President is a historic, steam-powered narrowboat, built in 1909 by Fellows Morton & Clayton (FMC) at their dock at Saltley, Birmingham, England. It is now owned by the Black Country Living Museum, where it is based.
President is registered by National Historic Ships as part of the National Historic Fleet.
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Early years
The 71 feet (22 m) long President was constructed in 1909 at FMC's company dock in Saltley, and cost £600 (equivalent to £61,700 in 2025). She was registered on 23 June that year. Her riveted, wrought iron hull is shaped in the 'Josher' style, named for FMC director Joshua Fellows.
In 1925, the Ruston, Proctor and Company steam boiler and engine were replaced by a 15 hp Bolinder crude oil engine.
Ernest Thomas, a director of FMC, and a Walsall-based coal carrier, acquired the boat in 1946. She was sold to George and Matthews of Wolverhampton in 1948, but that year the UK's canals were nationalised and she finished her working days as part of British Waterways' northern maintenance fleet, on the Trent and Mersey, Macclesfield and Shropshire Union canals, from a base at Northwich.
