Journey recreating 'Idle Women'

TWO women are to create one of the journeys made by those known as the 'The Idle Woman' who 'manned' the working boats during World War II, it marking the 75th anniversary.

The Idle Women was the nickname for the women who manned the working boats when the regular male crews were called-up to fight during the war, Alan Tilbury tells us.

Recreating the Journey

The show, Idle Women of the Wartime tells their stories (including how they came to be known as ‘Idle') and from April to July will be recreating the journey by following the route that they worked, acted by Heather Wastie and Kate Saffin who will be recreating the journey from London to Birmingham and back to London via the now discarded Coventry coal fields in a television documentary

This double bill tells the stories of the young women who took on the challenge to manage a pair of boats and their cargo. Isobel's War is a solo play written and performed by Kate Saffin based on the experiences of the wartime trainees. Isobel doesn't think that rolling bandages and serving tea in the leafy suburbs of Oxford counts as proper war work, then she spots an advertisement and encounters a world she didn't know existed.

Wartime memories

Idle Women and Judies is written and performed by Heather Wastie—it started as an audio piece, commissioned by Canal & River Trust, based on the wartime memories of three women. Wastie has now added a collection of short poems and songs celebrating the work and adventures of the women.

By the beginning of WWII, the inland waterways were in decline. However, the war brought a brief renaissance as boats were a more economical means of moving war materials and supplies. But, whilst there were plenty of boats, there weren't enough good crews. The Women's Training Scheme taught young women the basics of boating over two three-week round trips (London-Birmingham-Coventry-London). These women then did their best to replace the men who had been called-up.

Nicknamed

On completion of their training they received their national service badge imprinted with the letters IW—Inland Waterways. After the war, they were nicknamed the Idle Women and they have been known as such ever since, with Kate Saffin commenting:

The stories, or at least the existence, of the trainees are known to many boaters and waterway enthusiasts but few beyond the towpath know they even existed never mind what they did. We are recreating this journey to celebrate their achievements, recognise their contribution to the war effort and explore their relationships with the indigenous boaters. We think it's important to make this journey with these local stories so that we can share the history that is on the audience's doorstep—or at least the nearest bit of towpath or the pub.

Cruise the canals

Accompanied by an historic narrowboat Tench crewed entirely by women, Wastie and Saffin will tour the canals this summer, stopping to perform this inspiring double bill at waterside pubs, village halls, gardens, an historic pumphouse and even a community wood.

They will be supported using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England.