Dark Deeds Along the Towpath
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Philip Pullman writes once more in the Guardian of the boatyard in Oxford facing destruction. The Castle Mill Boatyard, which partly inspired the Gyptians in His Dark Materials, will be turned into housing if British Waterways has its way. Mr Pullman laments, “the boatyard and all its useful work will be wiped out and “developed” into a cluster of identikit houses and flats that look exactly the same as every other development in the land.” Read more.

Update: It's been reported that those protesters lodged in the boatyard have been forcibly removed today (June 1). The protesters and their canal boats were evicted by bailiffs who brought in a mobile crane to lift seven barges back into the water.

Philip Pullman reacted angrily, accusing British Waterways of treachery and causing widespread illwill: “They are greedy, shifty and dishonest and cannot open their mouths without lying. This eviction is a needless setback.” Read more.

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11 Responses to Dark Deeds Along the Towpath

  1. aurora llyria says:

    "I have no idea what this painting would fetch if it came to auction, but this painted vision is a valuable thing for what it is, not for what it's worth…"

    🙂 I love that quote. It seems to me that people so often value things solely for the money they can bring. Philip Pullman is so wonderful…I'm glad there are people like him to write and speak out for beautiful remainders in the world. I hope the boatyards will be okay! Good luck to all the boatyard people. 🙂

  2. Alewyin says:

    SAVE THE BOATYARD!

    We should totally do something about it…we're Sraffies, we're here to admire Pullman; we're here to love HDM. Wouldn't helping to save the boatyard, a major place in TNL/GC, help to pay back PP for all that he's given us?

  3. Sraffie says:

    YES! Muahahahahahahaha! Only I do not know what we could do. Like, as in, no idea.

  4. Alewyn says:

    You've got to be kidding, they did WHAT???
    :angry: :angry:

  5. The Bard says:

    I say Alewyn is right…we should go and protest in some way, although It's not like a bunch of teenagers are going to make any real impact…still, we could get an army of HDM fans to go and it wouldn't be just about the boat owners anymore…

  6. Alewyn says:

    Or send letters of protest or something, I don't think I can get myself over to England again for HDM 🙁

  7. The Bard says:

    Yeah! This is a call to arms! I say BTTS readers should go ahead and write to British waterways, if not for the boat owners, then for Pullman, and besides, we have the power to act on this, so I say we use it and tell them exactly what we think, and even if it doesn't work, at least we will have tried and have it off our conscience. So make as many people as you can aware of what is going on, and how BW and the government is exploiting boat owners and making their lives miserable for their own personal benefit and because they have made it apparent that money is more important to them than doing the right thing!

    Fight the Heathens I say! Vae Victus!!!

    Ok…i'll stop there…. :wassat:

  8. Alewyn says:

    FIGHT THE HEATHENS!

    Once finals are over, I'm writing!

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