WARDLE LOCK COTTAGE and 'AUNTIE' MAUREEN

(THIS DIARY ENTRY WAS ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED on 19/02/2012)

Wardle Lock Cottage is, as its name suggests, situated at Wardle Lock at the very end of the Middlewich Branch of the Shropshire Union Canal.
In fact there are those who would argue that the lock, and the cottage, are not on the Shropshire Union at all, but on the Wardle Canal (also sometimes called the Wardle Lock Branch or the Wardle Green Section) which is often touted as 'the shortest canal in Britain'. The whole length, including the lock, is around 50 yards.
A stone set into the bridge over the junction between this short section of canal and the Trent & Mersey gives its name and date as WARDLE CANAL 1829.

Canal enthusiasts still argue for and against the Wardle Canal's claim to fame as the shortest canal in Britain; some say it is a fully fledged canal in its own right, while others say it is an extension of the Shropshire Union Middlewich Branch

Photo: British Waterways

The Heritage Society appears to be in no doubt, and British Waterways seem to agree, if this plaque attached to the other side of the  junction bridge is anything to go by.

What is certain is that before it was built much transhipment of goods had to take place between the Trent & Mersey and the Middlewich Branch.
The Wardle Canal brought about a big improvement, but was not the perfect solution, due to the high tolls levied on cargoes travelling over it.
The cottage at Wardle Lock is a Grade II listed building, and is one of the treasures of the waterways.
A scale  model of it was a great attraction at a National Waterways Exhibition some years ago, and we know of at least one other small-scale representation of the building, on a model railway in Sandbach.
Part of the attraction until a year or so ago was the much-missed presence of 'Auntie' Maureen Shaw who lived there for many years after 'coming ashore' following  a lifetime of working on the boats.
Her late husband Jack was a lengthsman on the canals.
Maureen knew all there was to know about the waterways, and gave talks on the subject to local organisations.
She tells her own story in the Tales of Wych & Water CD produced by Salt Town Productions for Middlewich Vision in 2009.
During her time at Wardle Lock Cottage Maureeen made countless friends among the pleasure boaters who travel through Middlewich every year, and was always ready to give advice (and the occasional 'rollicking') to the novice holiday helmsmen and women who passed through 'her' lock.
Maureen was taken ill in 2011 and had to leave the cottage. She lived in sheltered accomodation for a while but, sadly, passed away on March 17th, 2012.
Maureen's knowledge of, and enthusiasm for, the canals of Middlewich and the world of canals and canal boats in general was unsurpassed, and she will be greatly missed by everyone  in Middlewich and also by all her friends on the waterways.
Kate Nicholls Fletcher says:
'As someone who has both lived and worked on waterways for over 25 years, I had the pleasure of meeting Maureen a number of times, but I really got to know her as the ex MFAB boating director.
I had the pleasure of listening to many of Maureen's stories about the old working way of life on the boats and she gave talks for us at the festival on numerous occasions. I can never thank her enough for encouraging me to 'go for it lass' when I told her about going for a job on the waterways and subsequently, after getting that job, she used to love it when when I brought a boat full of young people to her lock, to be taught the correct way of going through...a truly inspirational lady.'
Former Director of  the original MFAB Festival Liz Rosenfield says:
'She was everyone's Auntie! She told me wonderful stories of her life when we'd while away the hours in the Kings Lock - and in her evenings she'd come and talk to rooms full of people about her life...an amazing person - I am lucky to have known her and to have spent time with her.'
Robert Sheckleston remembers Maureen from the time she worked away from the canals at RHM Foods. 'She was a lovely lady,' he recalls.
When we appealed for a suitable photo of Maureen in order to pay our own small tribute to 'a true character of the waterways', our old friend Ian Murfitt, himself something of a scholar when it comes to canals, did us proud with this picture:

Ian writes: The picture shows Auntie Maureen and my daughter Charlee at a fund raiser for Anderton Lift about 12 years ago. Charlee lived with us on the boats for many years. There was much excitement amongst old boaters when her birth was announced and many visited and put silver (coloured) coins in her hands.

Wardle Lock Cottage remained empty for a year and then, on Wednesday 15th February 2013, was sold at auction at the Boar's Head Hotel by Frank Marshall of Knutsford.


P.S. The houses seen behind the cottage in our picture are on what was formerly known as Back Field, as discussed here

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Geraldine Williams Always a good stopping point for my family on Sunday afternoon walks along the canal. I remember Maureen having an unusual flat-backed goldfish bowl fastened to the outside wall with two hemispheres and a connecting tube for the goldfish to swim from one to the other. I also remember how concerned she was by the lack of safety procedures shown by some of the new breed of boaters using the lock and their seeming unawareness of the dangerous undercurrents when the locks were being operated.

SEE ALSO: 'A TRIBUTE TO AUNTIE MAUREEN'
                      'MAUREEEN AND HER LOCK'
                    'MAUREEN'S FUNERAL, MARCH 30th 2012'

Originally published 19th February 2012

Amended and re-published 18th March 2012

Re-published 17th March 2021 (Maureen's 9th Anniversary)

MEMORIES OF A BOAT WOMAN

At 2pm on Saturday 23rd March 2013 people gathered at Wardle Lock in Middlewich to witness the unveiling of a special plaque created to honour Wardle Lock Cottage's never to be forgotten former resident 'Auntie' Maureen Shaw. Bill Armsden was on hand with his camera to record the scene.

The lock-keeper's cottage at Wardle Lock where Maureen Shaw lived for many years until her death in 2012

This lock, which joins the Middlewich Branch of the Shropshire Union to the Wardle Canal (Britain's shortest canal) is officially known as Wardle Lock, but many people over the years have come to know it as 'Maureen's Lock'. Maureen was always there with a few words of advice for novice boaters, mixed with a few choice phrases if said boaters wouldn't listen. Note that the sign now carries the Canal and River Trust's logo, a sympathetic re-working of the old British Waterways one.

Despite the bitter  weather of the coldest March for fifty years, people turned out in force to listen to the speeches and songs and watch the unveiling of the plaque. Between the two groups of people you can just make out the parapet of the road bridge carrying Booth Lane over the Wardle Canal's junction with the Trent & Mersey. Looking into the distance, what at first appear to be distant hills looming through the mist are, disappointingly, merely the grey outlines of utilitarian industrial buildings on the old ICI Middlewich site.

A very good turnout for such a miserable and downbeat sort of day. People from all walks of life  who knew and respected Maureen were anxious to attend and demonstrate their affection.

This picture gives a better impression of the size of the crowd which gathered for this rare and special occasion.

Middlewich Town Council's interpretive banner showing photographs of Middlewich's canals in their working heyday was on display at the event.

Music always looms large in any Middlewich celebration and this was no exception. Our picture shows melodeon player Benny Graham sitting on one of the lock's balance beams

Benny also treated the assembled company to a rendition of  'It's A Hard Life For A Girl On The Cut', which was also sung at Maureen's funeral. We're indebted to local musician and singer Andy Roscoe for this information.

Can anyone tell us the name of the gentleman in the red jacket who acted as the MC for the occasion, and the other people standing here with MP Fiona Bruce?

UPDATE: And here's the answer from the gentleman himself, as appended in our comments section (below):

 Someone asked the question in your report as to who the guy was with the red jacket acting as the MC. That was Peter Bolt Project Officer at the time for the IWA Chester and Merseyside Branch (now Chairman). The chap to my left is Brian Phillips IWA Branch Chairman at the time.

A great lady and my privilege to have known her.

Peter Bolt

Fiona gave a speech in tribute to Maureen....

...as the crowd, suitably muffled up against the early-Spring Middlewich weather, listened with the iconic Wardle Lock Cottage behind them.

Everyone was fortified by the magnificent buffet provided.

The actual unveiling of the plaque was performed by Maureen's daughter, Sharron Underwood.

Sharron was presented with a scale model of the Fellows Morton & Clayton boat Ferret by Angela Farrington, who knew Maureen for more than forty years.

 Ferret was built in 1926 at Yarwoods and the prototype can still be seen on the waterways of Britain, attending rallies such as Middlewich's own FAB Festival.

And here is the plaque itself. A worthy and lasting reminder of one of the true legends of the waterways.

After the ceremony a folk session was held at The Boar's Head in Kinderton Street to enable Maureen's many friends to raise a glass in her memory.

Our thanks once again to Bill Armsden for letting us share these photographs; to Andy Roscoe for the  additional information, and to Ian Murfitt for keeping us informed.
If anyone can tell us the names of the other people pictured here please don't hesitate to get in touch.

The Maureen Shaw Appeal was organised by Peter Bolt of the Inland Waterways association.

To find out more about 'Auntie Maureen' go to 'A TRIBUTE TO AUNTIE MAUREEN' (ARCHIVED) and follow the links.

MAUREEN SHAW

1934-2012

(picture courtesy of Ian Murfitt)

First published 23rd march 2013
Re-published (with amendments) 23rd March 2017
and 23rd March 2018

MAUREEN and HER LOCK

One last tribute to a remarkable lady. Margaret Poniznik took this shot of the Tay taking Maureen Shaw through the Wardle Canal on her way down to Middlewich Town Wharf on 30th March.
The photo shows the boat leaving Wardle Lock, with the celebrated lock-keeper's cottage which was Maureen's home for many years to the left of it.
Looking to the future, we understand that the cottage has been bought by a family who are waterways enthusiasts and are keen to help in ensuring that Maureen's legacy will endure.
Our thanks to Margaret for permission to use her photograph.

SEE ALSO: MAUREEN'S FUNERAL 30th MARCH
                    WARDLE LOCK COTTAGE AND 'AUNTIE MAUREEN'
                    A TRIBUTE TO 'AUNTIE MAUREEN'