Forget-Me-Not

Historical Profiles: NarrowBoat, Autumn 2023

Christopher M Jones

Chris M. Jones looks into the history of a single narrowboat that was photographed several times during its working life.

Joe and Rose Skinner then used Forget-me-not for their normal carrying work, bringing coal from Baddesley, then later Newdigate, to Banbury for Lamprey & Son Ltd, agricultural suppliers at Bridge Street, and coal from the North Warwickshire collieries for United Dairies Ltd at their wharf against Lower Cherwell Street. Both customers’ traffic was organised through canal carrier S.E. Barlow. The Skinners’ last trip with Forget-me-not finished on 17th October 1955, nearly two years without their own boat Friendship, which had 13 new planks fitted and a major repaint, all costing £360. The Tooleys then set to work on the conversion of Forget-me-not. Michael Rogers worked Mabel for two years as a single hotel-boat until the 1956 season then, at the suggestion of Michael Streat, he bought converted Severner butty Malvern as a stopgap until Forget-me-not was ready. Finally, in 1957, Tooley’s work was done and Forget-me-not was ready for use that season, so its ti…