Canal man coming ashore to sign books at town's Minster

The author of a book telling his tales of working on Britain’s inland waterways is paying a visit to Rotherham.

John (Jacko) Jackson will be signing copies of his book Coal on the Cut in Rotherham Minster on Saturday October 10, from 10am to 2.30pm.

The ex floating coal-man will be appearing as part of the Rotherham Heritage Fair.

Mr Jackson was raised in Rotherham and educated at Oakwood School.

He grew up in Whiston, and lived on Wellgate and then Eastwood before buying a boat and fitting it out on the wharf opposite the railway station.

He eventually moved, by water, to Birmingham where his circumstances changed and he acquired Roach, a 1930s cargo-carrying narrow boat.

A spokesperson said: “This is not just a book for canal enthusiasts, it has the wider appeal of being an accessible and humorous account of someone who has actually lived the experience.

“From the spark of an idea to a successful venture and lifestyle, this book is a lively (and occasionally laugh out loud) account of the development of a canal-based business aboard Roach.

“After becoming married to Jenny, and navigating the archaic process of becoming an Approved Coal Merchant, the tale moves on from Gas Street Basin in Birmingham to Awbridge Wharf on the Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal via a very old-fashioned Black Country boat yard.

“The rich flavour of life aboard Roach as coal is distributed around the canal network is described, as are the various characters encountered on the way. A few pubs are also visited!

“As well as being familiar faces on the canals of the West Midlands, John and Jenny travelled a much wider area to fulfil orders for coal; making deliveries to boat-dwellers and canal-side properties far and wide.

“Humour, interest and idiosyncrasy abound throughout the canal system and within its inhabitants, enjoyably evident in the stories recounted here.”

Coal on the Cut is published by Norbury Publishing in paperback form and is available to buy directly from John and Jenny’s website at www.coalboat.co.uk and an expanding number of canal-side outlets and good bookshops.