Wednesday 13 July departing at 6pm
Our summer event this year marks the 200th anniversary of the opening of Chichester’s canal and will be a cruise from Chichester to Donnington and back on board the trip boat Richmond with a commentary by Alan Green. Bring your own wine or other beverages to enjoy during the cruise – glasses will be provided.
On the return trip we will call in at Hunston and visit Poyntz Bridge to take in the famous view of the canal painted by Turner for his patron the 3rd Earl of Egremont. The Earl was an unwitting investor in the Portsmouth and Arundel Navigation (of which the Chichester Canal was part) not only buying £15,750 worth of shares but standing as guarantor for the £40,000 Exchequer loan. The whole venture was a failure. Famously it never paid any dividends to its shareholders, and the Earl not only had to repay the loan he also surrendered his shares making a total loss of £4.5M in today’s money.
Tickets cost £10 but as places are limited to 31 they will be restricted to members only – i.e. we cannot accommodate guests.
Tickets will be on sale at the May and June meetings or can be obtained from Alan Green (tel 01243 784915) on a first-come, first-served basis.