65/246

A water can for a narrow boat, with a handle on the side and another on the lid. Painted utensils such as this were referred to as ‘bargee ware’. The can is painted on the lower half and lid with a design of roses on a green background, on the upper half with a castle and a cottage, and with yellow and red bands. It was either painted by Charlie Bushell, or is an attempt to copy a boat painting by Charlie Bushell. The Bushell Brothers, Charlie and Joseph, ran a canal boat building and repair business at Gannel in New Mill, Tring, on the Wendover Arm Canal, until their retirement in 1952. They also did general coach-building.

1 water can: metal; painted

MERL Miscellaneous note, Greta Bertram, 1 March 2013 – The donor’s father was one of the Bushell Brothers. The Bushell Brothers, Charlie and Joseph, ran a canal boat building and repair business at Gannel in New Mill, Tring, on the Wendover Arm Canal. The business was founded by their father, Joseph Bushell Senior, in 1875. They took over its running in 1912, and the business closed in 1952 when they retired. This Collection comprises tools and other objects used at Bushell Brothers, as well as other various old tools that the donor's father, who was always interested in rural crafts, collected druing his retirement., MERL ‘Handwritten catalogue’ form – ‘NARROW BOAT WATER CAN // 65/246 // Transport–Water // ... // Probably crude attempts to copy boat painting by Mr C. Bushell himself.'