During the late 1950s, the sight of horse-drawn narrow boats on Britain’s canals became increasingly rare. These boats carried a variety of goods to different destinations across the country, including the Potteries, the textile mills of Lancashire, the paper mills of London, and the colleges of Oxford.

Despite facing tough competition from rail and road traffic, these boats continued to play a vital role in the country’s economy. However, little has been written about the families, especially the women who lived and worked on these boats.

Sheila Stewart’s book draws on recorded interviews with the remaining boatwomen who were born and raised on horse-drawn boats. These women share their experiences, seen through the eyes of an illiterate boatwoman, as they travelled mainly on the Oxford Canal during the Great War, the Depression, the Second World War, and the decline of the canals.

A new edition of a book that was first published in 1993 is set to be released in 2023.