A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE CLUB
The inaugural meeting of the Club was held on 29th October 1964 in a narrowboat appropriately named "New Hope", moored at Radford Marine (now Radford BMW car sales). The aims of the Club at that time were to promote canal boating, to campaign to keep the canal system open and to promote restoration of the canal system.
In 1967 membership of the Club began to dwindle due mainly to it having no permanent home. In 1968 an approach was made by the Club to Stafford Borough Council to allow the use of the then derelict Hazlestrine Canal Arm, which had been used to carry clay to, and bricks from the Hazlestrine Brickwork's.
At this time the building of the Wildwood estate had not been commenced. The members of the Club worked hard to start the restoration of the arm, but the membership numbers still dwindled until in 1976 there were only three left.
In a last attempt to save the club, these three members made an effort via local press, radio and through personal contacts to arrange a "Save Stafford Boat Club" meeting. This was attended by over 100 people and with renewed vigour the "revived Club" got underway and soon the lease of the land from Stafford Borough Council, a right of way from the estate developer and the necessary planning permissions and easements had all been obtained.
Having gone from strength to strength the Club purchased the field opposite the Clubhouse and all the land it originally leased. The site developed with much hard work by the Club's members who tackled all jobs and projects with enthusiasm and professionalism. The original clubhouse was a wooden hut which served the Club well for many years until it was replaced by the present building.
This was built like the rest of the site entirely by the members and was officially opened in 1990.
With the completion of the echelon moorings on the fieldside we gained a second slipway that has a bogie on rails and a proper winchhouse for pulling boats up the slip. Unfortunately winches do not push very well so we have a manual capstan for returning the boats back to the water. Next to the slipway we have our Wet Dock (or Painting Dock) this was completed in 2004 and with the British weather is proving to be a boon for boat painting.
Our latest addition is purely ornamental and that is the lock feature in the middle of the field. I have already heard a passing boater say, "How the hell do you get to that lock!"
We have recently improved the access to the site with the installation of automatic gates and ornamental brickwork and ironwork.
What of the future? Alas, none of the members are getting any younger and in the last few years we have had a few members pass away, consequently we will be finishing the lock feature with a Garden Of Remembrance.
Our newest feature is a beautiful bridge over the end of the arm.
The site and its buildings need regular upkeep to maintain the high standard. With the continued help and support of its members Stafford Boat Club will continue to progress.