Late in the afternoon of 9th December 1929 two canal barges belonging to Kempson and Co. of Pye Bridge, Somercotes were proceeding from Loughborough to Pye Bridge, laden with chemicals. They were operated by William White (62) and his son Jack. They were from a long-established family of bargemen and William’s grandfather had transported cannonballs from Alfreton Ironworks for use in the Crimean War.
The lead boat, which had an engine, had towed the other one down the Soar. After Red Hill lock, they lashed the boats together, ready to cross the Trent and enter the Erewash Canal at Trent Lock. But the flow of the flooded Trent, plus the wind, was too strong for the engine and they were pulled towards the weir, stern first, in the gathering dark.
A man called Herbert Rowley was on the bank nearby and threw them a rope which they tied to a pier of the railway bridge with the help of William Challis and other members of the Trent Valley Sailing Club. But the 2nd boat became loose and was swept over the weir. Although, with the river so high, the drop would have only been a few inches, William White is thought to have jumped onto the loose boat, or jumped for land, but fell into the water.
Jack climbed the rope to safety. The other boat was swept away the next morning, and both boats were later found downstream. William drowned, but his body didn’t emerge until the following May when another bargeman found it near Attenborough.
Less than 2 weeks earlier, two barges travelling from Leicester to Beeston and were being towed across the Trent at the same place, using the ‘Soar line’ when the line broke and they were washed downstream. The bargees were Mr Charlie Mons and Mrs Jane Woods. They were both able to jump onto the bank before the barges, carrying a 21-ton load, stuck on the weir.
William Challis (1881-1957) lived at the Riverside Bungalow and Trent Lock and was club steward for the Trent Valley Sailing Club from 1900 to 1936. He retired to Welbeck Road, Long Eaton.
He was involved in another rescue at Trent Lock in January 1928. The river levels were high and a barge being towed down the Trent was suddenly swung round by the flood water coming out of the River Soar. The horse which was towing the barge was jerked backwards into the water and drowned. Mr Challis was ill in bed when he heard or saw the accident. He got up and waded into the Trent to throw a line to the two men on the barge. He then tied it to a tree, and the barge was brought alongside the bank.
In January 1932, two barges were emerging from the Soar to turn towards Sawley – a motorboat towing the other barge – when the lead boat was swept round by the force of the Trent and jammed against the bank. The second barge stuck alongside, and it took some time to release them.
