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Steam narrow boat President - History

Black Country Living Museum - Press Release - 19th May 2005

Crystal Palace to Arrive in London in Presidential Style

Sun 22nd May - Tues 7th June

Newly cast parts of Joseph Paxton's Crystal Palace, centrepiece of the Great Exhibition 1851 and quite possibly the 8th Wonder of the World, will return to London aboard the Black Country Living Museum's steam narrow boat 'President'.

On Sunday 22nd May full size replica Crystal Palace Columns will leave the Black Country Living Museum in Dudley and will be floated to London aboard the 'President' narrow boat, in convoy with its butty 'Kildare' via the Grand Union Canal.

David Powell from The Friends of President said: "We at Friends of President are looking forward to transporting the Casting of the Crystal Palace to London and using this traditional method of transport seems very fitting for the historic nature of the project.

"President is owned by the Black Country Living Museum and is operated by the volunteer group Friends of President. It is the only restored Steam Powered Narrow boat on the canals today and always creates interest everywhere she goes."

In London the boats will pick up and follow the original 1852 route taken when the Crystal Palace was moved from Hyde Park to Sydenham and where the 'Crystal Palace Corner will be erected on its original site, near the Crystal Palace Museum.

John Greatrex, Coordinator of the pcpcp (Paxton’s Crystal Palace Corner Project) said: "With the help of 'President' and the Black Country Living Museum we wish to recreate the Crystal Palace Corner in memory of the greatest greenhouse ever seen - Paxton's glass cathedral, the flower of the Victorian age, so that all who witnessed the fire in 1936 can revisit the site with their children and grandchildren, and tell them about the palace."

-Ends-

Detailed trip schedule is here

For further information please contact:
Fiona Carding, Media Relations Officer Tel: 0121 521 5692
Email: fionac@bclm.co.uk
Emma Middleton, Marketing Manager Tel: 0121 521 5692
Mobile: 07747 312196
More info www.nb-president.org.uk

The Black Country Living Museum is only three miles from Junction 2 of the M5 Motorway, and five miles from junction 10 of the M6 and is easily accessible from the Midlands Motorway network. Opening times - every day from 10am until 5pm.