The house called The Sphinx on Pharaoh’s Island as seen from the towpath

Home Guards’ ‘Mac’ was the guardian of the lock

One of the things I love most about writing this column is that every now and again I’m contacted by someone with a lovely story to tell connected to our stretch of the Thames.

Out-of-season delights

I love this time of year on the river. It doesn’t really matter whether it’s a bright, crisp autumn day or a dull, misty morning, the Thames has its own very special moods.

Would more lock-keepers have made a difference?

The terrible flooding, which has followed days of heavy rain, has caused tens of thousands of pounds worth of damage to home and businesses in our area and there has much coverage elsewhere in this newspaper about the impact on the lives of local residents.