Sunday 24 January 2010

New blog Blossoms (and thanks to "that Chertsey woman")

Black Country boater Malcolm Edge - better known as Blossom - has started a blog called Minnow, the name of his boat. There he's writing down for our benefit his knowledge and experience of the waterways as they used to be. It's a fascinating read, and if you haven't come across it, or Blossom's other websites, then you're in for a treat.

The account of how Mr. Edge acquired the name Blossom is hilarious, contained in his "Lad's eye view of canals in the 1950s to 1970s".

This is how he introduces this part of his "Blossom's Black Country" website:

‘Ow Things Was’.

A view of the canals, the cargo’s and Characters, as seen through the eyes of a young lad growing up in the Black Country and descovering the Birmingham Canal Navigation’s during the last decade of commercial carrying on this industrial and individual network. Followed by a return four decades later.


In his blog so far Blossom has covered the art of graining (not scumbling, as he explains); snubbers, snatchers, strings and ropes; hatches, cratches, soap 'oles and bed 'oles ...

I could go on, but I don't need to. Read for yourself.

Oh, and thanks to "that Chertsey woman" (as Blossom calls Sarah) for drawing my attention to Blossom and his wealth of knowledge.

1 comment:

Vallypee said...

I shall go seek when I have more time!