The Boat People of the Stratford upon Avon Canal - Boat Registrations 1879-1890 & Inspections 1911-1935.

The Parliamentary Acts of 1877 and 1884 brought in the registration of canal boats to ensure that only the registered number of people lived on them and that conditions on board each boat were maintained at a level considered fit for human occupation.  These two Acts, and the many minor additions to them, are the reason for the Register of Canal Boats for Stratford-upon-Avon Registration Authority and the Canal Boat Inspectors' Journal which are the subject of this book.  The Register of Canal Boats includes the name and registration number of the boat, the name of the owner(s), the name of the master, the route along which the boat is intended to ply, the nature of the traffic (or cargo) the boat is intended to carry, the mode of propulsion and whether it is a 'wide' or 'narrow' boat, the number and dimensions of the cabins, the date of registration and the maximum number of persons for which the boat was registered.  There are also some notes made at a later date.  The Canal Boat Inspectors' Journal includes the date of the inspection, name of the boat, registration number of the boat and place and date of registration, the name and address of the owner, the name and address of the master (or captain), the number of persons (adults and children) the boat is registered to house, the numbers of males, females and children occupying the boat and information relating to the condition and cleanliness of the vessel.  Also included in this volume is a transcription of a number of Canal Boat Registration Counterfoils from the Warwick Registration Authority for the period 1885 to 1925.  These give limited information but do include the name of the person(s) from whom the fee was received and the name of the boat. 

Published by the Eureka Partnership.