The Westmorland Gazette carried a story about a sunken barge on the Lancaster canal at Field End Bridge (169) winding hole, (turning area), which is now full of horse tail weed (Gazette, January 22, 'What lies below?').

There was a diphtheria epidemic in 1920, and it is thought that it was a hospital ship transporting victims from outlying areas to Lancaster.

Certainly, in the 1914-18 war, wounded soldiers were transported by canals, as this was a safe and smooth way, rather than by rickety carriages, or farm carts over rough roads.

This story has created considerable response from older people in the community and a story emerges that a little girl may have died on board and the barge was sunk by the owners as there was no means of fumigating against the deadly Diphtheria in those days.

This story is on going and divers are preparing to investigate, but perhaps other canal communities have similar stories and it would be interesting to hear them.

Frank Sanderson

Public Relations Officer, Lancaster Canal Trust