Walter Walker is not a name that springs to mind for many readers of On Board but if you have an interest in canoes as I have then you will know that Walker was the last of the old time builders of wood and canvas canoes.
Born in 1907 Walker died just two weeks before reaching his 102nd birthday. Initially trained as furniture maker Walker soon moved the the Lakefield Canoe Company in Ontario where he worked for many years, but he is perhaps best known for his work at the Peterborough Canoe works where at one time there was in excess of 100 workers turning out the beautiful canoes.
Walker did not ever seem to really retire and although he stopped making canoes for large firms he continued into old age in his own shop making canoes and paddles until only a few years before his death.
Although Walker actually died at the end of last year it is only now that I have got around to mention his passing but it is heartfelt nonetheless.
Incidentally if you want to find out a little more about this method of canoe building or are perhaps interested in building your own wood and canvass canoe you might like to check out my friend Jerry Stelmok's website by clicking here.
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