Water Gypsies

A History of Life on Britain's Rivers and Canals

Author:	Julian Dutton
Published:	2021
Format:	Paperback, 176 pages
Size:	234 × 156 × 18 mm

£15⁹⁹

Tax included

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Britain's Floating Communities Through Time

A personal and historical journey through centuries of waterway living, from industrial working boats to bohemian floating homes, illustrated with fascinating images.

For centuries, living afloat on Britain's waterways has been a rich part of the fabric of our social history, from the fisherfolk of ancient Britain to the bohemian houseboat dwellers of the 1950s and beyond.

Whether they have chosen to leave the land behind and take to the water or been driven there by necessity, the history of the houseboat is a unique and fascinating seam of British history.

In Water Gypsies, Julian Dutton – who was born and grew up on a houseboat – traces the evolution of boat-dwelling, from an industrial phenomenon in the heyday of the canals to the rise of life afloat as an alternative lifestyle in postwar Britain.

Drawing on personal accounts and with a beautiful collection of illustrations, Water Gypsies is both a vivid narrative of a unique way of life and a valuable addition to social history.

Praise for Water Gypsies

"There could be no better or more informative guide to a history of life aboard. Whether you want to know about working boats, prison hulks, Dickensian houseboats, pleasure cruisers, floating restaurants or artists' retreats, this book is for you."
- Samuel West

"Love the book! Super-informative facts and history"
- Thames Path National Trail

About the Author

Julian Dutton was born and grew up on a Chelsea houseboat. He has worked as a writer and actor for over 30 years, mainly in TV and radio script-writing and performing, and has won a BAFTA, a British Comedy Award, and a Radio Academy Gold Award. Among his credits is the BBC2/Netflix comedy Pompidou which he created and performed with Matt Lucas. He has written articles for the Sunday Times, the Independent on Sunday, and the London Evening Standard.