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About Us

People often ask who the Friends are and what they are for?

      To explain briefly; the Waterways Museum has existed since it was founded by two men who worked for the waterways, Charles Hadlow, an engineer and Jack James a boatman, turned lock keeper, in 1963. At that time it was the only museum devoted to the inland waterway system in the country. Since then other museums have developed, notably at Gloucester and Ellesmere Port, both of which, together with the Stoke Bruerne Museum are now run and operated by The Waterways Trust, an independent body.  In recent years the Trust has obtained funding from various outside sources to run their Museums, but even so resources are inevitably limited.

For this and other reasons it was decided in late 2005 to call a public meeting in Stoke Bruerne with a view to sounding out public opinion regarding forming an organisation that would support our local museum in various ways. The meeting decided that such a course should be followed and during 2006 the Friends were set up and at the same time volunteers began assisting the Museum’s work in various ways.

  As a local organisation we are vitally interested in maintaining and preserving the heritage of our waterways system, particularly those relating to Northamptonshire.

• If you would like to know more about the waterways that form so important a part of Northamptonshire’s historical heritage,

• If you want to help conserve this precious heritage for future generations to enjoy,   

Then join us and let us help take the Museum forward into the canal’s third century of service to its community.  

 David Blagrove.
Chairman, 
Friends of the National Waterways Museum.

Chairman:
David Blagrove

Vice-Chairman:
Lorna York

If you would like to join the Friends or would like to contact us

Please write to: The Friends of The National Waterways Museum, c/o The Waterways Museum, Stoke Bruerne, Towcester NN12 7SE or email us here