Judging from people’s expressions, I can tell that they are tired, board, very unhappy and with no money, a house (inferred) with a job they don’t like. There is also another reason they are not smiling : the taking of the photograph itself, this would take a long time, therefore it would be hard to smile for a long period of time. Their work is physically challenging. This, in my opinion shows that they have a poor lifestyle and are struggling to survive in the industry. Life on the canals is tough for this family.
I can assume that the family would have wanted this photograph taken and it is likely that the family chose to have the photo set in this way. Therefore the photographer has a motive for the setting and to produce the best photograph, because he will make money.
I believe this shows how life on the canals was like and although most of the information I have written down was inferred, I think shows how reliable this source is.
In the background of the photograph there is a house or factory with signs/advertisements on the side, it is likely that these signs are to do with the product producing companies in the industrial towns. I know from my own Knowledge that the canals were a major part of the industries, notice the tow path and how used it is, this shows reliability in the source, I also know that canal life was affected immensely by the industry. This was probably due to higher demands for materials and the canals were one of the best ways to deliver these materials. This would have put pressure on families like these to deliver more, leaving big effects on their lives. It is probably one of the reasons why the people look so unhappy. Again this information was inferred but it does suggest how reliable the source is.
I believe this is a strong point, (as are the other points I have made), in how reliable source 15 is and I my opinion, the photograph is a reliable source of evidence.
Source 16 (the painting) is different in many ways from source 15 (the photograph).
On the one hand the painting may be a true reflection of canal life, but on the hand, the painting may be a ‘lie’ and from my own knowledge, I know what canal life was like.
I believe that the painting is not believable and is an artist’s impression; this is why I decided that the painting is not reliable. To back my answer I am going to write why it is not believable.
The painting is not believable because the woman looks rich and happy; and although this is inferred, I know from my own knowledge and from my study of source 15 that the majority of canal workers had a poor lifestyle because of their boring and physically challenging job. But we do not know that this woman is a bargee, she could be a passenger/customer, who has the money.
If you were comparing the painting to the photograph, you would notice that the family look very tired and unhappy, whereas the woman in the painting is having a good time. In my opininion it is more likely that a canal worker would look more like the people in the photograph than he woman in the painting. I have come to this conclusion by using my own knowledge about life on the canals and how people really were. In my opinion the women in the painting does not look like she has done a days work because if you looked at her clothes, you would notice that they are clean and new. I know that not many people on the canal boats could afford new clothes such as the ones the woman is wearing.
I have also noticed that the women is feeding ducks, and I also know that bargees could not afford to do this either, because of their poor wages.
The women is feeding the ducks in a tranquil setting, in her clean clothes, with flowers tied to the chimney, this shows the romantic elements to the painting.
On the one hand I believe that this is not believable and the points I have made question how reliable this source is. On the other hand we do not now whether this painting could be by a bargee or someone who has lots of knowledge of canals and canal life. But I know that the painting was made to make money and therefore may not portray the truth about canal life, because not many people would want the truth about life on the canals in their house.
In my opinion Source 15 is a reliable piece of evidence in showing what canal life was like, although the information is sketchy. Whereas the other source, source16 is different to source 15 due to its lack of information and truth and there for has no reliability in telling us about life on the canals.
Andrew Jefferson 11W History Coursework
