For some time now, my good friend Peter Bailey at the Sunbury and Shepperton Local History Society has been reminding me that in the society’s Aladdin’s Cave of treasures about the history of the river and the surrounding area, they’ve had these four photos of the Thames frozen over in 1940.

When I first came to live in Ashford, I didn’t give a whole lot of thought to the name of the town

For those of us who love messing about on boats, we normally have favourite stretches of waterway where we love to spend time.

Please accept my apologies – I know I’ve said this before but I do so love the start of a new year because it means that the London Boat Show is upon us – and it’s one of my favourite events of the year.

I hope you all add a splendid Christmas and New Year break and here we are now in 2013 with (hopefully) a delightful spring and summer of boating and enjoying the river to look forward to.