Putnal Field

Steven Gray writes:

"The hull BCN 2240 was purchased from Alfred Matty and Sons in February 1982 by Steven & Judith Gray, it was one of ten being sold off at the time. The asking price was £400 plus VAT, we managed to get the VAT knocked off. Later during the year it was lifted out at Hawne Basin where, over the next two years, it was re-bottomed, re-footed and shortened to 48' 6” as this was the maximum length that would pass through Stanground Lock before the lock was lengthened. The remaining section was sold off.

As far as can be ascertained it was used as a mud boat during the dredging of the BCN in the late 1970s - to keep it working it had a 3” skim of concrete in the bottom, during its removal we went through the bottom on a number of occasions. In February 1985 it was lifted back into the water and was moved to what has since been its home mooring on the Stourbridge Canal, where it was fitted out as a cruising boat. Its first official trip out was the Bewdley or Bust campaign cruise.

BCN gauging records show that the hull was re bottomed and footed in 1945 under the ownership of Noah Hingley of Netherton and regauged and renumbered 2240 at Tipton Gauging Station.The original gauging number 13599 was issued on 1/9/1893, the ownership is attributed to N Harris of Netherton. It is thought that N Harris became part of J Harris & Sons of Netherton who were canal carriers. It is not certain as to where it was built, but given that it was based in the Netherton area for a good part of its working life, plus it follows the style of overlap plates the Harris Brothers used, it is presumed to be built by them. Noah Hingley ceased using canal transport in 1958/9 which may be when Alfred Matty purchased the boat. (The historical information was provided by Malcolm Braine in 1986.)

Putnal Field is still used extensively by us and has covered over 19,000 miles and passed through over 12,000 locks since she was named Putnal Field in 1985."

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