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Brand New, Catherine Lansfield  curtains.  Size 90" x 90" fully lined.  Colour grey and ochre floral , poly cotton. Smoke and pet free home. 

Very good condition - FREE

Dear Forum readers,

In a recent copy of "Bridge" of the Grantham Canal Society, I read with great interest the article on canal-side properties by Mike Atherley, covering in particular “Skinner’s Lock”, Lock 4. 

 I am able to fill in a few details of those living in the late 1800’s in what is now “Shepherd’s Cottage”, the head of the household being William Skinner, my great grandfather., born 1844.

 My research is not at all intensive, and I am no historian, but may be of interest.

If any readers know more, I should be delighted to hear from them.

The earliest I have, (from Cotgrave records),  is a Richard Skinner married a Jane Sharpe in 1776, but I have no evidence he became connected with the new canal. The 1841 census gives at Canal House, John Skinner, Agric.Labourer, 40y.o. There were some years ago a number of Skinners in the graveyard at Cotgrave, but on a second visit we saw they had been removed.  Enquiries why and whither proved fruitless.

The first quoted Lockkeeper is @1851, John Skinner, “Canal Lock House”,aged 30, and he is classed as Canal labourer in 1861.

My first personal connection is in the 1881 doc, where residents of the cottage were William Skinner,(son of above), Lockkeeper, with offspring John, Oscar, Annie,

and [ Amy.,sister –in-law]. The last three were known well to me as a child.

Oscar was my grandfather, but worked in Nottingham, where at 14 he was firing up Midland Railway locos at 4a.m. He eventually became Fireman, Driver and retired  as a Superintendent and a strong ASLEF delegate. One of his engines was a “duckie six”, 4416, not the most distinguished class to come out of Derby!  The irony is that the railway eventually put the Canal, by which he spent his childhood, out of business.

I am aware of most of the detail of  the huge “tree” from Oscar to date, but not that of his siblings, but these details would be of scant interest to your readers.

So any knowledge of that JOHN SKINNER's, (Oscar's elder brother), life and fortunes would be a real addition to the little I do know...very grateful!

Best of luck, and strength of arm to all those enthusiasts who have made the Canal a living concept,  from Roger Skinner [81] .

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Trying to find Cotgrave NUM mining plate pre-1984 strike. Can anyone help?