Queuing for Coalite at the Sheffield Canal

[Graham W]

Hi, I know I am a long time in posting, it is because I have only just seen this debate. I worked for the Ethel Trust Community Barge from 1989 to 2000. The Trust was founded a year before I joined. At that time it was a part of the Probation Service in Sheffield. They had acquired the old Humber keel ‘Ethel’ from Family & Community Services, who used it for day trips. Before that it was a working barge and delivered coke to Blackburn Meadows. It was thought that by renovating ‘Ethel’ to its former glory by supervised young Probation clients it would deter these young people from reoffending by giving them something useful to do and teaching them new skills. However, after surveys of the keel it was found impractical to renovate, quite frankly the keel and hull were rotten and falling to bits, so it was broken up at the Canal Basin, and taken away, none of it remains. The original Trustees and staff, myself included, were not put off by this and launched an ambitious project to have built a new barge capitalizing on experience gained on trying to save the original ‘Ethel’. This had the backing of the Probation Service to begin with but they soon changed their minds when they saw what was involved, so the Trustees had to go it alone. In fact for a long time there was only one trustee (Mike Glover), myself and Hannah, who typed most of the begging letters. At first the Trust moved to an office at West Bar to raise funds, then to save money it was moved to the attic of my house. The services of Garston Marine Ltd at Wallasey were sort to design a new barge for us and costed, and also the object of the Trust were changed to provide a barge with access for wheelchair users and people with disabilities. The cost of this would be £110,000 (£205,000 at today’s value at 2.5% inflation over 25 years). Mike and I made several trips to Wallasey to witness the progress of the construction of the new ‘Ethel’ which was made in 3 stages. ‘Ethel’ was finally fitted out and completed in 1993 and was brought by road haulage to Goole, where she was craned into the canal close to where the Sobriety Project has its headquarters. Without the dedication of Mike Glover, Hannah Mottershaw and myself there would be no ‘Ethel Trust Community Barge today plying its way to and fro along the South Yorkshire Navigation providing day trips and exciting residential trips for all the community groups that use her.

 

Cheers,

 

Graham Woodward

[Erin]

Hi, I know I am a long time in posting, it is because I have only just seen this debate. I worked for the Ethel Trust Community Barge from 1989 to 2000. The Trust was founded a year before I joined. At that time it was a part of the Probation Service in Sheffield. They had acquired the old Humber keel ‘Ethel’ from Family & Community Services, who used it for day trips. Before that it was a working barge and delivered coke to Blackburn Meadows. It was thought that by renovating ‘Ethel’ to its former glory by supervised young Probation clients it would deter these young people from reoffending by giving them something useful to do and teaching them new skills. However, after surveys of the keel it was found impractical to renovate, quite frankly the keel and hull were rotten and falling to bits, so it was broken up at the Canal Basin, and taken away, none of it remains. The original Trustees and staff, myself included, were not put off by this and launched an ambitious project to have built a new barge capitalizing on experience gained on trying to save the original ‘Ethel’. This had the backing of the Probation Service to begin with but they soon changed their minds when they saw what was involved, so the Trustees had to go it alone. In fact for a long time there was only one trustee (Mike Glover), myself and Hannah, who typed most of the begging letters. At first the Trust moved to an office at West Bar to raise funds, then to save money it was moved to the attic of my house. The services of Garston Marine Ltd at Wallasey were sort to design a new barge for us and costed, and also the object of the Trust were changed to provide a barge with access for wheelchair users and people with disabilities. The cost of this would be £110,000 (£205,000 at today’s value at 2.5% inflation over 25 years). Mike and I made several trips to Wallasey to witness the progress of the construction of the new ‘Ethel’ which was made in 3 stages. ‘Ethel’ was finally fitted out and completed in 1993 and was brought by road haulage to Goole, where she was craned into the canal close to where the Sobriety Project has its headquarters. Without the dedication of Mike Glover, Hannah Mottershaw and myself there would be no ‘Ethel Trust Community Barge today plying its way to and fro along the South Yorkshire Navigation providing day trips and exciting residential trips for all the community groups that use her.

 

Cheers,

 

Graham Woodward

 

First of all well done for all your hard work with the Ethel. I remember going on the old Ethel where it was at the basin around 1976-7ish. I seem to remember it having some church benches in it and the pot bellied stove. The front part was letting in water then lol. Happy memories:)

[Graham W]

Thanks for your comment Erin.

[cuttsie]

Hi, I know I am a long time in posting, it is because I have only just seen this debate. I worked for the Ethel Trust Community Barge from 1989 to 2000. The Trust was founded a year before I joined. At that time it was a part of the Probation Service in Sheffield. They had acquired the old Humber keel ‘Ethel’ from Family & Community Services, who used it for day trips. Before that it was a working barge and delivered coke to Blackburn Meadows. It was thought that by renovating ‘Ethel’ to its former glory by supervised young Probation clients it would deter these young people from reoffending by giving them something useful to do and teaching them new skills. However, after surveys of the keel it was found impractical to renovate, quite frankly the keel and hull were rotten and falling to bits, so it was broken up at the Canal Basin, and taken away, none of it remains. The original Trustees and staff, myself included, were not put off by this and launched an ambitious project to have built a new barge capitalizing on experience gained on trying to save the original ‘Ethel’. This had the backing of the Probation Service to begin with but they soon changed their minds when they saw what was involved, so the Trustees had to go it alone. In fact for a long time there was only one trustee (Mike Glover), myself and Hannah, who typed most of the begging letters. At first the Trust moved to an office at West Bar to raise funds, then to save money it was moved to the attic of my house. The services of Garston Marine Ltd at Wallasey were sort to design a new barge for us and costed, and also the object of the Trust were changed to provide a barge with access for wheelchair users and people with disabilities. The cost of this would be £110,000 (£205,000 at today’s value at 2.5% inflation over 25 years). Mike and I made several trips to Wallasey to witness the progress of the construction of the new ‘Ethel’ which was made in 3 stages. ‘Ethel’ was finally fitted out and completed in 1993 and was brought by road haulage to Goole, where she was craned into the canal close to where the Sobriety Project has its headquarters. Without the dedication of Mike Glover, Hannah Mottershaw and myself there would be no ‘Ethel Trust Community Barge today plying its way to and fro along the South Yorkshire Navigation providing day trips and exciting residential trips for all the community groups that use her.

 

Cheers,

 

Graham Woodward

I am a friend of a couple of the old Ethel skippers ,Henry who lives at Thorne and Terry from Stainforth Basin.

I used to run the trip boat Ashanti Gold as well as the old Leeds and Liverpool boat Nidd [now in France].

[Graham W]

I do remember Henry, I remember Mike going over to Thorne to get him onboard 'Ethel', when we were just starting out. He was the best skipper we had while I was there. When 'Ethel' was new it was displayed at the Victoria Quays Festival, and Henry was the skipper then. I also remember Ashanti Gold, and Adam's Ark which was at Doncaster.

[cookingfat50]

hi lots of stuff was brought up the canal my old man used to collect grain off the barges for aizlewoods flour mill on nursery street who he worked for, for 40 years he drove a 3 wheeler scamel with trailer he would go under one of the hoppers and drop grain into his trailer. lots of stuff came up the canal including coal, grain, sugar, tea it was cheaper tthan road transport it took longer but more could be transported that way x

[cuttsie]

hi lots of stuff was brought up the canal my old man used to collect grain off the barges for aizlewoods flour mill on nursery street who he worked for, for 40 years he drove a 3 wheeler scamel with trailer he would go under one of the hoppers and drop grain into his trailer. lots of stuff came up the canal including coal, grain, sugar, tea it was cheaper tthan road transport it took longer but more could be transported that way x

If the canals where used today one barge into Sheffield could carry perhaps 60 ton. this powered by a low capacity diesel engine of maybe 60 H.P..

Think how many lorries one Sheffield size barge would keep of the road.

The saving in fuel and man power alone was enormous

[stpetre]

If the canals where used today one barge into Sheffield could carry perhaps 60 ton. this powered by a low capacity diesel engine of maybe 60 H.P..

Think how many lorries one Sheffield size barge would keep of the road.

The saving in fuel and man power alone was enormous

 

That would be if they're were any coal mines left. Just out of interest, what's the nearest coal mine to Sheffield now?

[cuttsie]

That would be if they're were any coal mines left. Just out of interest, what's the nearest coal mine to Sheffield now?

Barges into Sheffield carried goods of all description not just coal.

They then left for Goole carrying steel, it was efficient and low cost transport as well as environmentally friendly.

The nearest pit is at Hadfield perhaps the only one left.

[bigal123456]

am i right in thinking there was coal/coke place near the bottom of rock street on the bottom rd????