A correction -
I should have said that Harold Gwyther died on the 19th Feb 2010
> I have the sad duty to report that Harold Gwyther died on the 19th Feb 2010
>
> There is to be a memorial service at
> Mellor Church
> Church Road
> Mellor
> Stockport
> SK6 5LX
> on March 20th at 2pm
>
> Harold was responsible for introducing me to canals, at the tender age
> of 8 years.
> He was my Sunday school teacher, and on the last Sunday of the year in
> July he took the whole class out on the narrow boat William.
> We met at Sunday School early on the Sunday morning walked up to
> Crumpsall Green and caught the bus through to Oxford Rd station where we
> caught the train through to Brooklands. Here we boarded the boat and set
> sail. When we arrived at Lymn we had a Sunday school lesson on the green
> grassy bank, by the underbridge, before we set off again to Broken
> Cross, Northwich, where we left the boat and walked back to Northwich
> station and caught a steam train home.
> Of course this suited Harold well, as MGS of which he was an old boy,
> and now a leader of one of their Scout troops, broke up before the rest
> of the Manchester schools, so they were able to get away early, and we
> all loved it.
> Harold was still living at home at this time and was a member of the St
> Mathews choir, in those far off days. I can still see him in his white
> cassock, with his flaming red hair singing away in the choir. At this
> time he was working on the Electrification of the Manchester London
> railway line.
> NB William was the boat used by troop 1 Scouts of Manchester Grammar
> school, based at Irlam o'the Heights, Swinton. The boat was kept at
> Worsley Crusing club moorings at Patricroft. Harold Gwyther (Poi), John
> Wilson, and Alan L Jones(Taff) all ex Manchester Grammmar School boys,
> had bought the boat in 1962 straight from carrying, for use by the
> Troop, of which they were leaders. Many people were introduced to canals
> by this wonderful boat. Each year in November back in the late 1960's it
> would do a days pilgrimage up the Rochdale 9, through city centre
> Manchester, one of the few boats to attempt such a trip.
> Harold and the other leaders took the troop to Operation Ashton in 1968.
> Members of the troop and the Canal Society of Manchester Grammar School
> would be able to go on several trips or barge crawls as some called
> them each year.
> there are some wondrous stories about some of these trips like the one
> up the then near derelict Erewash canal, where they had a farm tractor
> towing the William up the canal.
> Harold was a troop leader up to the early 1990's and has been active on
> William through to his recent illness.
>
> Harold met his wife Linda through his church activities, and both went
> boating on 'William'.
>
> --
> Ian Mac
>
