River Ouse Bargeman: A Lifetime on the Yorkshire Ouse

The Ouse reaches into the heart of Yorkshire from the Humber Estuary. Until the 1980s, loaded barges made the challenging journey from Hull to Selby, bearing bulk cargoes for the mills of the town. The bargees had to be tough and resourceful; physically strong enough to handle their craft, wise enough to combat the rivers shifting currents and savvy enough to deal with those supplying short measure.Laurie Dews of Selby worked the Ouse from 1937 to 1987, and is now the only man remaining wit...