LINCOLNSHIRE historian Stuart Sizer, an expert on the county’s canal network, has published his latest book.
Louth Ships – The Story of Louth Navigation offers insight into the variety of cargoes brought into and out of the Georgian market town’s canal from 1770 up to its demise. Bulk goods ranged from iron, coal and building materials to domestic requirements for Louth’s grocery shops. The book also details a whole network of towns in the East Midlands interconnected by canal, river and estuary – all centred on Louth’s new burgeoning trade from the Riverhead basin.
It too features stories of individual boats, from their construction in the canalside yards to their destinies, and the particular hazards that shipping from port to port along the coast brought; included in the book are some heartbreaking accounts of boats, captains, crew and families lost at sea.
Many photos and drawings are included depicting these ships and their variety of sail layouts.
Former history teacher Stuart told Towpath Talk: “One of the best elements of writing books like this is uncovering new or surprising things about the topic. Researching and writing is always a journey of discovery.”
To purchase a copy, visit www.louthnavigationtrust.org.uk for an order form.
