I am researching religious missions to canal boatmen in the 19th and 20th centuries. A colleague and I have quite a lot of information but would welcome more on the subject if fellow 'listers' find any reference in the course of their family history research. Also if anyone could tell us the whereabouts of any copies of The Waterman from 1948, we would be deeply grateful. We can access them from 1894 to 1947 but want to know more about the last days of the magazine and the society. The Waterman was published by the Seamen and Boatmen's Friend Society formed in 1850 and now defunct. The magazine was distributed amongst boatmen so maybe some copies have survived. In return, I will be happy to pass on any references to named boatmen. Here is one. I hope it may be of use to someone. In February 1896 The Waterman reported the death of John GRAINGER, aged 36. The caretakers at the Bridge Street, Birmingham mission had taken him into their home and helped his wife to nurse him until he died. Gill Foster Cumbria