KEY SOURCES

MUSEUMS London Canal Museum 12–13 New Wharf Road, London N1 9RT 0207 713 0836 canalmuseum.org.uk The museum presents a history of canals in the capital, although it is closed on Mondays except for Bank Holidays.

National Waterways Museum South Pier Road, Ellesmere Port, Cheshire CH65 4FW 0151 355 5017 bit.ly/n-w-m The museum cares for one of the greatest collections of historic boats in the world.

WEBSITES A Vision of Britain Through Time visionofbritain.org.uk This site collates maps, statistical data and census reports for England, Wales and Scotland, 1801–2001. It also features travel writing from the likes of Sir George Head and William Cobbett.

British Pathé britishpathe.com Search the film archive for leisure, sports and holiday activities, including boating.

Broadland Memories Archive broadlandmemories.co.uk This collection of images and memories of life and leisure on the Norfolk and Suffolk Broads includes photographs, postcards and accounts from holidaymakers.

Canal & River Trust canalrivertrust.org.uk This charitable trust protects 2,000 miles of waterways in England and Wales. You can search its catalogue of 37,000 records at bit.ly/canalrivertrust.

Inland Waterways Association waterways.org.uk The association promotes, maintains and restores Britain’s canals and rivers.

BOOKS

Narrow Boat by LTC Rolt (Eyre & Spottiswoode, 1944) Rolt’s book was instrumental in ensuring the future of the canal network.

Pleasure Boating on the Thames: A History of Salter Bros, 1858 – Present Day by Simon Wenham (The History Press, 2014) Wenham provides a comprehensive account of the Salters, the boatbuilding family who incorporated pleasure-boat hire into their business.