Chris Howes, who died aged 64 of oesophageal cancer, left much behind him – cast ironwork from his chosen career, and a range of benefits to communities, particularly in the Cambridgeshire towns of St Neots and Chatteris, where he served as a Liberal Democrat town councillor.  But within IWA, Chris Howes was better known as a great waterway campaigner, particularly in East Anglia.  He wrote many articles and boating guides. He was an adept oarsman and over the years was a member of rowing clubs at Bedford, St Neots and Ely.

Chris served as an IWA trustee and deputy national chair, chair of IWA Eastern Region and of IWA Peterborough Branch.  Chris spent much of his life living on or near the River Great Ouse and wrote two Imray guides: The River Great Ouse and its Tributaries and The Fenland Waterways which covers the Middle Levels and both the Old and New Bedford rivers. His navigation notes, accompanied with narrative and photographs, inspired many boaters to explore these fascinating navigations.

Chris was instrumental in helping IWA Peterborough Branch to organise a series of campaign cruises in recent years. These involved repeated attempts to reach the historic Welches Dam Lock. The lock is one of IWA’s Silver Propeller locations, having been selected to support an IWA campaign to reopen navigation through Welches Dam to Horseway Lock.  Some of the campaign cruises reached Welches Dam although other attempts proved less successful. In April 2023, a build-up of silt prevented Chris from passing through the gates leading to Old Bedford River. His efforts were not in vain, however, as the challenges he faced demonstrated how a lack of funding can result in waterways becoming impassable.

When, in 1997, Chris mentioned to the carnival committee that St Neots’ beautiful wide river was perfect for dragon boat racing, their response was to ask if Chris could set it up.  He and Christine organised the first two events together, and an annual dragon boat festival has continued ever since.  In Chatteris, a medieval festival established by Chris and friends has now evolved into a midsummer festival.

It was only in more recent years that Chris strove to achieve improvements and greater access to inland waterways, highlighting the huge benefits such corridors can provide – both to the public for leisure and health, and to wildlife. In 2015 he and Christine bought a narrow boat and joined IWA.  Not content with just being an ordinary subscription-paying member, Chris quickly got involved at every level of the Association, rising through the ranks to become a trustee in July 2017 and deputy national chair in late 2019 before resigning in July 2020 to concentrate on the Boston to Peterborough Waterway campaign and other East Anglian interests.  He was IWA’s representative and chair of the Middle Level Users’ Committee.

Chris developed a close relationship with the Middle Level Commissioners and assisted with the passage through parliament in 2018 of the Middle Level bill, which enabled the Middle Level Commissioners to charge a licence fee for boaters, thus providing funds to improve safety and facilities. Chris’s evidence to the parliamentary committee is recorded in Hansard.

At the time of his death, he was researching for a third guide for publishers Imray’s, to cover the Norfolk Broads, but insufficient material was prepared for the work to be completed.

[Article partly based on an appreciation by Christine Colbert, which is available at The Guardian’s website ]

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