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Society Programme for the Current Season

                               

Programme of Presentations to Macclesfield Canal Society for 2023/2024

 

 

15th December 2023 AGM 

AGM Tonight 

AGM Meeting including Christmas Social and also Presentation from Members   

 

 For 2024 we are trialling holding the January and February talks using Zoom. One reason for this is to prevent speakers and audiences having to travel in the difficult winter      months. Another reason is that it allows us to get speakers who are not in easy travelling distance of Macclesfield. This applies to the speakers we have for the meetings in January and February 2024. It is becoming increasing difficult to find local speakers. It also allows members who live some distance from Macclesfield to participate in the talks.

 

 

19th January Roger Butler

                   Up the Macc in 1966

This talk follows a cruise in 1966 from Fradley Junction all the way north to the Macclesfield and Peak Forest Canals…where the official signs at Marple said ‘not recommended for boating’. It includes pictures of the ‘famous’ IWA rally at Marple. 

(Zoom talk)

16th February       Cath Turpin 

             The Lives of the People who worked on Narrow

                   Boats in the 20th century

During this time, the majority of long distant narrow boats were crewed by a boatman and his family. Their work and lives were largely unknown by most people - we will look at their living accomodation, the hazards they faced and the work they did. (Zoom talk)

15th March    Jim Mole

Northwich- A Heritage Port 

Jim Mole Chairman of the River Weaver Navigation Society will talk and discuss the 19th century buildings and structures adjacent to the River Weaver. Centred on the Navigation Yard, this one time maintenance yard of the British Waterways Board is now up for sale and there are concerns for the preservation of its heritage aspects. Jim will also outline the major Chemicals Industry  - water born by the river Weaver from Northwich to the sea.

19th Apri

  Pat Marks

 Scenes of the Midi-the beauty of Southern France

Patrick will describe his adventures with a boat of shared ownership, exploring the Canal du Midi in France.

17th May  

John Pomfret

Braunston - canal age transport hub

 A look at the history of canals in and around Braunston, Northamptonshire, in the wider context of the history of transport, from Roman roads to early river transport, through turnpikes, the canal age, the railway age and the motorway age. Although the talk concentrates on Braunston, it includes many references to the wider history of the narrow canal system of the South Midlands.