Posted by John Wilson on May 16, 2007 at 00:57:36 from 202.154.140.137 user hugo.
In Reply to: Re: Aldeburgh avocets and archaeology posted by Pam Adams on May 16, 2007 at 00:39:17:
I still recall the plot of “No Boats on Bannermere” by Geoffrey Trease from reading it years ago, so it must have made an impression! It revolved on finding a burial and valuable jewels on an island in Lake Bannermere (Lake District?). It turns out to be a Christian burial as the skeleton was pointed somewhere (North?) which they can prove with a photo (the remains were disturbed); so the discoverers get a reward and the jewels do not go to the landholder - that depended whether it was or was not treasure trove and whether it was lost (pagan) or buried deliberately (Christian).
The title refers to the boys involved having a boat on the lake, kept in a boatshed on land subleased from the farmer. The landowner stops subleasing as he does not want boats on “his” lake; so before the days of trailer-sailer yachts! It may have even been a rowboat (is that “Amazon” says Dick of the rowboat in WH ...... ).
It certainly recalled to me why the “ag labs” and tenant farmers who migrated to New Zealand in the 19th century wanted to own their own land. Helped by the Liberal government from 1891 under John Balance then Richard Seddon, and Sir John McKenzie the Minister of Lands who could recall something of the Highland clearances, though they were before the settlement of New Zealand from the 1840s.