An idyllic home on the river – opera impresario Richard D’Oyly Carte bought this island just downstream from Shepperton Lock to build a country residence on it
It’s not often you have the opportunity to remember a courageous deed in a practical way but Staines Boat Club members have managed it by naming their new rescue boat after a former oarsman who died whilst saving the life of a fellow crewman.
I’ve always had a real soft spot for historic ships and boats. Vessels that hark back to an era when Britain really did rule the waves and when craftsmanship was something to be proud of rather than regarded as old-fashioned.
Some youngsters just exhibit a natural talent for sailing when they get out on the water – but for Isobel Mitchell, it might have come as a bit of a surprise because what she actually wanted to do was to windsurf.
