Heritage Weekend in Stourport-on-Severn
HISTORIC ‘LADY HATHERTON, 1898’ CELEBRATES HER STOURPORT HERITAGE
Stourport’s newly completed canalside heritage rooms have attracted a special guest to visit Stourport Canal Basins in May when the historic waterway canal inspection boat ‘Lady Hatherton 1898’ returns to her original home base.
Launched in 1898 as the Committee Boat of the Staffordshire & Worcestershire Canal Company, ‘Lady Hatherton’ is now in private ownership and will moor at Stourport Canal Basins as the show piece attraction of the Stourport Canal Basins Heritage Weekend on Saturday 15 and Sunday 16 May (12 noon to 4 p.m.) giving its seal of approval to the recently opened Canal Basins’ Heritage Rooms, which explore the history of Stourport Canal Basins as a working canal port.
‘Lady Hatherton’ underwent extensive renovation in the 1960s at the hands of legendary boat craftsman Les Allen, based in Oldbury. Although much of the outer timberwork has been replaced over the years, there is still a substantial proportion of the original in place. However major work on Lady Hatherton is now required in order to keep this unique craft afloat. The current owners, Hal and Susie Bagot, are considering the formation of a new ownership structure in order to ensure the future of this historic boat, which has recently joined the National Register of Historic Vessels. Anyone who would like to be involved should contact owner, Hal Bagot (halbagot@levenshall.co.uk). During the weekend visitors will be able to learn about the Lady Hatherton directly from Hal Bagot and, if they wish, to discover how they can become involved in helping to secure her future.
British Waterways volunteers will also be on hand to show visitors around the tiny living quarters of the heritage work boat ‘Swift’, learning what it was like to live and work on a canal boat. Stourport Forward volunteers will be available at the newly refurbished Tontine Stable Heritage Room and to talk about the ‘Window on the Past’ at the Old Ticket Office Heritage Room which gives a tangible impression of how the basins may have appeared when Stourport was a busy working canal port.
The Heritage Rooms are staffed by volunteers from Stourport Forward and Stourport Civic Society, while educational visits are being developed by Stourport Forward working with Bewdley Museum and ‘Wild Over Waterways’ (WOW), a partnership of British Waterways, The Waterways Trust and The Inland Waterways Association.
Stourport Forward Chair, Pauline Annis, said the visit by Lady Hatherton would certainly prove to be a popular attraction and links back to the days when the Board of Directors of the Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal Company would have boarded the Lady Hatherton, at Stourport Basins, to begin their annual inspection of the Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal.
“This visit is just one in a wide ranging programme of events ushering in a bright new future for the attraction, which is set to become the jewel in the crown of the local waterway network,” said Mrs. Annis.
“Opening times will gradually be extended with the growing support of our dedicated team of volunteers, offering a truly interactive heritage experience,” she added.
Fpr further details telephone Liz Sheerin, Programme Manager, Stourport Forward on 01299 822827.
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