There are some sights that really bring home to me that autumn has arrived and winter can’t be far behind it – and one of those is seeing the huge flocks of rooks that wheel in acrobatic formations over the Thames mornings and evenings.
Huzzah! At long last the wintry weather seems to be loosening its grip on us. The clocks have sprung forward and the temperature is heading up towards more sensible levels – and that means that for most boat owners the time is rapidly approaching when we can get our charges back in the water and start enjoying life afloat once more.
Brothers Chris, Keith and Jeffrey French had summer jobs on the river when they were growing up so it was probably no surprise when their mum, Margaret Anne, suggested the three brothers should join together and set up a venture offering trips on the river to paying passengers back in 1978.
