A stroke of luck - two Buckby cans - a bargain??

Today we took a stroll along the Thames at Reading and then down the Kennet, past the two final pubs on the K&A canal, the Jolly Anglers-now To Let- , and the Fishermans Cottage, once a favourite summer evening haunt of ours. As we passed the latter Kath noticed some old Buckby cans (yes I know they're not really Buckby cans unless they were made in Buckby) in the window and looking a bit forlorn. There were some rubbishy old oil paintings piled around them too. " I wonder if they're selling them" said Kath, so we went in for a closer look.

There were four cans, one very small, one probably two gallons, one probably three gallons and one looking about four. The larger three had inscriptions where a boat name would normally go . 1. London Pride 2. Fisherman's Cottage and 3. Fuller Smith Turner (the brewers). No for sale signs so we wandered out towards the door. Kath told the barmaid we were just looking at the cans in case they were for sale and she replied that they might be.



They wanted £20 each but to cut a long story short we bought the 2 and 3 gallon cans for £30 the pair. The smaller of the two needs a bit of TLC in the paintwork, and the larger one just a touch, but they are sound galvanised cans. I know new galvanised cans of this type and size can cost about £60 unpainted in a chandlery. The painter's signature on the bottom of each can says Terry Remp 1985.


I now have to decide how much to attempt to restore the paint chips. New paint probably won't blend in too well.


Anyway we're quite pleased with them and you can look out for them sitting on top of Herbie in future photos :-)