Nostalgic Memories

Fond memories of the canal from a by-gone age.

(Visitors are welcome to forward their nostalgic memories to the webmaster for inclusion in  the “Friends”  Quarterly News-letter and/or  “Friends” Montgomery Canal Web-pages .)

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  Brilliant site ! I remember a lot of this area as my childhood playground , I left Oswestry in 1963 and returned in 1996 to discover a new playground for me and the dogs !

Colin at Welsh Frankton locks has always made us feel welcome when we have passed on the tow path and his knowledge of the canal and wild life is most interesting . I must say it would be a sad day if BW thought they could provide the same service without him .

Well done all you canal restoration volunteers , and any one who has'nt had coffee in the Post office at Maesbury yet, try it . This canal is a thread of nature winding its way across North Shropshire . I haven’t got a boat but it pleases me everytime I walk along it .

Robert Walley

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 Fascinating web site, I used to fish the canal and river 50 yrs ago, and remember it well as it was, in a state of disrepair. I am surprised however, I find no mention of the Council Gypsy caravan site on the bank between Williams bridge and the Carreghofa loch, at least memory tells me it was there, it was a small site for 2 or 4 vans and when I used to visit, still had the painted wooden vans on it. The Romanys would arrive in the early spring, The same families came for years, plant their little gardens, the children went to local schools, and grew up during summer with local kids,and played with local kids, I well remember the travellers having Shetland ponies and giving rides to their local friends. Autumn would come and the people would go, I don’t know where to, but it was my first hint of the winter. Such great memories.
John

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I was very interested in your web-site. I was born in Dolafon Terrace, Newtown and at the age of about 8 my family moved into Canal House. We spent many memorable years in the house, which my father renamed "Glendale". I have a photo of the house which If my memory serves me correctly was taken in the 60’s. Unfortunately I do not have a photo of the house where you could see the stables attached at the side for the ponies. My only regret is that at the side of the house we had quite a large piece of land with trees, my favourite tree was a walnut tree and when we first moved in I started digging by the tree and we came across hundreds of very

small horseshoes. I didn't realise until I was older how small these shoes were and I wish I had kept some.

Jenniy

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The Webmaster.