PUSHING THE BOATS OUT FOR THE PLATINUM JUBILEE

PUSHING THE BOATS OUT FOR THE PLATINUM JUBILEE

As Her Royal Highness Queen Elizabeth II celebrates her Platinum Jubilee, national charity the Canal & River Trust has found nearly 350 boats on its 2,000 miles of waterways have names related to the Queen (circa one in every hundred).

66 boats are called Elizabeth or have Elizabeth in their names, while a further 130 contain derivatives such as Liz or Lizzie. There is one Platinum on the charity’s waterways, whilst sovereign titles are also popular, with 144 boat names containing Queen, Princess, or Royal.

Queen Elizabeth II has visited the waterways over the course of her reign, taking in the Leeds & Liverpool Canal as part of her Diamond Jubilee tour in 2012 and the National Waterways Museum at Ellesmere Port in 1979. She officially reponed the restored Kennet & Avon Canal in 1990, boarding the narrow boat ‘Rose of Hungerford’ at the canal’s famous Caen Hill Flight, where a lock is named in her honour. In Scotland in 2017, she opened the Queen Elizabeth II Canal, linking the Forth & Clyde Canal at the Kelpies with the Firth of Forth.  And, in London, the restored Bow Back Rivers are central to the 2012 Olympic Park named in her honour.

Richard Parry, chief executive at Canal & River Trust, said: “Britain’s waterways have long had a close relationship with royalty: Her Royal Highness Queen Elizabeth II has showed interest in the canals over the course of her reign and we are honoured to have His Royal Highness Prince Charles as our patron.

Images of HRH Queen Elizabeth II visiting the Boat Museum at Ellesmere Port in 1979 are attached.

From communication from Fran Reed, CRT National Press Officer on 30th May2022

RCTA members enjoying the Jubilee Weekend

All dressed up for the Jubilee

RCTA held two Floating Markets on the Jubilee weekend at the beginning  of June, the traders at Market Drayton hung out the bunting & flags in style & were rewarded by the event being opened by the Mayor & Town Cryer who did a walk along the boats, many traders took the opportunity of a photo as you can see.

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