KNIGHT, CANALS & Banbury

[knightroots]

The above summarises our interests - anyone else?
Thanks
Linda & Tony

[jurajtkac]

Linda & Tony,
I share the last two of your interests . . canals and Banbury. My particular interest would actually be the canal system between Banbury and Dudley, and the chances of finding some sort of reference to great-grand-father George Timms, born 1837, possibly in Cropredy. I know that in 1862 he was a "journeyman boat-steerer" on the canals, but cannot locate him on the 1861 census.
Would you have enough knowledge of the canal man's life to inform me how they would have been counted for a census? And what, pray tell, did a "journeyman boat-steerer" do exactly?
Cheers, Juraj

[Guy Etchells]

By the time your great grandfather was working the canal system had all but peaked with a spagetti of routes spreading far and wide. In fact by the mid 1800s the canal system was more complex than the modern motorway system in use today.
Canal families would be enumerated on their boats at the end of the schedules for the district, expect to find them in different district each census.
a journeyman boat-steerer was a qualified boatman who had served his time learning his trade. He would steer the boat, possible with the aid of a boat-hand. In the days when canal boats were pulled by horses the tendency would be for the boat to be pulled in towards the bank, therefore the tiller would be used constantly to counter this.
Cheers
Guy

[Chris Trigg]

The above summarises our interests - anyone else?
Thanks
Linda & Tony
Canals and Banbury figure in my research too .... my relatives were in the Banbury and Cropredy area and worked on or owned boats on the canal. The main name was NEAL and I have been able to trace quite a lot on this one as my great-great-grandfather WILLIAM NEAL worked his way up to owning his own canal boat/haulage business in Banbury, but less success with his wife REBECCA DRAKEFORD and the DRAKEFORD/DRACKFORD/DRAYCUTT name. REBECCA's father (my great-great-great-grandfather) JOHN DRACKFORD was a boatman in the 1861 Census in Cropredy, age 77, parish of birth not known ....which brings me to the main problem!!

Regards
Chris
Lincoln, England

[Howard]

Hello,
I've just started on this site so only just picked up your message.
I am interested in Knight families in Wheatley and Cowley.
Are we likely to have some coinciding people?
Howard

[knightroots]

Hi Howard - not too sure - what names are you interested in and time frame. Ours were originally Banbury based but moved north along all points of the cut.
Take care
Linda & tony


Hello,
I've just started on this site so only just picked up your message.
I am interested in Knight families in Wheatley and Cowley.
Are we likely to have some coinciding people?
Howard

[Howard]

Hello,
Shame, doesn't seem likely as my wife's are all south and east of Oxford itself. I'll bear you in mond should I stumble across any Knights in your area of interest.
Howard