lock lintel #154

Issue No 154 Spring 2010

Lock LintelThe River Stour Trust Journal

RESTORING & CONSERVING THE RIVER STOUR NAVIGATION

CONTENTS PAGE

Chairman’s Message 2

Welcome to New Members / Quiz 4

Editor’s Message / Nicholls 5

Members’ Nights / Pirates on the Stour 6

Tides at the Boathouse 7

Francis James Batten 8

Sudbury to the Sea – Another Perspective Sheila Morris 10

Festive Paddle 2009 11

Anglian Waterways (EA) Website 12

Dedham Vale Activities 13

46 S2C Runs Peter Evans 14

Waitrose 18

Stour Secrets / Birthday Celebrations 19

Flatford and Sudbury Boat Operations AGMs 20

Captain Donald Roger Green 21

We Do The Impossible Every Day John Morris 22

Wedding of Chris & Laura Walker Dorothy Howe 23

SBOC Work Party Report George Whybrow & John Mills 24

A Canoe for the Stour Trevor Palmer 25

Christmas Bazaar 2009 Lyn Searle 28

The River Stour Flows On Pam Brady 29

Taking the Waters Sue Brown 30

Stratford St Mary Lock Restoration / Illuminated Procession 34

Sales Table / Books and Publications 35

Dates For Your Diary 2010 36

Deadlines for the next issues are 1st August 2010 / 1st February 2011

THE RIVER STOUR TRUSTRegistered Office: The Granary • Quay Lane • Sudbury • Suffolk • CO10 2AN

Administrative Office: Visitor/Education Centre (VEC)Dove House Meadow • Great Cornard • Sudbury • Suffolk • CO10 0GF

Tel: 01787 313199 Tel/Fax: 01787 313100

email: [email protected]

RESTORING AND CONSERVING THE RIVER STOUR NAVIGATIONRegistered Charity No: 257806

A non-profit making distributing company limited by guarantee No: 938670

Patron: Sir Jocelyn Stevens CVO

Vice Presidents: Mr Emrhys Barrell; Mr William Frecknall; Mr John Osborne; Lord Andrew Phillips of Sudbury; Mr David Rayner; Mr Griff Rhys Jones; Mr David Stevenson; Mr John Tritton

Council Members: John Anderson; Roger Brown; Debbie Bryce; Alan Cook; Brian Cornell; Peter Edwards; Mike Finch; Peter Hesketh;Dorothy Howe; John Morris; Andrew Sheldon; Nicholas Temple

MEMBERSHIP ANNUAL RATES

Please consider payment by Banker’s Order as this removes the need forreminders.

Please complete the Gift Aid form (if you are a tax payer) as we are able toreclaim 28p from every £1 that is paid at no cost or inconvenience to you.

Individual or Senior Citizen Couple £15.00

Couple or Club £20.00

Senior Citizen £10.00

Corporate (up to 20 employees) £40.00

Corporate (more than 21 employees) £100.00

Designed and produced by Peter Evans Ltd Tel: 01473 686611

Front Cover – Dedham Lock during S2C 2009Back Cover – Rosette in Cornard Lock by George Whybrow

from governance so that these twodistinct functions are seen to be distinct.We are in the process of engaging morewith our Vice Presidents and lookforward to identifying their roles andpurpose more clearly. Their experience,views and wisdom could be well used tohelp the Trust look to the future – againsomething that Francis was doing rightto the end of his life.

Stratford Lock continues to be the mainfeature of our restoration programmeand while we need to work closely withthe Environment Agency to agree theway forward on this project, we knowwe have support from many areas andlook forward with confidence to gettingthe job done. Stratford Lock is the lastof the ‘most recent’ locks to have beenupgraded in the 1930’s and so presentsus with the ‘easiest’ of those locks still inexistence. The question then is, ‘Whatnext?’ But before getting into thatdiscussion, let’s look at other projectsthat are on the stocks.

We should know in mid Februarywhether the Managing a Masterpiecegroup has been successful in their bid formoney to restore the John Constable –our Stour lighter that sits on a bed ofsand by Cornard Lock. To say it is in aparlous state is an understatement, andthe considered opinion is that it will fallto pieces if they try to lift it out of thewater. The lighter is on the HistoricShips Register and will be an excellentexample of these iconic vessels when itis restored. Could there be the ‘otherhalf’ later, I wonder?

As part of the MaM proposals we havebeen asked if we could run a water busoperation from Flatford to Dedham. Thisis currently under investigation but twotrials at the end of last season providedus with some positive information that

suggests this is a feasible plan. Thisinitiative could see the Trust providing auseful service in that area and, at thesame time, raise our profile (andfinances) for the restoration work.

The issue of our core business continuesto provide us with a constant reminderof what the trust is here for and why weraise money. The council met in 2008and decided that education shouldremain as part of our Memorandum ofAssociation. There is no doubt thateducation is an important part of ourlong term viability – without new peoplebeing educated and enthused about theriver and what we do, there is littlehope for a strong trust in years to come.However, the council decided thateducation should not be a core goal. Inother words it should earn us money orhave direct benefits to the restorationwork and not be a net user of money.

This raises the question of whether weneed a huge building to fulfil that role –do we need the Visitor and EducationCentre? I wish there was an easy answerto that question. On the one hand wehave it but on the other, it is not acheap building to run and is not used toanywhere near its potential. Emptybuildings that cost money cannot bewhat we raise money for and an answermust be found. Ideally, somebody wouldvolunteer who felt passionately aboutthe building and could provide theinfrastructure to support its use. Wehave had some successful school visitsbut, even if every school in the area sentone school year to visit each year, therevenue would not be that great. Analternative use or uses must be found.

Much good work continues as ‘businessas usual’ with the boat operations gettingused more and more, the tea roomproviding an excellent range of

CHAIRMAN’S MESSAGE

Dear Members,

This is my last Chairman’s message forLock Lintel and I write it with a mixtureof sadness and satisfaction. I statedcategorically that I would only undertakethis role for 2 years and, given that I waselected to the council at the AGM in2008, those two years end at the AGMin May this year.

My great sadness, that I know I sharewith many others, is when I think ofFrancis Batten who died a few monthsago. Francis, most deserving of the title‘Vice President’, was one of the Trust’smost ardent supporters, donating notjust his time, money and energy but alsoenormous enthusiasm for the RiverStour and the Trust’s work. Back in thesummer when, with the benefit ofhindsight, Francis knew his days werecoming to an end, he asked to see JeffBurroughs and me to talk about theriver and the future of our restorationprogramme. It was after Francis hadspoken about his ideas for the futurethat I managed to get him to speak moreabout his involvement with the House ofLords’ challenge to the water authoritywhen they tried to remove the right ofnavigation on the Stour. The money tofund the process was finite and yet theimplications of losing were enormous.

What impressed me when speaking toFrancis about this period was the waythat he, as Chairman at the time,stepped into a most unfamiliar world ofbarristers, lawyers and Law Lords tostand up for what he and others thoughtwas right. It was truly a David andGoliath story. But it was only when Iwas hearing the story from Francis firsthand that it became clear that he wasnot confident in this unfamiliar world but

was determined and resolute, with, whathe believed, was right on his side. Thisprovided an insight into the tenaciousside of Francis.

These 2 years working for the Trusthave been challenging in the extremebut, before I move away from writingabout Francis, I would like to mentionthe fact that generally before eachcouncil meeting but sometimesafterwards, he would ring to give me afew words of encouragement or to say‘well done’. Whether I deserved hispraise is another matter, but nobodywas as consistent as Francis in theirobvious and practical expressions ofsupport for me personally. Francis willbe for me, ‘one of the greats’ in my life.

But as I said at the beginning, this is myvaledictory letter and so I would like torecap on the last 2 years and talk aboutthe future as I see it.

The Trust has been through someenormous changes. Contrary to thescaremongering at the back end of 2007,the Trust has not crumbled into adiscordant heap but has moved into avibrant democratic organisation thatfaces the future with many more peopletaking responsibility and managementroles. Our finances are in better orderthan they have been for many years andour systems for accounting and runningthe business are fully computerised,transparent and able to be interrogatedat the touch of a button. We haverefocused on our priorities, getting backto the restoration of the navigation asour raison d’etre, something that I knowpleases many people – Francis certainlybeing one of them!

The council has been restructured in away that will share responsibilityamongst more people for running thebusiness, and separates management

The River Stour Trust Restoring and conserving the River Stour Navigation2 www.riverstourtrust.org 3

refreshments in a delightful setting, thecoracle regatta, steam & electric boatingweekend, S2C, teddy bear boat rides,pirate day, illuminated procession andthe Christmas bazaar to name but some!And not forgetting the work parties,who make Bob the Builder envious withthe expertise that can be mustered todeal with most jobs! We have a vibrantand active calendar, one that isconstantly improving.

I should like to end this letter byreiterating something that I have saidmany times before. I am repeatedlyamazed, enthused and encouraged by theenergy and commitment of everybodywho works for the Trust in whatevercapacity. We have some clever,experienced people; people with manyskills and enormous amounts of energy.It is those people who have given me thedetermination to see through thechanges that were started back inOctober 2007. I leave the role ofChairman of Council without knowingwho will step forward and take myplace, but confident that the person whodoes so will inherit a democratic

structure, staffed by enthusiastic peoplewho will move the Trust forward.

I have enjoyed parts of my time asChairman and experienced others that Iam happy to forget and leave in the past.

But overall, I am satisfied that the job I undertook back in 2007 has beencompleted and I would like to thank allthose people who have played a part indelivering the changes that the majorityof council members and Trust membersalike saw as being vital to the long termhealth of the organisation.

I look forward to seeing the Trust growand go from strength to strength.

Thank you.

Peter HeskethChairman of CouncilJanuary 2010

Mr Robert BennettMr Roger & Mrs Marsyl KosterMr Christopher Burrows & Miss Victoria MooreMr John & Mrs Joanne BrightMr David & Mrs Paula StevensMr Colin CampbellMr Colin & Ann MayMiss Rosalind HardyMr Boris & Mrs Bekki BibkoMr David BixbyMr David ColeMr Colin ComptonMr Peter & Mrs Diane Edwards

Mr David & Patricia EatonMr Peter & Mrs Kathleen FryMr Ray JacobsMr Richard ThomsonMr Richard DisneyMs. Lynda RumbleMr Graham & Mrs Deborah OrmeMr David Stenson & Ms. Lisa ColeMr Ken RickwoodMr Hugh ThorntonMr S MilesMr Michael & Mrs Gillian SarlingMrs Joan Wilson

WE WELCOME NEW MEMBERS

EDITOR’S MESSAGE

Thank you to everyone for yourcontributions to this issue of Lock Lintel.Keep them coming…

I would love to receive an article aboutdragonflies and other insects found onand near the river.

The next deadline is 1st August 2010 but please send your articles as soon as possible.

Helen Richardson58 Queens Road Sudbury Suffolk CO10 [email protected]

NICHOLLS – Can you help?

Kris contacted the Suffolk FamilyHistory Society about his ancestorsbut I wonder if anyone can help him.

Peter Nicholls and his son John whowere living in Meadow Lane, Sudbury in1841 and Friars Street, Sudbury in 1851-1861 - Master Barge Builder employing 5 men! Joseph Nicholls who was living inChurch Street in 1841. Occupation:-Barge Builder

Joseph Nicholls of Woodbridge and MillLane, Sudbury – Shipwright. HenryNicholls of Woodbridge in 1841 - ashipwright, St. Helen's, Ipswich in 1851 - a boatwright.

Charles Nicholls of Woodbridge - a shipwright. William Nicholls ofWoodbridge in 1841 - a shipwright, inMill Lane, Sudbury - Barge Builder in1851/1861 and Quay Lane, Sudbury from1871 - 1891- Barge Builder.

Robert Nicholls, Church Street, Sudburyin 1841 - 1861 and Garden Place,Sudbury in 1871-1881 - Barge Builderand silk weaver. There was also a PeterNicholls born in Sudbury in 1788 whohad moved to London by 1841 and wasa Barge Builder there!!!

I have found two very interestingwebsites about the River Stour and theymention The River Stour NavigationCompany - I wonder if my family may beconnected?

[email protected]

Do you have information aboutbarge/boat builders & shipwrights?Please send in an article for the nextissue of Lock Lintel



MEMBERS’ NIGHTS

Following the introduction of our regularmembers’ nights on the second Friday ofeach month at the Granary, I am pleasedto see they have been well supported.Each night has steadily become morepopular and hopefully by end of 2010these will be a firm favourite with us all.

We started in October with a Fish &Chip supper, a chance for like mindedmembers to relax and socialise,sometimes with other members they didnot know. Plenty of Fish & chips wereconsumed along with a healthy turnoverfrom the bar, a small surplus was madefrom the sale of the suppers and wasreturned as a donation to the Trust.

In November seven teams battled it outover John Andersons quiz night. Thewinning team took away a cash prize asdid the second and third. Everyone hadgreat fun, why not put in your own teamnext time?

December saw us celebrate with aChristmas Pies night. Pies galore fromlocal grocers and of many differentvarieties were consumed with delight,washed down with fine local ale boughtin especially from Mauldons.

Andrew Sheldon

NB February meeting was a very interestingtalk by Spencer Greystrong (from IWA),about the River Gipping Trust.www.rivergippingtrust.org.uk

March will be Adrian Walters on theSudbury Commons Land Trust.

PIRATES ON THE STOUR

Young pirates enjoyed a free boat tripand plenty of seafaring banter from ourvolunteer seadogs!

Jeff Burroughs (also known as Pirate JackBlack Kid) was right when he said thatthis event would be a success so getyour eye patch and parrot dusted off fora repeat this year!

Catherine Burrows

FRANCIS JAMES BATTEN

An extract of the eulogy read atFrancis’ funeral.

Francis James Batten was born atDenmark Villas, Nayland on 27thFebruary 1921. The second of threechildren to Ellen and Ernest, having anolder sister, Margaret and youngerbrother, Philip.

His father’s family had farmed inGloucestershire but as the farm therecould not sustain the whole familyErnest moved away and eventuallybecame farm manager at Rushbankswhich at that time serviced the JaneWalker Sanatorium. Ellen, a Quaker, hadbeen a district midwife in her nativeSussex and in time became Matron of alocal hospital.

His father’s health however was notgood, having suffered harsh conditions asa Conscientious Objector during theFirst World War and it declined rapidlyas he grew older. At the age of 9 youngFrancis was sent away to board at theFriends’ School in Saffron Walden as –so legend has it – his mother was unableto control him. Here he quickly gainedthe nickname “Farmer Baits” because hewas a farmer’s son and quick to “get in abait” but nevertheless he benefited froma solid and well-rounded education.

His parents had eventually moved fromNayland to Campions Farm and thenRushbanks and Goody’s before finallybeing in a position to buy The Grove in1944. Francis had worked alongside hisfather after leaving school but even socould have been scarcely prepared at 23to take over upon his father’s death ayear later.

Nevertheless, Francis took on the runningof the farm with his mother and sister.The land they took on was poorlymanaged and of low fertility but theyworked hard at improving thistremendously, using wisely the by-products of the herd of some 80 or sopedigree Friesian dairy cattle which theyalso built up. Francis was respected as afair employer whose staff often stayedwith him for many years, but was at timesrather less respected by the dairy bulls,which on more than one occasion turnedon him and had him down and trampled.He is remembered as seldom being partedfrom the beret which he always wore,except for when he flung it off in temper,jumping up and down on it several timesto relieve his frustration, and would notinfrequently yell at the machinery when itlet him down – although it was neverheard to answer him back!

In 1947 whilst attending an Old Scholars’weekend at Saffron Walden he met upwith Nen, another Old Scholar – thoughnot as old as him! – and they began arelationship which led to a marriage in1949 which lasted until their DiamondWedding Anniversary, an event Franciswas desperate to survive to celebratealthough he was by then in failing health.

In 1952 their son John was born and inthe early 60s the young family managedto escape for a week’s holiday on thecanals and from that time on all 3 ofthem enjoyed a lifelong love of boating.Nen was first to buy a narrow boat –Kew – which was kept on the River Leenear Bishops Stortford for weekends andholidays. Francis at this point joined theRiver Stour Trust and devoted a lot oftime and energy to its ventures, using his


knowledge, influence, skills and equipment to good effect and the Trustis indebted to him for much of the accessit gained via his negotiations with fellowlandowners to otherwise inaccessiblelocations on the river. By the early 70sFrancis had become Chairman of theTrust and was much involved in the fightagainst proposed changes in byelaws toremove all statutory rights of navigationon the Stour - attending the hearing inLondon, giving evidence in the House ofLords and keeping the Trust’s counselwell-briefed.

The family fleet increased with theaddition of John’s pair of working boats,Pictor and Whitby and Nen’s purchaseof a horse-drawn narrow boat,Betelgeuse, giving trips to tourists inChester, courtesy the charming shirehorse Snowy, who was used to draw theTrust’s restored lighter along the watermeadows in Sudbury. Snowy laterbecame the subject of a book writtenfor children and also caught the Queen’seye during a Royal visit to Chester,occasioning her to stroll over toadminister a pat and a kind word.

In 1981 at the age of 97 Francis’smother died, to pay death duties theywere left with no option but to sell upand retire. Nen and Francis moved toKites Hardwick on the Warwickshire /Northamptonshire border and Francisfinally bought his own pair of boats,Callisto and Ara, which he ran ascamping boats on the Grand Union canalat Braunston.

In acknowledgement of all his work forthe Trust he was made a Vice-Presidentand continued to attend AGMs when

possible and support its latest ventures. Meanwhile he increased his already extensive knowledge of the canalnetwork, becoming a familiar face in theMidlands known for his friendliness andenthusiasm if not always the accuracy ofhis steering, and many of the friendsestablished in those days are here withus today to honour his memory. In theearly 90s the couple down-sized to abungalow in Long Buckby where theywere able to continue their associationwith the waterways but by the end ofthat decade the boats, apart from John’s,were sold as advancing years began totake their toll.

When their son John became ill Nen andFrancis moved back to Suffolk to be nearhim and together they faced the dreadfulloss of their only child in 2001. Franciseventually began to attend the Trust’smeetings regularly again but his ownhealth began to deteriorate and at timesdiminished his ability to achieve all that hewould have liked to do. He complainedlittle and always kept a cheerful face andseemed to worry most about the futurefor his wife, imploring close friends to“Look out for Nen. Underneath she’s assoft as can be you know.”

He was laid to rest with his son in thearea they both lived near the river heloved. He is remembered for hiskindness and generosity; his cheerinessand readiness to chat with whoever wasthere to be chatted with; his willingnessto help out when trouble struck and hissteadfast support and friendship in timesof adversity.


On Christmas Eve 3rd Sudbury SeaScouts arrived at the Headquarters inQuay Lane, where the car park was likean ice skating ring, and the gas works cutwas frozen over. The ice was over30mm thick, which was set to make ourtrip all the more interesting.

21 Sea Scouts dressed up and thendecorated their kayaks and canoes infestive decorations before setting outonto the River Stour. We had to smashour way through the ice which took anhour to get out on to the main river.Once on the main river we made goodtime paddling down river to the RiverStour Trust’s Visitor and EducationalCentre (VEC) at the site of theMillennium lock.

Leaders, helpers and parents helped with cooking all the food beforetransporting the food to the VEC. SeaScouts were joined by family and friendsto enjoy the food and drinks beforehaving a group photo taken outside the VEC. We then headed back up theriver to the Scout HQ.

This trip was so much fun it may well be back in 2010.

I would like to thank everyone whohelped make this event possible, and aspecial thanks to the helpers who helpedraise the money for the trip earlier inthe year.

Sea Scouts have lots planned for 2010 soif you are interested please contact me onthe number below or visit our website atwww.riverstour.com Yours in Scouting.

Rob Palmer3rd Sudbury Sea Scouts07980 802213

3rd Sudbury Scout Group are pleased to announce their Recognitionby the RYA to become a Power-boatTraining Centre. This follows manyyears of successful power-boatingactivities by the Group. Rob Palmer isthe Centre Principal and Chief PowerBoat Instructor in addition to holdingthe post of Sea Scout Leader.

Sunday 13th September – 8.00 pm. Tired and back aching I lay in the bathand thought about the weekend I havejust had.

No, I haven’t paddled from Sudbury tothe Sea, in and out of the canoe, roundthe portages, through the shallows andslept in a tent.

My experience of S2C 09 started weeksago at meetings, planning how this year’sevent would be organised.

“What did we do last year?”“Would it be better if…?”

The count down begins.

“How many buns shall we order?”“Have we got enough help at Langham Flumes?”

The weather forecast is good – it’s goingto be another big one!

Friday night, the Granary is open for thecanoes that arrive for overnight storage– a bumper crop this year. Cars areloaded with the multitude of bits andpieces large and small, all needed tomake things run smoothly.

8.00 am Saturday and the Granary isready. Bacon is cooking, water is hot forcoffee, booking forms, numbers andinstructions are ready. We have no idea of numbers, only that 250 took partlast year.

Along the Stour volunteers spread outto support the paddlers and help themon their way. 297 boats register and theevent starts at 9.00 am, the last boatleaving at 11.00 am.

What follows is an amazing experience.

My snap shots of the event are at theregistration, Wissington campsite,

Stratford St Mary and Cattawade. Ateach there is a great atmosphere; asense of fun and shared experience.Most retain their sense of humourthrough their weariness and are happyto join the queue that the large numbersmake inevitable (just over 300 boats intotal this year – about 530 people andseveral dogs!).

At Cattawade the tired but happy facescollecting their certificates had a tiredglow of satisfaction that they havesucceeded. Even those who dropped outat Stratford St Mary do so with a senseof achievement.

My part in the organisation of S2C issmall, the major part lies on theshoulders of Helen, with considerablesupport from George, Maggie, John,Catherine and, of course, Andrew.

The smooth running also depends on theother 30+ volunteers who give theirtime over the weekend. I hope theyenjoyed themselves as much as I did.

Sheila Morris

SUDBURY TO THE SEA 09 – ANOTHER PERSPECTIVE FESTIVE PADDLE 2009

The Environment Agency haslaunched a new website aimed athighlighting all that the rivers ofthe Anglian region have to offer.

Visit Anglian Waterways is packed full ofinformation and features about the riversGreat Ouse, Nene, Stour, Welland andGlen and Ancholme.

Visitors to the Visit Anglian Waterwayswebsite will find an invaluable resource.The site provides an official guide toeverything people can expect to find‘down by the riverside’. It includes sectionson activities such as boating, fishing,walking and cycling as well as informationon places to eat, where to stay and nearbyattractions. Visit Anglian Waterways aimsto promote each of the rivers and ensurethat as many people as possible knowabout what they have to offer.

The rivers are valuable natural assetsand we want to see people of all agesenjoying them. The rivers run throughsome of England’s most beautiful andtranquil countryside as well as a numberof historic towns and villages - there is sure to be something to interestalmost everyone.

The Visit Anglian Waterways website can be found atwww.visitanglianwaterways.co.uk

There is information about planning atrip on each of the rivers, how toregister your boat, news, locks, usefulcontacts and available leaflets of interest.There are also full details of how to get to the rivers via public transport andcar in addition to a full guide tointerlinking waterways.

The Visit Anglian team would like tohear from businesses located near the river.

The Anglian Waterways MembershipScheme (AWMS) is a public/privatesector partnership dedicated topromoting navigable waterways as atourist destination. The AWMS providesan opportunity to share knowledge andexperience of the waterways withvisitors, tourists and businesses. Basiclistings are placed free of charge. The site also offers premium listings for a small fee.

The scheme is open to any organisationor individual who is actively involved inthe promotion of a business or idea thatcontributes to the positive developmentof leisure and recreation activities alongthe navigable Anglian waterways. Thereare three types of Membership available;Bronze, Silver and Gold. Each offeringdifferent promotional opportunities.

The website currently has manybusinesses listed, from bed andbreakfasts to world-famous attractions.Anyone interested in finding out moreabout the Anglian WaterwaysMembership Scheme should [email protected]

The new Visit Anglian Waterwayswebsite creates a one-stop internet shopfor people to find out more. It goes toprove you don’t need to own a boat toenjoy our rivers.

NB Please send in any additional placesyou know about for us to enjoy Helen

“HOP” AROUND THE PENTLOW TRALE!

Sunday 21st February 10am-12.30pmJoin us for a short walk around Pentlow with an intriguing behind-the-scenes tour of the Nethergate Brewery. Tasting session included before concluding the walk.

Approx. 3 miles – Moderate with some road walking

THE DIZZY HEIGHTS OF BURESSunday 28th March 10am – 12.30pm

Let’s celebrate the official start of British summertime with a walk around the historic village of Bures, before a very special visit to the mysterious

Mount with an experienced archaeologist.Approx. 5 miles – Moderate

Booking necessary on 01473 264263 or email [email protected]

May 2010 onwardsDedham Vale AONB 40th Anniversary of Designation:

SPECIAL EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES FOR A SPECIAL YEAR!

2010 is the 40th Anniversary of the designation of the Dedham Vale as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

We will celebrate the anniversary with a number of events including:• Family activities • Walks and talks

• A special art exhibition at the Sir Alfred Munnings Art Museum • New leaflets to promote enjoyment of the AONB • A photo history of the changes over the 40 years

We will be out and about in the AONB throughout the year undertaking projects and tasks to protect and enhance the area.

The events will kick-off with the Hadleigh Show on Saturday 15 May. See www.dedhamvalestourvalley.org and the Project newspaper

(due out at Easter) for further information.

Contact: Dedham Vale AONB and Stour Valley Projectc/o Suffolk County Council, Endeavour House, Russell Road, Ipswich IP1 2BX

email: [email protected] Tel: 01473 264263


RIVERS OF EXCITEMENT OVER WEBSITE TO CELEBRATEANGLIAN WATERWAYS

At the Southampton Boat Show 2004, I just fell in love with a Canadian Canoe.The colour, shape and the simplicity ofthe craft made me dream of journeys I would have in it. A few months later, I was leaving the Bristol shop – the onlyplace then that sold the Wenonah rangeof canoes. I’d chosen, from theirextensive range, the 17.5 ft Kevlar builtEscape at 52lbs. They have a brilliantweb site that fully explains how hullshape affects performance. The managerof the shop sold me everything hethought I needed, as I was a newcomerto this hobby. This decision was a reallygood one. He sold me really good kevlarpaddles, light but best of all with a slightbend, to make them more efficient.Floating painters of the correct length,that of the canoe, life jackets in green soI did not stand out in the beautifulcountryside. The only mistake I madethat day was not spending another £200and buying the very light version, 10lbslighter, but then I did not realise thenhow much I would come to use it.

After a couple of gentle runs fromBrantham to Flatford and back and thenseeing the RST’s website and the S2Crun they did, I wondered if I could do itin a day. My first attempt in December2004 taught me much. We failed,

stopping as it grew dark at Stratford StMary, so near, yet so far from Brantham,our goal.

We had taken far too much food, toomany spare clothes, too muchunnecessary weight, the trolley wheelsbeing just one item we though we mightneed but didn’t.

On 2nd January 2005 my son and I setout on a bright sunny day at 9am, withmuch less weight on board and knowingnow where the portage points were.We finished as the sun went down,paddling the last mile as it became dark.Another lesson learnt: start earlier inwinter, as the light goes early! We hadsun shine till it set, and it was a trulyfabulous with no one else on the river atall, not even at Flatford. When I toldpeople what we had done, they allwanted to come and thus each monthwithout a break for two years, I canoedthe S2C run, sometimes months, fourtimes. Almost all were first timers andeveryone without exception wanted todo it again. As one paddler asked meafter his trip, can I do the four seasonswith you? He could see that the riverwould change greatly as the seasonspassed through.

In winter the Stour is just brilliant topaddle, and only once have we beenstuck in thick ice at the coldest part ofthe river, as you approach the LeTalbooth. The sun hardly gets throughthe trees here, while the river flow isslow, too. The lowest temperature todate at our starting point is -4C,breaking the ice at the RST headquartersto launch. When there is a deep frostwith ice at the edges of the river, it’ssheer magic, as the bow wave causes thevery thin ice at the edge to create awhispering noise. Within 100 yards ofsetting out you are up to a nice warmtemperature, regulating your heat byremoving either gloves or your hat. Iwear my sailing boots in winter with twopairs of socks. You must not get wet atall. Thermal under garments with a fewother warm layers insure we stay cosy.

I never set out unless I have a wind fromthe west or thereabouts. An easterlywind will sap your energy, making thelast few miles through open country thatmuch harder, but not impossible.

As the summer comes, the river changesgreatly, the open views close up, reedstower above you, plants on the bankgive you a green hedge to paddlebetween. Lilies just below the surface,

in now crystal clear waters, give you amagic carpet to glide over. One minute akingfisher darts ahead of you, the next alarge fish steamed past the bow towardsour stern.

A normal trip with a first-timer will takeabout seven and a half hours withoutrushing it. This includes a thirty minutedinner stop. No one to date has hurtthemselves or suffered the following dayeither. The soup I take in winter isreplaced by Champagne and of coursestrawberries in summer. I open thebottle at Wormingford and finish it aswe paddle our feet in the lower portagepoint at Wissington Weir. It’s is a truedelight. The sugar in the alcohol comesin handy and you will find your strokerates goes up as it burns off for the nextfew portages.

Loving gadgets, I bought a GPS thatwould float if dropped into the water!This proved to be money well spent. Iknow you can’t get lost, but to guess thespeed of a canoe is difficult. On the veryfirst trip with a GPS it became clear wewere wasting energy. Using the J stroke– where you keep paddling one side onlyand use the paddle as a rudder every


A TOTAL OF 46 S2C RUNS, 1140 MILES AND STILL LOVING EVERY SINGLE TRIP

fifth stoke to steer – meant that myspeed would drop off only to build untiltill I ruddered again. So I decided toswap sides as soon as my canoe startedto veer off course. Yes, it meant Ibrought water on board as the paddlecrossed over, but my speed stayed goodand I conserved my energy.

Many people have said to me: “You’rethe man who races down the river,aren’t you?” If only they would come inmy canoe, they would find out how touse less energy and go steadily. Firstlythe Wenonah Escape is a very efficienthull shape once in a straight line, and wehave the best of paddles – light andefficient. I care for the bottom of thecanoe, and while it’s impossible not toscratch it a bit, I try hard not to damageit. Every scratch means you have topaddle that much harder. I polish thebottom of the canoe more than the topsides, as it has a tremendous effect onhull speed. Also the front seat can bemoved backwards and forwards tobalance up the trim of the canoe; thistoo has a tremendous effect on yourspeed/efficiency.

In December 2006, aged of 56, alongwith Graham Sherward aged 67, we seta time of four hours fifty minutes andportaged all the weirs. Neither of us hadgone into training, neither of us weresuper fit – it was just a steady, efficientpaddle action that allowed it to happen.Graham thought my choice of food wasawful: cheese sandwiches. His view wasit took the body too long to get theenergy out! He had Christmas cake withjust plain water. He was right, threequarters the way down, my energyfailed, but thankfully my energy drinkssaved the day.

While the S2C run is brilliant, it givesthe impression that you need two daysto do this fantastic trip. Here is myadvice on how to do it in a day:

• If in a group, arrive at each portage singly, don’t wait to help the next vessel. If 10 minutes is lost at each portage then you end up one hour and 40 minutes down.

• Try to paddle at a steady rhythm. It’s easier once the canoe is up to speed to keep it there. A stop start pattern only means you waste energy getting it moving again.

• Don’t waste energy trying to go too fast either. You just need to keep at about 4 mph minimum. My canoe has a maximum speed of about 5.7 mph, but the energy required to keep it there is too much. But at 5 mph its relatively easy.

• Make sure you eat well the night before with pasta or the like, good slow burn energy, but do take along some energy drinks in case you start to fall short.

• Make sure, too, that the bottom of thecanoe is smoothed off to the best you can get it.

• Don’t take too much extra gear and have this gear in bags that you can carry on your shoulder at the portage points, as it makes the canoe much lighter to carry.

• Do carry a dry bag with spare clothes in. I stopped for a period of time doingthis. This was a big mistake as when paddling with a group one canoe capsized at Lamarsh Weir. All their spare clothes got wet as they did not


have a proper dry bag, but fortunately the third canoe did have spare clothes they could use.

• One piece of equipment is a must: a small pruning saw. You really don’t know when a tree will be blocking your trip. On many an occasion we have had to saw through the odd branch or two.

When the river is in full flood, it’sfantastic. In no way is the river any biggerthreat to you than summer, it just meansat each of the lower portage points, thelaunching platform may be 5ftunderwater, so you will have to launchoff the down steps. The risk of paddlingthrough the trees that normally youwould paddle under is no greater riskthan summer time, when then they fallinto the river completely. The oneproblem we had with higher river levelsis that I got stuck under the bridge afterRushbanks camp site. My life jacket gotwedged as I was bent forward! Myworst and most frightening trip waswhen I set out with a force 6-7 from theWest. My idea that we would just beblown along, turned into the only time I have had to rudder strongly with mypaddle on the straights as the stern triedto overtake the bow. Swan attacks too

are frightening. My advice is to keep yourspeed up, stay close to the bank anddon’t stop. Only twice have they madecontact by crashing into the canoe sides!

While I can see the interest in preservinganother lock, I’d like to see a guaranteedminimum depth on the river of 2ft,portage points like at the Henny regulatorliterally jointed together. Also would liketo see the landing stages aligned with thesteps so the canoes slides down in oneprogressive movement. All chicken wireshould be moved back from the edge ofall portage points by at least one inch tostop damage to the bottom of the canoes,along with a yearly hammering session ofdriving down all nails and screws on theseportage points, again to stop damage. My biggest wish and one that I believe willbring the river alive all year round, is ataxi/trailor service that will return youand the canoe back to your start point, ashappens throughout the French rivers. It would be nice if the River Stour couldbecome unique in that only craft thatwere human or animal powered wereallowed on it. It’s been a working river for300 years, and I’d like to see it kept thatway. I’m sure if all those that took a tripon it, if they had to contribute to thepower of the vessel they were in, wouldgo home that much the richer.

As I write the above, another side of mehopes no one reads any of this. Why?Because in winter, when the river isabsolutely stunning, I can travel near 20 miles without seeing another person.

I almost have the river all to myself, butthen it would be like turning a beautifulpainting to face the wall, in case toomany people looked at it!

Peter Evans


NEW TO RST SALES –‘STOUR SECRETS’ BY KEN RICKWOOD

Ken was inspired to write the book afterhearing about a place on the StourEstuary with the unusual name of ‘JohnnyAll Alone’. He soon realised that therewere many other intriguing aspects thathave not been previously been set downin a single volume, such as; King Alfred’sbattle with the Danes at its seaward end,Samuel Pepys’ friend Sir Anthony Deanebuilding warships in the Navy Yard atHarwich, the brewer Thomas Cobboldfetching his ‘liquor’ from the Suffolkshore for his brewery in Harwich, JohnConstable’s father shipping his flour toLondon from Mistley, and the Mistleymaltsters loading their malt into vesselsto be taken to the Thameside breweries,surrendering German U-boats beingbrought into the Stour at the end of theFirst World War; and for some three-quarters of a century seamen for theRoyal Navy being trained on this estuary.

Ken sets out to share his fascination ofthe Stour Estuary with ‘Stour Secrets’and is currently working on anotherbook that will cover the Stour fromCattawade to the source. He would bepleased to hear from anyone withinformation or photographs that theywould like to share. Please contact himvia his publisher, David Cleveland (PO Box 7608, Manningtree, Essex).

100th BIRTHDAYCELEBRATIONS

28th June 2009: Ellen Williamscelebrated her 100th birthday with aboat trip and picnic lunch at the VEC by the lock. The party were back only a few weeks later as they had enjoyedthe boat trip so much!

108th BIRTHDAYCELEBRATIONS

22nd August 2009: Kathleen Grimwoodcelebrated her 108th birthday in stylewith an afternoon boat trip followed bytea and cake in our tea room. This hasbeen the traditional celebration for thepast six years and we look forward toseeing Kathleen again this year!

CAPTAIN DONALD

Donald was proud of his neat little craft.She was trimly turned out, both for’ard and aft.

The wood was all varnished, the brass-work all shone,As she cut through the water, skippered by Don.

When they came in to moor at the helm he would stay,And give all the orders the crew must obey!

The crew, by the way, was his wife, and the logRecorded another crew member; their dog!

Our Donald was known at all of the locks.He’d slip in so neatly without bumps or knocks.Topped out in his skippers cap, looking the part,

He knew he’d got boat-handling off to an art.

One thing he’d forgotten, you knew there’d be one!Was that boating on water is really quite fun,As long as you bear in mind water won’t stay,

And boats left alone on it just float away!

They found a nice mooring one fine summer’s day,Don put engines astern and ‘skippered’ away.He came alongside with just inches to spare,

And a crowd of gongoozlers all came out to stare.

As he sauntered ashore, that’ll show them, he thought,Just who knows how to handle their starboard and port.

His wife, not so speedy, as Don was to learn,Had only made fast the boat by the stern.

So sad to report that our Donald did standWith one foot on boat and the other on land.It must have felt strange and it gave him a start

As his feet moved further and further apart.

He tried to look dignified, captain and all,But there came a sad moment when Don had to fall

And headlong he tumbled where water is cold,And only his captain’s hat floated, I’m told.

Now Don learned his lesson in front of that crowd,Before you stand upright and ever so proud,

Look out that your boat is tied for’ard and aft,Or else, like our Don, look amazingly daft.

Roger Green 13/04/93


FLATFORD

The FBOC AGM was held at 12.00 onSunday 25 October 2009 at the CrownHotel, Manningtree. It was attended by13 Members from Flatford and theirguests, and two RST Council Membersand their guests.

John Tritton gave his Chairman’s reporton the season, which had been a goodone due to the fine weather. Only twocomplete days had been lost, onethrough bad weather, the other due tothe failure of Trusty’s charging unit.Some trips had been lost due to thefrequent necessity of clearing the weedfrom Trusty’s propeller.

Two proposals had been submitted priorto the meeting. One requested thatMembers of the Committee be electedannually, and the second that a Chairmanon standing down should be offered therole of ‘Immediate Past Chairman’ andremain on the Committee for one year.Both these proposals had been seconded,and were carried by the meeting.

Mick Rogers was elected as Chairman,and Dorothy Howe as Secretary.Committee Members elected wereMichael Turner, Ian Whale, DavidMcKinlay, Cora Townes and JohnTritton, as Immediate Past Chairman.

It was agreed by the meeting thatcharges for the 2010 season for both theriver trips and charters would remainthe same as the 2009 season.

There was discussion regarding the poorfacilities at Flatford and it was hopedthat there would be improvements inthe coming season. The procedures fortraining new skippers was explained, andalso the requirement for all operationalmembers to hold a First Aid Certificate.

It was hoped to hold some social eventsin future, and Members were invited toattend the Members Forum held prior toall Council Meetings.

The Meeting closed at 1.13 and wasfollowed by the laying up lunch.

Dorothy HoweHonorary Secretary, FBOC

SUDBURY

Brian’s first task was to announce thedeath, that morning, of Francis Batten.He then welcomed everyone andthanked them for an excellent season,the best so far to date!

He announced he was stepping down as Chairman of SBOC but with the good news that Steve Feacey was toreplace him.

Keith Robertson was presented with theChairman’s award for all his hard workand dedication to the Trust. GeorgeWhybrow and John Mills were thankedfor running the barbecue along with allthose who contributed to the food.

BOAT OPERATIONS COMMITTEE AGMS

Sometimes I think about the saying(quoted above) apparently first writtenlong ago by a Chinese philosopher. Andwhat the River Stour Trust set out to dowhen it was first founded, over 40 yearsago, does seem to fit in the miraclecategory. (“the preservation, maintenancein good order and improvement of....navigations for the use of the public.”quoted from the Memorandum ofAssociation of the Trust.)

Francis Batten and other members ofthe Trust achieved a miracle many yearsago when they argued in the Houses ofParliament against the water companythat wanted to stop navigation on 'our'river – for ever.

For further inspiration, I often think oftwo other miracles that have beenachieved on our inland waterwaynetwork during my life time. Half of awhole canal was restored in 3 years byvolunteers, including many prisoners,

in the 1960's – we now have a chance tonavigate on or visit the Stratford canalbetween Stratford-on-Avon in the southand Kingswood Junction in the north.

And the Anderton Boat Lift wasrestored to working order this century.The lift was originally built in 1875 to liftboats and their cargoes from the RiverWeaver 50 feet vertically upwards tothe Trent and Mersey Canal (or backdown again!). Boats could take cargoessuch as coal, salt and pottery betweenthe towns and cities around the Merseyand Stoke-on-Trent.

After working for about 100 years thelift was closed because of corrosion –the water around those parts is acidic.There had been two engineeringsolutions to move the 252 tons ofmachinery, container, water, boat, andcargo up and down. The first used waterin cylinders to support the load with asteam engine providing the power, thesecond used a series of wire ropes overpulleys powered by electric motors.

But in 1983 the painters of thesuperstructure discovered so muchcorrosion that the lift was declaredunsafe and closed. And that wasexpected to be that.

There was no (or very, very little)commercial traffic on this part of thewaterways system, the recreational usewas very limited, the engineeringproblems were enormous, and the costseven bigger.

But only yesterday I met a man who hadjust returned from a trip on the re-built,restored Anderton Lift. Next time I passthat way on a narrowboat I intend to

lower the boat 50 feet from the canal tothe river (and then turn round andcome back again!).

People with belief and passion made thedifference and restored the AndertonBoat Lift to hydraulic operation so that you and I, and our grandchildren, canagain marvel as 252 tons is raised or

lowered by a column of water.We can similarly achieve the miracle ofpreserving, maintaining in good order,and improving 'our' navigation – TheRiver Stour. With some belief andpassion it might take a little while. Yes we can.

John Morris

Chris and Laura Walker charteredTrusty to take them from Dedham Lock to their wedding reception at Le Talbooth, Stratford St Mary, on 19 September 2009. Mick Rogers, MikeGraham and I waited in perfect weatherfor the couple to arrive. They married atGreat Baddow church and were broughtto Dedham by their best man andbridesmaid. Laura’s father had arrangedfor Mick to bring some champagne forthem as a surprise for the trip.

As they enjoyed their champagne we setoff at a very leisurely pace towardsStratford St Mary. They appreciated therelaxed and peaceful atmosphere and theSuffolk countryside. We watched a

grass snake swim across our bow. Noneof us had seen a grass snake swim, andafterwards I found out that they are, infact, very good swimmers and feed onfrogs and small fish.

We finally reached Le Talbooth jettywhere all the guests were assembled.Later on we received a heart-warmingletter of thanks from Laura, and theyforwarded a donation to River StourTrust to show their appreciation.

We can arrange a variety of charterswith Trusty based at Flatford. For further details please contact Ian Whale on 01255 676132.

Dorothy Howe

www.riverstourtrust.org 23The River Stour Trust Restoring and conserving the River Stour Navigation22

“We do the impossible every day. Miracles take a little longer.”

WEDDING OF CHRIS & LAURA WALKER

Once again I am called to produceanother half year report. We continuedand finished the canoe rack at theVisitors Centre (there are still a fewvacant spaces to let), hardcored andlevelled the area in front, adding a leanto extension to the shed for extra undercover storage.

The problem with the weed did not goaway and the idea of us weed cutting isstill in negotiation, Dolly’s outboardmotor is showing signs of age and anexperimental gear lever is still waiting tobe tested, many thanks to John Mortonfor his engineering skills.

Now a bit of news - I have been askedto spend more time helping to train newcrew members and keeping the old onesup to date with procedures and newdevelopments, unable to combine thiswith work party organising I am pleasedto announce that John Mills, recentlyretired, has stepped in to fill this role,John has been with the Trust a lotlonger than me and has already got youon his Email list!! So thank you all foryour support and over to John....

George Whybrow

Thanks George for the handover, and allyour sterling efforts as W.P. organiser.Don't think however that you will avoidgetting muddy at some point in the future!!

Explaining briefly how our workparty"system" works, every W.P. volunteer iscontacted re a job pending, whoeverfeels like turning up is always welcome,contact me if you are interested.

Here is a continual list of jobs, typicalof what work parties get up to:

• Repairs to Jetty at Granary.

• Digging trench and subsequently infilling after electrical installation from Granary to shed and fitting of security lights.

• Various tree planting at V.E.C.

• Clearing paddle sluices Cornard Lock.

• Clearing gutters at V.E.C.

• Removing branches improving access to portage point at Cornard Lock.

• Clearing / tidying "jungle" at end of Granary cut.

• Moving "Dolly" to Granary Cut / installing fresh barley bales at head of cut in order to inhibit growth of blanket weed.

• Clearing undergrowth around sunken Lighter to facilitate a further inspectionre restoration!

• Reinstate equipment onboard "Dolly" ie engine and superstructure, prior to dredging operations.

• Constructing shelves in shed.

• Emptying / sorting Granary cellar (not yet completed).

• Dredging operations in Granary Cut, (five separate days work).

• More work in cellar.

Any member wishing to be added to the work party list please get in [email protected]

John Mills


S.B.O.C WORK PARTY REPORT 5 A CANOE FOR THE STOUR

I retired and started paddling canoes andkayaks with my brother-in-law and sons-in-law at week-ends and on holidays. Apersonal target was a stable canoe, lightenough to lift single-handed onto my carroof bars. This should make it easy forme to portage around locks on our localriver Medway on solo weekdays. Selway-Fisher design a range of canoes andkayaks for home building, including onethat is the basis for an elegant electriccanoe. Their comprehensive website isattractive and encouraging. My choicewas plans for an open canoe i.e. a 12 ftRaven of asymmetric design. Selway-Fisher provide good instructions on howto mark out, cut and build-up theircanoes. I also bought their booklet on“stitch-and-glue” DIY that contains manyuseful tips for the home boat builder.

My build area was a garage 8ft widealready storing a 16ft canoe and kit. My local wood-yard was very helpful inselecting 4mm marine plywood for thehull and knot free pine strip for thegunwales. Marking out from the planswas straightforward.

Cutting out and smoothing matchingedges for joining needs care and attention. I stitched the hull shapestogether with plastic cable ties.

These ties are easy to cut off after thesubsequent glass tape and resin on theinside has set. The outside edges andremains of ties can be smoothed off witha plane/sandpaper before tape and resinare applied. I used West System resinand 50mm glass tape.

The fore and aft bulkheads plus thecentre “former” were put in positionand the bulkheads resin taped (“former”is tacked in position). The “ropewindlasses” were ideal for keeping hullshapes in contact with bulkheads etc.without deforming any wood.

The inside of bulkhead compartments werefirst joined with fillets of West resin/fillerand then resin taped. This has given greatstrength at bow and stern of canoe wherehard knocks are most common.

When the interior was glassed and setthe gunwales were glued inside (thenoutside) using a minimum ofpolyurethane glue held in place withmany G-clamps.

When set, any excess glue was removedwith a sharp chisel and sand-paper. The portage bar was glued in-place.

Canoe was then inverted, plastic ties cutaway and smoothed with plane andsandpaper; rubbing strakes were gluedto the bottom and seams resin taped.

The canoe was turned right-side up andboth decks glued in place. These deckswere made-up “in situ” using alternateboxwood and dark hardwood stripsfrom Homebase.

Final kit included a simple seat plus aplastic hatch in each bulkhead (from anycanoe shop or on-line). The interiorwas painted with cream InternationalYacht non-slip deckpaint.

Epifanes varnish was used for all upperdeck and gunwales and maroon Epifanesyacht enamel for the hull. The namedecal was bought on-line and easilyaffixed. The canoe was finished for justunder £160. Using more basic materialsand finishes this could be below £120.

My “Butty Bach” (Little Friend) weighs14Kg and one person can lift her on andoff a VW Touran roof bars.

She is very stable and easily paddled;well suited to the river Stour and itsvarious portages. The bottom rubbingstrakes (now suitably resin covered)mean that “Butty Bach” can be gentlylifted/dragged over the grass and nettleson the longer portages!

I am no handyman, but would encourageanyone to build at least one canoe forthemselves. See you on the Stour soon!

Trevor Palmer22nd October 2009

We have more from Trevor for the nextissues Helen

26 www.riverstourtrust.org 27The River Stour Trust Restoring and conserving the River Stour Navigation


CHRISTMAS BAZAAR 2009

Saturday 28th November dawned bright,sunny but cold – in spite of a rainyforecast, so we were well pleased!Retirement means I am no longer usedto early starts, so 8am at the Town Hallwas a surprise, but the council workersthere had set out the hall as perinstructions and soon stall-holders werearriving and setting up and the placecame alive at about the same time as Idid! The smell of bacon soon waftedthrough the air as the catering team gotto work – the bacon butties were sopopular that they had to go out formore supplies. The smell as you reachedthe top floor was wonderful!

Yes – the public did arrive, a steadytrickle and a surge at times urged on byBrenda who bravely stood out in the coldand shepherded them in. One advantagewas that St Peters was not in competitionas it was booked for the eveningSymphony concert and prior rehearsal.

So … was it worth it? Yes indeed – wemade a total profit of £822 a little lessthan last year, but without the benefit ofa Grand Draw (a mistake) which hasbeen a major earner in previous years.The “Women That Do” had been doingand managed to produce an array ofgoods to be sold, many homemadesupplemented by good quality itemsdonated by our members, including afine selection of cakes (Thank you all).

We found we had too much stock forour 3 tables and perhaps could have soldmore if it were on display. The sweetswent very well – lovely marzipan fruitsmade by Daphne were a joy to behold.Books did very well this year – nearlynew and in good condition meant theywere popular. The tombola profit was up

at £194 – the Marshall family memberscollect year round for this stall and run itthemselves so deserve our thanks.

Feedback from stall-holders was good –they want to come next year, a goodsign. Many members and visitorscommented on the quality and variety of the stalls, so we will do it again andplan to meet monthly to make / shareideas etc. If YOU want to get involved –tea and chat always on the agenda – give either Brenda (01787 370032) or me (01787 883368) a ring and we’llmake you welcome.

Lyn Searle

POLLY PUT THE KETTLE ON…

The Tea Room is open from 11.00amuntil 5.00pm every Sunday from Easteruntil the end of October, plus BankHoliday Mondays. The usual deliciousselection of cakes and light lunches willbe offered. We need more people tojoin our rota of volunteer ‘Pollys’. Alloffers of help appreciated whether youcan help for 2 hours, 4 hours or all day.It's time for tea!

Please call Catherine on 01787 313199.

RIVER STOUR TRUSTCLOTHING FOR SALE

Blue or Green All sizes available

Cap £5.00 + £2.50 p&p

Polo Shirt £15.00 + £5.00 p&p

Sweatshirt £20.00 + £5.00 p&p

By Wratting Common lies the sourceFrom there the River runs its course.It wends its way out to the seaWhich it meets at Manningtree.

The River formed a transport way –As on the roads, one had to pay;The turnpikes charged a certain cost.Going by river, this was lost.

By 1700 plans were in place –But works were then not done in haste.The issue was a towpath entire –Proving later somewhat dire!

Sudbury traded in wool and silk With smugglers and others of like ilk.Thirteen flash and pound locks were made -Thus the beginning of navigation laid.

Lighters were built at Flatford dock.The skill of tow horses we shouldn’t mock.Constables relatives were involved –But a complete path was never solved.

Goods were carried up and downBricks were ferried to Mistley town.Coal transported back to Sudbury –Trade both ways was the worry.

A steam barge was a new idea –Unsuccessful as t’was far too dear.But then the railway came to townAnd shares in navigation tumbled down.

The Company now no longer tradedAnd all hopes of rescue faded.The barges were sunk in World War 1For fear of invasion this was done.

In the Sixties the Trust was formed –And so a navigation charity was born.The aim of restoration to beOpening the River from Sudbury to sea.

Locks at Flatford and Dedham restored –The Granary as well, where boats were moored.And then with funding to handThe lock was built on Cornard land.

Now River trips are enjoyed by allAn achievement that is far from small.

Pam Brady

THE RIVER STOUR FLOWS ON …

The 36 inch diameter pipeline wasconstructed by manual labour andpassed under the River Colne through a12 foot diameter tunnel at the Hythe,east of Colchester. Later the raw waterpipeline was duplicated with an evenlarger pipe. The reservoir constructionwas completed before the SecondWorld War and the reservoir was full bythe end of 1940. However, the Ministryof Defence felt it posed a risk as alanding site for invading seaplanes and, asa defence measure, 312 mines were laidacross the reservoir. At the end of thewar the majority of them were explodedby soldiers shooting them from thereservoir banks, but, in 1989-91, 22mines were exposed after dry weatherwhen the water was at its lowest levelsince the reservoir was filled. Thesewere dealt with by the Army.

Hanningfield Reservoir

After the war there was much rebuildingand development in Essex, furtherincreasing the demand for water, and theSouth Essex Waterworks Company joinedwith the Southend Waterworks Companyin 1950 to construct HanningfieldReservoir and treatment works.

Demand continued to grow and in 1964shortages were again being anticipated.In 1967 the problem was solved by theconstruction of

The Ely-Ouse to Essex TransferScheme [EOETS]

Drainage of the Fens had begun in 1630when the Dutch engineer, CorneliusVermuyden, dug a system of drains andsluices, and constructed the first DenverSluice across the Ely-Ouse to excludetidal water while allowing excess water

to run out to sea at Kings Lynn. Mainfeeds to the Ely-Ouse river are the Cam,Lark, Little Ouse and Wissey.

The present Denver Sluice gates were rebuilt in 1834 by Sir John Rennie,who was also the engineer for the River Gipping and Chelmer andBlackwater Navigations.

For the new scheme, modifications were made at Denver to allow waterwhich would have gone to sea to bediverted to fill the reservoirs atAbberton and Hanningfield.


I suspect most people who walk themeadows beside the River Stourbetween Dedham and Flatford delight in the timeless beauty of the riverscapeJohn Constable loved and painted. Butthose paintings did not simply portraypretty scenery, they showed a workingriver with lighters and mills powered by waterwheels.

The lighters may have gone and thewaterwheels no longer turn, but todaythe river still works for us - playing animportant role in the supply of water tosouth Essex.

In 1861 the South Essex WaterworksCompany was formed to supply waterto East London from the river Thamesas far north as Brentwood. The waterthey supplied came from wells andboreholes drilled into the chalk aquifernorth of the River Thames, but duringthe late nineteenth and early twentiethcenturies the area was developed andthe demand for water grew until, by theFirst World War, demand wasoutstripping supply.

Langham Waterworks

Along with the Southend WaterworksCompany they looked for sources ofwater from further away and, in 1928,successfully promoted by Act ofParliament a scheme to take water fromthe River Stour at Langham and to builda new water treatment works there.From Langham it pumped water to SouthWest Essex, but the granting of thepowers for this scheme obliged them tooffer water supplies to other areas ofEssex. The Langham scheme gave thecompany the ability to abstract 12 milliongallons of water per day from the river,which started in 1932, but they expectedto again face deficiencies by 1940.

Stratford St Mary and Abberton Reservoir

In 1935 the company obtained powersto construct a new abstraction point atStratford St Mary to take a further 35million gallons a day and pump it to anew storage reservoir at Abberton,along with the construction of a watertreatment plant at Layer-de-la-Haye.Construction of the 1210 acre reservoirin the valley of Layer Brook to hold5,700 million gallons of water started in1936 and continued until the war in1939, while the pumping station atStratford St Mary and the 11 miles ofpipeline were also being constructed.

TAKING THE WATERS

The Abberton Scheme

This scheme involves enlarging thecapacity of Abberton Reservoir byraising the main part of the reservoir by 10 feet, giving 58% more storage.Abberton Reservoir is of internationalimportance for waterfowl, so thescheme has been designed to create andimprove habitats for birds and otherwildlife, and enhance the landscape.Construction work is due to begin inJanuary 2010.

To fill the enlarged reservoir, the licencefor abstraction at Denver will be variedto make additional water available withleast detriment to nature conservationsites. In wet years E&SW may have norequirement for this water as there isenough natural water in the Stour andother rivers to fill Abberton andHanningfield Reservoirs, while in a yearof average rainfall about 7% istransferred, and up to 35% in dry years.

Although no construction work isnecessary at Denver in order to increasethe volume of water to be transferred,the existing EOETS does not have thepumping capacity to transfer themaximum daily quantity, so additionalpumps must be installed at Kennett. Alsoa new 30 million gallons per day pipelinemust be constructed alongside the Stourfrom Kirtling Green to Wixoe, wherethe additional water will be put into theriver. This pipeline is needed as there isno capacity in the upper Stour toaccommodate the higher rates oftransfer. An additional pumping stationwill be built near Wormingford wherewater will be abstracted from the Stourand transferred via a second newpipeline to Abberton Reservoir. Workon the pipeline construction will begin in January 2011.

When EOETS is not operating, theWormingford-Abberton pipeline andincreased storage capacity in thereservoir will enable E&SW to takemore water from the Stour when it isplentiful, usually during the winter.Water is only transferred from Denverto Essex via EOETS when all theseconditions are met:

• The level of Abberton and/or Hanningfield Reservoirs falls below a specified level

• There is not enough natural flow in the River Stour or River Pant/ Blackwater to supply the reservoirs

• The minimum specified volume of water is being released through Denver to the sea.

By the end of this year’s dry summer theneed for the scheme was plain to see. InSeptember S2C participants encounteredsections of river where the water wastoo shallow to float a canoe, and ourvolunteers working at Stratford Lockfound their raft grounding beforereaching the bank. They also noticedE&SW had to stop pumping water fromthe river when the level fell although thereservoirs at Abberton and Hanningfieldwere low. Insufficient water at Denvermeant EOETS could not be used. Clearlythis scheme is vital to maintain suppliesfor the future.

I wish to thank E&SW for their help in the writing of this article.

You can find out more about theAbberton Scheme on E&SW’s website:www.eswater.co.uk/abberton

Sue Brown

The water diverted at Denver is drawnoff at the Blackdyke Intake nearLakenheath into an 8 foot diameter, 12mile long tunnel which terminates atKennett, where it is pumped via a 6 footdiameter, 9 mile long pipeline into theRiver Stour at Kirtling Green, nearNewmarket. Some of this water isdrawn from the Stour at Wixoe to bepumped 6 miles to the River Pant(becoming the Blackwater). This massiveundertaking also required the building of10 new automatic control gates on theStour and one on the Pant. Thetransferred water travels over 90 milesto Abberton or Hanningfield Reservoirs,with about two-thirds of this distance viaexisting watercourses. The Denverabstraction licence limits the amount ofwater which can be transferred to Essexto a maximum of 100 million gallons perday. It also requires a minimum volumeof water to be flowing past Denverbefore any transfer can take place. Thescheme is owned and operated by theEnvironment agency.

Since the 1970s South EssexWaterworks Company, SouthendWaterworks Company, Suffolk WaterCompany and Northumbrian WaterLimited have merged, retaining Essex &Suffolk Water as a trading name. TodayEssex & Suffolk Water is responsible forsupplying drinking water to 1.8 millionpeople in South Essex includingSouthend, Basildon, Witham,Chelmsford, Barking, Dagenham andRedbridge, and in a way that conservesand enhances the environment.

Although water supply has doubled in thelast 50 years, the last serious drought in1995-97 demonstrated the need forincreased sustainable water resources forEssex, where there is still insufficient

availability to meet existing demand in aprolonged dry period. With Essex beingthe driest county in the country with lessrainfall than Jerusalem, the situation ispredicted to worsen as demand increaseswith a growing population, and climatechange takes effect.

Fifteen years ago E&SW beganinvestigating ways of meeting futureneeds. They accelerated leakage controland the promotion of metering andwater efficiency; they considered over250 potential sites for new reservoirsand looked at other new water resourceoptions including importing icebergs anddesalination before choosing as the mostappropriate solution


SALES TABLE

SPECIAL SALE PRICE ONLY £6.00RIVER STOUR TRUST TIE Includes p&p

TEA TOWELSGood quality cotton, green on white New design £2.95

JOTTER PADSCream, line drawing of The Granary £1.30

PENSRoller ball. Green & white, barrelprinted with ‘River Stour Trust’ 50p

PENCILSWith eraser tip, printed with ‘River Stour Trust’ 25p

GUIDE TO THE RIVER STOUR (donated By Ivan Cane) A reprint of the original leaflet 50p

COLOUR POSTCARDS Set of 8 scenes around Sudbury &Flatford, historic and modern views 25p‘The Lock’ by John Constable 30p

GREETINGS CARDS Flatford Lock, with envelope 30p

Single - Flatford Lock With envelope, full colour Images (wildlife, landscape, scenic, etc), blank inside for own message £2.00

BOOKS & PUBLICATIONS

The Essex & Suffolk River Stour Navigation by the late John Marriage £10.99200 illustrations & photographs depictingatmospheric scenes from days gone by.

An Appreciation of Sudbury’sAncient Common Landsby Adrian Walters £4.99Beautifully illustrated. Details the history of Sudbury’s Common Lands.

The Essex & Suffolk Stour;A History by Sean O’Dell £12.99A detailed account of the beginnings, life and trading decline of the Stour.

Flatford: Constable Country by Ian St John £4.99‘Suffolk Walker’ series. Includes mapsand drawings, water colours andphotographs.

Our River: The Stour at SudburyHarry Godfrey & Edith FreemanThe riverscape depicted over the four seasons through photographyand poetry. £5.00

Stour SecretsBy Ken RickwoodAn exploration of the estuary between Essex and Suffolk. £10.00

TO ORDERPlease place order with Administrator and send cheque payable to

THE RIVER STOUR TRUSTPostage and Packing for ‘Sales Table’ = £1.00

For Books, DVD, CD and Clothing = £2.50 (orders under £30) Free (orders over £30.00)

Please allow 28 days for delivery


STRATFORD ST MARY LOCKRESTORATION

With snow on the ground as I write this,it is hard to believe that only a fewmonths ago we were enjoying glorioussummer weather at Stratford Lock.More importantly, we were spared therain suffered by most of the country,which helped us complete the last 80mof gabion wall to the footbridge andclear mud from the channel.

This section of wall was a particularlydaunting challenge as the channel here isnarrow, with many large rocks to beremoved and carefully stacked on theadjacent steep bank which is coveredwith trees which must not be damaged.

By this third season on site the manycrossings of the river by raft withmaterials and equipment may havebecome routine but the sheer hardwork of our volunteers cannot beunderestimated. We understand theproject now has a reputation fortoughness among Hollesley Bay inmates,but we were grateful for the hard workand enthusiasm of those men who came,and for the energetic contribution fromthe lively and enthusiastic group of menfrom Colchester MCTC. By the time thepipes and dams had been removed toshut down the site in October, ourvolunteers had put in 2305 man-hours of work this year, and about 10,000man-hours since the project began.Thank you all for your efforts, and wehope you will join us again in 2010.

Sue Brown

ILLUMINATED PROCESSION

Last year’s Illuminated Boat Processionon 26th September 2009 had a‘Victoriana’ theme.

Back row, left-right: Wendy Battye, Val Allen,Catherine Burrows, Daniel Furness-Smith Front row, left-right: Keith Battye & Phil Allen

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY 2010 – CAN YOU HELP?

Sat 3 April Boats on display at Sudbury & ColchesterTo be confirmed – Town Council permission required

Sun 4 April Boat Operations commence at Sudbury & Flatford (until 31 Oct) Tea Room opens at the Granary on Sundays 11.00am - 5.00pm

Mon 3 May Teddy Bear Boat Rides at the Granary 11.00am - 4.00pmYoung children and their teddy bears travel free when accompanied by a fare paying adult

Sat 5/Sun 6 Mini S2C – Lengthsman Cruise – Members onlyJune 10.00am from the Granary

Sun 13 June Wedding Fayre at the Granary 11.00am - 4.00pm

Sat 10/Sun 11 Steam, Electric & Boating FestivalJuly A weekend of activities at the VEC and Granary

Sat 7 Aug Coracle Regatta at Bures Midday – 5.00pmWatch the races or have a go!

Sat 15 Aug Family BBQ at VEC Midday – 4.00pm

Mon 30 Aug Pirates on the Stour at the Granary 11.00am - 4.00pmYoung pirates travel free when accompanied by a fare paying adult

Sat 11/Sun 12 S2C (Sudbury to the Sea) Sept WE NEED VOLUNTEERS TO HELP ORGANISE THIS EVENT

Weekend canoeing event, camping available

Sat 25 Sept Illuminated Boat Procession at SudburyLighting up the Stour to mark the 13th Anniversary of Cornard Lock

Bank Holiday Electric Boating Days at Bures, Nayland, Dedham & FlatfordWeekends 1st – 3rd May 29th – 31st May 28th – 30th Aug

To be confirmed – EA dispensation required

Sun 31 Oct Boat operations finish and Tea Room closes

Sat 13 Nov Christmas Bazaar at Sudbury Town Hall 10.00am – 2.00pm

NB Times of events may change. Further details and even more events may be added (check thewebsite/contact office) – your ideas and assistance are welcome! Would you like to organise a party,coffee morning, boat rally etc...

If you would like to help at any of these events or for more information,please contact Catherine in the office on 01787 313199 or email [email protected]

The River Stour Trust Restoring and conserving the River Stour Navigation36

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Tel 01473 686611email [email protected]

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