Two canal boatman beside the canal along with their horse and dog.

Object detail

Department

Photo

Maker

Unknown

Production date

Late 19th Century

Subject person

Angus Sharp

Subject place

Panny,The/Union Canal/Polmont Station/Polmont area

Subject notes

Angus Sharp on left. His sons and grandsons also worked on the canal. The boatmen used to contract various kinds of cargo to numerous destinations along the canal and as far down the coast as Granton via the Forth & Clyde Canal from Grangemouth. The Canal boats were towed by puffer to the carious ports on the Forth. The main cargoes were coal, road metal, limestone for the farms and the busiest boats of all were dung boats. These boats collected the contents of the Edinburgh middens, call for some unknown reason, Polis Dung" and was in great demand by the farmers along the canal who spread it on hay fields to improve the crop, especially that of the perennial Timothy Hay.

Accession number

P15754

My shortlist

Subject category

Canal; Union Transport; Water Barge

Image auto tags

Horse Pack animal Horse trainer Riding instructor Working animal Horse supplies Mare Horse harness Mane Wrangler

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