THE web of canals criss-crossing Britain created a unique type of vessel, the narrowboat. That’s, of course, unless your roots were in Gloucestershire where — and even to this day — they are called longboats!

Now the domain of holiday-makers, the vessels were once the workhorses of the canal and river systems, carrying every imaginable cargo the length and breadth of the country.

While they are only occasionally seen on the tidal Severn, goodly numbers traded on the fringes and frequently used the Gloucestershire to Herefordshire canal system which included Newent and Dymock.

In the hey-day of the canal trade, the boats were mainly family-owned businesses in which women played vital roles, and this aspect of life afloat is to be explored by Forest of Dean history enthusiasts at a meeting in Bream on Saturday.

In the first of the history society’s autumn meetings, boating enthusiast Jan Ruiz is to be joined by two friends to explore the life-styles of the canal women, their families and crafts.

They will explain the different roles women were expected to fulfil and how hard life was for them working and bringing up families in cramped conditions while operating the locks and loading and unloading heavy cargoes.

The speakers will be dressed in period costumes and give ‘hands-on’ demonstrations of some of the crafts involved, such as rag rug-making.

The meeting is at the West Dean Centre at 3pm and guests are welcome.