Rowing boat gift

A rowing boat was presented by the Robert Manning Technical College in 2002 to assist staff in the cleaning and maintenance of St Peter's Pool and the Bourne Eau and regularly remove the debris.

The craft was built by staff and pupils from the college at the request of the trustees and Robert Smith, head of the technology department, was delighted to help. A three strong boat building team was formed, headed by technician Hugh Watson with teacher Peter Lound and Mr Smith himself, assisted by a number of pupils, and a boat kit purchased at great expense which was then constructed as a community project, the task taking two months.
 

When complete, the boat was christened St Peter and handed over to ground staff at BUC in July 2002 much to their delight because park keeper Andrew Scotney told The Local newspaper (July 5th): “This will allow us to clear all the river around the Wellhead by removing rubbish thrown in and to clean out the nesting boxes for the ducks and swans. We are very pleased with the boat and the trustees are equally indebted to Mr Watson and his team.”

Unfortunately, apart from one outing on the river, when intrepid sailor Robert Kitchener, secretary of the Civic Society, took it out to help clear debris from the protective grill around the mill race behind Baldock’s Mill (pictured above), the boat was hardly been seen on the water.

It languished for some time unused at the staff yard in the Wellhead Gardens but then disappeared altogether without being used for its intended purpose even though many people in the town are dismayed year after year by the deteriorating condition of the much loved beauty spot which was continually defaced by discarded rubbish such as paper, plastic bottles and beer cans.