This memorial is to commemorate Michael’s life and his life-long passion for the cargo-carrying canal fleet and for the people who worked on them, which he admired throughout his life. If you are a canal enthusiast, you will recognise the carved image on the rear of the memorial. It shows the motor boat “MOUNTBATTEN” towing the butty “JELLICOE” approaching Bridge 14 (Mike’s favourite spot) with 48 tons of aluminium for Wolverhampton. Photo taken by Mike on 16/04/1965.
Brewood (pronounced ‘Brood’) is one of the prettiest villages on the Shropshire Union Canal, if not on the whole canal system. This is Mike Webb country; or perhaps that should be, ‘Espionage Webb’, as he was affectionately known on account of the meticulous records he kept of boat movements during the post-war years, when he was growing up in Brewood. Mike attended the local grammar school, where he and his chums fell into the habit of collecting boat names because there was no nearby railway line at which to train-spot. But Mike’s greatest legacy is the vast number of photographs he took of working boats in the late fifties and early sixties. (Extract from ‘Canal Companion’ 10th. edition by J.M. Pearson & Son Ltd. Publishers).
Mike’s funeral took place in Brewood in 2012. His coffin arrived by boat. A memorial bench is situated just south of Bridge 14 and there is another memorial to Mike in the village churchyard.
Mike was born in Brewood in 1934 at 21 Bargate Street –The White House-(See above). He spent some of his early years in Africa because his father worked for the British Colonies as a veterinary surgeon and researcher into tsetse flies. Mike returned to England with his mother and sister at the outbreak of the Second World War, in the last convoy from Africa to England.
After taking his entrance exams, Mike was accepted in the old boys’ Grammar School where, although he practised several sports, science was his favourite subject. When he finished his A level studies, his science teacher recommended him for a position at Albright & Wilson, a chemical Company which sent him to Wolverhampton College. Mike worked there for several years on research into bacteria. He discovered a new enzyme (molecules that speed up chemical reactions), which was incorporated into the formula for washing powder and it was patented by the Company. By then, Mike was a Research Scientist Chemist.
MIKE
I have been remembering our time at Raynesway, working for Severn-Trent Water. On my first day I recall being very nervous and Mike immediately making me feel welcome and at home. His very easy manner and excellent explanations of the tasks we had to do helped me settle in at Severn-Trent very quickly. There were always lots of very technical tasks to perform and deadlines to meet – Mike was so cool under pressure and so used to it all – there was never a panic.
Mike was always a gentleman. Never rude or off-hand to anyone – even when we were under a lot of pressure, with deadlines to meet and head office on our backs! He had a great respect for his colleagues and would do anything for them – though he did rebel a bit against the bosses. He would often say what he thought to them and I think they, in turn, respected him for that.
He was a very intelligent man. Every day he would bring his newspaper and read it from front to back. He could hold a conversation on any subject and obviously had a thirst for knowledge.We had regular chats during our lunch breaks, chatting over current affairs, politics, sport, science, anything.
Quite a large part of Mike’s job was to talk on the phone to the laboratory workers and other people in Quality Assurance about samples and results. He always had a laugh on the phone and could get results and information naturally by having banter with everyone. Sometimes they didn’t want to give us the information quickly, but Mike always got the facts effortlessly. I think the laboratory workers appreciated that Mike was one of them and knew the score. He would speak to Head Office in Birmingham every day. I remember him talking to the girls there – I could overhear – he didn’t mind. Mike was obviously a very charming man and they liked chatting to him as they were passing on the information we needed. I think they were relaxed and at ease with him because they knew he was genuine and a gentleman, with no hidden agenda. Colleagues knew that Mike was very trustworthy – anything spoken in confidence was sure never to be repeated or passed on – a very important and appreciated attribute in the close confines of an office environment, where people tend to know each other’s business! Mike never got into the habit gossiping.
There were always people popping into the office; those based at Raynesway, and others, like the samplers and lab technicians, who dropped in and got chatting about the old times with Mike. Because he’d been so long in the industry he seemed to know everyone. There was always laughing and banter.
Mike had a great sense of humour and a very dry wit. He would always have a laugh and a joke and was so easy to get along with. From the start there were never any problems getting on – it seemed I’d known Mike for years even after a few weeks.
I remember Mike’s efficiency when asked to complete a task for a report. I would always know that it would be completed on time and in a very accurate and precise way. There were never any mistakes on Mike’s work. I think everyone who came into contact with him knew and appreciated that. When there was a deadline to meet he was always calm and collected, never panicked or got worried, because he knew we’d get the job done between us if we worked in our team.
I especially remember the time when Rods Crowther, our boss, died suddenly. It was such a shock, we couldn’t believe it had happened.– Mike was great during that time. I think because we were so efficient they left us to it for a while, until they decided to move us to Birmingham and Mike decided to retire.
Mike was so easy to get along with. He always kept in touch regularly years after out Raynesway days. I used to love having a chat with Mike on the phone and it always seemed so natural – just as if all those years had melted away and we were back working for Severn-Trent! It’s easy to lose touch with past colleagues. Mike never let that happen and for that I’ll always be grateful.
Comments from Mike’s dear friend Andy Worthington from Severn Trent Water Authority 2012
Only 20 years have passed since scenes like these were commonplace. What a pity that there weren’t more Mike Webbs busy with their cameras – for the opportunity won’t come again’. (Comments by Mike Pearson, Waterways World July 1980).—
‘Mike was a gentle, cheerful person, quick sense of humour, research minded and a very knowledgeable man in a wide range of subjects. Mike’s passing will be a considerable loss to the canal community, most of whom will be unaware of the valuable research he did ‘in the background’.(Comments by historian: Harry Arnold -2012)—
‘ Mike has been a constant source of news, information and general ‘canal knowledge’ and he will be sorely missed by those who loved the canals as he did’.(Comments by Tony Gregory, captain of M/B TENCH-2012).—
His connection with canal photography began in the early 60s, all because he bought his first camera; he commenced his photography collection in which he included the boats and their families who lived aboard, mainly taken on the Shropshire Union Canal, Grand Union Canal and B.C.N.. Mike also started his archive which contains records and histories of commercial narrow boats, belonging to Fellows Morton & Clayton Ltd., Thomas Clayton (Oldbury) Ltd., Grand Union Canal Carrying Company Ltd., Willow Wren and British Waterways World, collecting all his records and data from authentic and official sources.
For more photos of -Mike Webb Canal Archive & Photography Collection-, you can scan the other QR, on the opposite side of this memorial.
My gratitude to our friends Andy & Cic Worthington. Lisa Sutton. Barry G. Genner.
Memorial set by Mr. David Walker from A. Walker & Sons. Tel.01543 503235– Calligrapher R Davis.