Messing about in #Sowerby Bridge

Messing About on the River by the Canal

SUNDAY

This is me messing about at The Moorings at Sowerby Bridge earlier today (still high on caffeine from yesterday).

The Rochdale Canal, completed in 1804, was the first canal built to cross the Pennines to connect Lancashire with Yorkshire.

In 1965 there was talk of abandoning the canal but by this time leisure boating had become popular in the UK and there was a campaign to keep it open. Work was started and eventually the whole length was reopened in 2007.

As part of the restoration of the canal the wharves at the start of the canal in Sowerby Bridge were redeveloped. There are restaurants and bars and apartments and canal boat moorings.

A then local sculptor Roger Burnett see entry for 1 March 2011 was commissioned to create this work entitled Jack O' The Lock. The bronze statue depicts Richard Tiffany, Sowerby Bridge’s town lock keeper for many years

It's a life sized sculpture of Tiffany pushing backwards against a lock gate arm. cloth cap. Richard is holding is holding a lock key in his hand, a vital tool for a lock keeper although sadly part of its shaft has broken off. Next to him is a small boy helping him out and pushing with his hands on the lock arm.

Tiffany's real great grandson was used as a model for the young boy. He is wearing a short sleeved shirt, shorts held up by braces and long socks which are starting to roll down to his ankles.