Richard Booth wrote: > I have similarly found an instance > where one is described as a Bargeman and the other as a Boatman - > this in 19th Century Warwickshire where Barges were unknown! My Neal ancestors from Northant's and oxford were regular travelers on the canals. One of them married a canal barge builder in Banbury in 1812. Nearly every instance of the family describes them as boatman, boatwoman and only twice is there a mention of waterman. One of the Blackcountry canal boatmen went to work on the Thames and he was then described as a lighterman gaye