A TEACHER who lives in Harefield is aiming to hoping to restore a famous piece of literary history.
Keith Holland, 28, from Harefield, has joined forces with Bedfont brothers Gary and David Enstore, to raise funds to build a replica of a boat that belonged to writer Rudyard Kipling.
Keith got involved in the project through friend Gary, 27, who worked at the former home of Kipling in Burwash, East Sussex.
On July 13 the group will row an original 1870s skiff on a 97-mile stretch of the Thames from Richmond to Oxford to raise the £2,000 needed.
When Kipling received the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1907, he spent the money on creating a small lake at his home with a boat for children to use.
After his death, the craft sadly disappeared but the brothers are hoping to raise enough money to have a replica built by National Trust carpenters for visitors to enjoy on the lake.
Gary Enstore said: "Despite the fact that Kipling was such a good author, his family life has been forgotten. This part of the story is what is missing from the property."
The new boat will be named the Queen Elizabeth, rather than the original Queen Mary. In order to create the replica, carpenters will study a small photograph of Kipling in the vessel with a young boy called Miles Huntington-Whiteley as well as looking at other boats made at the time.
Mr Huntington-Whiteley, who is now in his 70s and lives in London, will be invited to the launch party.
Anyone wanting to sponsor the team can go to www.justgiving.com/RowYards4Kipling
You can follow the progress of the trip with the Row Yards for Kipling Blog at www.rowyards4kipling.blogspot.com/
