Gallery – Goole’s Bicentenary Flotilla
Goole's Bicentenary Flotilla
Convoy of vessels navigates around Goole Docks, 18 July 2026
The Knottingley to Goole Canal, the docks and embryonic town of Goole was opened for business in grand style on 20 July 1826. The owners, Aire and Calder Navigation Company, wanted to ensure that their investment was recognised, both locally and nationally, as a major step forward which would have major benefits for industry and commerce in Yorkshire.
Newspaper reports from that time describe a flotilla of 50 vessels making their way down the new canal from Ferrybridge. They were accompanied by “bands of music”, and flew flags of all nations. They were met at Goole that afternoon by throngs of cheering spectators despite the rainy weather that day.
To celebrate Goole’s 200th birthday YWHS wanted to emulate what happened two hundred years earlier by running a flotilla of vessels from the canal into and around Goole Docks. Tide times dictated that the flotilla could be safely run on the afternoon of Saturday 18 July 2026. After over two years of planning, twenty five vessels of varying shapes and sizes assembled into a convoy in the part of the canal known as the Dog and Duck. Accompanied by music, with horns sounding and flags flying, they set off into Goole Docks, watched by up to 1,000 spectators watching from public locations around the docks. History was being made!
The photographs in this gallery were taken on the 17 and 18 July and will serve as a permanent record of what was by everyone’s agreement, a great success.
Hover your cursor over the photograph below and you will see a short title. Click on the photograph and you should see a larger version with more information.
Source of the images
The photographs in this collection will each show the name of the photographer. They were all taken on the evening before or on the day. Beth Martin of Beth Martin Photography was asked to take shots of the flotilla from a number of different locations, which she did very successfully with the aid of her bicycle.
Our long time volunteer Malcolm Best was part of our team stationed at NW Trading on the opposite side of the canal from the coal hoist.
We will be adding further photographs as they become available.
If you can add to any of those descriptions please contact us using the form at the bottom of this page.
Hover your cursor over the photograph and you will see a short title. Click on the photograph and you should see a larger version with more information.
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