Forty years after a Rally that was held to celebrate the restoration of the Titford Canal around 50 invited guests along with The Mayor of Sandwell Councilor Linda Horton and her consort Councilor Roger Horton and Richard Parry Chief Executive of Canal & River Trust attended an event the BCN Society’s HQ Titford Pump House.
Linda Horton, Richard Parry and Brenda Ward at Titford Pumphouse
Guests started arriving at 10.30am and were greeted and offered tea, coffee and cake or biscuits and an opportunity to chat to old friends as they arrived.
Some guests had travelled as far ar Tor Bay in Devon in the south, Lincoln in the east and Darlington in the north. All thought it well worth the effort.
The day continued with a show of a variety of photos taken by various people displaying views of Oldbury Locks and the Titford Canal up to and including Titford Pools. Some photos showed organised campaign cruises in 1963, 1971 and 1972 showing how difficult it was to navigate the canal and by 1972 it was becoming almost impassible. It was explained that the BCN Society along with financial and practical help from Warley Council, which the day after the rally was changed to Sandwell, much work took place on the locks and canal during 1973. Photos of this work by the Society were also in evidence. Finally on the weekend of 30th & 31st March 1974 the Restoration Rally took place and some fine photos of the event were shown.
Many of our guests remarked on people who were there and during the show reminisced and explained what was happening in the photos. Not only did our guests from the 1974 event recognise people in the photos but our Mayor of Sandwell could name a few including the Mayor of Warley, who coincidentally was also a Lady Mayor and others including the Headmaster of her children’s school who had been the secretary of the event.
Linda Horton cutting the anniversary cake
This was followed by a buffet lunch for half our guests while the other half travelled on SLOW BOAT, (also known as the trip boat Aaron Manby which is leased by the Ikon Youth Project for the next 3 years. More time to reminisce both on the boat and while eating lunch. Then the second boat trip to the Pools took place while the first trippers had lunch and there was plenty left so nobody went hungry. This was followed by the official cutting of a celebratory cake along with more teas and coffees and a piece of the cake.
Guests started to leave at about quarter to four with the last leaving at 5pm saying what a lovely day they had had and were looking forward to the 50th Anniversary!!