20am to get to work in good time. Give us a date, time and location (off line to spare Liz and my blushes in front of an audience) and I will see if I can talk Liz into it.

Rob tells me I am not allowed to use new cardboard as that would not be eco friendly so I will have to have a chat with a local shopkeeper. I doubt whether I will find anything of such splendid quality as you describe.

Re. Liz's comment about the big sliding group not being organised - a number were in uniform that looked Cub-like to my inexperienced eyes and there were some adults with them looking like responsible supervising types. I would say the age of the children were under 11 (again I am a bit inexperienced re. children). Rob and I encountered them as they were leaving via the Greendown gate and I think there were 30 plus. Rob will no doubt correct my recollections if I have misremembered.

All the best,

Susan
Jules

BS4


Jun 1st, 2007 - 12:25 AM
Re: Memories of Troopers Hill

Try: Modern Toboggans section
Snow UFO (item 9)
http://www.toboggans.co.uk/

Not as green as cardboard but looks more durable!
Roger

BS2


Jun 1st, 2007 - 11:00 AM
Re: Memories of Troopers Hill

Ian and Dick et al, I heard a story that there was once a stream that ran down what is now troopers hill road. With the previous mention of springs I wonder if you recall water flowing down the hill before it was less developed?

It is rumoured that the stream still flows underground to the river, the story is embellished by the possibility of a well existing at the top of Troopers Hill road.
Susan

BS5


Jun 1st, 2007 - 12:38 PM
Re: Memories of Troopers Hill

It definitely does flow under Troopers Hill Rd still - Rob will be able to fill you in on more details but walk on down to John's Bench by the river i.e. straight down Troopers Hill Rd, cross the road, turn right, then first left straight through the flat on Butlers Tar Works and down to to the riverside. Look over the edge and you will see water coming into the river from that very stream - varying amounts according to rainfall.

Cheers,

Susan
Dick

Fiji.    S. Pacific.


Jun 1st, 2007 - 8:38 PM
Re: Memories of Troopers Hill

I recall the water from the stream flowing into the river but rarely saw the stream itself.
The flow I remember very definitely was from the 6 inch
pipe in a wall just past where the ferry took workers
across to the Board Mills and where there is now a footbridge. This ran all year and we used to take a drink from it as a matter of ritual even if we weren't thirsty ! I remember my Mother saying that it would have come from under the cemetery ........... she always
had a round-about way of putting me off things like that.
Roger

BS5


Jun 2nd, 2007 - 12:45 AM
Re: Memories of Troopers Hill

I can't see the water by the (new) footbridge being from the (presumed) spring (and well) at the junction of Troopers hill road and nags head (road) hill (cunningly also known as bath road....)

However it is very interesting in that it clearly points to the presence of springs and streams in broadly the places that witnesses' memories place them.

I find this mix of memory, rumour and some facts gripping.
Dick

Fiji.    S. Pacific


Jun 2nd, 2007 - 8:25 AM
Re: Memories of Troopers Hill

Hey Roger ................. I'm in no way suggesting
that the stream near the former ferry (now footbridge)
is/was in any way connected with the one down TH road.
They are half a mile apart or more. I will look on
Google Earth to see what is sitting at that point now
if possible.
Dick

Fiji.    S. Pacific


Jun 2nd, 2007 - 9:02 AM
Re: Memories of Troopers Hill

I've looked on Google Earth but its all changed too much
to identify the exact spot. However, it is almost certain that the flow still exists and has been piped underground to the river. Next time someone is walking that way, perhaps a check for riverbank pipes about 20 to 150 yds upstream from the bridge would reveal something.
Roger

BS5


Jun 2nd, 2007 - 9:29 AM
Re: Memories of Troopers Hill

Dick, I reckon that there is better and more versatile imaging at http://local.live.com where, once you get used to the tools can zoom in and get 'birds eye views' from all compass points. See this view for an example, assuming it's linked properly, for the riverbank near the footbridge.
Roger

BS5


Jun 2nd, 2007 - 9:30 AM
Re: Memories of Troopers Hill

hmm...'right click and open link in a new window', does not work or me otherwise.
Dick

Fiji.   S. Pacific


Jun 2nd, 2007 - 8:50 PM
Re: Memories of Troopers Hill

OK Roger, that's a better view and I'd guess that where
that red car is parked with its rear towards the river
is just about the spot. If you look at the river bank there you can see some irregularities and I'd guess thats it ! !
My, that cemetery has grown. There's been a lot of Births/Marriages/Deaths since I was around. Well, maybe not all that many marriages ! ! !
Roger

BS5


Jun 2nd, 2007 - 10:17 PM
Re: Memories of Troopers Hill

cool, have fun with local.live, it's better in many aspects than google maps.

I shall investigate in a week or so.
Andrew Boyd

32765


Jun 9th, 2007 - 2:41 PM
Re: Memories of Troopers Hill

Hi,
I remember cycling from Hanham(with some pals)to the hill back in the mid to late 70's. We would have great fun catching the many Slow Worms that found Trooper's Hill just to their liking. I live in Florida now but will certainly visit the area again[:)
Andrew
Susan

BS5


Jun 9th, 2007 - 7:09 PM
Re: Memories of Troopers Hill

Andrew,

Good to hear from you. Slow worms still abound on Troopers Hill. This one, looking slightly the worse for wear, was seen when Rob and I were walking up the Hill to a "Tree gazing walk" last month.

Have a look at our Events page when planning your visit to the UK and see if there is anything you would like to combine with a visit to the Hill. For example we usually schedule something to combine with Bristol's Balloon Fiesta and Troopers Hill is an excellent viewing point from which to watch hot air balloons. I am guessing that if you are currently in Florida you would prefer to come over in August when you have a chance of enjoying hot weather.

Drop a line to chair@troopers-hill.org.uk if you would like to meet up with some of us on the Hill when you come over.

All the best,

Susan

P.S. If you have any photos of the Hill from back then we would love to have copies.
Ian Davis

BS21 6UG


Jun 26th, 2007 - 9:51 PM
Re: Memories of Troopers Hill

It was nice to find this site and to know that Troopers Hill is being looked after.
As a child I lived in Speedwell, and I first used Troopers Hill in about 1952. We used to go down Stibbs Hill during our lunch hour from Air Balloon Infants. We practised stalking nothing in particular around the Quarry. Later as a teenager Troopers Hill and Troopers Hill Road was our gateway to the Avon Towpath and our hours of exploring the river valley.
It was a good deal quieter and less inhabited in those days.
Butlers Tar Works ran barges to Bath and later to Gloucester, and gave the area a distinctive odour which we were told cured all colds (and most know illnesses.
I see no mention of how the hill got its name, we always thought that it was because Cromwells troops camped there, as well as Lansdown, while besieging Bristol.
Are there any other old Air Balloon Junior pupils left in the area.
Ian
Dick

Fiji.  S. Pacific


Jun 28th, 2007 - 5:12 AM
Re: Memories of Troopers Hill

Hello Ian .............. I was interested in your comments about Butlers running barges to Bath and
Gloucester. My time in the area ended around 1949
but I didn't think the Avon was made navigable to
Bath until much later when canal boating became popular.
Gloucester would have meant going to Avonmouth and
up the Severn, quite possible of course.
Did Butlers have vessels of their own ? ? I only
recall Fred Ashmead's barges but there again my main
time in the area was just before, during and just
after WW2.
Regards
Dick
Ian Davis

BS21 6UG


Jun 28th, 2007 - 7:16 PM
Re: Memories of Troopers Hill

Dick
The website below is an article on Butlers, and the various industries carried out at Crews Hole. It says the chimney was used by the Brass Smelter.
It also mentions the barges coming from Bath Gas Works and going to Gloucester Gas works.

http://www.soci.org/SCI/publications/2002/pdf/pb103.pdf

As a boy, in the 1950's, I lived next door to Bill Cotterell who worked on the Butlers barges initial up and down to Bath, then later in the 1960's? up and down to Gloucester. I rather fancied his job, but fate led me to the RAF.

My only recollection of Crews Hole is of an (I think) a great aunt who lived in a cottage. The thing which sticks in my mind is her gas lights (no electric) with chains hanging down to turn them on and off.

I believe that Rosemary Drake from my class at Air Balloon Juniors lived in the Troopers Hill Area.

Best Wishes Ian
Roger

on the hill


Jun 28th, 2007 - 9:39 PM
Re: Memories of Troopers Hill

As to the navigability of the Bristol Avon, see wikipedia from which I snipped the following quote.

"The river Avon had been navigable from Bristol to Bath during the early years of the 13th century but construction of mills on the river forced its closure. For most of this distance the navigation makes use of the natural river bed, with six locks overcoming a rise of 30 feet. The navigation was constructed between 1724 and 1727, following legislation passed by Queen Anne, by a company of proprietors and the engineer John H o r e (extra spaces added to bypass the forums rudeness filter....) of Newbury. The first cargo of 'Deal boards, Pig-Lead and Meal' arrived in Bath in December 1727"

There is another interesting site about the Bristol Avon.
Dick



Jun 28th, 2007 - 11:30 PM
Re: Memories of Troopers Hill

Hello Ian and Roger.
I've looked at the references you gave and they're very
interesting. I think they must have dredged the stretch
upstream from Conham because it was very shallow in places and I don't recall seeing anything other than small rowing boats and similar up to around 1949 when I
left the area and later, the U.K. I remember there was
a boatshed about 400yds or so downstream of Beese's and
teams used to bring out skiffs on weekends and do their thing between there and Hanham Mills.
There was a dredger active quite frequently in the Feeder Canal and it could easily have gone upstream but I never saw it go past Netham Locks.
I also remember the butty barges taking pulp and, in WW2, recycled paper to St. Annes Board Mills and huge piles were stored in the fields about opposite to The Lamb.
Regards.
Dick
Ian



Jun 29th, 2007 - 7:00 AM
Re: Memories of Troopers Hill

Hi Dick

The Ariel rowing club is still in use indeed I am a member and they have pictures of the club from way back. It has changed quite a bit. The pumping station next to it is now flats! Any one buying one must be mad because this area still floods ocassionally.
I too remeber the paper bales across from the Lamb in and up to the rowing club - this area is now residential.
The river valley is pretty much as it was right the way up apart from where the Bristol ring road crosses the valley on an elevated section. The trees that were growing on the St Anne's side just past the rowing club where the train tunnel is were all cut down a couple of years ago. I spent ages complaining about the activity but unfortunately it did no good and the trees were lost - in the name of keeping the trains running!
Rob

BS5


Jun 29th, 2007 - 9:35 AM
Re: Memories of Troopers Hill

The article Ian refers to about Butlers was written by Raymond Holland. I met Raymond for the first time a couple of weeks ago and he lent me some photos of Butlers from 1953 - if the weekend is as wet as is forecast then I shall update the history page and upload some of them. I shall also post some of the information from their 1953 book about their boats.

The Avon has remained navigable to Bath all through this century, though the canal from there to the Thames at Reading became unpassable from around the time of the second World War. The canal was fully restored in the 1990s so that it is now possible to get canal boats from the main canal system in the Midlands and the north to Bristol via the Thames instead of having to risk the Severn from Sharpness to Avonmouth.


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