The Lock Keeper by Andy Nichols (2025) Recorded by Andy Nichols We were working the lock flight, the side of the hill Cold winter afternoon, December chill An old man in a flat cap appeared from the blue Pulled out a windlass, said “I’ll help you through” He wound all the paddles, opened the gates Said “you’d better get on, you don’t want to moor late” He moved like a young man, sharp eye and quick hand Not what you’d expect from an elderly man As we went along he told tales of his life How he’d lived in the cottage, just him and his wife The kids grown up and all moved away But because of the locks he wanted to stay The stories of the boatmen he’d helped to lock through Atkins, the Skinners and all of their crew “It’s not the same now” he said with a sigh “But I still like to help all the boaters go by” Keep the paddle gear greased, the beams painted right Check they’re alright when they’re closed for the night But the lock gear was rusted, the weeds pushing through We thought that this man had a rose tinted view We reached the last lock at the end of the day He shook our hands warmly then went on his way We looked back to see where this man had come from But of him no sign, he’d already gone We asked the landlord in the pub later on Who was the man and where had he gone His eyes opened wide, his face grew quite pale As we described the lock keeper and told him our tale He said “there’s no lock keeper on those locks no more, Not since the canal closed down years before” “But from your description I know who you mean But he’s up in the church yard, it’s his ghost that you’ve seen” “His love and his life were lost on the day They closed the canal, took his cottage away His working life done when they shut it all down He fell in the top lock and that’s where he drowned Nobody knows if he took his own life Or what became of the kids or his wife” But it feels kind of special that he turned up that way And helped us to get through the lock flight that day The lyrics were kindly provided by its author, Andy Nichols, who commented that the song is “A fictional ghost story I dreamed up one winter afternoon. Who knows, there could be a haunted lock flight somewhere.” Recorded on :
The Lock Keeper by Andy Nichols (2025) Recorded by Andy Nichols We were working the lock flight, the side of the hill Cold winter afternoon, December chill An old man in a flat cap appeared from the blue Pulled out a windlass, said “I’ll help you through” He wound all the paddles, opened the gates Said “you’d better get on, you don’t want to moor late” He moved like a young man, sharp eye and quick hand Not what you’d expect from an elderly man As we went along he told tales of his life How he’d lived in the cottage, just him and his wife The kids grown up and all moved away But because of the locks he wanted to stay The stories of the boatmen he’d helped to lock through Atkins, the Skinners and all of their crew “It’s not the same now” he said with a sigh “But I still like to help all the boaters go by” Keep the paddle gear greased, the beams painted right Check they’re alright when they’re closed for the night But the lock gear was rusted, the weeds pushing through We thought that this man had a rose tinted view We reached the last lock at the end of the day He shook our hands warmly then went on his way We looked back to see where this man had come from But of him no sign, he’d already gone We asked the landlord in the pub later on Who was the man and where had he gone His eyes opened wide, his face grew quite pale As we described the lock keeper and told him our tale He said “there’s no lock keeper on those locks no more, Not since the canal closed down years before” “But from your description I know who you mean But he’s up in the church yard, it’s his ghost that you’ve seen” “His love and his life were lost on the day They closed the canal, took his cottage away His working life done when they shut it all down He fell in the top lock and that’s where he drowned Nobody knows if he took his own life Or what became of the kids or his wife” But it feels kind of special that he turned up that way And helped us to get through the lock flight that day The lyrics were kindly provided by its author, Andy Nichols, who commented that the song is “A fictional ghost story I dreamed up one winter afternoon. Who knows, there could be a haunted lock flight somewhere.” Recorded on :
Introduction Introduction
Reference Reference
Updates Updates
Home Home
Songs Songs